I was here in October for what would be my last ride with my dad. However, on that day we rode from the Markleton to Harnedstown trail heads, not quite making it to Confluence or Ohiopyle. Today would be a solo effort to Ohiopyle.
I put on some arm warmers for what looked to be a beautiful day. But it was cool. Leaving Markleton, I was in a thick forest. And I was way down in a valley formed by the Casselman River so no sunshine yet permeated the trail.
I came to the Pinkerton Trestles. Trestle. Tunnel. Trestle. This place is beautiful. No picture can really capture how beautiful it is.
Pinkerton Low Trestle looking towards the tunnel
Approaching Confluence I was crossing a trestle, not at high speed, when a boy not quite in control of his Golden Retriever, let her cross in front of me stretching the leash. I stopped. The parents were horrified and apologetic. I laughed. I told them they must let me meet their dog.
Always stop and meet the dogs
At Confluence I was on the original GAP rail trail. It may be just as popular today as it was in 1985. It is beautiful.
Youghiogheny River at Confluence
This may be the prettiest 10-mile stretch of the 335 miles between Pittsburgh and D.C. The trail hugs the Youghiogheny River. But it was also crowded with casual cyclists (think rental bikes – it’s what they do at Ohiopyle).
Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle
The trail has nice restrooms at Ohiopyle. It is a hub of activity including restaurants and outfitters (both rafts and bikes).
Ohiopyle
The bridge over the Yough was crowded with inexperienced cyclists. Good for them as the kids are learning to love riding their bikes! But just 1/2 mile farther to the loop bridge and the trail was empty.
Youghiogheny River from the Loop Bridge at Ohiopyle
The ride back was mostly uneventful. A stop in Confluence for some ice cream. And one detour by choice. At the Pinkerton Tunnel I chose not to ride 800′ through the tunnel but to take the “bypass” as it is now signed. For years the tunnel wasn’t open and one had to follow the river. It is an additional mile and one half of solitude. No riders on this section.
It was just a beautiful day on the bike. Trails are not my preferred method of biking but for a couple of days I have really enjoyed riding off road.
I told my sister, Betsy, that I would meet her and Dad at Markleton, Pa. on the Great Allegheny Passage. Betsy followed him to Fort Hill, where he left his Jeep, then the two of them drove and met me at Markleton. It was in the low 60s but absolutely beautiful.
GAP near Markleton
I chose this route because of the newly opened Pinkerton tunnel. Also, my dad hadn’t been this far on the trail. I knew it trended downhill from Markleton to Fort Hill and packed a lot of scenery into its five miles.
GAP in the Fall
With leaves mostly still on the trees in Northern Virginia, it was strange to be here where most leaves are on the ground. The trail was fully covered in places.
Casselman River near Markleton
Words cannot describe how pretty the trail is. We went a couple of miles then came to the Pinkerton Trestles. It was probably 10 years since I last rode through here which was always Trestle – Detour – Trestle. And that was a beautiful route.
Dad at Pinkerton Low Trestle
Prior to the tunnel, the trail followed the railbed across the Pinkerton Low trestle. Rather than enter the tunnel, there was a one-mile detour out and around the tunnel which followed the natural flow of the Castleman River. But with the tunnel open it was now a straight shot from trestle to tunnel to trestle.
Pinkerton Tunnel
With the tunnel opened, it was even more beautiful. Although the trail trended downhill, it is mostly flat. One can’t coast but pedaling is a little easier in this direction. We were in a heavy forest and with leaves on the trail one could not see the surface of the trail.
Heavy leaf coverage on the trail
And then – the trestle. We came to the Pinkerton trestle although we didn’t stop on it. We saw the tunnel and kept riding. It is not lighted, one would be helpful but is not necessary.
Pinkerton Tunnel
At the far end, we were on the Pinkerton High Trestle. We stopped and took pictures off of this one.
Besty and Dad on the Pinkerton High Trestle
Reaching Fort Hill where his Jeep was parked, my dad asked, “Is this the end?” There was resignation in his voice but he wanted to keep riding. I was worried that if we rode four miles down to Harnedsville it would be too much for my 86 year-old father to ride another four miles back up to his car. I grabbed his keys and drove his Jeep down to Harnedsville. And so we rode.
Besty, Dad, Barry
Betsy and my dad rode ahead. Arriving at the trailhead with his Jeep, I rode back up to the trail to meet them and we then continued to the Harnedsville trailhead. At the end, we got a little concerned when he went into the middle of the road where the trail crosses. He stopped. This is a road normally lightly traveled, but now there was a car coming from each direction. Betsy yelled “Dad!” I got the attention of one car and motioned for him to slow or stop. All of a sudden it clicked and Dad said “OK!” And then he moved. Whew!
Dad near Markleton
Although my Dad wanted to ride ahead and look at a church in Harnedsville, there was no way we were going to ride on the road with him. I loaded his bike in his Jeep and he drove home.
GAP at Confluence
Betsy and I rode on down to Confluence. We looked for a place for a snack and found stairs leading from the trail with a bike trough to walk the bikes. The problem was the trough was on the side and not in the middle so the pedals hit the supports as I pushed the bike. Oh well.
Stairs from the GAP, Confluence, Pa.
We grabbed some cookies and a drink then rode back up to Markleton. What a gorgeous day on a bike.
Confluence overlooking the Youghiogheny
UPDATE: (SEPT. 14, 2016) – This post has been updated to “My Last Ride With Dad.” With each ride, we wondered if this was our last ride with him but this ride had more of a finality to it than the others. My dad seemed a little out of it standing in the road and I worried for his safety going home. He made it safely and then promptly sold the Jeep.
He never talked about it but looking back I sense he knew his mind was failing and that it was best to sell that beat-up Jeep he loved so much. We were just talking about another ride this spring when he fell in April. I wanted one more ride. I looked first at recumbent bikes. Handcycles. Tandems where I did the work. Ultimately, he would never ride again. And on this day we said our final goodbye to him we were thankful for the rides we shared with him. We were the lucky ones.
Mount Davis, the tallest peak in Pennsylvania, is in Somerset County which is where my parents have lived for most of 33 years. I have never been there. I decided today that I would bike up it.
When I mentioned it to my parents my dad asked if I would ride from Confluence so I thought that might be the logical place to start. I didn’t know the roads.
I mapped out a route which would take me up Fort Hill Road to Green Road to High Point to Mt. Davis Road. When I reached Green Road I found first that it was descending and second that it was a dirt road – not just a dirt road but a dirt gravel mix and a bit of ungraded forest floor – much like Imgrund Mountain Road. I decided it was not worth the risk and took another route.
I found Pumpkin Center Road climbed so I kept going up – until the bottom just dropped away. That’s what makes climbing hard in this section of Pennsylvania because most of these roads do not have a continual climb but it seems for every two feet of gain you lose one. It also means on the descent there is some climbing too.
Pumpkin Center Road
I made my way to Mt. Davis Road and was unsure where to go. Finding no one to ask, I turned on the phone and found a map – I was headed in the right direction. Then it just a matter of making it to the top.
The ride back down was nice but Pumpkin Center Road had a 12% grade which kicked up to 20-22%. Ouch. Why do they do that on my descent?
Observation Tower at Mt Davis
I need to come back and try this from the Meyersdale direction. But cross Pennsylvania off my list of states I’ve cycled to the highest point (along with New Hampshire). Seriously – I don’t know where I’ve been although I’ve also ridden up Mt. Evans, Colorado which is the highest paved road leading me to think there are higher peaks in Colorado with dirt roads. Anyhow, it’s not a goal, just a fun thing to do.
