Day 44: Bedford, PA

So I textd Akira this morning, but it looks like he hasn't been able to update the blog yet.

The list few days we have been riding on the rails to trails bike trail that goes from Pittsburgh all the way to Washington DC. We did the first 40 miles yesterday from Washington, PA to Confluence on up and down roads and then did the last 50 on the trail. Today we rode the first 30 miles on the trail and then the last 50 on up and down roads (the last 20 were almost all down).

I won't spoil what happened earlier today because Akira will post the txt messages and pictures later today or tomorrow. I'll just say that Diana, Tracy, and I finally made it to Bedford at about 5:15 this evening. We got rained on during the day, but beat the really severe weather into camp. Bless Chuck, he had gotten a hotel room for me and him at the Hampton Inn about 2 miles from camp. We rode our bikes over from the camp to here (I'm on the hotel's computer). It was nice to soak in a tub and order pizza in. We will be heading to bed soon.

Tomorrow we have one of the toughest rides of the whole trip. We ride from Bedford to Gettysburg (100 very steep hilly miles) and then we have a day off. After our day off we have just 2 more days of the ride and each is only a 50 miler. We finish on August 9th.

I can't believe first of all that I made it clear across America on my bike ( minus the 3 days in Minnesota and 1 day in Montana that I sagged due to being to ill to ride) and second that it is almost over. To tell you the truth, I think after Burton, Ohio, most people are just ready to be off their bikes. Everyone is getting a little homesick (I am).

I would like to thank everyone who has visited my blog and also to those who have contributed. I will go back and completely fill out my blog when I get back home to Puyallup, so those who have a desire, please revisit my blog in a few weeks and then you will see the completed version.

I think that I will extend my big ride blog to include my stay in DC and also my first week at home since Chuck will be coming back with me for a week. We are going to San Juan Island the day after we get back (Aug 12th) to kayak and relax with my daughter Em and her Boyfriend.

Regis from St Rita's Parish if you read this please email me (patharm2@yahoo.com) a picture of the front of the church and the grotto out back. My pictures didn't turn out. I really want to write about my wonderful impromptu visit to your beautiful church.

I will keep on texting pictures and messages to Akira (as long as I have reception on my phone), so keep on checking on my blog.


Again, Thanks all, I'm off to bed, wish me luck on my 100 hilly miler tomorrow.