A long climb, a fantastic view and of course I got in after dark.
AUGUST 6, 2006
Rt. 40 into the Narrows
Eventually I awoke to the noise of a freight train rolling by and warm sunshine illuminating my tent. I looked at my watch and saw that I had slept in. The time was now ten in the morning. I had intended to already be riding by eight. I broke camp and packed up my bike again and headed back into town. After a quick breakfast at Sheetz I was back on route forty heading into the narrows westbound.
The trail still was not complete at this time in Maryland and so I headed on road detours to Woodcock Hollow Road where the trail was completed to. On my way to Woodcock Hollow I saw the black smoke of the tourist train up on the hill. This gave me a sense as to where the trail was (it parallels the railroad all the way to Switch #9) and made me realize that the railroad was gaining elevation while the state highway I was currently pedaling was not.
My climb started here…
Then I got to the bottom of Woodcock Hollow Road. I believe I mentioned before that I am not proficient in riding uphill on a bike. Especially a hill that goes straight up. Like Woodcock Hollow Road does.
The eastbound signals for the Frostburg passing siding.
By the time I reached the top my water bladder was dry and it was well past lunchtime. I stopped at a picnic table located at the trail head and ate my lunch, refilled my water and prepared to go on. At least I was on the trail now.
I didn’t make it to Frostburg until almost four. I had intended Frostburg to be my lunch spot, but the combination of my late start and the steep hill climb of both Woodcock Hollow Road and the trail, I took a rest at the Frostburg trailhead and ate a cold dinner. I was expecting to have pizza in Meyersdale.
Up, up, up…
There was plenty of daylight, so I trudged onward up the mountain. On my previous journey, this section of trail was closed still. All of my uphill riding was experienced riding McKeesport all the way to Meyersdale. The way I figured it, most of my trip would be on the Meyersdale to Pittsburgh part of the journey, why not make it downhill this time. What I didn’t factor in was just how steep the trail gets as you climb westward to Big Savage Mountain.
The Mason Dixon Line
Borden Tunnel
It was steep. 1.5% grade in fact. Westbound trains when it was a railroad would have five or six engines on front, a pair in the middle and a pair pushing from the rear just to move a freight over the hill. The climb took me a long time. I was riding a mile, and then walking a mile. I repeated this process the entire way up. I reached Borden Tunnel by 5:30 and made it to Pennsylvania at the Mason Dixon Line by 6:45. The trail curved onward and higher.
The fantastic view from Colmar!
The trail finally leveled off a bit at a spot the railroad called Colmar. I got there at about seven and was aforded the most amazing view that showed really how far I had come. Here I was at the top of the mountain with the white cliffs of Cumberland off in the distance. I sat on a bench, took in the view and wondered just how far Big Savage Tunnel and Meyersdale were from here. The sun was going down and just as I was getting back on my bike a group of bikers came around the bend. I asked how far the tunnel was and they told me it was right there and sure enough, it was. I entered the tunnel just as it began to rain.
The newly opened Big Savage Tunnel
The Eastern Continental Divide at Deal
Getting in after dark.
On the other end of the tunnel the rain had stopped and a low mist clung to the ground as the shadows grew longer. As I crossed the Eastern Continental Divide it was almost eight, but it was down hill from here to Pittsburgh. Onward I went towards Meyersdale as darker and darker the landscape around me got. When I got to the Keystone Viaduct, it was full on dark and I had to have my headlight on on my bike. The climb up the mountain had weakened me as well and I realized that the downhill end of things still requires a lot of pedaling. Tired and weak I pulled up to the station at around 9:15 and called the hostel. They gave me the combination to the door and I rode down the big hill to the hostel.
I was the only one at the hostel that night. I took a long hot shower and hit the hay.
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