Tribute and a nice ride to Pittsburgh

Today we rode 43 miles from Steubenville,Ohio to Pittsuburgh, Pennsylvania. We climbed 1,410 feet. 

We had a  leisurely 1100 departure from Steubenville, following a police escort over the Ohio River we passed briefly through West Virginia en route to Pennsylvania. Our second three-state day. We spent most of the day on the Panhandle Trail ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panhandle_Trail), another fantastic rails-to-trails path where we enjoyed miles of car-free riding. We had lunch at American Legion Post 698 in Burgettstown and got back on the trail. Back onto country roads for the last ten miles or so, with some steady climbing towards the end. We gathered at the top of an exceptionally steep pitch before descending into Pittsburgh as a group in the interest of safety. Unload the truck, et cetera. Short ride, short story.

We picked up some more riders overnight and will continue to gain more over the next few days. Our riding dynamics change as the group grows. We pay much more attention to rider spacing, ensuring we have reaction time in the event of any mishaps. More smaller groups form according to ability and relationships and everyone has a chance to mix things up. The more, the merrier.

Five days remaining...

Tomorrow we will ride from Pittsburgh to Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. We will cycle 76 miles and climb 2,060 feet. 

Totals to Date

Miles: 2,855

Elevation Gain: 88,794

Flat Tires: 51

States crossed: 9

Centuries: 7

Dog bites: 1