Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Riding Home from New York - Day 3 - West Conshohocken, PA to Delta PA

 It's so incredibly hot. Unbelievable. Even if you leave early, it's crazy hot by 10, and I still had to spend hours in the heat. Climbing hill after hill. Climbing out of the Susquehanna River valley.

This was for sure the hardest day of the trip.


I have no appetite in this heat. All I had was a cup of coffee and a half an English muffin before I left, and a few quarts of Gatorade during the ride and a handful of peanuts.

I tried the strategy from yesterday about getting going early and riding flat, direct, roads. I got 15 miles of really nice rail trail (the Chester River Trail) to start the day, but it ended in disappointment.


And a half mile of backtracking. A sign saying the trail dead ends in a half mile would be helpful.

The last half of today's route was very direct - straight to the bridge over the Susquehanna at Holtville, but it's also very hilly. And rural, so few opportunities for a cooldown break. (Special thanks to the Atglen PA Public Library, you guys are so nice.) At the end, there is a monster descent to the river, and then a monster climb to get out, followed by another shorter but steeper climb to get through a small valley for a Susquehanna tributary.


This is looking back after I crossed the bridge.

The reason for having such a long, brutal day today is it puts me at the only motel for miles around, and sets up and easy 40 mile day tomorrow.

And what a motel it is. The Peach Bottom Inn. The bicycle tourist's dream. It is basic and cheap. The room is $60, and includes nothing I don't need. 

And it is attached to a bar and restaurant. The restaurant is outstanding! Totally creative menu. I had a seafood pot pie, and since I was still hungry for some reason, a calamari appetizer served with an amazing creamy pepperoncini dipping sauce. So much more interesting than the usual marinara. This place is great.

http://peachbottominn.com/

(I've found that even if I have no appetite at all while riding, if I sit, cool down, hydrate, and rest for a couple hours, my appetite returns with a vengeance.)

Also, even this motel room is very, very cheap, and has absolutely no frills, it still has some features in common with fancy expensive hotels in New York City.


Here is the Strava Track. So hot. So hilly.

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