I literally packed all day yesterday to get ready for my test run from my home in York through Lancaster and back.
I have been testing equipment for the past 6 months at home to check the operation, coordination with other equipment, and the appropriateness for the Great Divide trip this August.
I have done long bicycle trips before, but this one is different - not only because it is so remote but also because the times have changed and I have not. I just recently acquired a smartphone. I will need it for calling my wife Lorraine, but we also wanted the option of Skype (video calls). In addition, I need a smartphone to be able send her photos for my blog and to control and view the backup of my photo files. This trip is not only to test my fitness but also to test the equipment in the field.
Packing went well, but it didn't seem like a full day's work. Lorraine said my hobbies take a lot of work and they do, but for me there is nothing like getting from one place to another under my own power, and all the while experiencing my surroundings at a human pace of life.
I got the kitties fed and watered and set out at 10 am. I rode through some nice quiet areas of York until I came to Route 74 which is a more heavily traveled route. I stopped at Roma's Pizza and had a couple slices and a Coke. The food really picked me up and I was ready for the next leg of the ride.
The frequency of traffic started to diminish and when I turned onto Route 372, I was in for a real treat in the crossing of the Susquehanna River. On the left side of the Norman Wood bridge heading towards Lancaster is the Holtwood Dam. Because of the dam, only a relative trickle of water flowed into the channel. Surrounding the river were marshes with great blue herons flying about. It was not what nature intended, but spectacular nonetheless. It was like something out of a dreamscape that few probably get to appreciate because you can't stop your car to see the sights in the 55 mile per hour speed zone. But you can stop on the shoulder with your bike, so I did, and my eyes drunk in the view. What an experience!
I continued onto Quarryville and viewed some wonderful Lancaster farmland. The Amish and Mennonite families in particular take pride in not only productive, but beautiful farms.
I arrived at the White Oak campground at about 3:30 pm. Lorraine was already there and had checked in by the time I arrived. We put up our tent, I showered, and we we were off to dinner at RD's American Grill which specializes in barbecue. Lorraine had pulled pork and I had the beef brisket, we both had cole slaw, french fries and baked beans with bacon.
Back at the campsite Lorraine, my tech wizard, gave me some tutorials in backing up the camera and transferring photos to the phone so they could be uploaded to the cloud (web storage). I have always loved capturing photographs but have not always been good about sharing them. This new technology makes it easy.
Tomorrow I will be biking about 47 miles in a semi-circle around Lancaster county, up to Red Run Campground.
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