Wednesday was the last of a four-day stretch that was by far the most difficult of our trip, with more climbing, steeper climbing, and hotter weather than anything that we had previously experienced. Throughout the trip, we've made decisions each evening about the next day's ride based on the weather forecast. The forecast high temperature was 97 degrees for Tuesday and 98 degrees for Wednesday, with a high temperature advisory in effect (i.e., advising people to be "couch potatoes" in an air-conditioned room, avoiding strenuous outdoor activity). We weren't about to comply with the advisory, but we did start our ride at sunrise (just before 6 am) on Tuesday and Wednesday to minimize the time in the extreme heat. That resulted in temperatures in the 70's until 9 am, in the 80's from 9-11 am, and in the 90's from 11 am until we arrived at our destination at 12:30 pm each of these two days.
Both days had long, steep climbs in the Alleghany mountains, especially on Wednesday morning when we had a 1000 foot ascent that was so steep that we had to walk our bikes up more than half the climb. Steep hills have road signs indicating the percent grade, as a warning to trucks, so we've learned that we can peddle up with our 25 pounds of baggage if the grade is no more than 9-10%, but have to walk if it's more than that.
When we arrived at our Wednesday destination of Gettysburg, PA, we went right to the Gettsyburg Hotel, located on the town's central square, where we had reserved a room months ago. On learning that the rooms had wired, but no wireless, internet (which would mean that we couldn't both be on the internet at the same time), we immediately cancelled our reservation and checked into another hotel in town that had in-room wireless internet. We've learned on our trip that wireless internet has become virtually standard at all lodging places, even small motels in out-of-the-way places.
The clock as we were departing on Tuesday morning
Sunrise during our Wednesday ride
Riding through the Alleghany Mountains
12% grade, too steep for us to cycle (& far steeper than any roads we encountered before reaching the Alleghany Mountains of Pennsylvania)
Walking up the 12% grade
Sweating profusely after a steep climb
A thermometer in the shade in Gettysburg, reading 102 degrees at 1 pm (shortly after the end of our day's ride)
