Category Archives: Adventure

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The GAP – Day 2

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Despite the light rain and cooler temps, we were ready for our second day of riding the GAP. See the previous post to learn about Day 1 on the Great Allegheny Trail.

Chuck and Denise, of Yoder’s Guest House, served a great breakfast, helped us get our bikes ready to ride, and captured our rainy day cycling attire.

Soon enough, we were back on the trail and within a mile, stopped to take photos of the Bollman Bridge, an 81-foot cast- and wrought-iron truss bridge built in 1871 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Just half a mile later, we rode over the Keystone Viaduct. “Curving nearly 100 feet high above Flaugherty Creek and active railroad tracks, the massive 910-foot Keystone Viaduct carries GAP travelers through a narrow cut into a rocky ridge three miles east of Myersdale.”

The light rain did not dampen our enthusiasm.

The next point of interest on the GAP was the Eastern Continental Divide. At 2392 ft above sea level, it is the highest point along the Great Allegheny Passage, and showcases murals of the Western Maryland Railway and the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad.

Just a mile later, we entered the Big Savage Tunnel. At 3,291 ft long, the tunnel was built by the Western Maryland Railway in 1912, and refurbished for bicyclists and hikers in 2003.

By this point, we’d barely ridden 10 miles, and had already stopped 5 times! The GAP Trail is just one fascinating historic amenity after another. We exited the Big Savage Tunnel and almost immediately came upon the Mason & Dixon Line.

“The famous Mason & Dixon Line marks the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland, and culturally, the demarcation between the northern and southern United States”. The English Team of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon were commissioned, and the boundary was surveyed between 1763 and 1767. Ruth, from Maryland, took the M side, and Linda, from Pennsylvania, took the P side.

The next tunnel, and the second to the last one we rode through this day, was the Borden Tunnel. Constructed in 1911, the 957ft tunnel now has motion controlled lights making travel easier and safer.

As we rode along, we suddenly heard the sound of a train whistle. Much to our surprise and utter delight, the Frostburg Flyer came around the curve!

We had smiles on our faces for miles!

When planning a ride like this, it is important to make sure your partners have the same goals. We all wanted to take our time, to enjoy the natural and historic scenery, and to have a great time.

Goals Accomplished! AND we got a little bit muddy!

The rest of the ride was a gentle downhill grade and we loved the views.

All too soon, we rode into Cumberland, Maryland and our ride day was over. What fun it was to have our team waiting on us!

We rode 75 miles over 2 days from Ohiopyle, PA to Cumberland, MD and if work commitments were not an issue, we would have ridden all 150. Thankfully, we have already booked our calendars to complete the other 75 miles and cannot wait!

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The GAP – Day 1

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If you saw my recent post about the Youghiogheny River, you will know that 2 friends and I rode half of the Great Allegheny Passage a few weeks ago. Part of the Rails to Trails system, the GAP Trail is 150 miles long, and starts in Pittsburgh PA and ends in Cumberland MD. Work constraints kept us from doing the whole trail in one trip, but we loved the 75 miles that we covered, and we already have the other 75 planned for April of 2026!

We started our weekend adventure in the trail town of Ohiopyle, a Pennsylvania borough devoted to all things outdoor adventure – hiking, cycling, fishing, kayaking, and white water rafting. The whole vibe fuels the adventurous spirit and adds to the fun. As you know, clicking on any image in the galleries will let you see the full picture.

With a first day plan of a 40 mile ride to Myersdale, PA, we headed off! Our first stop was in Confluence, another small borough in Pennsylvania that welcomes cyclists and all other outdoor adventurers.

While in Confluence, we stopped at Mitch’s Fuel & Food where the incredibly nice folks there made and wrapped up our sandwiches for lunch later on down the trail.

It was a perfectly beautiful day to ride! Sunshine, cool temps, and interesting people along the way, like this guy who offered to let us try out his Penny-Farthing, aka High Wheeler. We declined but marveled at his speed and ability.

We stopped for lunch along the river before continuing on to the Pinkerton Tunnel.

The 849-foot Pinkerton Tunnel, built in 1911, was originally part of the Western Maryland Railway. It was rehabilitated and reopened to bicycle and foot traffic in 2015.

We thrilled at the ride over the Salisbury Viaduct, the longest trestle on the GAP. At 1,908 feet, the viaduct is 101 ft above the river and was built in 1911 (when tragically, 7 men were killed during construction).

Hundreds of spectators cheered when the first train crossed in 1912.  Abandoned as a through-route in 1975, it was decked for bike and pedestrian use in 1998. 

The GAP is made of packed, crushed limestone making for a smooth ride, and is well marked.

We arrived in Myersdale, PA where our fabulous and fun SAG Crew met us.

We checked into Yoder’s Guest House in Myersdale where we were greeted by Chuck, who safely stored our bikes in the bike garage. Chuck and Denise were so welcoming and we were soon enjoying the large front porch and a cold beverage. What a fabulous place to stop for the night! Highly recommend!

After pizza from a local restaurant, we went to bed excited about Day 1 and looking forward to of Day 2!

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New Year / New Blog Commitment

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My very first blog post was in 2012 and I posted regularly until late in 2018 when somehow the fullness of life and work kept getting in the way. Back when I began, the goal was to “be able to look back on my life later and remember what a fabulous one it has been”, and by fabulous I mean truly fortunate. I intended to have Life on the Bike be a journal, of photos and words.

Each year, I create a desk calendar for family, friends, and personal use, and when exchanging the 2021 calendar for 2022, I noted one thing for sure. While my eye may be the same, my technical capability has markedly improved. Even still, it was fun to go back and view the years through my lens, and that is what I want this space to be. A record of travel and personal growth. Thoughts, introspection, and life’s journey. In order to make that happen, I need to commit to blogging more regularly!

Since 2012, I have published 738 posts, yet this past year I posted just 24 times, only 3.2% of the total posts. What should my commitment be? Weekly? Two Times Monthly? Only when I travel? How do you all commit yourself to documenting your lives?

In the meantime, from my hometown to yours, Welcome to 2022! May it be a healthier, more hopeful year for all of us!

The New River in Radford, Virginia

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Pick Up Where I Left Off?

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Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Life on the Bike and getting back into my blogging groove.  I’m 6 months behind on posting photos from various adventures.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Cape Charles, Virginia

Tallahassee, Florida

Knoxville, Tennessee

various Virginia State Parks

and Cincinnati, Ohio

I’ve worked alot, and volunteered alot.

Thankfully, I’ve played, alot, too.  I’ve traveled for fun and I’ve traveled for work.

I’ve worked on political campaigns and hosted non-political fundraisers.

I’ve riden the bike (not enough!) and managed to keep up with photography (again, not enough!).

And finally, I’ve missed WP and my blogging friends.

Slowly but surely, I’m finding my way back to my WordPress home!

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The Final Day Down Under

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It had finally arrived (in “real time” 3 months ago): my last day in Australia and the final day of an amazing three week adventure.   I started the day in the mountains of Grampians National Park (Gariwerd) and finished it on the coast in Adelaide, the capital city of the state of South Australia.  After enjoying my breakfast under the watchful eyes of the Kangaroos, I was soon on my way.

A gorgeous morning sun burned off the mist and I was once again awed by the beauty of the countryside.

The road to Adelaide was sometimes tree lined and at other times led me through wide open spaces.

As I passed through Coonalpyn, I was stunned to see these incredible silos murals.

Created by artist Guido van Helten, these silo murals are “already paying dividends, with an increased number of cars passing through town,  stopping and spending their money there”

Van Helten says that the children represent the future of the town, and he hopes the giant art work might inspire those children and others “to a path through creative industries”.

Pretty incredible!  I just wish I’d taken more time to capture each of the 5 children depicted on the silos.  Please follow this link to see much better photos and to learn more about how “the tiny rural town of Coonalpyn is showing signs of rejuvenation and community pride”.

After almost 800 miles in 3 days, my little rental car carried me safely to Adelaide.  Driving on the left was pretty fun, and with only the occasional correction, I had little trouble.  After checking into my hotel, I walked down to the ocean.

It was a beautiful evening and people were out and about, enjoying the pier, the boardwalk, and the beach.  The surfers were out as well, and although I’ve never been much of a sports photographer, I had a blast trying to capture the scene.

RIP Jordy

All too soon, I had to pull myself away from the water, and walk back to the hotel.  My early flight to Melbourne required that I check out at 4am.

My time in Adelaide was all too brief, and I regretted not being able to explore.  Even still, I’m glad I was able to spend even a few hours there.

Next Post: Final Thoughts and more photos of the Blogging Babes!

 

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Continuing the Journey: Grampians National Park

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In “real time” and since I last posted, I’ve worked many hours and traveled many miles, some for civic causes and some for fun, including a first ever trip to  Las Vegas (I cannot wait to work through those photos!).  In “blog time” though, I’m still in Australia.

After leaving the Great Ocean Road (see posts about my two days driving the road here and here), I drove to Grampians National Park (Gariwerd).  Gariwerd is the Australian Aboriginal name for the park, which is a nature reserve in Victoria, Australia. It is known for its sandstone mountains, which rise out of surrounding farmland.  The first views of those mountains required a stop for photos.

After checking into my motel, and knowing that I’d only have 3 hours or so before dark, I made the decison to hike the Pinnacle Trail.  Thinking “how hard can a 2.1k (one way) trail be?”, I hit the trail head guided by this sign.

Some times the trail was obvious, although challenging.

 

Other times, the trail was not as obvious, and I was thankful for the trail markers (which were also hard to find at times).  If you have a moment, click on the images to check out just how challenging that trail was.

 

As you can tell, the hike to the Pinnacle was straight up most of the time.  The view at the top was well worth the effort.

The wind was blowing hard all around me, and pushing me a bit, too, and I swear, when I sat down to eat my snack, I felt that mountain move!

The views were incredible and I dearly wish I’d been able to spend more time in this 413,000 acre park.  Soon enough, though, it was time to head on down,  and find that post hike beer.  After that, I sat on my little porch, watched the Kangaroos, and planned the next day’s route to Adelaide.

 

 

Three months after returning home, I only have one more day to share from my Feb / March trip to NZ / Australia.  Believe it or not, I have saved all of the notifications about your posts and dearly hope to visit soon!

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The Great Ocean Road to the Grampians

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At the end of Day 1 on the Great Ocean Road, and after a yummy dinner of Fish and Chips in Apollo Bay, I took a short walk along the water to end an incredibly satisfying day.

Thankfully, I still had several hours and many miles to travel along this spectacular road, so I was up and on the road early the next day.  Frankly, I’m really not sure how I ever completed the drive because I stopped … and stopped … and stopped.

What magnificent scenery, and a super fun road to drive.  My little rental car, with me on the right side of the car, on the left side of the road, drove the entire 243 km (151 mi).

Sometimes I was able to see the ocean and sometimes I wasn’t, but at all times I saw stunning natural beauty.

 I pulled over at almost every single stop, this one the London Bridge and I simply could not stop shooting!

I also made sure to take the time to be still.  I would just stand there, breathing deeply, and enjoying the sites, sounds, and smells of the ocean, the sand, and the air.

The power of the waves crashing against the rock formations had me spell bound.

I just never knew quite what to expect as I rounded the next corner of the boardwalk,

and I was never disappointed.

Arguably one of the most famous places along the Great Ocean Road is the Twelve Apostles.

“Situated in the Port Campbell National Park, the massive limestone structures that tower 45 metres above the tempestuous Southern Ocean, leave its visitors awe-struck in wonder at their size and beauty.  Behind the eight remaining stacks (five have fallen since their discovery) are majestic cliffs, around 70 metres high” (https://www.visitgreatoceanroad.org).

Absolutely stunning!

Before I knew it, I had arrived in Warrnambool. I left the Great Ocean Road and headed for Grampians National Park.  More on that next!

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Let Me Re-introduce Myself

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Along the Great Ocean Road

Victoria, Australia

Hello my friends!  You may be wondering if I’m still driving the Great Ocean Road, since that’s where I was when I last posted.  Actually, I left Australia two and a half months ago, and I’m still seeking time to share images from the last few days of the trip.  The last 9 months have been full, even more than normal, with organizing, chairing, co-chairing, and facilitating.  The next couple months, while scheduled with a good deal of travel, are not so full of leadership work, and I hope to soon post about the last few days of a once in a lifetime trip.

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Just One

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Along the Great Ocean Road

We are 6 days away from Local Elections here in Radford, and I am working hard to help the candidates that I support win the day!  Since I’ve not really got the time right now to share the story of the last 4 days of my trip, I’m leaving this teaser here for you to enjoy.  As I look at it, I can still hear the waves and feel the breeze.  Just incredible!

I’ll be back soon!

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Making Friends and Riding the Rails: Sydney to Melbourne

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When last I posted, I’d told you about my amazing day in Sydney.  I then took a pause in the storytelling in order to visit all of you.  Somehow, almost a month has passed since I arrived back in the States, after enduring lots of up close and personal attention at the security checks along the way.  Now it’s time to resume the tale!

You may remember that I took the overnight train from Melbourne to Sydney.  Even though the day time train was taking the same route back to Melbourne, for this trip I’d be awake and able to see the countryside.

Some might consider an 11 hour train ride far too long, but I enjoyed the whole trip!  I chatted with those around me and learned a lot from the train Conductor, who after learning of my interest, would come tell me when something interesting was coming up.   I kept my camera on the scenery flying by and while none of these images will win awards, I liked the movement they convey.

I could have taken a plane but I really wanted to see the rural part of Australia.

You really can’t get a feel for the country from a plane, but the train opens the world to your eyes.

We stopped several times and when there was enough time, I’d jump off to look around.  My favorite story from the day was when we were pulling up to Albury .  The Conductor had let me know that the Albury Train Platform, at 455-metre-long (1,493 ft), was the longest in Australia.  As I walked to the door, a woman jumped up and asked me if I was going to get off at the stop, and after indicating that I was, she said she wanted to come, too.

It turns out that Lorraine (nick named Laurie – what a coincidence!) was traveling for the first time out of her home state of New South Wales.  She and her sister were headed for Melbourne and other parts of Victoria, and she was as excited to be traveling as I was.

Laurie asked me if I’d send her the photos that I took and I happily agreed, of course asking if I could take her photo as well.  What a joyful part of the ride!

The ride continued and the other passengers got used to seeing the happy American walking up and down the aisle, camera in hand.

Before I knew it, we were back in Melbourne.  After a slight challenge getting my luggage out of the locker in the station, I walked to my hotel, which while a 1/2 mile away, was all down hill.  Thank goodness for wheels on suitcases! As I crossed over the Yarra river, I was rewarded by this beautiful view.

I checked into my hotel, enjoyed a cold beer and dinner at the Belgian Beer Cafe that Boomdee had recommended, and prepared for the next day: driving the Great Ocean Road!