Getting out of Pittsburgh going west along the Ohio River was like a scavenger hunt connecting bridges and bike routes. Back and forth across the river. We got an early start (8:10 am) and put in 40 miles before lunch. We went through some very heavy industrial areas but of course on Sunday morning they were quiet. Eventually we found ourselves on Pa 51, Constitution Highway. 55 mph speed limit and a very wide shoulder but in truth, no fun, just a way of getting to Cleveland 2 days earlier. When we got to Ohio, the wide shoulder narrowed to about 2 feet, however, then drivers began giving us a wider berth.
I was pretty excited to, as Marie put it, "bag another state."
It is flatter in Ohio than it was in Pennsylvania, but not particularly scenic. I took pictures with my digital camera rather than the iPhone, and I don't have a way to post them on this blog at this time.
I tell people that the failure point in bicycle travel is not the legs but the seat, and we are proving this again. At about 56 miles, we took a break in an air-conditioned diner and researched local hotels with the assistance of an elderly couple with whom we struck up a conversation. I can say elderly because he was a veteran of WW II, having served in the Pacific. The Dutch Inn was the (only) preferred choice.
This place is operated by Mennonnites, decorated in the Shaker style. This has to be the cleanest hotel I have ever been in. Restaurant closed on Sunday, of course, so we sought out the second-nicest place in town:
Classic Mexican cuisine washed down with Dos Equis, but the coolest thing was all the TVs were showing the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division IV girls' softball championship game between the Shadyside Lady Tigers and the Triad Cardinals. Of course you all know by now how that game ended (1-0, Shadyside) but it was thrilling nevertheless. The Tigers all had cute tiger-paw tattoos on their cheeks, so we rooted for them.
Tomorrow we expect to incorporate some bike trails into the route, and Cleveland is still 87 miles away, so we probably not make it all the way there tomorrow. We find that although the legs are still strong after 60 miles, the seat has become quite uncomfortable. We are satisfied to quit at 3:30 pm with 60 miles of progress.