Liar, Liar, pants on fire

Day 8
From Lancaster
To Hunt Valley Maryland
Mileage estimated 67
Mileage actual 67
Top speed 50.5 mph
Riding time 5 hrs 56 mins





People tell lies. Why do they do it? The hotel staff told us that we couldn't have breakfast until 6.30am because that was when the restaurant opened. It didn't. It wasn't open until 6.45am and then it was only part open because half the food wasn't there and a lot of the serving utensils weren't out either.


So we had planned an early start as today was reckoned to be the toughest day of the trip by Shane the Leader and we didn't get it.


Then we had to ride. One of the roads was called Long Level Road. Ever heard of the Meatloaf song called 'Two out of Three ain't bad'? Well, it was absolutely appropriate. There was a Road and it was Long; but Level? They lied to me again. It was as level as a road surface in New England. Why tell lies? Why not call it 'Long you're not going to like this Road' or 'Long ho, ho, ho Road'? People tell lies and I bet they were laughing at us all the way through it.


The weather gods were kind to us again today though it did get up into the low 90s this afternoon. Fortunately that was after the majority of the climbing had been completed.


We left Lancaster to a warm morning on Route 30 which is part of the Lincoln Highway.





This was Abraham Lincoln's scheme to link New York and San Francisco by making a single road that would go across the country. We left on a bridge over the Susquehanna River that widened into Lake Clarke and we rode alongside these for most of the morning. We left Lancaster County and crossed the border into York County and from what I was told last night there is a 'friendly' rivalry between the two Roses over here as well as at home. The road was up and down with some quite steep climbs but the limbs are in tune a lot better now and we all got up them (eventually!)



The first SAG was after 25 miles and it had taken us about 2 1/2 hours to get to that. Straight after it there was another punishing hill that some joker had thought would be nice for cyclists to go up. You can see from the picture that the road runs on a hill that falls away on one side so you could perhaps guess the gradient we were going up. Fortunately, the road didn't go on for too long but we did have a few more bumps to negotiate. One of them was on Pleasant Hill Road (another lie!) then Chrome Hill Road, Old Federal Hill Road etc., etc. You're getting the message here, aren't you?

We crossed another state line today from Pennsylvania into Maryland and we travelled through some beautiful landscape again. The routes that have been chosen for us are on quieter roads and go through some picturesque countryside and passed some spectacular houses. One in particular had a front lawn that was probably about 400 yards long. Couldn't cut that on an evening after work!

We meandered seemingly here, there and everywhere into another feature of today - Dowling Tailwinds! We managed to fight our way through them and arrived at the hotel in Hunt Valley just after 3pm. A shower and a telephone call home filled a lot of time then it was Route Rap. As I got into the lobby where it was being held, I saw Carol Moore, Dave Moore's wife. Dave was another member of 'Group Stopsalot' on the Cross country ride last year and he is riding with me tomorrow. Dave appeared from behind a pillar and he hadn't changed at all. I was pleased to see them but a bit surprised as I wasn't expecting them until tomorrow morning.

We had Route Rap then went out for dinner and I had an even bigger surprise when we got back because there at the hotel was my wonderful friend from last year's ride, Bob Rodweller, and he had told me that he would be coming in early tomorrow morning and meeting me for breakfast before riding with me for the day.

So even Bob, the rascal, had lied to me! But that didn't really count as one and was the most easily forgiven of them all. It was great to see him and we will have a great day tomorrow and a day around Washington on Tuesday.

At the end of Route Rap the five riders who will be leaving the group in Washington were presented with their Certificates of Completion and asked to say a few words. John Clarke, who has been riding with us for each day said some very kind words. In particular he said that he has been riding with AbB for 10 years now and had never ridden with a better (small) group within the (whole) group. That was good to hear but I think we all ride well together because we are all considering each other as the day goes along and when you are cycling that is very important. You never know when you will need help to get you through a bad day so it is always a good thing to have some credit in the bank for when it happens.

John Sr., John Jr., (Dad and Lad), John C, Garry (Doughnut) and Phillipe we will miss you all. And that is NOT a lie!

May the wind be always on your back.