Day 22: Easton, PA to Milford, PA

June 3, 2008

71.87 miles, 5:46:32 Ride Time, 12.44 Average Speed, 41.07 Maximum Speed

I checked out of the motel after the usual adequate continental breakfast (fruit loops today), and was back in New Jersey in a few minutes. Soon I was on a quiet country road along the Delaware River. This part of the trip has been great - New Jersey has not been at all what I expected/dreaded.

This morning along the Delaware, I saw lots of homes raised high in the air. I also saw lots of signs reading "Governor, Stop the Delaware River Flooding! Lower Reservoirs to 80%!" Not surprisingly, I only seemed to see these signs in the yards of homes that were NOT already raised 30 feet in the air.

I stopped in the nice-looking little town of Belvidere (pop. 2,771), and had breakfast at Buck's, a local diner. I ordered the "Belly Buster", which didn't really live up to its name. I could have eaten more, and the food cost twice what it would have cost in Georgia, but it was still good. I asked the waitress where the restroom was, and she directed me through the kitchen, where I had to squeeze within about 6 inches of the hot stove, and got a close-up look at the food preparation process. I love these idiosyncratic little diners - that kind of thing would never happen at McDonald's.

The next little town, Portland (pop. 579), was noisier - workers appeared to be tearing up every street and sidewalk in town. I met the first touring cyclists I'd seen in a while there - these guys were on the third day of their trip across the country, riding mostly their own route.

Soon I entered the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. This was 30+ miles of hilly, isolated forest. I saw virtually no traffic the entire time; I did talk to a cyclist doing a short ride through the area, and we talked for a while. The local cyclists have been unusually friendly lately, definitely not fitting my preconceived ideas of standoffish Northeasterners.

It took me a while to get through this hilly section, and eventually I grew weary of the isolation, and the miles and miles of forest. Walpack Center was supposed to have a restaurant, but I didn't see it. It's hard to imagine that the listed population of 41 could support much of anything. There was a post office (closed of course), so I dutifully took a picture of the bike in front of it. There hadn't been much else to photograph for the last few hours.

Finally I reached the slightly more lively community of Layton, and stopped in a bar (the only place open) for an expensive glass of Diet Coke, and a free filling of my bottles with ice water.

I got slightly lost leaving Layton (the signage is confusing there), but eventually found my way back onto the route on quiet Old Mine Road. I had decided to spend the night in Milford, on the Pennsylvania side of the river, but when I got to the bridge, I found signs telling me that bicycles and pedestrians were prohibited. Luckily, I also saw a sign with a telephone number for a "Hiker/Biker Shuttle", and actually got a human being on the phone when I called it. In about ten minutes, a young guy showed up in a white van with a bicycle rack on the bike. Apparently this service is being provided while the busy bridge is being worked on. I was impressed - there were even little tents on both sides of the river to protect cyclists and pedestrians from the elements while waiting for the shuttle. Way to go, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commmission!

Milford (pop. 1,104), apparently the birthplace of the conservation movement in the USA, is a cool little town. I had two lodging choices: A typical small-town motel, or, just across the street, the Myer Country Motel. This was actually a group of little cottages. My cottage was old, but clean and well-maintained. It cost less than the anonymous Quality Inn in Easton the night before, but was a lot more charming. Recommended.

After riding back into downtown to pick up a 2-liter of Diet Pepsi, thus avoiding the $1.00 per can price gouging at the motel, I cleaned up, then walked down the road to a local seafood restaurant, where the dinner was good, if a little expensive. (At least compared to Georgia, land of pine trees and cheap eats).

A good day.

Unsurprisingly, I only saw these signs in the yards of homes that were NOT already raised 30 feet in the air...

I had a good breakfast at this place in Belvidere, NJ; I ordered "The Belly Buster", but it really wasn't *that* much food.

Back into Pennsylvania again. How many times am I going to cross the Delaware River, anyway?

I believe these guys were on the third day of their trip across the country - using mostly their own route, plus Adventure Cycling's Western Express route.

I was (very) briefly on the Appalachian Trail.

The sidewalk on this bridge was being worked on, and I had to call for a shuttle to take me across. There were little tents on each side of the river to protect cyclists from the elements(!)

The Myer Motel in Milford, Pennsylvania. It's actually a group of little cottages. So much nicer than the anonymous motels.

It cost $1.00 for a can of pop at the motel, so I rode about a mile to a store and bought a two-liter for $1.79. And no, it didn't fall off on the way back - thanks, inventor of bungee cord!

Today's ride: 72 miles (116 km)
Total: 1,647 miles (2,651 km)

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