August 5, 2008 Confluence to Bedford, PA 81 miles (79)

Awoke to a low-lying cover of fog with the forecast calling for possible severe rainstorms; not a good start. Once breakfast was finished, as cue sheets were about to be passed out, Sharon called for a show of hands – who wanted to ride the road route up and over the highest point in Pennsylvania? She promised extreme grades, no shoulders, and truck traffic – what an enticing invite! We had known this moment was coming, the moment that separates the men from the boys (I wanted to be a boy). Riders had two options: up and over Mount Adams or the flat, crushed-limestone bicycle trail. The question was posed, I looked around and, sure enough, all the young guys raised their hands. Oh shit! It was time for me to put up or …my hand went up along with Doug’s. We would represent the old guys on the climb (Doug is 39).

A couple of rolling hills out of town gave us a false sense that this was going to be no big deal. A slight drizzle only wetted the road and convinced me to keep my rain jacket on. Things were looking good…until we made a left hand turn and saw THE WALL! Quickly gear down, stand on the pedals, don’t look up, breath hard, dig deep…and we were only 50 feet up the hill! Doug turned off and stopped. “What are you doing?”, I asked. He said, “ You told me to take it easy. So I am!” It was obvious that the ride up and over Davis was going to be rough. As the ride progressed we all separated; it’s hard to ride difficult climbs at someone else’s pace.

• 15-19% grades on Mt. Davis
• Did the mountain – on my own terms
• Great downhills
• Excellent breakfast – though slow service
• More hills
• Tragic traffic accident – bus through trailer (okay, it was only somebody’s house – a trailer with the back two-thirds of a bus installed at right angles to expand living space.
• Great tavern food and drink three miles from camp
• Friendship Village Campground is right next to the Cannondale factory
Did laundry and …went to sleep