PHILLIPSBURG,  NJ to MILFORD, PA  72.5 MILES, 9.7 MPH, 7:25 BT, 7:30 to 6:00 pm, MILFORD MOTEL $65 (pd extra $5 so we could have 2 beds)  40 when we started-maybe got to 55-cold all day. Best things-meeting Jackson & his family-really wanted to jump in their car & go to Boston. Then Shaun passes me-lost both legs on mt in storm in NY-was biking 75 m today. Went off & left us-hard to feel sorry for myself. Met Simon, Patricia, Jill, Jim-after coming off most dangerous rd I’ve ever been on. Felt better after talking to them-but knew I was finished & don’t want to go to Boston. Had walked up very steep hill-10% grade. Saw ROUGH RD AS I STARTED DOWN. ENTIRE RD FULL OF VERY DEEP POTHOLES. TRYING TO BREAK AS HARD AS I COULD. CAN’T SLOW BIKE DOWN-HELMET COVERS MY EYES. I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE THROWN OFF BIKE. BY THE GRACE OF GOD SOMEHOW MADE IT DOWN. IA had trouble too-his breaks don’t work well. I’m shaking-takes time to start again. End up in Milford-can’t make it to NY. Motel is nice-rest. across street-still cold until I take hot bath. Thank you, GOD that we are both safe. Will be at Jane’s in 2 days.

Jackson (3) was the 1st person to speak to me-wanted to show me his present & book Dad gave him-from Boston-wanted to go

IA was on NJ side w/Tiger-Sparky was on my side-On bridge

My new UK friends-Simon & Patricia (cyclists, golfers)-w/friends Jill & Jim. Met them in Peters Valley after going wrong way.

Had to walk 2 long bridges today

Feeling sorry for myself on hills-then Shaun passes w/prosthesis on both legs above knees. Caught up to IA to slow him down so I could catch up

IA has yet to walk up hills-not me-getting good at hiking

DAY 29  CONSHOHOCKEN, PA to PHILLIPSBURG, NJ  72 MILES, 11.3 MPH, 6:20 BT, AMERICA’S BEST VALUE $70.  7:30 Went to bkft-packed-full w/wedding & graduations. Can’t believe got good rate. Only on trail 1 m-map takes us N of Philly through countless neighborhoods. IA is fantastic reading map-at least 50 different streets today-including detours, rds closed & under construction. In New Hope meet MIKE-Showed IA picture of face after being hit. New bike cost $9,000-serious biker but still took time to help us. Rd gets bad-see trail by river-want to get on trail. Map says rd-get on flat dirt trail-much better. After a few slow miles-look at bikers on rd-now has wonderful shoulder. Map is rt-take bikes back on rd. Go over grated bridge to NJ-walkers, bikers on paved side. Cop greets us-not suppose to bike on bridge-from TX-didn’t know. Get to Frenchtown at 50 m-go to bike store & hotel. How much? For basic room? Yes. $217-only hotel in town & cheapest in area. IA says next motel is 20 m away-it’s 3:00. Let’s go. On rd by rr tracks & river-problem is big storm is comimg around 6. Now rr tracks gone-hills are back. Starts to rain-stop under tunnel to put on rain gear. Too hot w/jacket climbing hills-wind. Stop man in truck-tells us where motel is. Racing 3 more m-get to motel just before downpour. Perkins rest. next door-1st meal of day-eat too much. IA sleeping-he is very good leader.

TIGER WANTED TO RIDE THE TURTLE

BIKING IN THE MOST UNUSUAL PLACES

MIKE-girl w/out license reaching for lipstick-hit him from back last Aug. Destroyed his $11,000 bike & has had multiple plastic surgeries. Did 200 m 1 day ride across NJ-took time to help

TIGER & SPARKY GOOD AT FINDING TURTLES

BRIDGE CLOSED-we were able to walk  bikes across

Rode bikes across grated bridge-cop greeted us-can’t bike there

DAY 28 PHOENIXVILLE to CONSHOHOCKEN, PA  23 MILES, 2:10 BT, 9:00 to 1:00. RESIDENCE INN ($124 + tax) Left at 9:00-10 m-get on trail to Valley Forge. Bike to VF national park-ranger tells us couple over there from San Antonio, TX. Go talk to them-Christie-retired PE teacher-taught in NEISD-what are the odds-I was PE teacher in NEISD too. See them at several other stops. Go to visitor’s center-can’t stay long-OR says rain is coming. Get on wrong rd-go back to VC. Find trail-after construction-trail is flat along river, rr tracks-pass a lot of vacant industrial buildings. Now rain-stand under hut for 30 min-OR says Residence Inn is 1/2 m away. Go-looks like out of price range. HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY? $200!! Dripping wet-goes in to check. Comes back $124 + tax. Asked for cheapest room for old people. Manager says-don’t tell anyone-I’ll give you government rates. Didn’t say anything about bringing in bikes-did get towels to clean them up. Tiger & Sparky couldn’t believe their room. Eat Mex food for dinner-OR says best burrito he’s ever eaten-had shrimp tacos. Behind schedule-may not get to NY & Jane until Wed. Every day is different-some a lot better than others.

Armand has his own office & place to read maps

TIGER & SPARKY IN BEST ROOM EVER-RESIDENCE INN

OR reading map in rain

Knitting Mill on trail-many  vacant buildings

Excited about going to Philadelphia

Bridge under construction before getting on good trail

Bell was going to be rung after women got right to vote-VFNP

Christie- retired pe teacher in San Antonio

DAY 27 (5/12-THURS) MARIETTA to PHOENIXVILLE, PA  70 MILES, 11 MPH, 6:20 BT  9:30 to 8:00  FASTEST SPEED EVER 39.6 LONGEST DAY  FRENCH CREEK INN $90.   Late start-thick fog-too dangerous to be on rd. Jacket comes off in 2 m. Beautiful farm lands, horse & cow farms-continual climbing. Large Amish & Mennonite communities-very impressive. See cows close to rd-stop for picture. Etta gets off tractor to talk to me-get cows at 500 lbs-fatten & sell for steaks. Tell her OR is vegan-his father was butcher. Her husband was cleaning up piles of manuer  after days of rain-also sells food to feed cows. They’re Mennonites & daughter is in Coast Guard stationed in WA. In 30 m see golf course-want to stop OR? No-keep going. Made wrong term-2 men stop to help. Hungry-stop at gas station-eat hot dog on curb. Now on beautiful country rd-38 m-OR starts down long downhill. POW-SNAP-LOOK DOWN-CHAIN IS LAYING IN RD😂😂😂. What to do-think I can coast downhill. Look to my rt-see RTauto repair shop. In over 10,000 + m-never saw auto repair shop on back country rd. Go in-Terri comes out-I’m holding chain-hands black-explain problem. OR bikes up-2 ladies in car honked & told him I had accident. Terri takes OR to bike shop (3 m-a lot of Mennonites ride bikes). Husband Randy says owned shop for 40 yrs, daughter is 2nd grade teacher. Help put links in my chain & back on bike-no charge. THERE ARE BIKE ANGELS & THERE ARE MIRACLES. THANK YOU TERRI & RANDY. THANK YOU GOD. Back on rd-see huge rv camp-really wanted to get something to drink-OR too far in front. Going up mt-POW-SNAP-OR’S CHAIN IS LAYING IN RD😂😂😂. Pull over-thank goodness he bought another $3 link. OR is down on ground, hands black-doesn’t like to be dirty. I want to call Terri for help again-OR drops little link-can’t find it. DON’T MOVE-see link on leg. 5:00-chain is fixed-both biking again-still 25 m to go. Out of water-little towns have several churches-no place for drinks. Stop at FIRE STATION-no one home-just left on call. See lady in driveway-gives us 2 bottles of water-her cat comes over & sits by us. Can’t describe how difficult biking is. Hungry again-come to fancy rest in middle of no where. Talk to lady coming out-must have really felt sorry for me-offered to give me left over pizza. Can’t believe I took it-go in & get $3 root beer. Can go now. Finally at 8:00 PM-we come to 1st motel-French Creek Inn. Another large & clean motel. OR walks to Italian Rest-I have pizza. Eat in room. Made it through another day with a lot of help.

38 m-broke my chain-20 ft away was Randy & Terri automotive. I I think it was a miracle-Terri took OR to bike store -no charge

Waiting for someone to take their picture

Etta-got off tractor to come talk to me-her beef cows

Large Amish & Mennonite communities & farms

Out of water-lady gives us 2 bottles-cat comes over to offer sympathy-Sparky was happy to have new friend

Told Terri I liked to take animal pictures-told me if you stand by fence-cows will come over. Tried it-COWS came running over

BILL (retired engineer/teacher) took us to Budget, Billy, Bikes

Gravel trail to Marietta-thanks to Chris

Hear siren, pull in driveway, stop in front of us (are they coming to get me?) Need to move-coming to this house

Chris (bike angel today) saw us looking lost-came over to help-took time to take us to new trail to Marietta-still had to bike 20 m

Dripping tunnel on trail

Made it to another state-poop in our lane from horses (Amish)

Reward for making it up & down mt-we were afraid

Road under construction-would have been there except for Chris-did I say thank you—below we are on river break

REISTERTOWN, MD to MARIETTA, PA  82 M, 11 MPH, 7:13 BT, REACHED FASTEST SPEED 39.3 MPH, 8:00 to 6:40. BLUE NOTE MOTOR INN-$60.  Thank goodness for rest day. Up early, call taxi Thomas-just got up-can come at 8:30. Motel calls Bill (retired engineer, teacher). Loves to take long camping trips across country. Say good bye to good friend Billy. 50-no rain-few hills-jacket comes off. Glad to be off trails & on rds.Little traffic, hills doable-feel good after rest day. See cows, horses, sheep-lots of farms. Can’t stop when biking down a hill at 25+m or going up hill at 5mph. 40 m stop at White Ford-OR sees gas station-I see pizza cafe-don’t want to sit on curb to eat. Pizza place is packed-$4 get 2 pizza slices & drink-OR gets potatos $4. 2m into PA. Now have long climbs-turns into steep climbs-have to walk bike. Fastest downhill ever 39.3 mph. 2 lanes, no shoulder-9% grade-cars go 30 mph. Finally make it to water-flat-take break & pictures. Tell our story to man there-says more hills into Columbia-go to leave & FALL OFF BIKE- rt in front of him. Offers to drive us to town. OR waiting for me-6 miles to go- more hills & bridge. Ride around Columbas looking for motel. BIKER across street comes over. CHRIS is so helpful-takes us to new trail into Mrietta even though he still has 20 m ride home. Part of trail gravel-maybe a lot of it. Get to Blue Note Motor Inn $60. Unpack & bike to Italian Rest-get hamburger. OR eats pasta & gets big dessert. Very difficult day-could not have done it yesterday. No internet-too tired anyway.