Day 3 Saturday - Sunshine on Our Shoulders Makes Us Happy - Great Allegheny Passage Trail Revisited - Weather Strikes Back

August 4, 2018

Day 3 Saturday - Sunshine on Our Shoulders Makes Us Happy

Biking, Whitewater rafting and much unintended swimming

Little did they realize the terror that lay ahead: Most of the brave few who biked AND rafted - and some who swam. L-R: Dan, Mike Kathy, Debbie, Carole, Andi

Saturday was planned as a combination of activities. The morning was for biking, with a short ride and a longer ride. The short riders (well, those doing the shorter 22 mile ride from Confluence to Ohiopyle and back, this group was probably actually on average taller than the others...) would also do a white water rafting trip in the afternoon. Dan, Mike, Kathy, Debbie, Carole and Andi (shown above) were joined by Chris and June on the first 11 miles of the 22 mile ride and on the rafting expedition. Rick and John would do the longer one way 28 mile bike ride from Confluence to Connellsville.

To make all this work, John developed a complex shuttle plan that involved (a) John and Rick driving two cars to Connellsville; (2) leaving Rick's van at the Yough River Park just off the GAP trail in Connellsville; (iii) driving in John's Subaru to Ohiopyle to pick up Chris, who left his truck there; and (D) John, Rick and Chris returning to Confluence in John's car. It all made sense to me but I had to create an elegant graphic to get everyone else on board.

Beautiful 28 mile ride from Confluence to Connellsville

The GAP section from Confluence to Connellsville is the most scenic of the entire western half of the GAP, and is slightly downhill, dropping a bit over 400 feet over 28 miles. The trail gets a bit crowded on either end but the middle section through the heart of the Youghiogheny canyon is never crowded and the trail was in great condition.

To run the railroad through this section, they had to blast through a lot of rock. So, on your left you have numerous waterfalls down the sheer rock walls that remain and on your right you have views of the river and rapids as it drops through the gorge.

At the Connellsvile end, the path runs through a more industrial zone and then a short stretch through the town on a dedicated bike lane. We loaded up the bikes, headed back to Confluence for some lunch (from the ample fuddle leftovers) on the porch of the Parker House and did some walking while awaiting the return of the intrepid rafters.

The Youghiogheny River was angry that day, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

We had reservations for dinner at the self-proclaimed Historic Stone House Restaurant and Inn in Farmington PA, and the rafters didn't return until almost 6pm - with shocked looks on their faces. Not only did a wildly swinging paddle lead to impromptu dental surgery for June (now known as Jack O' Lantern June) but a combination of a laissez-faire raft guide with high water levels on the Yough resulted in a whole lot of unplanned swimming. Making things more exciting: a certain male rafter was a frequent swimmer and his droopy drawers threatened to violate Somerset County laws on indecent exposure, and possibly Federal anti-terrorism regulations. Chris, Debbie and Carole participated in the planned swimming by jumping off a high rock into the crisp waters.

Kathy at the top left, Debbie bottom right (pink shorts) and obscuring the frequent swimmer on the doomed raft

We had yet another fine dinner at the Stone House and went back to the Parker House to attack the many remaining pieces of cherry pie, home-made chocolate chip cookies and many other forms of dessert that had the kitchen counter groaning. We had a demanding day of gliding downhill coming up and it was important to carb load for that...

Today's ride: 28 miles (45 km)
Total: 88 miles (142 km)

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