September 1 There’s A Big Difference Between Miles And Climbing

Trailside produce and cold drink stand

I did not see FLW’s Falling Water yesterday but I had a great ride all the same. Here are some trailside pictures from the GAP. Sections of this recreational trail are owned and maintained by volunteer run non-profits. Folks love their trail. Given how difficult it is to ride the hills everywhere else in this part of the world it is no wonder that they do. I passed this encampment early yesterday where freshly grown produce seems to be given away for free. 

The climb to Mill Run where Falling Water is located was too much for me. I made it half way there and came to terms with missing this opportunity. When I got back to Ohiopyle, the small community closest to Falling Water I learned that if I had known I could have been ferried up to the site. 

The two kids taking my picture with their mother

But all was not lost, I headed down the trail to the next town 11 miles away, Confluence, and leapfrogged a group of riders. they finally stopped to talk to me as I was about to pass them again. The mother of these two kids had a notion that I might be interesting to talk to. She and her family live in Pittsburgh and she is definitely an activist on local and global issues, from the county deciding to frack a park to memorializing the bombing of Japan 70 years ago. We talked the whole ride into confluence. 

Peace, from my last day in Pennsylvania 

Dan

Here’s my contact info:

<Bicyclingforpeace.blogspot.com>, 

and 

You can find me on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/dan.monte.39>

or email me directly at danmonte33@gmail.com

or 

Give me a call 707-393-1948. 

I’d love to hear from you on my journey

August 31 Great Allegheny Passage Bicycle Path

I will try to ride the 38 miles from my cheap motel in Belle Vernon to Ohiopyle a location on the GAP, the Great Allegheny Passage bicycle trail, and then ride another 4 plus miles to Mill Run where Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water is situated. And then ride to a campground again on the GAP. This last bit of riding might be 4 miles or it might be 16 miles depending on the campsites. 

Yesterday I took a much needed rest day. I had ridden about 480 miles and climbed over 11,330 feet in the previous 10 days. That includes the last four days of extremely difficult - had to walk the bike up many of the hills - 200 miles and 7,800 feet of climbing.

By a rest day I mean that I only rode a 15 mile round trip on the GAP to West Newton to check it out. What a beautiful bicycle setting. The GAP is a combination of old railroad line routes turned into a recreational trail for hikers, bikers, and some horse use. The section I saw yesterday runs along the banks of the Youghiogheny River, that joins the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. 

This riding will require an early start, between dawn and sunrise. With rested legs and a railroad graded bike path this should be a piece of cake. Some places on earth make my heart sing. The Russian River is such a place. I have vacationed on it since I was a new born baby. The Youghiogheny River reminds me very much of the Russian River valley. 

It was Sunday and there were lots of folks out with friends and families, fishing, boating, picnicking, camping, running, and biking.  I talked to a couple that were bicycle camping along the path. They both had trailers and their dog rode in one. They gave me confidence that I would be able to do the same. 

It might be that it is the water that runs through Falling Water that is what attracts me to it so much. Ever since I have seen photos of FLW’s master piece I have wanted to see it. It was purely happenstance that I get this opportunity to see and walk into it. It is its nearby presence to the GAP that originally sold me on taking this path for this final leg to DC. That and the last straw of course is the very rugged Appalachian hills. 

Peace from just a few days out from DC.

August 28 Last Big Ride

Off to Washington PA

54 miles and a 2582 climb, through WV to PA

After that it will be about 320 miles to DC, along a bicycle path with very low grades.

Yesterday’s ride was nine hours. Today’s might even be 10 hours. Slow but sure -as sure as I can be- is the way to do this.

August 27 Another Big Ride

Off to Belmont OH

54 miles and a 2146 climb, my last night in OH.

August 26 Roughly 500 More Miles to DC

Roughly 500 More Miles to DC and 13 days to DC. 

I’m in Columbus heading for three hard days of riding: 

52 miles and a 1575 climb

54 miles and a 2146 climb, my last night in OH.

53 miles and a 2415 climb, through WV to PA

I will then be able to ride the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Tow Path for relatively easy rides.

August 24 A Peace Dispatch From Yellow Spring Ohio

I tell people that I am riding across the country to talk to my congressman and they almost aways respond with something like, good luck with that. This morning as I was leaving the home of a childhood friend who now lives in Dayton OH, two of his neighbors out walking their dogs stopped me. “Where did you get those bags for your bicycle?”  That lead to “do you have room on your bike for two more?” One guy was my age the other was 91 and he looked about 80. I could hardly get a word in as the younger of the two talked about all the different possibilities for technically fixing the climate change issue. But they both expressed hopelessness of Congress doing the will of the people instead of that of the ruling class. 

And that brings me to this deal with Iran. Over 62 years ago we destabilized and overthrew the democratically elected government of Iran. It was the Dulles Brothers foreign policy, holding both the CIA and the State Department hostage to their ideology of what benefits US companies benefits the world view. The installed American ruler lasted a quarter century until he was ousted by the Iranian revolution that brought us the rule of the mullahs. Now we have an opportunity to rectify our recent past history and allow Iran a normal national development into the twenty-first century. 

In the 230 plus years of our history, the history of the United States, Iran has not attacked another country. They have formed alliances with others in their region of the world with folks we don’t much cotton to, but they have not attacked anyone. They have signed the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and have abided by its mandates. They did not developed the capacity to make an atomic weapon until after extreme aggressive provocation by our previous administration. It is time for US to allow Iran back into the fold of the world community of nations and this agreement is the most likely path to accomplish that end. 

Members of Congress in both the Senate and the House need to step up and support this agreement or it will be US that will become ostracized from the community of nations. And given that there exists so much opposition from the evangelists of war, they need to step forward and actively promote the passage of this agreement.

August 23 Towns and Cities Remaing

Dayton OH next

An optimist’s view of what is remaining.

OH	Springfield/Xenia/Yellow Springs
	Columbus
	Zanesville
	Quaker City
WV	Valley Grove
PA	West Newton
	Ohiopyle
	Ohiopyle
	Mill Run
	Meyersville
MD	Cumberland
	Little Orleans
	Williamsport
	Brunswick
	Washington DC