My breakfast is cold pizza left over from last night. My ride today is short, 29 miles to Rockwood, PA. I coast down the steep hill to connect with the Great Appalachian Passage to ride the old rail bed up to the Big Savage Tunnel.
I stop at the Mason and Dixon Line at the Pennsylvania and Maryland state line. I look around and take some photos. I see two cyclists riding my way so I wait to say hi. They stop to talk, two women out on a morning ride. One asks where I stayed last night so I tell them Frostburg. She smiles and says I am Michaelanne, the wife of Daniel the Warmshowers host. They were riding up to the Continental Divide.
We get to the Big Savage Tunnel and a blast of cold air greets us as it rushes out the entrance. I stop for a photo as they ride on ahead.
Just up ahead is the Continental Divide and they are stopped. I ride up and snap another pic and Kirsten, the other cyclist, offers to take a pic of me. We say our goodbyes and ride opposite directions.
I am now on a long downhill grade all the way to Rockwood. When I get into town I find out that the hostel where I had planned to stay was closed even though the website said it was open.
The only place I find open is a B&B, The Ginger House so this is where I am sleeping tonight. I’m here all alone and it is comfortable. Josiah is very nice and went out of his way to make me feel comfortable.
I cleaned and lubed the chain, ate, and showered. Now it is time to sit back and settle in.