May 12--Denver, PA to Falls Church, VA to Pleasant Valley, NY

Our trip was terminated due to unforeseen circumstances.  Thank you for following us.

May 11—Philadelphia to Denver, PA

The benefit of having to climb to get to our hotel the previous evening, is that in the morning we reversed the route. It was a wonderful way to start our day. We soon got on an urban trail that took us through a nicer section of the city than we rode through yesterday.  We soon came to the Schuylkill River trail that took us directly to Valley Forge.  There were lots of cyclists and walkers enjoying the cool but sunny morning.  We spent an hour in the park, frequently stopping our bikes  to take pictures.

As we continued west our ride became hillier and tougher to cycle.  About 40 miles into our day we found our first place for breakfast/lunch.  It was nearly 1 p.m. and we were starved.  Shawn’s Subzero is a mom and pop diner with cheerful good will and great service. They took our order and told us to sit down and help ourselves to chips and drinks.  After devouring our sandwiches, we each got a soft twist ice cream cone and refilled our water bottles.  We left happy.

The day continued to get more challenging with steep climbs that seemed to come in rapid succession.  Our hotel was a welcome sight.

Today's pictures

Today's map

May 10—Somerset, NJ to Philadelphia, PA

Our morning started out with some frustration.  The hotel restaurant was to open at 6am but was dark when we looked in.  The desk clerk said that yesterday’s clerk was confused with weekday versus weekend hours.  We were told that it would open at 7am.  However at 7, it was still dark but we were told that the cook was on his way.  We left the hotel after an internet search identified a bagel shop 5 miles away along our route.

The Sunrise Creek Bagel Shop was hoppen when we arrived which we interpreted as a good sign. As we were eating  our breakfast sandwiches outside, a large contingent of police motorcycles drove by in formation followed by hundreds of cyclists participating in the Police Unity Ride from NY to WDC.  They were followed by several sag vehicles.  It took a good 10 minutes for them to pass.  

A little while later a group of 10 to 15 road cyclists flew by us.  One of them pulled up next to us holding his cell phone as he videoed our conversation.  He wanted to know all about our trip.  He then told us that his group was cycling from NYC to Philadelphia and back in 1 day.  Their ride was 200 miles but he was impressed with our touring.

A good portion of our day was spent on the Delaware and Raritan Canal trail.  Being the weekend it was busy.  For the most part the dirt/gravel service was in good condition.  We got off the trail to tour Rockingham House that George Washington used as his last military headquarters. Not only did George sleep there, he was joined by Martha.

We made another diversion off the trail to see William Trent’s house after which the town got its name.  One of the disappointments with GPSs is that they don’t tell you the names of the towns.  So finding Trent’s house led us to believe that we were in Trenton, NJ.

Cycling through Philadelphia seemed never ending and some of the sections were not very nice.  It was a long day for us and we had a head wind during the second half of the ride.  Like our first night, we had a painful climb to get to our hotel.  The hotel lobby was full of teens all bedecked for prom night.  Not only were we tired after a long day, the kids made us feel old.

Todays pictures

Todays map

May 9—Yonkers, NY to Somerset, NJ

Yesterday’s unpleasant climb to the hotel was today’s dream start.  We flew down the hill and wished the descent lasted longer.  From there it was only a short ride to the trail which took us toward NYC.  Our first point of interest was a historic house, Van Cortlandt Manor, just a few miles from our start.  However, it was not meant to provide an interesting stop or pictures.  It was closed for renovations and surrounded by a high privacy fence.  So, we continued onward as the rain began.  Once we got closer to NYC we were “blessed” with city traffic and impatient drivers.  The rain got heavier as we approached the trail that would take us to the George Washington bridge that crossed the Hudson River.  That trail was closed and we had to find an alternate route to the bridge which meant more cycling on busy streets, as the rain got heavier.  After a few misdirections we finally crossed into New Jersey.  Again we encountered a closed trail but knew we needed to head south along the Hudson River.

Twenty miles into our ride we were soaked and pulled into a shopping center looking for some relief from the rain.  That's when lightning struck, the “figurative” lightning.  We had 57 miles to go and decided that continuing on our bikes was not too smart. We hired an Uber that took us to our hotel in Somerset.  The easiest 57 miles that we have had on any bike trip.

Today was a first for Joe and Jeff.  The only restaurant near our hotel was in fact attached to the hotel. It was a Hooters Restaurant.  Neither of us have ever been to a Hooters and wondered if it would live up to the male sexual fantasy.  Sorry to report that the food was not that good either.

Pictures (Yes, we have some in spite of the shortened day!)

Map (the abridged ride)

May 8: Joe’s house to Yonkers, NY

It must have been a rough day for Jeff.  He arrived at Joe’s house at the age of 78, but one day of cycling made him age 1 year.  Happy 79 Jeff.

We started this morning at 7 a.m. and arrived at our hotel at 3 p.m. Overall it was a wonderful day to cycle.  The temperature was moderate and it did not rain. Most of the day was spent on the Empire State Trail network that extends north to Canada, west to Buffalo, and south to New York City.  The section from Joe’s house to the city meanders through the mountain valleys and is about 75 miles long.   In planning our trip, Joe saw that we could save over 10  miles by going over one of the mountains rather than staying on the relatively flat trail. We are still debating the merits of saving 10 miles versus climbing a 2 mile hill with an average grade of 6 percent. The steepest part of the climb was 16 percent. Nancy, our trail angel and Joe’s wife met us with our bags after our big climb.  Climbing without all that extra weight was a blessing.

While there wasn’t much to see today, we stopped at the 150 year old Hopewell Depot train station that sits along  the trail. The depot and adjacent buildings have been restored and turned into a museum.

While our 2 mile climb was challenging, it was not bad.  The bad  climb was the one required to get to our hotel.  It was about one-half mile with a 7 percent grade up a very busy road with no shoulders. This hotel was definitely not built for cyclists. 

Map of Today's ride

Pictures