Wednesday, June 6, 2007

June 5th: Port Jervis, NY to Waymart, PA

We started the morning in Port Jervis to a sky threatening rain, but by the time we got on the road the sky was clear. Port Jervis is located in the very bottom of a valley so while yesterday we ended with a nice downhill run, today began with a nice climb. We spent most of the morning riding along the Delaware until we crossed over it into Pennsylvania across an old canal aqueduct. From there we switched to following the Lackawana (I actually have no idea what this river was called). All the river valleys made the morning fairly flat (though slightly uphill) and easy and we made good time to lunch along a lake around the 40-mile mark.

After lunch we left the rivers for good and switched back to hills. The wind picked up strongly through the afternoon making some of the hills even harder. We went up and down for 20 miles culminating in our ascent to God’s Mountain Retreat, our stop for the night right outside of Carbondale, PA. The view from the top of the mountain is amazing. We can see back over most of our day’s journey, which is a little depressing. All along the top of the ridge is a wind farm with a dozen or so wind turbines. We hiked up behind the lodge to beneath one of the windmills. Somehow I had expected them to be taller, but they were certainly impressive.

The lodge we are staying at is amazing. We are being completely spoiled by our stay here. Our hosts treated us to more home-cooked food than we could possibly eat, good conversation and a couple off-color jokes. The lodge itself lies along the edge of the ridge giving us a perfect view out to the east. The area is wooded with lots of animals though the only thing we’ve seen from the lodge was a lone black bear that rambled through the back yard before spooking and running away. We also get a pool and, for maybe the only time on our trip, beds. While we were splashing around in the pool a local news station came and filmed a short segment on our trip and stay here. They had no footage of us working or biking, but showed a lot of us playing and carrying our bicycles. Tomorrow we are looking forward to a (relatively) late start at 9am to rest our legs and do some work.

-John Vinson

9 comments:

afagen said...

Good luck bikers! YOU CAN DO IT! Everyone give Shira a high five for me! and "Hi Jessalee"!

love, bengay & mattresses,
Ari

Anonymous said...

Just in case anyone was wondering, Brian is still alive.

Anonymous said...

Way to go all of you. Please say "HI" to Erin B from us. Watching the trek from the blog site.

Toby said...

well, all of you are having a more productive summer than I am. keep up the good biking, I guess.

Anonymous said...

We're looking forward to seeing you in Madison on June 24! Keep pedaling!!

Stephanie Hammes
T. Wall Properties
(Madison dinner sponsor)

Blue Highways said...

Great riding, bikers! You are experiencing first-hand the most unbelievably best way to see and to know this great country called America!!!

Unknown said...

What a pleasure it was to have the HBC Central riders stay with us at God's Mountain in Waymart. You are a great group of young men and women. Ride safely we will be following your journey.
Happy Peddling :)

Jane

Anonymous said...

You are all in our thoughts and prayers daily bikers! You certainly touched our lives while staying with us at God's Mountain! We will follow your blogs and we have some great pics we hope to post for you all! Good luck and God bless! Safe travel!
The Guzzis'
Joe, Nancy, Joey and Pauly

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