Sunday 8-05 Day 42

Start: New Waterford, OH
End: Washington, PA
Scheduled Miles: 66
Actual Miles: 58

It is completely dark when I wake up. It is still dark as a get dressed and take down the tent. This morning along with breakfast I have a double hot cocoa as it is a bit chilly.

When the cue sheets are handed out, Polly tells us the first page is completely wrong and she gives us verbal instructions to the first stop and assures us that Dan Henry's will be marking the way. Kathy is doing this and has already left to keep ahead of the riders. I start out the morning with Andy, Steve and young David. It rains a little bit, but nothing too hard. Part of the course takes us on a busy highway, but compared to I-90 in Washington, it is no big deal.

The terrain is rolling hills, and as we get into PA they get steeper and longer, just as it was foretold. We still have a slight rain but with temps in the mid 80's it is fine. We stop in Midland for breakfast at this cafe where a bunch of bikes are already crowding the front sidewalk. The daily special is 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon and 2 slices of toast for 2 bucks. Does life get any better? Just outside of town we cross the Ohio river and past two nuclear power plants. We were warned in town not to stop and take pictures of the facilities as they would stop us and confiscate our cameras. National security you know.

With the hills getting steeper, they get scarier, especially wet, so we take it easy. Lunch is in Burgetts town. I eat too much, but it is nice to be out of rain. Rolling into camp it is still raining, but there is a nice surprise. Nora, from our Pittsburgh office is there. We just missed each other by minutes in the badlands, so she came down to visit. We stand around and talk about the office and such and our adventures. A really nice visit. The rain lets up a bit, and she even helps me set up my tent. Both of my bags got wet from the rain, but the Big Ride bag is pretty water proof, and all my cloths are in Ziploc bags so they are OK. Some of my past maps and my atlas are soaking wet though.

After dinner, I pack it in fairly early to catch up on my journal, plus to keep an eye on the tent as it is still raining, and the forecast is for rain all night.