Everybody made it! The last day was 60 miles from Brunswick through Georgetown to the Lincoln Memorial. We passed through Great Falls, which is a lovely and popular spot.

Everyone converged on the Lincoln Memorial in good spirits and I think were all happy to have put in the effort. We raised a good amount of money for NEALS and I hope there will be enthusiasm for doing this or another ride again in two years. Thanks to the Bike the US for MS group for all of the logistics and help throughout the ride. Thanks also to all the folks who donated to the riders.

Today we biked 70 miles along the Potomac River from Hancock to Brunswick. We detoured off the canal path to visit Antietem, the site of the bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War. The confederate troops, led by General Lee, were driving south to Washington. Over 23,000 troops died in one day. The union forces stopped the advance, which led to the emancipation proclamation five days later.

The ride was beautiful and very pleasant even though we biked through a torrential rainstorm in the afternoon. This is the last night of church sleeping.

Today we left the great Allegheny passage and started our trip down the C&O canal. The trail is much more rocky and irregular so it’s somewhat slower going. However, it continues to be incredibly beautiful. We went through the Paw Paw tunnel, which is nearly a mile long, with a narrow tow path and the canal running through it. It was very eerie to stand in the center and be in complete blackness.

Tonight we are in a church with a cemetery in the back; the priest seems fine with the idea of camping, so my tent is among the headstones. Of course, as soon as I put up the tent, it started to rain.

Day two.

Today we rode slightly uphill for 47 miles. It followed the same river as yesterday which I still can’t pronounce. The path was beautiful and beginning to show the colors of fall. It seems that riders on this trail provide the major economic stimulus for most of the small towns in the area. Small art galleries, tons of ice cream shops, lunch and breakfast spots all dot the trail, but if you ride any distance into town, it doesn’t seem like there is anything else.

This evening, we ate a local bar with an amazingly good singer. I think we were the only patrons. Everyone in the group handled the second day of riding well. Only downside of today was that we are staying in a church that does not have an outside water spigot so there was no option for showers. Oh well, we are all friends.

Today is day one for our NEALS 30th anniversary bike ride. We ended up as a group of 12. 10 of us are affiliated with NEALS and two are friends who want to help. Most have done some bike riding, but none have done multi day trips like this one.

The first day was beautiful. We left Pittsburgh, passing multiple remnants of its industrial past. After about 20 miles the path followed the Youghiogheny River (quite a mouthful) to Connellsville, a total ride of about 60 miles. We are staying tonight in a church; the pastor and church volunteers have been very hospitable, cooking us dinner and generally being incredibly gracious. I think everyone survived the ride in good fashion.

There was a particularly poignant memorial a few miles from Connellsville. In 1907 there was a mind disaster killing 239 minors. Not too surprisingly I guess, that put only a minor crimp in operations and the mine operated until 1951.

Tomorrow is a somewhat shorter ride to Rockwood.

This time, a shorter ride from Pittsburgh to DC, raising money for
the Network of Excellence in ALS (NEALS). Colleagues and friends are joining me on
this 6 day ride along the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal. Please follow
along as we start on September 18; it should be a great adventure.