013:Day 17, April 25:Meyersdale to Ohiopyle PA- 40 miles (m207.5)

Yesterday was tougher on the body than we thought last night. When we woke up this morning, there were a lot of grunts and groans. We tried to get off to a quick start, but in the end we were on the trail at 08:30. It was also quite cold after the overnight rain. 

After a last look at our B&B entrance (this was a good night's rest and the bikes were very safe), we pushed our bikes some of the uphill to the old Station. Then we were off. 

Within two miles from Meyersdale, we crossed the 1,908 feet long Salisbury Viaduct across the the Casselman River Valley. 

This 109 feet high bridge is something to cross over. 

The Trail continued to be beautiful, but we cycled slowly. The overnight rain somewhat softened the top of the compacted surface and the bikes just did not want to roll easily. At the end of the day we were very happy though, we completed 40 miles in total - great job Christine and Ben - even if I have to say it. 

The Casselman River below the trail. You can see why Christine and I love this rail trail so much - there is no road along this stretch of valley. On the other side if the river there is another railway line, but you do not see the trains as they pass by. 

We were treated with thousands of Trillium flowers, a special indigenous flower (veldblom in Afrikaans) and at one stage we stopped just to look at a small creek. While I complained about the somewhat soft surface, the overnight rain made all the creeks run and some of them were just beautiful.

Somewhere we had to stop for lunch, apple and cheese sandwiches prepared by the master chef.

We cycled through the Pinkerton Tunnel and over the two high bridges before and after the tunnel. When we cycled through here with Roz in 2010, the tunnel was closed for repairs and we had to take a rough bypass along the horsehoe bend in the river.  

The repairs were completed in 2015 and what a job well done. 

This is a great Trail and seeing all these special things, you begin to understand why people want to use this. All along when you talk to the small business owners that rely on the cyclists for business, they say 2020 was a bumper year because everyone wanted to be out in nature. 

A shot of the cycles on the roof of the Rockwood Bike Shop where we stopped for a quick adjustment of gear cables. 

The Town of Confluence lies at the confluence of the Casselman and Youghiogheny Rivers. This is a beautiful place. 

We were also glad to see how the local artists spruced up the abutment of an old abandoned rail bridge. These initiatives are great. 

We arrived at Ohiopyle around 3:30 in the afternoon. The weather forecast included a frost warning for tomorrow morning.

We checked into the Falls Market Inn and Suites (almost the total town has been bought up and converted into tourist accommodation).

We had a good lunch/dinner at the Ohiopyle Candy Company where Don and his wife looked after us well. 11 Years ago this was a Sandwich Shop. The food is still good. 

We took a walk through town and saw the Falls, 

people swimming already,

how a Canadian Goose family enjoyed their Sunday afternoon out, and

noticed how rotten a recently taken down tree actually was. 

Tomorrow we shall cycle on and see where we get to. We are very happy with our progress so far. It seems that we have completed about 480 miles already, about 10% of what we plan to do.