The June tour I was supposed to do and the June tour I’m going to do… two very different things! On this week’s pod, we explore a draft spur to the Eastern Express for biking Lake Erie to the Potomac River: Cleveland to DC! Plus, the trip I’m actually tackling next week!
Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 082: Biking Lake Erie to the Potomac (mp3)
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The Journal: Biking Lake Erie to the Potomac
An update to Episode 079 on the Eastern Express!
– The route has changed to take advantage of some better routing (check it out)
– I discovered an alternate spur I was *going* to try out this week that started literally on the shores of Lake Erie and ending in DC… but some work stuff popped up and I needed to postpone. But let’s talk about it!
PLEASE NOTE: this is a route I have not personally ridden. For the road portions, please be aware the route could, in fact, suck.
Cleveland
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Ride with GPS routing
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Bridgeport Quarry Trailhead Massilion, OH (65)
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Ride with GPS routing
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Tappan Lake SP (53)
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Ride with GPS routing
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Cecil Henderson campsite (70)
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Ride with GPS routing
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GAP 43.7 to West Newton + 26 to Connellsville, PA (69)
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GAP 27 to Confluence + 18.5 to Rockwood, PA (45.5)
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Cumberland, MD (44)
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Hancock, MD
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Harpers Ferry, WV
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DC
For Cumberland to Hancock, check out the Pedalshift Guide to the C&O!
Thoughts: the tricky and question mark sections I was willing to be a guinea pig for are the road sections between the Ohio and Erie Towpath and Tappan Lake, and then from Tappan Lake to Steubenville. Apparently Steubenville is a bit of a hot mess, so much so that the Eastern Express now avoids it. That said, it connects so well with the Panhandle Trail, avoiding a lot of miles, I was going to give it a shot.
Ohioans? Any thoughts?
Next week’s alternative tour
I have fewer days than I’d like, but I want to get a gander at the Steubenville situation… so I’m taking a train to Connellsville, biking to Steubenville, then turning back and taking the GAP back to Cumberland and possibly the C&O from there. Depending on how long all of this takes I’ll be getting another fast forward home.
Intentions
– Creating the beginnings for a Pedalshift Guide to the GAP!
– A daily checkin for newsletter subscribers (look for an email Sunday for details)
– Recording more than the checkin with the possibility of a new Tour Journal
– Pics and more on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Next week…
How to deal with a wet tent on tour… hopefully the advice isn’t prophetic for my ride 😉
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Music
You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for 79 fine episodes. I got news for ya. New. Sunfields. Album. This August.