When I woke, I pulled all my gear, including my tent, close to a pavilion that was on the campsite grounds, which let me spread my stuff out and let it dry a bit. I had two cups of coffee, and though I would have liked to have had an "Ohiopyle" style morning - i.e. sitting there meditating for a little while, gazing at the river - I was more in a mood to shake West Newton out of my system and get out of there.
So - after saying goodbye to that father / son combo, who were lingering making breakfast, I was pedaling by 7:00am.
And really, I simply pedaled until Boston, with little to report. In Boston they were having a trail appreciation event, so lots of cyclists had shown up and were zipping along the trail, which was different from those countless miles of isolated forest riding that had made up most of my days. I sat at a picnic table in Boston and ate some food, and bought a T Shirt to help support their trail day.
Then I just kept pedaling. The Trail turns into pavement almost immediately north of Boston, and is pavement all the way into the city except for a short stretch of gravel behind some condos along the way. I was probably at the Hot Metal Bridge by about 10:30am. I biked up Bates to my hotel, and found the car safe and sound (did I mention that the hotel let me leave my car with them for a week, for free?). I loaded my cargo trailer into the car and then said "hi" at the front desk just to make sure everything was okay, and then - no longer hauling the cargo trailer - I flew down Bates again back to the Eliza Furnace Trail.
And that led to my mini-tour of downtown Pittsburgh, hanging on to the rear-wheel of a guy named Rob! I honestly have no idea where he led me. We were on sidewalks, weaving through pedestrians, went by some fountains. All of it looked fun and interesting, but it also just whizzed right by, so I won't try to explain where I was. Here's my strava map of it:
Rob - you'll never see this - but thanks so much for the tour, and the conversation, and saying "Yeah, I know how to get to Point State Park - follow me - I'll give you a tour!"
In the park, I wandered around a bit. At one point I left the fountain area to go to a concession stand I'd spotted, bought a coke, and started guzzling it down, and that is where the father-son cycling combo that I'd been seeing ever since the Husky Haven found me again. We shook hands and said "happy trails", and that was that.
Point of Confluence. Point State Park. Journey's End.
After getting back to the hotel, I showered, and wandered along Forbes Street, having a veggie burger and a beer at Stack'd Burgers, and then a massive ice cream cone at Dave and Andy's.
*
And so, journey's end.
I should re-read On the Road. See how that epic road trip comes to an end. I think Sal Paradise remembers his friend Dean Moriarty, lost somewhere in the swells and rolls of the prairies and rivers of America.
Dean was Sal's friend, but in some ways a ghost. And I think I was searching for some ghost on my way back into Pittsburgh. Scanning the faces of the cyclists coming by me. Wondering who they were. Perhaps the ghosts in our lives are ones that we need, and so we create them. Haunting us and keeping us company.
The miles rolled by on this trip of mine. And I enjoyed every pedal-stroke.
To everyone I met out there. To everyone whose hand I shook. Safe travels.
2 comments:
I thoroughly enjoyed your posts. It has been a few years since I followed your regular and then more irregular bike posts. Congratulations on your ride.
Hi John - well, thank you very much for remembering that my blog even exists!!! And, of course, thank you for reading. Have you ever done the GAP trail or the C & O Towpath? If I was a U.S. rider, I'd probably make a habit of doing them every couple years... pretty gorgeous riding.
Best wishes.
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