The June tour I was supposed to do and the June tour I'm going to do... two very different things! On this week's pod, we explore a draft spur to the Eastern Express for biking Lake Erie to the Potomac River: Cleveland to DC! Plus, the trip I'm actually tackling next week!

 

Hey it's the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 082: Biking Lake Erie to the Potomac (mp3)

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The Journal

An update to Episode 079 on the Eastern Express!

- The route has changed to take advantage of some better routing (check it out)
- I discovered an alternate spur I was *going* to try out this week that started literally on the shores of Lake Erie and ending in DC... but some work stuff popped up and I needed to postpone. But let's talk about it!

Cleveland
|
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21671332
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Bridgeport Quarry Trailhead Massilion, OH (65)
|
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21671525
|
Tappan Lake (53)
|
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21672012
|
Cecil Henderson campsite (70)
|
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21672186
|
GAP 43.7 to West Newton + 26 to Connellsville (69)
|
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21672318
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GAP 27 to Confluence + 18.5 to Rockwood (45.5)
|
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21672376
|
Cumberland (44)
|
Hancock
|
Harpers Ferry
|
DC

For Cumberland to Hancock, check out the Pedalshift Guide to the C&O!

Thoughts: the tricky and question mark sections I was willing to be a guinea pig for are the road sections between the Ohio and Erie Towpath and Tappan Lake, and then from Tappan Lake to Steubenville. Apparently Steubenville is a bit of a hot mess, so much so that the Eastern Express now avoids it. That said, it connects so well with the Panhandle Trail, avoiding a lot of miles, I was going to give it a shot.

Ohioans? Any thoughts?

Next week's alternative tour

I have fewer days than I'd like, but I want to get a gander at the Steubenville situation... so I'm taking a train to Connellsville, biking to Steubenville, then turning back and taking the GAP back to Cumberland and possibly the C&O from there. Depending on how long all of this takes I'll be getting another fast forward home.

Intentions
- Creating the beginnings for a Pedalshift Guide to the GAP!
- A daily checkin for newsletter subscribers (look for an email Sunday for details)
- Recording more than the checkin with the possibility of a new Tour Journal
- Pics and more on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Next week...

How to deal with a wet tent on tour... hopefully the advice isn't prophetic for my ride