Riding Day 4 - May 31st, 2019
Start: Gettysburg, PA
End: Bethesda, MD
Miles: 86.3
Feet climbing per mile: 60
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/35386961
When I arrived at the Gettysburg National Cemetery I encountered the sign in the picture below. The bike in the sign isn’t a road bike, so I rode through the cemetery. I wonder what our Founding Fathers could have done that would have avoided our Civil War. It seems they kicked the can down the road, and less than one hundred years after the founding of our country we were killing each other over an issue they should have resolved.
Days 1 and 2 used routes with which for the most part I was familiar, having ridden from New York to Danboro to Lancaster to Danboro to New York last fall as a proof-of-concept of my 4000-mile trip. Yesterday I ventured into virgin territory, and today I decided to abandon the route I had planned and instead follow a new route using bicycle directions of Google Maps. For the most part this worked exceedingly well, with Google Maps leading me in the morning onto roads with low traffic, excellent surfaces, beautiful rural scenery, rolling hills, and lots of tree cover. But just before mile 34, I encountered a gravel road that I was told by a woman who lived at the beginning of the gravel that it extended for about a mile. I rerouted myself around that stretch of road in order to avoid a crash or flat. It’s unfortunate Google Maps doesn’t offer an option to specify the sort of road on which one wants to ride.
I was again plagued by my chain jamming when shifting to the small chain ring. Eventually I took some pictures of the trouble immediately after a jam and sent them to my friend and expert bike mechanic Hal Ruzal, who gave me a diagnosis of chainsuck. I wiped my chain with a rag, lubed it profusely with Tri-flow, wiped it again, and lubed it again. Problem solved! I’d better learn to do proper maintenance of my chain.
The spreadsheet at Big Loop includes information about the earliest possible day I would arrive at each of my destinations. Throughout my ride I will update the spreadsheet to reflect any deviations between my plans and what actually happens, as well as any changes to my plans.
You can find links to all my routes here: Big Loop Event
End: Bethesda, MD
Miles: 86.3
Feet climbing per mile: 60
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/35386961
When I arrived at the Gettysburg National Cemetery I encountered the sign in the picture below. The bike in the sign isn’t a road bike, so I rode through the cemetery. I wonder what our Founding Fathers could have done that would have avoided our Civil War. It seems they kicked the can down the road, and less than one hundred years after the founding of our country we were killing each other over an issue they should have resolved.
Days 1 and 2 used routes with which for the most part I was familiar, having ridden from New York to Danboro to Lancaster to Danboro to New York last fall as a proof-of-concept of my 4000-mile trip. Yesterday I ventured into virgin territory, and today I decided to abandon the route I had planned and instead follow a new route using bicycle directions of Google Maps. For the most part this worked exceedingly well, with Google Maps leading me in the morning onto roads with low traffic, excellent surfaces, beautiful rural scenery, rolling hills, and lots of tree cover. But just before mile 34, I encountered a gravel road that I was told by a woman who lived at the beginning of the gravel that it extended for about a mile. I rerouted myself around that stretch of road in order to avoid a crash or flat. It’s unfortunate Google Maps doesn’t offer an option to specify the sort of road on which one wants to ride.
I was again plagued by my chain jamming when shifting to the small chain ring. Eventually I took some pictures of the trouble immediately after a jam and sent them to my friend and expert bike mechanic Hal Ruzal, who gave me a diagnosis of chainsuck. I wiped my chain with a rag, lubed it profusely with Tri-flow, wiped it again, and lubed it again. Problem solved! I’d better learn to do proper maintenance of my chain.
Starting at about mile 73.6 I encountered heavy Friday-afternoon rush-hour traffic. I was too tired to deal with the drivers in a hurry to get home, so I rerouted, but I often found myself on trails that zig-zagged.
I had a wonderful time at the home of my hosts, Michael and Gina Pack, where I enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by Gina. There was lively conversation among the guests that included Michael and Gina’s son Alex, Alex’s friend Jake, and Jake’s girlfriend and parents.
I had a wonderful time at the home of my hosts, Michael and Gina Pack, where I enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by Gina. There was lively conversation among the guests that included Michael and Gina’s son Alex, Alex’s friend Jake, and Jake’s girlfriend and parents.
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You can find links to all my routes here: Big Loop Event
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