Day 41 Markleysburg, Pa to Cumberland, MD (63 bike miles;2775 cumulative miles)

We drove a few miles north to Confluence, PA to pick up the Great Allegheny Trail which was within Ohiopyle State Park. But first we needed some photos of, and with, our lovely SAG drivers!

At Confluence, which was milepost 61 on the Great Allegheny Passage, we crossed the Youghiogheny River and headed southeast, destination: Cumberland, MD, which was milepost 0. McKeesport, Pa, just south of Pittsburgh is the other terminus at milepost 132. The Passage fulfilled George Washington's vision to connect - for trade then, for recreation now - the eastern seaboard via the Chesapeake Bay to the Ohio River. At Cumberland it joins the 184.5 mile Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath, which ends in the Georgetown area of Washington DC.

The Great Allegheny Passage is on former railroad lines with a surface of mostly a crushed limestone. It also includes the amazing work of railroad engineers who built tunnels, bridges, and viaducts to cross the Allegheny Mountains. Amazingly the grade never exceeds a one percent eastbound from Pittsburgh or two percent west bound from Cumberland to its high point near the Eastern Continental Divide. It is extremely well maintained, with amenities such as benches along the trail frequently in memory of friends and family members.

Our lunch meeting spot was Rockwood, where we were met and cheered on by our SAG team!!














Later we had lunch was in the Gazebo overlooking the town. Inside we discovered a nest!!

After lunch biked on the 1,908 ft. Salisbury viaduct which spanned two highways, two local roads, a railroad and a river! There were also

lots of windmills on the mountains.

At Meyersville we had short "meet and greet" with our enthusiastic SAG team,


and then more bridges and tunnels.

It had been overcast part of the day, with rain predicted. It soon began to drizzle. By the time we reached the tunnel at the Eastern Continental Divide, the highest point on the trail (2392 ft.), it was raining quite hard.

Kriss and Charlie continued on while I took some pictures and chatted with a scout group that were trying to keep dry.

Shortly thereafter I got to the Big Savage Tunnel, which was 3300 ft long with NO lights. We had all intended to bring flashlights but forgot. Fortunately, I could see some "light at the end of the tunnel" and there was also a handrail to hold on to as I walked with my bike through the pitch dark.
By the time I passed through the tunnel the rain had stopped and I struck up a converation with a family from Pittsburgh, who were very interested in hearing about my trip across the country and also in seeing the blog.

Then it was goodbye Pennsylvania and hello Maryland! The 1000 ft long Borden tunnel built in 1911 came next.

By the time we got to Frostberg it was raining quite hard. But since it was downhill all the way to Cumberland, we figured we would give it a shot. We soon were adjacent to the Western Md scenic railroad, where I stopped and filmed the beautiful scenery while under a tree.




It was then on to Cumberland, where Rickey and Judy awaited us at the Cumberland train station. That weekend there was a Blue Grass festival in town so there were no campgrounds nor motels available. No problem!!! We stayed in the parking lot in the train station across from the local newspaper plant.