End of the Panhandle

I got on the trail around my usual 8 am. It was a nice 6 mile downhill from Boggs Campsites to the start of the Panhandle Trail. Right before I turned left for the P.T. something caught my eye a little off the trail. It was giant puffball mushroom! I parked my bike and ran back to get it. It was so big I thought there’s no way its still edible. It was still good though completely white in the center. I tried to pack it all but I had nowhere to put it. I cut it in half and strapped that on my front rack. Then I cut a big chunk off of what I couldn’t pack and hung it from my handle bars. I would eat that piece at my first break. I really needed butter or oil though so I Googled grocery stores. Luck was still on my side because there was a Giant Eagle .4 of a mile away.

From the Giant Eagle I could see a park with a picnic pavilion. I made my way over to it and started cooking. I sliced it like bread then browned it. I made egg and cheese sandwiches with it

I loved the Panhandle Trail. It was paved and for me mostly down hill. I only did 39 miles today. If I had gone much farther I would of had a pretty long stretch without a place to camp. Tonight I’m stealthed camped about .75 of a mile from the end of the P.T. I will miss the Adirondack style shelters that were provided in the camping areas. They alway remind me of my 2006 through hike of the Appalachian trail. The Appalachian Trail is 2175 miles, it took me 5 months and 15 days to do it. I think I only had to use my tent 3 or 4 times in all those miles. Anyway tomorrow I will be on roads.

Near a parking area I found a peach. More free food! I looked on each side of the path for a tree but it must of fallen off a bike. It was delicious.

On a brief uphill I was lumbering up, a couple guys flieing by going the other direction shouted where you headed. Alaska, I yelled back. I can no longer just say Cleveland. When Dan and Emily met me at Dravos they brought me cards they had made. I love them and hand them to any one who is even slightly interested in what I’m doing. A little later as I was leaving a rest stop a man asked, are you the person going to Alaska? I thought for a second my blog had went viral and I was famous! Ha-ha not really. Steven, it was nice meeting you.

I got to the end of the Panhandle around 4pm. I saw it continued past the official end so I kept going. I was hoping it would go the whole way to the Ohio River and maybe I could find a place to camp. After about a mile it became over grown and there were houses in sight through the trees. I turned around and rode back to where I am now. Its a nice place along Harmon Creek