GAP 2015 day one - Cumberland MD to Rockwood PA

Start time 10:10am

End time 6:45

Mileage 46.0 

I started my ride at Mike zero in Cumberland MD... And after saying my good byes to my family I headed north... The first bit of the trail is really part of the parking lot and you have a busy road to cross ... From there you run alongside the river for much of the trip... 

The trail is in fantastic shape and the riding was pretty smooth the entire time ... I ended up going much slower than I planned because of the steady climb... This put me about 90 minutes off my schedule by the time I reached the Great Continental Divide ... I was able to make up about 15 minutes of that time by the end of the day's ride

About five miles from the Cumberland area on the trail is the Cumberland Bone Cave ...

The story is that this cave was discovered when clearing the way for the train tracks and when it was inspected they found fossil bones from 41 species including several that are extinct... Some of the reconstructed skeletons are on display at the Smithsonian Museum... 

About five miles further I stopped for a bit and had a nice conversation with a man doing an out and back from Cumblerland ... There are nice little rest stops along the trail where you can sit for a bit and eat a snack or catch your breath ... Many of them are also covered so you could sit out a brief rain of you had to...

The next major stop was to be for lunch in Frostburg MD... However that was not to be ... The Trail Side Cafe was unstaffed when I arrived for lunch ... I was informed by the B&B care takers that "they didn't show up today"... I had to settle for gift shop snacks and a banana for lunch ... There are some restaurants up the hill in the town of Frostburg proper but my legs begged me not to climb those steps... On the weekend the area is very active as there is a train that makes excursions from Cumberland and one of the highlights is the engine turn around ... There is also some bike centric public art on display on the path leading up from the trail 

There are the major tunnels on the trail .. The first tunnel is just outside Corriganville and is shared with the train that takes you into Frostburg... The next tunnel is the Borden Tunnel and it is a few miles after Frostburg and the the longest tunnel is the Big Savage Tunnel ... It is 3294 feet long and wel lit and most importantly a blissful 58 degrees ... The view right before the tunnel is stunning and there are several benches for riders to enjoy the view ...

A brief photo op at the Mason Dixon line and on my way ... It was finally back in Pennsylvania... 

My next stop would be about six miles further where I reached the highest point of the trail ... At 2392 feet above sea level the eastern continental divide is the boundary between the Atlantic Ovean and the Gulf of Mexixo watersheds... 

From this point the ride will mostly be slightly downhill... I chatted briefly with a rider going the other way who was as excited about the downhill portion as I was... 

By the time I reached Meyersdale it was too late for lunch and too early for supper ... However it was just the right time for a rest and a root beer float at a new ice cream shop that had opened just a couple blocks off of the trail...Meyersdale has a welcome center at the trail that is a converted train depot... There is a retired caboose that you can tour ...

I didn't eat there this time around but I highly recommend GI Day Room ... But be warned the hill back up to the trail is steep...

A few miles later I crossed over the nearly 2000ft long Salisbury Viaduct... It's over 100 ft above the roads, rails and fields below and affords a spectacular view of the valley ...

Around Garrett PA the surrounding area becomes more farmland and less woods... Train stations give way to barns and the fields of corn and other crops are on either side of the trail ... I took my last rest break was at the trailhead at Garrett... Not much to see here but a welcome rest for my tired legs..

When I pulled into Rockwood for the night I passed a very large group of campers who were headed to their sites for the night ... There must have been about 20 or so .. Husky Haven runs a campground that is literally trailside and has free firewood for the campers and cheap rates ... More importantly they also have a guest house across the river ... It's basically a three bedroom house that they have set up the basement as an office /game room for the campers to use and the rent the bedrooms for travelers ... 

After checking in and getting a shower I headed out to find supper ... My first choice is not open on Tuesdays so I get supper at the Rockwood Mill Shop ... I had a steak sandwich and fries and a root beer ... I also had a nice chat with a father and daughter who are riding the trail on a tandem bike...  I walk the town a bit and head back to the guest house to settle in for the night ...

Off to bed and to rest up for day two ...