Thursday, June 23, 2016

Day 3: Is every day going to end with a giant hill?!?!

Daily Milage: 74.9
Total Mileage: 232.5
Daily Ride Time: 7:25:43
Total Ride Time: 21:18:08
Top Speed: 38.0 MPH

Before I start Day 3, feedback shows everyone has been loving my Snapchat stories.... I am loving them too. Being alone, it's almost like I get to have a one way conversation with you all, instead of talking to myself... Also it's a fun way to document the trip. So to the best of my ability, I will be uploading all the stories to the end of each days post. 

Back to our regular scheduled program:

Woke up a little before 5:30 AM after a not so great night sleep. But this being Day 3, I still had a lot of energy and was ready to get going.

Getting all my stuff together, showering and cooking breakfast definitely took a lot longer than I had planned. I didn't get on the road until 7:25 AM.

It was a cool hazy morning which I really enjoyed. The last two days started hot and ended hot, so at least I got a break today.


As I spoke about yesterday, Pennsylvania is clearly FarmVille. The difference about today was the hills. Not just nice rolling hills where you can find some sort of momentum. but hills that can crush your spirit. Luckily for me, my spirit is made of a million leg muscles.


This stretch of land also included a lot of Amish families. It was a funny feeling passing a young Amish boy in his straw hat and suspenders working hard on his farm while I tow a solar panel hooked up to an iPhone wearing a Green Bay Packers bicycle jersey. Despite our differences, we both shared a brief moment together complete with a hat tip and a smile. I wonder if he was curious about the workings of my universe as much as I was curious about his. 

About an hour later I pulled over to the side of the road on another Amish's front lawn and had myself a snack. This is when I met Al Bundy! Al has been touring with his Trek from the 80s for decades now. He has so much enthusiasm for my trip and bike touring in general. He has even taken on a role as an admin for the Facebook site Bicycle Touring. Al told me how this is going to change my outlook on life and that is just what I am looking to hear.  He had so much to say, I was eating it up! 



The rest of Day 3 got me just across the Susquehanna River to a great restaurant with an amazing Mojito. Thanks to Marc from work, I was able to watch the end of my beloved Mets game on MLB.tv #LGM

Jasper and Susquehanna River
After my own personal pizza and two refreshing drinks, I made the last 10 miles to my camp site. Of course, like yesterday, it was grueling hills until I finally reached Otter Creek Campgrounds around 7:15 PM.

People always say the first week is the hardest. I can now agree to this statement... although I don't I haven't even finished a week and I don't know what comes after a week... apparently ease?


SNAPCHAT STORY @MSquaredYE

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