Day 3: Huckleberry Hill to Lock 38

May 21, 2023

Short and quick

I NEGLECTED TO MENTION in yesterday's post that the well at Huckleberry Hill wasn't working. Wil and I had stopped to refill our bottles late in the day Saturday but I'd used about 3/4 of that supply getting to the campsite. It was distressing to discover that there was no refill to be had, unless we were willing to take it directly out of the river along the edge of the campsite. Even with my filter available though, that wasn't an appealing idea so when one of the other campers told us there was another well a couple miles farther down the trail Wil decided he'd go for a walk and fetch some back for us.

We refilled our bottles and carefully hoarded the rest for use Sunday morning. There was enough for a couple cups of coffee and a bit of cleanup water, but not much more. I was glad to have packed the bagels and peanut butter: they made a satisfactory breakfast and needed no additional water.

Having slept much better Saturday night than I did Friday, I was able to break camp and get rolling on my way back tot he car a tick before 0800. It's only 10 miles, which I covered in just under an hour. Like the two previous mornings it was pleasantly cool but not chilly: perfect riding conditions. The towpath was also firm underfoot: its packed stone dust and fine gravel composition in that section drains well, so there were no puddles left over from Saturday evening's rains.

I enjoyed a solo ride (not many others were on the towpath) and arrived back at the car an hour after setting off. It was good to be out but also good to be done, with plenty of time remaining to get home, unloaded, and cleaned up before the unrelated social event scheduled for the afternoon.

My jersey proclaims me to be a member of the "Old Guys Who Get Fat In Winter Racing Team". Alas, it's all too true.

I'm glad to have gone, and to have finally gotten my first short "tour" of 2023 into the logbook. It wasn't high adventure and I didn't cover anything I haven't previously seen but the company was first-rate and the circumstances entirely congenial. Nothing broke, I suffered no mechanical issues, I'm only moderately stiff and sore, and I'm sure that in a few months I'll be able to sit comfortably once again.

With my friend Wil. Photo credit: Kerry Smith.

Job done.

Heart

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Today's ride: 10 miles (16 km)
Total: 132 miles (212 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	5
Comment on this entry	Comment	4

Nancy GrahamGreat to have a good cycling buddy that you can do at least a short couple of days bike tour with. I enjoyed your photos and story, and hope the part of you that meets the saddle will survive well ;’-).
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1 year ago

Keith AdamsTo Nancy GrahamWil and I have been cycling buddies since the mid 90s, when he was still in high school. He was a participant and I was a mentor in a program that put teens and adult cyclists together. We trained together from April until the end of July then joined the Cycle Across Maryland event for a six-day, 300+ mile supported tour. At the end of the tour, the kids who completed the program got to keep the shiny new bikes they had earned.

We'd lost direct touch with one another for a while although it wasn't irretrievable (obviously): his younger sister and I are also in touch, and their mother cleaned our house for over 20 years. I just hadn't seen or talked much with Wil in that time.
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1 year ago

Rachael AndersonGreat mini tour. Don’t forget the chamois cream next time. I always have some.
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1 year ago

Keith AdamsTo Rachael AndersonThat was my first experience with the stuff. In the past I've tried the "keep it clean, keep it DRY" approach with some degree of success but the cream approach seems to have considerable virtue as well.
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1 year ago