Connellsville Pa.

46.93 miles.

Day 4

I got up about 5:30. I slept really well and woke up ready to go. If there was trains I don’t remember hearing them. It was surprisingly cool, only 54 degrees. I made some coffee and had 2 hard boiled eggs then I started packing up. Despite waking up early I still didn’t get on the trail until 8:30. One cup of coffee turned into three. I checked my email updated my blog and played around on my phone while watching the sunrise over the Casselman River. Too me its not much of a river, more like a big creek. Its probably only 50 yards across and shallow. I have waded across it and it only came to my knees. Very pretty though.

I had been about 3 miles when a guy caught up and came along side me to chat a bit. Right away he asked did you build your own wheels? I see you got a dynamo hub. I told him I did and that I do all my own work. He was a self taught and enjoys doing all his own work as well. He even had the same Kasi dynamo hub as I did. ( a dynamo hub generates electricity to charge anything that charges with a USB cord). He was staying two nights at the campground so he had no gear. He was really flieing along and since we were discussing very important stuff I had to keep up. I will not bore you with our conversation, I realize not every one gets exited over such things as the merits of triple butted spokes, double wall rims, gear ratios and the number of teeth per chain sprocket. I unfortunately was not slack packing and had all my gear with me. But im never one to back down from a challenge so I did my best not to slow him down. We continued riding and talking for a little over an hour. I was shocked when I checked my odometer and we had done 14.8 miles in that hour. No wonder I was struggling to hide being out of breath. This pace was a little to fast for me. After another couple miles I was looking for a way to end this with out having to admit I couldn’t keep up this speed much longer. Luckily there was an outhouse and I pointed and said it was break time for me. We fist bumped with out slowing down and said good luck. He was an interesting person and i enjoyed our conversations. He has done a lot of touring along the east coast and just got done the OTET were I’m headed next. It was nice getting some info on it from someone who has done it. He was from Clearfield Pa owned a food truck and was scheduled to be at a fair in a few day’s time. Since he was only riding to Ohiopyle and turning around I thought I would see him heading back. I didn’t though.

Ohiopyle was very crowded as it usually is on the weekends. Lots of cyclist, families hiking and white water rafting. The river must be pretty rough today judging from the amount of empty kayaks coming through the rapids that are in view from the bridge. Maybe its always a tough river, in May of 1774 it was enough to thwart George Washington and his army on there attempt at reaching the Forks Of Ohio (now Pittsburgh) by boat.

Sigurd F. Olson said “As long as there are young men and women with the light of adventure in their eyes or a touch of wildness in their souls, rapids will be run.”

Shortly after crossing the river I stopped for lunch at a shady spot with a bench. Tortillas and a pouch of pulled pork.

From my lunch spot I had about 20 more miles to go. The weather was absolutely perfect 68 degrees sunny and only a slight crosswind. I was enjoying myself and the ride immensely. I caught up to a lady who was not though. As a matter of fact she was miserable and rather angry. I said its a perfect day for a ride isn’t it. She said no it was aweful. Her son talked her into riding with him then left her behind all by herself. And im 61 years old she kept repeating. I felt bad for her. She was on an old single speed with a bent rim. So I slowed down to her 3 miles per hour and we talked for a while. She said her son also lied and told her it was down hill. I pointed out that it actually was down hill but not steep. She didn’t want to hear it and said No its not down hill if i have to pedal I’m 61 years old. I was unsure what age had to do with gradients but figured I probably shouldn’t ask. Im 61 years old and he left me behind and didn’t even leave me with water. I said I had plenty and she was welcome to as much as she wanted. So we stopped and I handed her the cleanest of my two bottles. While unscrewing the lid she asked if was sure I had plenty for myself if she drank some. Yes I replied I just fill up from the river. That river ? she pointed. Yeah the Yough I just stop and filter when I’m low. She quickly put the cap on, handed the bottle back and said she did not feel right drinking my water if I went through all the trouble of filtering it.

I got to Connellsville about 2:30, yhen set up my hammock. The free camping area is directly behind the Martins Grocery store and is only a 100 yard walk to go shopping. There is 4 shelters here and I claimed one of them. A young girl probably mid 20s got here shortly after I did and got the one beside mine. She is walking from Pittsburgh to DC. She had walked 22 miles today. She looked beat. She has a little pug and the dog was so tired she was carrying her. I had to laugh a bit about that. It really brought back some memories. I had to carry my dog quite a few times when I did a lot of hiking and could out walk a dog.

After getting set up I went through what food I had left. I still had probably 2 days worth so I didn’t need too much stuff. Actually I probably don’t need anything. I’m only around a hundred miles from Burgetstown Pa and there is an IGA there. It would make more sense to resupply there instead of carry more weight the next 100 miles. But this is so convenient ill shop here.

I spent $24.33. I have about 5 days of food now counting what I had. Here’s everything in my bear cannister.

I have a bear can because a lot of state parks and national forest require them. I don’t need one right now for sure. But by the time I’m in New York there required in the Adirondack. It makes a good seat though.