Great American Wheel Route Bikepacking

[PedalUma]

Pedaling East
Days 75 - 78 along the Great American Wheel Route
August 17 - August 20. Pittsburgh PA to Ohiopyle and places in between
Patrice McDonald
Aug 21, 2026

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I rode out from the Pittsburgh Airbnb with my GAWR friend, John Schumacher. John is legendary for his navigational and route building skills. John would map the best route from the house, through Pittsburgh, to the “Point”.
There are three rivers that define Pittsburgh (hence SO MANY bridges). The Allegheny River flows in from the north. The Monongahela comes up from the south. The Ohio river is formed at the confluence point of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers. The confluence point is called the Point of Pittsburgh or, “The Point”. The Point is also the beginning (or end) of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). Here I would leave John and start my ride south, and John would meet up with Paul for coffee before heading home to Cedar Rapids.
John told me his route would prioritize: hills with less than 20% grade; low traffic; and a reasonable ride time. As I had a difficult time finding Pittsburgh two days before, I hitched my wagon to John’s train. Not only did he find a route for us that was rideable, and delivered without profanity from the cyclists or the passing drivers, it was scenic.



The gray strip running horizontal across the front of the yellow bridge is the Three Rivers Trail. It’s a dedicated path for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the river. It’s fun to ride, but narrow. You have to pay attention and not take videos while you ride.
Crossing another bridge in Pittsburgh.





Because who doesn’t like ketchup.
Next to the yellow bridge is an alternate way to get up one of Pittsburgh’s steep hills, the Duquesne Incline.



I said good bye to John at The Point. Thanks John for creating the GAWR riders group and keeping the communications network going throughout the ride, for riding with me and guiding me through Pittsburgh.
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My ride of the GAP began along this brick trail along the river front
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Across more bridges

I rode about 10 miles until a point on the trail that was closed for trail improvement. The county, or city, or GAP.org, or somebody, offers a shuttle around the closure. Otherwise you ride a 5 mile stretch along “one of Pennsylvania’s 10 most dangerous roads” according to the GAP.org folks. The shuttle is not free. You pay $20 cash to this guy.


About 15 minutes later, I was back on the trail.
John texted to say he found coffee and Paul at The Point. He said Paul was now about 30 minutes behind me. I knew that it would take Paul more than 30 minutes to catch me, as Paul was not going to pay any shuttle driver $20 to drive him 5 miles, even if it was one of Pennsylvania’s 10 most dangerous roads. So I rode on a few miles and took a long break. Just about the time I finished my peanut butter and jelly sandwich behind a police station, Paul came riding up. We rode the next two days together which was nice after mostly solo riding 2500 miles. We met up with another GAWR rider, Gary Nelson and his pal, Kevin. Then, Paul rode off with them towards DC on a faster track than I planned for myself. Bye, Paul. It was great riding with you. Safe travels back to Tasmania and happy trails thereafter.

John, Paul, Gary and me just trying to bike across America

Camping at GAP Campground, West Newton

Primitive camping and pre-dawn view from my tent. Ohiopyle.



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[PedalUma]

So much green



















More bridges

Street art riding into South Connellsville





Second half of the GAP starts now. Time to get going. Time to move on.

 

[PedalUma]

Pedaling East
Day 79 & 80 along the Great American Wheel Route
August 21, 22 - Ohiopyle PA to Myersdale
Patrice McDonald
Aug 22, 2026

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My brain is jello. Feeling many emotions. No words yet that make much sense. How about some photos and videos?
I decided to stop at The Outflow Campground in Ohiopyle for a snack. Not true. I saw this cute guy fishing at the outflow and decided to sit and eat a snack.


Then, I’m sure to impress me, he did this

(Sorry about the audio. The Outflow is VERY loud.)
I haven’t grown tired of all the waterfalls. They are the main and continuous feature throughout the Allegheny region, like corn is to Iowa. I think I’ll make an audio loop of all the waterfall videos I’ve taken and play them when I can’t fall asleep.


I could do the same thing with corn pictures. Put them in a binder; flip through 300 photos of corn until I fall asleep.
Ride with me through the Pinkerton tunnel - guaranteed to put all of us to sleep.

I hope this is what dying feels like - flying through a dark tunnel and landing with a thud in Eden.
Speaking of Eden, last night I stayed at the home, BnB, and rescue farm of Kim and Jeff Peters, Stepping Stone Farm. Here are some photos of their Eden and the home they have made for 8 rescue horses, 4 cows, 2 goats, 2 miniature donkeys, a pony and 20 cats. Oh, there are lots of chickens I forgot to count. And of course, some dogs.









They were the kindest hosts. Kim sent me off this morning with a blueberry muffin, biscuit, and oatmeal raisin cookies. What a treat they were along the ride today.
Also staying at Stepping Stone last night was a lovely couple, Fiona and Bruce. We chatted some this morning at the breakfast table. Then, several hours later and 30 miles down the trail, they rode up on their bikes at a trailhead where I had stopped to meet and picnic with Leslie and Jack. Fiona used to lead guided swims with wild dolphins in the Bahamas. Now she works as a CPA. I have pondered that off and on all day. How does one transition from a life of swimming in the sea with the dolphins to a life at a desk and computer analyzing numbers? I think the emotions I feel currently have to do with preparing to transition from this wild crazy adventure. Maybe Fiona will comment?
Signing off now with a photo dump of so much more beauty I found over the past two days.

 

[PedalUma]

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Support Pedaling East​

By Patrice McDonald · Launched 4 months ago
A 72-year-old cyclist crossing America on the Great American Wheel Route. Periodic notes, photographs, campsites, weather, battery math, and whatever the road offers next.

 

[PedalUma]

Pedaling East
DAYS 81 & 82 along the GAWR
August 23 and 24 - Myersdale, Pennsylvania to Cumberland, Maryland
Patrice McDonald
Aug 24, 2026

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Lines, markers, boundaries, directions, routes, temperatures, people, interactions, relationships, moods. How to measure the days of our life? Riding a bicycle for thousands of miles affords the time to think existentially. Or, more commonly for me, my brain shifts into low gear and I don’t think about anything, The eyes do all the processing. Until it all comes to an end. There, I find regret.



Shortly out of Myersdale, I reached the Eastern Continental Divide. Feeling compelled to test the geographical science, I slowly poured out half my water bottle, expecting the flow to immediately break into two parts, one flowing south east towards the Atlantic and the other half south west, towards the Gulf of Mexico. Neither. It flowed straight downward and was immediately absorbed into the ground. Proving that the gravity of hell is stronger than east or west, north or south.

Mason Dixon Line
Just a mile further I rolled over the Mason Dixon Line where in 1767 one guy said to another guy, “you stay on this side of the line, and I’ll stay on the other”. Sometime later, one side became Pennsylvania and the other Maryland. Sometime after that “it” was determined that you could keep men, women and children in bondage on one side of the line, but on the other side that was a line too far. It’s important to know where your lines are.



When that gets too hard. Find a tunnel. Most likely there is light. AT THE END OF IT. Though it may take a long time to get there.


Friends will help guide you. From Fiona, answering my question in yesterday’s post:

My life in the sea with dolphins and crunching numbers in the office was always running concurrently. Summers were my ocean time and the rest was the adding machine. Gentle re-entries into civilization were always key. The heart opening and expansive feeling that nature provides doesn’t always translate well to everyday living. That needs to be protected and the high buzzing life of everyday humans needs to slowly trickle back into existence. This helps preserve some that magical essence of nature that wakes us up as only nature (and animals) can do.

My arrival in Cumberland coincided with the end of the GAP (Great Allegheny Passage). Today, I’m taking a zero day in Cumberland. Tomorrow, I will begin the last, long trail of the ride, The C&O. Again, starting at zero. I like starting there.

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Support Pedaling East​

By Patrice McDonald · Launched 4 months ago
A 72-year-old cyclist crossing America on the Great American Wheel Route. Periodic notes, photographs, campsites, weather, battery math, and whatever the road offers next.

 

[PedalUma]

Pedaling East
Day 83 on the Great American Wheel Route
August 24 - Cumberland, Maryland to Paw Paw, West Virginia
Patrice McDonald
Aug 25, 2026

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This morning, I waited for a train to switch tracks for 45 minutes before I could cross the tracks and begin my ride through Cumberland and onto the C&O Canal Tow Path (C&O).

It was chilly, mid 50s, so I wore my puffy coat until mid-day.
This tree was amazing.

The towpath is fun to ride. The gravel is very fine so the ride is smooth. The mower was about a mile ahead of me.




The C&O Canal was on my left and the Potomac River on my right.
The canal has not seen any activity in decades. There are sections that the canal is dried up mud. Other places it's over-grown with lilies. Other places the water has been stagnant for along time. Other sections the canal looked healthy.

There are old locks and lock houses about every 5 miles.
Some of the old houses are in good shape, others look so sad and one was getting a face lift.

I stopped in Oldtown, Maryland, at the high school, for a slice of coconut cake and a cup of coffee. Oldtown was originally a Native American settlement of the Shawnee Nation. Currently, its population is 112. The high school closed in 2000. The high school building now houses a cafe/grocery, hair salon and auto shop.

 

[PedalUma]

Pedaling East
Day 83 on the Great American Wheel Route
August 24 - Cumberland, Maryland to Paw Paw, West Virginia
Patrice McDonald
Aug 25, 2026

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This morning, I waited for a train to switch tracks for 45 minutes before I could cross the tracks and begin my ride through Cumberland and onto the C&O Canal Tow Path (C&O).

It was chilly, mid 50s, so I wore my puffy coat until mid-day.
This tree was amazing.

The towpath is fun to ride. The gravel is very fine so the ride is smooth. The mower was about a mile ahead of me.


The C&O Canal was on my left and the Potomac River on my right.
The canal has not seen any activity in decades. There are sections that the canal is dried up mud. Other places it's over-grown with lilies. Other places the water has been stagnant for along time. Other sections the canal looke

 

[PedalUma]

Today’s ride was about 32 miles. I think I saw 4 people on the towpath. This farmer was one.

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Support Pedaling East​

By Patrice McDonald · Launched 4 months ago
A 72-year-old cyclist crossing America on the Great American Wheel Route. Periodic notes, photographs, campsites, weather, battery math, and whatever the road offers next.

 

[PedalUma]

Patrice,

You have made astounding progress. It looks that you are about eight days away from singing, ‘She will be comin’ round the mountain’ in D.C. Congratulations! I am so happy to have been a small part in your endeavor. I am here to support you anytime. Your bike is so beautiful, and just for you. Prospero has done everything we planed over a year ago, together, as a collaboration. Your bespoke magical wizard with you at the helm has pulled through. I am so honored and proud of you, it brings tears to my eyes. Go ahead and max the power for those final big climbs, then its all downhill. In a good way.

Rick, the bike guy.