Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC Part 13

June 18 and 19 – Days 14 and 15

York to Harrisburg; 6/18

The all night rain finally ceased as Đại úy was firing-up the JetBoil to make the last campground Cuppa Joe. An energy bar would suffice for the ride into York where food could be found.


As the end of a tour approaches feelings about ride can clash; wanna be done and don’t want it to end. The final 100 miles would be the first serious road riding since Pittsburgh and transition would be swift with the small city of York only a few miles away where the Rail to Trail portion of Pennsylvania Bicycle Route J-1 joined J-2 and became the J Route. Construction, too-sharp turns and learning that riding on sidewalk would earn a citation from an aggressive constabulary were the beginning of an uneasy introduction to the city. Even the McDonald’s furthered the sense of unease with its abundance of signs stating the lingering over a meal for more than 30 minutes would be considered to be loitering.

Returning to the J Route was hindered by a large, international style sign announcing “no bikes allowed” on the street providing direct access. One-way, two lane streets, traffic lights and rush hour complicated the ride, but York was eventually escaped. Joy was short-lived as the hills of PA became the sole topic of conversation for most of the next 40 miles.

The J Route follows low volume roads that are not loaded-tandem-friendly. What’s that mean? Hills! Hills that began leaving York and continued unrelenting for most of the day’s ride, is what. Yes, there were hills in the early days of the journey, the Allegheny Mountains, but the steady 1.5% grade of a Rail-to-Trail is not a big deal. The final hill before reaching New Cumberland, PAS, was 8% and three-quarters of a mile! Its only redeeming quality was that it was downhill. But you have to go up before you can go down and there was plenty of walking to get up too-steep hills.

Note the name of the sub-division; Rolling Hills. Had just walked and pushed about 1/4 mile to get there.

Remember Three Mile Island?

Had the Dynamic Duo been traveling by car the J Route would have been picturesque as it followed the wide Susquehanna. On a loaded tandem it was an ongoing task with little visual relief. The folks at Red Land did buy the intrepid riders a drink.


The plan had been to cover about 50 miles and spend the night in the Doyle Hotel, a well-known stop on the App Trail. After crossing the river to Harrisburg food requirements beckoned; Pita Pit, Yay! It was clear by then that the hills had won and HBG was the day’s end, even before horns and revved engines were used by passing motorist to express their lack of appreciation for the bike. An America’s Best Value Inn on the north end of HBG marked the end-of-day; basic, clean, inadequate WiFi and Taco Bell food across the parking lot.


Harrisburg to central PA; 6/19

The final day would cover about 50 miles by following US Routes 22/220 and 11/15 with the first ten involving a series of  . . . yes . . . hills. After re-crossing the Susquehanna at Fisher’s Ferry the J Route used the ten foot wide shoulder of a heavily traveled multi-lane highway. It wasn’t Pittsburgh traffic, slow, pondering and angry. Instead it was loud, close and loud and also loud. Again, by this time, Kodak Moments were mostly history not reality.


An odd moment occurred when the Duo stopped to help two motorists with a flat tire, not something you see every day. By 1400, the Subway in Selinsgrove was reached, the final on-the-road food was consumed and a phone call made to discuss venturing into the countryside to reach the final destination.

Not meaning to belabor the point, but . . . hills. And a thunderstorm. Fifty-five and a half miles got Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC to the end of their ride, but not their adventure.

Did Đại úy get to visit The Doyle Hotel? Yep. On the way back south, in the rain. Got to meet Vickey, who greeted him at the door, Pat and a bunch of through hikers. Don't bet that he won't be staying there one day soon.


Stay tuned for gernal comments about the ride; what worked and what did not, observations and suggestions.


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Đại úy Chuck and the NCOIC Part 12

June 15, 16 and 17 – Days 11, 12 and 13

Hanging in Baltimore; 6/15 and 16

Two Zero Days were spent among Ða?i u?y’s cousins and extended family in Raven’s Country— except for Fred who mostly cares about the Yankees. Despite the NCOIC’s preference for the Steelers, only bread was broken. (ed: I love the Ravens and Steelers rivalry!) Outstanding food (Baltimore food one evening and superior Mexican the next) and libations (no National Bohemian) added to the pleasure of being around fine people.

Having someone skilled and familiar with Dundalk and in-town Baltimore made it obvious that getting from DC and traversing Baltimore would have been a very difficult ride. It was also good to have showers and beds and no need to be up and loading the bike at oh dark thirty. To successfully navigate a city aboard a loaded tandem requires much better maps than Google can provide!

Baltimore to York; 6/17

Well fed, panniers repacked with freshly laundered clothes and food for later, the duo began the final stage of its ride from north of Baltimore, again, thanks to Cousin Debi who found her way to the Trailhead in Moncton, MD. That she was traveling against the in-bound flow was good, but still served as a reminder of why riding a bike instead of driving is so compelling.


In Maryland, the Rail Trail like much of the C&O was under a heavy canopy of green. It climbed steadily uphill for the entire distance into Pennsylvania, about 20 miles. Soon after crossing the Mason Dixon Line again the Trail leveled and became more rural; farms, villages and less dense woodland. It also became Pennsylvania Bicycle Rout J-1. The packed earth surface in Maryland turned in to a variety of surfaces from gravel (packed and loose), paved and packed dirt. Lacking the picturesque quality of the GAP and the obvious history of C&O there were fewer Kodak Moments. The area’s significance in the Civil War was not close at hand to view or photograph.



The Howard Tunnel, built in 1940, was not the longest, darkest or wettest, but is still the oldest active railroad tunnel and deserved a picture. So, too, did the over-large wheeled replicas in a county park along the Trail.



Indian Rock Campground, south of York, was the destination for the thirteenth day of riding. It was a small, neat place and dark clouds suggested that the tent should be located in a pavilion once more. An all-night rainfall validated the decision! Having only one functioning showerhead would have been a bigger complain had the owner/manager not shared libations which, when added to Cousin Debi’s bag of edible goodies, took care of dinner. Two more days of riding should complete the adventure.


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