What's That Smoke Over There?

“Look at that smoke.  What is it?” he asked.

Thinking he was testing my firefighter knowledge, I tried to size it up by the color.  

Before I could even utter an answer, he had taken the interstate exit straight into downtown Johnson City, TN.  He knew what it was.  And it wasn’t a structure fire.

A steam engine.  Pulling an excursion train.

Train buffs with cameras in hand lined the right of way.  Onlookers waved to passengers.  We joined them.

The Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society & Museum partnered with Norfolk Southern for a weekend of passenger train excursions.

Locomotive #4501 had stopped in Johnson City before continuing its Bulls Gap journey. 

And our timing was perfect!  

Locomotive #4501 chugging down the tracks in Johnson City, TN June 27, 2015

This man cannot pass up a train viewing

A Half Century Ride on the Virginia Creeper

On Thursday we traveled south to Damascus, VA.  The scenic route through Maryland and West Virginia afforded us serene views of the countryside.  No doubt, Senator Byrd funneled plenty of federal dollars into his home state; we felt lonely on a nearly new stretch of interstate that traversed the West Virginia mountains.

Misty morning as we left Pennsylvania

An overlook in West Virginia

West Virginia scenery

West Virginia

 Arriving in Damascus, we met our campsite host, Russell Hayes, who had saved us a prime site right on the creek.  Creekside RV Park has six sites with all the amenities: water, electricity, sewerage, cable tv and wifi, and it’s catty-cornered to The Bike Station. 

The view from our living room window overlooking the creek in Damascus, VA

Our campsite on the creek running through Damascus, VA

Friday morning we rolled our bikes across the street to meet our shuttle to Whitetop, VA, where we would begin our day’s ride on the Virginia Creeper.  On the way to the top, we conversed with a sweet family of four from Tennessee.

The Creeper is a busy trail!  On this day, there were six passenger vans unloading bicycles and cyclists; and this was just the 10:00 shuttle.  Back in town later, we realized there were dozens of vans, a half dozen bike shops, and numerous lodging options.  Certainly, the trail has provided an economic boon to Damascus.

At Whitetop, ready to begin our day's ride on the Virginia Creeper

We stepped into the old depot at Whitetop to look around a bit while waiting until most riders had cleared the area before we mounted our bikes and headed down the mountain.  

The Depot at Whitetop, VA

Mailboxes at the Whitetop Depot

The trail’s descent from Whitetop to Damascus is steep.  We continually braked to slow our speed; even so, we sped along around 15 miles per hour for much of this 17 mile section.  Rain showers during the night made us fear the trail condition would be poor, but we were pleased to find there were only a few muddy spots on the entire trail.

Selecting our next Christmas Tree at a farm along the Virginia Creeper

Thought we had waited long enough for the masses to get ahead of us, but some took an early rest stop.

 

Green Cove Station on the Virginia Creeper; notice the crowd of  bicyclists 

One of many views of the creek running along the Creeper

 At lunchtime, we rolled into Damascus and took a break at the campsite.  A fellow camper had suggested we do an out-and-back to Alvaredo Station, so we headed back to the trail for the afternoon.  The trail flattened a bit along this stretch. Sure enough, Alvaredo Station was worth the ride.  At a little restaurant on the trail, we devoured the last serving of banana pudding and gulped a glass of sweet ice tea. 

Alvaredo Station on the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail

On the porch taking a snack break:  banana pudding - yum!

 By this time, we were just shy of ten miles from the end of the trail.  Surely, we should ride the whole trail!  So we did.   We crossed running creeks and rounded rocky outcroppings.  We pushed open cattle gates where the trail runs through private property.  Our legs could feel the gentle rise in the elevation as we approached Abington, VA.

We passed a cornfield on the trail

This trestle was replaced after a 2011 tornado destroyed it.

Passing through a farm gate on the Virginia Creeper

Rhododendron bloomed throughout the forest

We loved hearing the sound of water rushing over the rocks as we biked the trail

Cows grazed along the trail

Thirty-four miles end-to-end.  We biked the Virginia Creeper. 

But we were 17 miles from our campsite, a two-hour pedal away.

The return was grueling.  Our pace slowed to 7 mph in some sections.  We took only a short break to rest our weary bottoms and jello legs. By the time we reached Damascus, we had ridden the equivalent of a half-century, our longest ride ever, and reached a significant milestone: more than 125 miles biked within a five day span.

Russell had invited us to listen to some bluegrass at one of the local cafes, but we were later than expected in returning to town and much too tired for socializing.  Instead, we walked the two blocks to a nearby Mexican restaurant and window-shopped in downtown Damascus.  The food was good, but at this hour we were the only patrons.

Saturday we’ll head south again, hoping to reach the Peach State for our last night on the road for this trip.

Cumberland Coast – Riding the GAP, Part 2

The weather was as perfect as if we had specially ordered it.  Blue skies.  Cool temperature.  Low humidity.

We met our courier at the Cumberland Trail Connection, a cycle shop located at the junction of the GAP and the C&O Canal Towpath.  He drove us to our day’s starting point on the Great Allegheny Passage, again in Deal, PA. 

What a difference between today’s ride and Monday’s ride!  From the Eastern Continental Divide all the way back to the bike shop, we coasted downhill.  Twenty-five miles and didn't break a sweat.

Day 2 on the GAP 

We rolled through the 3,294’ Big Savage Tunnel, thankful for the flashlight attached to Jamie’s bike. We were greeted by a breathtaking view of the valley below and the mountains beyond. 

Big Savage Tunnel 1911

Overlook on the eastern side of Big Savage Tunnel

 

Becoming pros at selfies 

Our journey would take us through three more tunnels today, two of them on the GAP, the Borden Tunnel and the Brush Tunnel, both of which stretch more than 900’.

Borden Tunnel on the Great Allegheny Passage

Brush Tunnel on the Great Allegheny Passage

Another overlook - absolutely beautiful on this sunshiny day

We stopped atop the Mason-Dixon Line for a history lesson.

 

Mason Dixon Line on the GAP

Mason Dixion Line on the GAP

We passed Frostburg without climbing the zigzag pathway leading to town, as it is much too steep for these flatlanders.

After viewing the Cumberland Bone Cave and Lover’s Leap, we coasted into the town of Cumberland, MD, and celebrated our accomplishment at the 0 mile marker on the trail.

Bone Cave where prehistoric bones were excavated

Lover's Leap near Cumberland, MD

We did it!  65 miles on the GAP.  Here we are at Mile Marker 0 in downtown Cumberland, MD

Along the way, we played cat & mouse with a couple of other cyclists, and spent a few minutes getting to know them.  An avid cyclist, Deb now runs a bike tour service and offered her contact info.  Perhaps Jamie will run into them again when he travels to Richmond, VA, in the fall for the bike race he has agreed to work.

The ride was brief, just a couple of hours, and quite easy on the legs & buttocks, so we continued onto the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath, looking for a little punishment.  Passing riders warned us, but we continued on. 

Along the C&O Towpath 

It was muddy.  Not well-groomed.  A disappointment.  We went just a few miles before turning around.  Deb had suggested an unmarked trail that ventures off the C&O leading into West Virginia.  We took it.

Crossing over the Potomac River, we pedaled through our fourth tunnel of the day, this one, the Knobbly Mountain Tunnel.  A short path led to Carpendale, WV.  We happened upon the town’s mayor, Butch, who entertained us with a history of the tunnel, the trains, the trail and the town. 

 

Crossing the Potomac between West Virginia & Maryland

An effort by leaders in Carpendale, WV, has opened Knobbly Mountain Tunnel to bicycle traffic.

Butch, the Mayor of Carpendale, WV, entertains us with photos and stories.  

We returned to Cumberland, washed the towpath mud off our bicycles, and enjoyed our second meal out on this trip.  Crabcakes at the The Crabby Pig.

After riding a few miles on the C&O, we had to wash the mud off our bicycles.  Smart idea for a hotel on the trail to provide a bike wash. 

Crab cake sandwich for him; crab cake salad for her.

We’ve been following the Race Across America bicycle race that began in Oceanside, CA, last week and will end shortly in Annapolis, MD.  We realized that the #2 racer would be passing through a time station just a couple of miles away within the hour.  Of course, we had to check it out.

Just as we arrived, an RV with RAAM markings pulled in.  We met Dex Tooke.   Dex is on his fourth RAAM as a crew member; he previously cycled the RAAM twice, placing him in a small, elite group of athletes who have biked from the Pacific to the Atlantic in a non-stop, 3000 mile race.   He told us the rider was about an hour out.  So, we followed the route a few miles thinking we might spot him.

No, we didn’t get to see the bicyclist.  Yes, we did sprawl out in a grassy area along the highway at a McDonald’s waiting for him to pass.  Apparently, we had missed him.  After waiting an hour, we checked the internet to find he had already passed the time station.  Hmmm. How did we miss him?

Anticipating a RAAM rider

A day filled with adventure  - dark tunnels, breathtaking vistas, interesting personalities.  We rode our bicycles in three states.

Tomorrow we pack up the SolAire and head south.  Destination:  Damascus, VA.  We plan to ride a portion of the Virginia Creeper before making our way back to south Georgia. 

Recovery Day

Today was a Recovery Day.  No biking; our bottoms needed a day off, and the rain set in.  Glad we took our longest ride yesterday while the sun was shining.

Our campground is aptly named: Outflow Campground.  This morning the dam was opened to allow water from the Youghiogheny River Lake to escape.  According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the lake is about a half mile above Confluence and located in Pennsylvania and Maryland.  Some of the campers here have been fishing for trout in the well-stocked tailwaters of the dam.  We dabbled our toes in the water this evening and believe the marquis posting the water temperature as 47 degrees is accurate.

Water releasing through the dam at Youghiogheny River Lake in Confluence, PA  - June 23, 2015

View of the rushing water from the top of the dam looking toward the campground

Youghiogheny River Lake in Confluence, PA

From the top of the dam looking toward the campground & the outflow

We rambled through the Pennsylvania countryside, catching glimpses of far off mountains and up-close farming operations.  We visited Ohiopyle, PA, a whitewater haven.  We ventured on into the Laurel Highlands and meandered into Seven Springs ski area.  We followed a sign to a covered bridge.  We were not disappointed.

Scenic view in Ohiopyle State Park

Pennsylvania countryside

Lower Humbert covered bridge in Pennsylvania

Patches of orange daylilies dot the landscape.  Some grow wild along the roadside; others are meticulously groomed near mailboxes and driveways.  

Orange daylilies along the road

More daylilies