It was going to be a long day.
We were given the option to take an extra 15km side trip with 400m of climbing to go visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece, Fallingwater. Extra distance, a good climb, and architectural geeking? I’m in. Nancy and Beverly wanted to visit Fallingwater, but were intimidated by the distance, so their plan was to take the shuttle to the first water stop at the base of the climb and ride from there. I, of course, wanted to ride the whole thing.
First, I had to do something about my chainring. Some quick work with a vise grips (world’s most important tool) got it straight enough to use.
The timeline for the day seemed a little unrealistic. The total distance for anyone doing the Fallingwater trip was over 130km; even for others it was the longest day of the trip. It was 30km to the first water stop, which we were supposed to get to by 9:00AM after an 8:00AM start. I got out there and started cranking.
If there’s any style of cycling that I’d be best at, it’s probably a gradual uphill gravel time trial. I cranked it at 25kph+, passing a few companions on the way, and got into Olompyle right at 9:00 to meet Nancy and Beverly, who were getting their bikes set up.
The ride to Fallingwater involves a big climb. It was pretty but had more traffic than I’d prefer. Nancy and Beverly weren’t happy about having to do it cold.
The descent was epic, with beautiful views of the valley and hillsides, probably the best views we got on the whole trip.
Fallingwater is beautiful. We only had time for a grounds pass; we walked around the property and the outside of the building, taking the obligatory tourist photos.
The climb back over the ridge was almost as big, but spirits were higher, and we had a fun descent back to Olompyle.
Nancy decided to take the van to the lunch stop from there, while I rode sweep with Beverly on the trail.
My friend John had done a video blog of his GAP/C&O ride and talked about how the climb is mild but relentless; at every turn where you intuitively might think you’ll get a flat or descent, it just keeps coming at you, 0.5% at a time. The woods were pleasant, the weather was nice, but I found the riding a little monotonous. At some points it reminded me of taking the train through the Sierras; as you’re climbing the grade at low speed, the trees are passing by in parallax with the landscape beyond.
It was a long run to lunch, almost 40km from Olompyle. The GAP trail was officially closed for construction for the last 10km of that; the available detour, which some of the riders ahead of us had taken, was reportedly a strenuous climb. Taking our chances, Beverly, Patrick and I went around the robust fence, which required some clambering over muddy terrain.
The trail was fine. No slide-out or construction on the entire route. It had been closed for months; they’d never do that to an auto road.
Beverly won Best Biff in one of the tunnels; her polarized glasses didn’t adjust quickly enough and she hit a rut unexpectedly. She earned some bruises and a good scrape on her knee.
After clambering around the fence at the other end of the closure, we met back up with Nancy at lunch. She and I rode together as the foliage became more autumnal higher in the Appalachians.
The last water stop had Amish donuts. Yum!
From there, more grinding uphill, eventually to the Eastern Continental Divide, the high point of the trip (728 meters, not much by California standards). The rest would all be downhill!
There were beautiful views of the eastern valley after the tunnel, and a welcome descent past the Mason-Dixon Line into Maryland.
Pulling off the trail in Frostburg, we met a legit hillbilly named Roy who told me about the coal mining history of the area, and the museum in town.
Getting up to the hotel required a stupid steep gravel and road climb, then some riding on a state highway. Not the nicest end to a long day.
The crew made us salmon and veggies in the rear parking lot. The hotel didn’t have a bar but it had a small booze fridge, so we hung out in the lobby for a bit chatting with Cale and Patrick over cheap wine and Yuengling.
Tomorrow is another long day, 120km, but all downhill. We’ll see how it goes.