Travel log- Day 5
Lori took me to breakfast this morning. Because it is Labor Day weekend, the restaurant she wanted to share with me, a fifties style diner, was closed. But we went to a nice coffee shop, she said she often gets her coffee there. Then we went back to her house, I packed up my panniers, and we said goodbye.
I headed off down the trail and since it was such a lovely day, I decided to ride around Ariel Foundation Park. This lovely park was built on the site of a former Pittsburg Plate Glass company manufacturing plant. Lori's grandfather ( my ex's father) worked there before he retired. My father also worked for that company, although at another location. The "River of Glass" at the park reminds me of the little cubes of tempered glass that used to fall out of the cuffs of his jeans when we did laundry. I pretended they were diamonds.
The train station at the trailhead is part of the Ariel park. As I left I noticed two Amish girls riding eBikes, presumably going to the farmers market Lori and I had passed on the way to breakfast. I noticed the market basket in one of their panniers.
There are two trails across the street from the train station. One heads for downtown Mt. Vernon, across a railroad trestle, and the other one runs behind a storage locker business to become the Kokosing Gap trail. There are many beautiful bridges across the Kokosing River and its tributaries on this trail. I couldn't stop to get a photo of them all!
In Gambier, there is a small park alongside the trail with a train engine and caboose. A runner, also using the trail, stopped me, asked about my trip, and gave me a $20 bill for the cause.
I took some photos of the roadside flowers and submitted to the Plant identification (People helping People) Facebook page.
I stopped in Howard to admire the stonework in the highway bridge that arches over the trail. A woman walking her dog said that she was there to see if because it was designed and built by her husband's grandfather. The historical plaque said that it was built by Robert and William Mckay. I said that I knew some McKays in Mansfield. When she said they were from Mansfield, I asked if her husband was the Bill McKay who worked with me at GM, and she said he was. Small world. Her name is Charlene. It occurred to me again that I wanted to look online to see if I can find a listing of the text of all these historical markers in Ohio.
I stopped in Danville to get something to eat, but the pizza place looked like it was closed. I think the tavern was open, but it was named Bender's, and I opted instead for the gas station where I got some Gatorade and some peanuts. Several Amish buggies passed by. I got a photo of this one, parked across the street.
The Kokosing Gap Trail ended and the Mohican Valley trail began behind the hardware store. It was a short uphill and then a long descent. I enjoy riding down hills.
This trail is used by Amish buggies. I saw a lot of evidence they had passed by in the road, but I didn't meet any buggies, only a group of young Amish kids riding eBikes.
I came to the Bridge of Dreams. This is a must-do, obligatory photo stop. It is the third-longest covered bridge in the US. The supports are historical, but the bridge is a replica.
After the trail passes under route 62, it becomes the Holmes County trail. It runs uphill over the course of several miles. No wonder those Amish kids were using eBikes, the trail goes up and up. Every time you go around the bend and think there might be a downhill, there is another uphill! I found a picnic table about halfway up, and updated my notes while my heart rate returned to normal.
I finally got to the top. The hill changed from a gradual slope to a severe one, and as I was trying to change down in to a lower gear and hearing the chain slip, a big bug flew in between my glasses and my eye. This was too much to handle all at once, so I dismounted, got rid of the bug, and leaned over the handlebars, breathing heavily. As my breathing returned to normal, I became aware of heavy breaching and a crunching noise to my left. I looked over and I saw a giant black beast at eye level. There was no fence between him and me except way down in the ditch, so I decided to move on.
I crossed a road and the steep hill continued up for another 100 feet. When I reached the top, I got on my. bike and was met by another couple walking their bike up from the other side. I encouraged them "you're almost there!" And then realized the chain had come off my bike sprocket. I got off and shifted to a higher gear, then turned the pedals manually, as that usually will push the chain back on the sprocket. Well, with the heavy panniers it was a little difficult to lift the back wheel up to spin the pedals. Eventually I prevailed. I sailed down the miles-long hill at about 16 mph on average, and rolled into the village of Glenmont. I was hungry. It was about 2:00 and I had not had lunch yet. I put my mask on and went in to the Glenmont Tavern. I sat at the bar, instead of the booth where the loudspeaker was blaring country-western music immediately overhead. I was about six miles from my final destination, so I tried calling my husband. Alas, no cell phone coverage at all. Luckily the bar offered Wi-Fi for their patrons and I was able to Skype Ed. He said he was already on the way, having been tracking my location through Google maps. I finished my Reuben sandwich and deep-fried mushrooms (this restaurant did not offer WW-friendly options), paid, and got back on the bike.
The same cat that had befriended me on my previous trip was still there.
The next section of Bicycle Route 1 was routed over the road, State Route 520. Google showed it as mostly downhill, but I would describe it as gently rolling. I was less than two miles from Killbuck, my destination, pushing my bike up yet another hill, when I saw a familiar GMC Acadia coming down the road. I was so happy to see my husband! I'm sleeping at home tonight and tomorrow because it's less than an hour from our house to the start and end points. Tomorrow I think I am taking the lighter bike, because no panniers needed for a day trip! That should make the hills easier.
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