Pittsburgh departure via Amtrak

Headed to Lewistown today so the kids could take an Amtrak train to Pittsburgh to visit my brother & sister in law for a week. We decided it would be more thrilling for them to take the train rather than me drive out and back in a weekend.

On their way........ Trips are planned for them to see The Andy Warhol Museum & Carnegie Mellon Science Center.

My cousin & son (I don't know what cousin he would be to me) in Vietnam on a Cyclo Ride. It would be nice to be carted around on occassion or in Vietnam.

My knee has swollen again and I could hardly walk yesterday. I have to take two Aleve & one extra strength Tylenol to give me the same benefits of Celebrex. My stomach should go haywire in a couple of days!!! Today swelling has gone done a little so it can bend. There is a clunk click on the walking movement. Blah nah.........

Ride to gather wood

Al left early in the AM to cut some wood up the mountain. I said I would ride out and help him load the trailer. Whew.. it was 4.5 miles of continuous climbing up Stone Mtn. from Rt45, but felt fine. Helped get a full trailer load of wood. I rode home and it was a killer downhill - almost bit a hole in my lip from the hand & arm pain to the panic of not being able to slow down or stop. I beat the vehicle by about 3 minutes because he was couldn't go over 15mph. Trip was 16.5 miles and 1308ft climbing. Feels good to slip riding in with the wood chore. I went home, got some food and headed back out for some more wood but I didn't bike this time. DCNR stopped to check our permit & the fella heard I rode a bike up earlier and he wanted to make sure I wear a helmet. He said that his sister died in a cycling accident and was not wearing a helmet.
I am a firm believer in the helmet. It's sad to see irresponsible adults allowing their kids to ride without one. It should be instilled in the child's mind from the time they get their first bike.
There were 4 recent deaths of children already this year in the area that did not have a bike helmet on:

1. Jersey Shore - Suzan Marie Frock-Walter, 11, May 16
2. Orangeville - Paul Troiani, 15, June 18
3. Williamsport - Damian McCartney, 12, June 26.
4. New Berlin - Garry Ivankin, 10, July 17 still under investigation.

Not to say a helmet would have saved them but one never knows. The driver of the deadly coffin is also the one who has to be aware on the road.

Good Ole Eagles Mere

Did not have my camera & settings were wrong on borrowed camera

The kids & I got up early and loaded our bikes for Eagles Mere. There was an Antique Show on the Green which we wanted to check out which is part of a past ritual. Of course we needed to combine the trip and explore. We visited Uncle Rob & Aunt Elaine, Eric A & Richard in the Park and caught up on news. Tuck has to get the electricity on so we can spend some time in the cottage. The 100th anniversary of the water carnival is coming up and conflicts with the W101 - the kids are split on where to go. We wanted to explore someplace new. I was told that the Rainbow Falls are on private ground now so can't go there. Rode to the pond at the southeast area of EM lake and went to Eagles Mere Conservancy cabin and proceeded on the old road which went into a nice path. All EM paths are marked NO BIKES, but this one had a gate and it said no motorized vehicles, so... We rode around until we looped back to the beach and saw an obvious mtbr with 3 kidos and another adult. I asked where they were going - Loyalsock Canyon Vista trail! I asked if we could tag along....He gave us directions on a trail which ran parallel the private road to Rainbow Falls then headed Northwest to get to fire road marker 14 & turn right at marker 20 to the LT, so we could go ahead of them.

The trail was absolutely "sweet" with a little bit of everything - single track, double track, fire road, technical, logs & wildlife. The lookout was a great reward to this little exploration of new trails.....thanks to mtb fella !!! It overlooks the Loyalsock Creek at Worlds End State Park. His kidos asked if we were going to the "rock garden" of rock outcrops 15ft high. I guess we will save that for another day because there are some waterfalls nearby also. We headed back up to Eagles Mere - oh beautiful...this will be great for a fall day and bring DAG along.

We got back to EM beach a little too late to play volleyball. Strike one up on Uncle Rob!!! He absolutely couldn't believe where we just rode our bikes. He even repeatedly asked in detail landmarks to make sure we were at the right outlook??? He said, "Man you guys must be in really good shape, that must be at least a 12 mile ride on a bike through the woods".

Water on the Knee

I remember hearing this term many years ago, "Water on the Knee" or "Tap the Knee Keg" Today I had my followup to my series of Synvisc shots. During the past month, I have been having some pain & fullness riding and unable to get full flexion on the rotation, which caused a toe drop on the upswing.
Dr D (orthopaedic surdeon) walked in the room half bent over and mumbling, "Helllllllaahhhh". He proceeded to tell me he was really hurting after falling off his bike this morning. Poor fella...just wanted to do a little whining to me, which is fine anytime. Two male maneuvers in an intersection collide and pride will not allow one to get off and walk.
He jiggled my knee cap around, "whoa there is a lot of fluid". I needed an aspiration of the knee, injection of cortisone, & an injection of pain killer. The pain of the suction was not as bad as the Synvisc injections. I wonder if some of my Syvisc got sucked out??? No activity for 48 hrs - not even walking - elevate & ice. If not better in six weeks come back...otherwise cancel if all is well.....what a guy ahh!

Oh yeah.....nice weekend

Dag & I started the day early on our bikes with a mountain climb. At the mtn top view, we stopped for some snacks. Conversations ended and it was time to leave when a crappy old brown van with a stout cell phone talker pulls off the road. I was joking when I said, "he probably wants to throw us in the back of the van. We headed out and this guy kept trying to talk to Dag as we head up the mountain again. Well....there is a Mountain Church Rd not far from our turn around. Check out her recap of the encounter with "The Chaplain" & our ride - WHO really knows his intentions!










After we winded our way back down, we rode over to see the second RR tunnel and the idea for another ride someday. Our rounds ended with a generous individual container of homemade blueberry cobbler made by Dag...mmm

On Saturday I had to go north to get Kels who was staying at my mom's house. I strapped on my bike so I could show her the way to Wmspt
I hadn't done this in 25yrs and some areas have changed. Whew! Urban riding is so stressful to me. I showed her some places around town. Also, stopped in an ethnic clothing store and the gentleman behind the counter made a comment about our rugged bikes. He rides his bike to work at the store.

Man: You have some pretty aggressive bikes for jumping the curbs & pot holes. I really like to be out riding my bike around town.
K: Yes
Hesitantly because we have our mountain bikes.
Man: I am fine with my French racing bike.
It was an old vintage FreeSpirit from the late 70s.
K: It doesn't matter what you have. At least you are out riding.
Man: You really have to be careful out there. I fell and hurt my shin the other day. I never heard of your brand of bikes - Iron Horse & Gary Fisher. Never heard of that guy. So you rode all the way from Montoursville and have to go back now? Wow.
K: Yes, we thought we would ride into town so my daughter knew the way to ride here. We usually ride in the mountains.
Man: What? You mean.... (put his arms out like a mtbr hopping)Oh I would never make it out there. I would be dead.
K: I think if I had to ride in town like this I would be dead!

Two individuals different in color, lifestyles, bikes, riding familiarity and not knowing about the other side...share a bond and love for riding.





On the way home we explored Canfield Island near the Susquehanna River and enjoyed the paths. Took us away from Urbania for a moment!

I need to hit some trails....It has been some time!