May 28, 2023
Detour?
Phillipsburg to Worthington State Campground in the Delaware Water Gap
I woke at 4:30 am. Ready to go. I waited until 7 to get breakfast at the IHOP next door. It was closed so I went to McDonalds. It was closed. Hmmm.
I rode downhill about 5 miles to downtown. Nothing was open. I walked my bike across the bridge (after the bridge minder scolded me for riding) to Easton PA and rolled around town. Sunday on a three-day weekend is not prime time for brekkies around here.
I found a McDonalds and ordered their breakfast. It came with extra plastic. My dining companions were four homeless men who were discussing local politics like they were the city council.
Back into New Jersey, I rode along the river enjoying the gently rolling road that was occasionally augmented by very steep but mercifully short hills
The Delaware River to my left, dense foliage to my immediate right. Every so often I’d startle some large sounding critter and hear a commotion In the greenery.
I made my way 30 miles to the town of Belvedere where I stopped for second breakfast. The town diner was packed. The plates were heaped with grub. I opted for oatmeal with banana and blueberries. And a cuppa joe
Next I re-crossed the river into Pennsylvania. I immediately turned onto a riverside road. This one climbed away from the river again and again. I appreciated the downhills but the ups and downs seemed pointless.
Still it was a pretty ride. The river makes a gash in the mountains. The gashes yield impressive views.
After Portland the road was closed because of rockslides and erosion. The detour I found on the Adventure Cycling website was 15 miles long including a steep climb over a 1,400 foot mountain. I decided to ignore the detour. All went well until I came to a barrier. I unloaded The Mule and dropped my bags on the other side then hefted the bike over. Success!
Now I could only hope that reports I had recently read online were true, that the road was passible. The closure lasted only one mile. I saw one rock about size of a softball in the road. The stone retaining wall between the road and the steep drop to the river was severely eroded, a sign that the National Park Service had neglected to maintain the road for years if not decades. Big surprise. Not.
The barrier on the north side of the closure was easier to deal with. I dismounted and walked around it. Done. No 15-mile, 1,400-foot climb for me.
I stopped in the town of Delaware Water Gap to buy water and some food for the next 30 miles.
I walked along I-80 across the river back into New Jersey. The sidewalk was protected from the roaring traffic by a jersey barrier. This short stroll also happened to put me on the Appalachian Trail briefly.
On the New Jersey side I doubled back to take the Old Mine Road north along the river. Almost immediately I came to a traffic light that regulated the flow in a very narrow stretch of the road. Of course it didn’t recognize bicycles. A huge pick up truck approached. There was room to pass but the side mirrors of the monster stuck out a foot more than usual. I pulled off to avoid a rude face slap.
The road surface was horrible. Potholes everywhere. At one point I had a drink from my water bottle. Just as I did I came upon a huge pothole. I swerved to the right out of control. A rock face ran along the road and I was headed right for it.
Then I stopped. The combination of one handed braking and some soft black sand on the edge of the roadway brought me to a stop like one of those runaway truck ramps in West Virginia.
I decided that even though I’d ridden only 40 miles I should save the rest of this crazy road for tomorrow. I cancelled my campsite 25 miles north and took a hiker/biker site a few miles away.
The campsite has large furry critters so I’ve been advised to stash my food and hygiene items in the trunk of my car. Lacking both a trunk and a car, I improvised plan B: put the food in my dry bag and stash it in one of the showers with a sign on it explaining it to curious people. Based on the demographics of the other campground users, it would have been useful to know Spanish and Korean but English will have to do.
My cold is nearly gone. I only used my bushman’s hanky a few times today.
Tomorrow lots of bumps and, then (hopefully) New York State.
Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 346 miles (557 km)
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