Day 75 Ravenna, Ohio to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

What a day. First, it was difficult to walk away (or better said, ride away) from the Rocking Horse Inn. We had a great stay there. The amount of antique and period pieces in this B&B were impressive and I felt like I was living in the 1800's but with all of the modern amenities we've learned to enjoy in today's world.

Bob, the Innkeeper,  took great care of us, providing us with a healthy breakfast and sharing some of the history of the inn. The building took nearly a decade to build and was started in 1864. It features "Stick Style" architecture.  Here's a photo (taken from their website..). 

We were facing an 87 mile ride though so despite our desires to stay longer, we were on our bikes and rolling out just a bit past 8 am. The early ride was nice with a mix of rural and country roads and a few bike trails too. 

No complaints here

 or here...nice

But it wasn't all idyllic...Road quality was mixed which meant we spent a lot of time calling out pot holes and other obstacles.

Mixed road conditions

But we were also rewarded with river crossings which are always fun

Where is everyone?

Dave is surrounded!

And then lunch...it was not at Subways! 

We struck gold at Pizza Joe's and we all wolfed down two large pizzas. It was good.

Post lunch we struggled a bit with some bigger, longer climbs and full tummies. Not the best combination. But the hills rolled past us and we were able to enjoy some good downhills. Crossing into Pennsylvania was also a nice milestone

Leaving Ohio

 Entering Pennsylvania

and since we never saw a welcome to Ohio sign when we rolled through on back country roads, Dennis snapped a shot facing back towards lovely Ohio

The rest of the ride was a mix of heavy traffic, terrible road surfaces, and cars and trucks that whizzed by as if we were not there. It was frightening and some of the most hazardous conditions we have faced yet.

 I almost went down when my front wheel caught in groove between the road and the pavement as I was negotiating a downhill turn. Much like what happened to Sean. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins for the next 10 minutes. So glad I kept the rubber side down. 

Occasional good spots

 Rick giving thumbs up after long climb

Rick playing sweeper and keeping our girls safe

 Still smiling

Tunnel to almost impassable roads 

Short video of our subsequent struggle

Red brick road reward? (not really)

We next negotiated tough roads with narrow bike lanes and drivers who seemed to care less about our safety. Roughly 50% of the cars came too close. This is not good.

Traffic and vanishing bike lanes

The good news is we all arrived safe and sound, albeit a bit jittery. Just as I was ready to relax a bit I was asked to accompany Sean and Dennis to "Bike Heaven." I am so glad I went and wish I could have stayed longer. 

Here's a shot of me next to my dream bike. (and make no mistake, it's the real one)