Cumberland, MD to Parsons, WV

Wow today was an interesting day to say the least. We woke up a half hour earlier, at 5:30 since we knew it was going to be a long day. My group left around 8 to begin the ride. The first half of the day was relatively flat. We passed by some windmills and entered West Virginia. 

Windmills in the background. 

Entering West Virginia. 

Along the way my friend Mark and I stopped in Walmart and were able to DM a $50 gift certificate. 

After lunch we rode up Mount Storm which was a huge climb. At the top the group I wa riding with stopped to go swimming in a lake and the water felt amazing. 

Then we headed onward down a windy downhill. We were moving pretty fast but it felt great because I was just drafting off of the people in front of me. 

We started getting a little lost but we eventually made it to the trail we were meant to take. It was all gravel but we rode down it any way and found an amazing waterfall and went swimming again. 

Jumping off the ledge. 

Then we travelled further down the trail but it became more and more narrow. A few trees had fallen over so we had to pick our bikes up and carry them over. Eventually the trail became so covered in trees that we were only walking and carrying our bikes. After walking for about 3 or 4 miles we made it out. Only about 10 of us made it through the trail while everyone else in the back of the pack tried taking the road and ended up getting picked up by the van. It turned it to be a very long day and very tiring but completely worth the adventure. Leaving the trail also felt great since we were finally on a paved trail and close to the host. We later found out that the trail had been used in the past but Hurricane Sandy caused a lot of trees to fall down. I was able to take some really pretty pictures along the way though. 

Trail before the fallen trees. 

Waterfall trickling along the trail. 

Fallen trees. 

More fallend trees. 

River along the paven trail. 

Almost to the host. 

Although the trail took a long time to get through and a bit frightening for the group in the lead, today was probably he best day of the trip so far. West Virginia is very scenic and has some really hospitable people as well. 

Hancock, MD to Cumberland, MD

Today was a short but very hilly ride. Everyone thought today was the hardest ride yet, excluding the ride to New Hampton, NY which was tiring due to the cold rain. Although there were some tough climbs it was also one of the most scenic rides, which made all the hard work worth it. 

Top of the first climb. 

Top of another climb. 

We sat at the top and watch cars on the highway. Quite a few honked at us. 

We stopped at an elementary school parking lot for lunch. This was sign in front, and the town was called Flinstone. 

The ride became very scenic after lunch. 

Some cows were grazing right next to the road. 

Top of the longest hill yet. 

My friend Roge sent me a panorama view. 

The town of Cumberland is very pretty and quaint. The people were also very friendly and interested in our trip. My friend Sarah and I tried getting some "donation magic" aka DM. One person got Dairy Queen to treat everyone to free ice cream this afternoon. Other people have gotten gift cards or boxes of bagels in the past. Sarah and I however ended up getting 5 slices of bread from a local cafe. It was a little pathetic but we were proud to have gotten some sort of donation. 

Town of Cumberland. 

Donation bread. They were also mostly end pieces. 

Chambersburg, PA to Hancock, MD

Today was another quick ride but a little bit hillier, especially at the half way point. Before the climb we were riding towards a long mountain range that was very scenic. Then we started riding up a 3.5 mile hill. At the top it was cloudy but the view was still pretty good. 

We are staying at another church tonight and had an outdoor picnic for dinner. After dinner we went swimming in a pool down the street. It was a pretty low key day, but I really enjoyed the ride and company of everyone. 

Harrisburg, PA to Chambersburg, PA

Today was an easy day since it was only 50 miles and was pretty much flat. I think the wind was also to our backs which made it even easier. 

Farm with mountains in the background. 

Amish carriage. 

More farmland. 

Center of Chambersburg. 

We passed by a lot of farms and rode through a few really pretty towns. We also rode by Dickinson college which looked like a nice campus. There were also a few horse drawn carriages and Amish people that we rode by. 

Our host tonight is the first place that is not a church. It is actually a homeless shelter for the winter months. They made us an Amish dish for dinner which was ham and dumplings, and a few other dishes. After dinner they took us to a carnival where I mostly just walked around. Today is our last day in PA and I'm looking forward to Maryland. 

Harrisburg, PA build day

Today's build was at another habitat for humanity resale warehouse. The group I was working in cleaned kitchen appliances which was mostly refrigerators and ovens. The work was pretty grimy since some food was still left in the refrigerators or caked onto the surfaces. 

After working at the site I headed out for a run and found a nice trail that ran along the river and ran along a small stream into a woods area. It was really pretty and I took a few shots along the way. 

The church we were staying at. 

A bike painted in graffiti under a bridge. 

Susquehanna river. 

That night the church hired a chef to cool us dinner. It was definitely the best meal we've had the whole trip, even though all of the meals have been great. 

Schulykill Haven, PA to Harrisburg, PA

Today was another great ride since the weather has been much nicer. We started going up and down some hills but nothing too hard. Along the way we stopped at a lake to go swimming, which felt great. 

Then we stopped for lunch outside of Hershey Park. We weren't able to go in but the town was nice to ride through. 

We arrived at Harrisburg only an hour later and the city was very pretty. We saw some great views going over the bridge. The church that we were staying at was right on the Susquehanna river. There was also a walking bridge close by to an island in the river. 

Stroudsburgh, PA to Schulykill Haven, PA

This was a pretty nice day to ride. In the morning an alumni's parents cheered us on along the route. We also stopped by a lake and a few jumped in. 

Then for lunch the parents that were cheering us on hosted a picnic for us along the way. 

The road after lunch was very windy and tougher to get through. We stopped at one point and Sarah drew a picture of a lion. 

That night at the church they didn't have any showers so we had our very first group hose shower. The water was freezing and no one became very clean but it was definitely necessary after the ride.