Days 4-7

We're at the Holiday Inn in Somerset, PA, and I'm using their computer. Ours is probably still broken.

A few days ago we stayed at that expensive inn in Mercersberg, and we pretty much decided to just try to get over what the locals called "the mountain" into Mcconnellsburg, PA. Well, we drove it the next day and found out bikes weren't allowed on that stretch of the 30 highway anyway. We left Mercersburg in the rain, and I wanted to stop and see if there was a hotel or something to wait out the rain in Fort Loudon, PA. That was only 7 miles. But in the rain. First, I asked the guy in the store about the road to see if it would be at all insane to try to ride it in the rain. Apparently so, and he was busy with work so he couldn't give us a ride. I saw him leave 20 minutes later. Then another woman came who offered to help, but she didn't return. I'm fairly certain she was well-intentioned and got distracted. I hope she's fine.

So we waited until we were shivering, and the rain wasn't going anywhere. Well, it was going down. I walked across the street to the church. It was Sunday, so there were lots of people. I went inside wearing my raincoat, helmet, bike cap, spandex shorts, and sandals. Not my Sunday best. I said, "I need help," then a woman introduced me to Chris and Denny (sp?) and said "This young lady needs directions to Mcconnellsburg." Fair enough, I wasn't specific. I clarified that I needed more substantial help because we'd been warned by many locals about the steep climb ahead, and we didn't want to walk our bikes up the road in the rain. By the way, walking my bike takes very little shame.

One of the gentleman said right away he'd take us up, just let him go have some lunch at the diner, and he asked us if we wanted to eat with him. I walked back to where Jim was, and then the Martins, Kelli and Jim, pulled up and offered to us their Gatehouse at Loudon Forge. Well, we were planning to go to Johnny's Motel (definitely not as nice at the Gatehouse) and stay two nights to wait out the rain because the following day was guaranteed to rain all day. We said yes, thank you, and rode our bikes the mile and a half to their place. What a nice place to rest. They apologized for not having a TV, but to us a bed, a stove, a shower, and a table were at least 4 household items more than we had 10 minutes prior.

We got to know the Martins and their family, and that was a lot of fun. They were willing to let us stay longer, but we have to at least get to the coast by the time we have to pack it all in.

Then we road to Breezewood. I cried, whined, and walked my bike a lot that day. That was just yesterday by the way. We climbed a 3.5 mile 8% grade up PA 30. When we got to the top, I saw a sign that showed trucks where to pull out and what gears to use. I also asked the forestry guys about the road ahead and if they wanted to make any money and take us to Breezewood. They said none of them were headed that way. I watched every single one go that direction. They watched me give them a greeting. It's just as well, it was all down hill. Cold and rainy again, but downhill.

Today was great until the rain came. In fact, we thought we might get sun all day. This morning Jim took a picture of the sun because it was out. We left Breezewood late as usual, and we got to Bedford. That was a really nice ride. The weather was warm, and the hills were cooperative. As soon as you went down one, you were coming up half the next with lots less effort than the 8%'s the day before. Then we got on PA 31, which is similar to PA 30, but it runs south of the 70 instead of north. Then it started sprinkling, but it was Somerset or bust because there was nothing out there. Shortly after it started sprinkling, I saw the Dew Drop Inn, and it was tempting, but we had to try.

We got to Somerset in the rain, checked into yet another hotel, ate more pizza, and I'm going to the bar where they serve things that warm your insides.

We're all right, and we're mostly having fun.

Jim and Nadel