The last time I came to Ohiopyle was in 2016, during the epic KVIITM75 bike ride from Pittsburgh to the Washington DC area. We had arrived at Ohiopyle on the second day of the ride, just in time for a late lunch stop and a detour to visit Fallingwater, the famous Frank Lloyd Wright built home. We had arrived in town with little time to spare, and somewhat tired from the ride from Perryopolis earlier in the day. We had picked up lunch from a restaurant near the place where we were to catch the shuttle to Fallingwater, and had decided to ride our bikes to the Ohiopyle waterfall to consume the food. Alas, we never found the waterfall, having misunderstood directions provided to us, and having taken a path into the woods instead of into town.
But I was determined to return to Ohiopyle some day, not necessarily to look for the waterfall, but to explore the beautiful state park nearby. The attraction of Fallingwater was actually what eventually led us to make the trip back to Ohiopyle last week. We entered the town on a road that actually went past a busy part of town (nowhere near the trail we had biked on), and there on our left, beside the parking lot, were the waterfalls! We spent some time walking through town before and after lunch. Here are some pictures.
The B&O and the Western Maryland railroad lines used to run through Ohiopyle on the two sides of the Youghiogheny river. The Western Maryland line has been converted to the Great Allegheny Passage. The old B&O line is now a CSX mainline connecting the eastern seaboard to the rest of the country. Ohiopyle is now a holiday spot with a focus on watersports and place for bike riders on the GAP to rest. The Ohiopyle State Park is on the other side of the bridge!
The river was extremely muddy on the morning of the second day of the ride due to overnight rain. You can see the mud from the abandoned railroad bridge below.
The sediment had cleared up by the time we crossed the 
This is view of the town of Confluence from a bridge over the Casselman.
The skies had cleared by the time we got to 
This is a section near Hancock.
The river itself was quite peaceful for the most part.
The red waterfall shown below is the 
We were back on the trail in short order and proceeded without delay towards Harpers Ferry. By this time we had established good riding patterns on the trail that all of us were comfortable with, a process that seemed to happen somewhat organically. No words needed to be spoken. There was no competition to be up in front (or for that matter behind), and it did not matter who your riding companion was. Conversations could involve all four people, three, two, or even one if you were happier riding in silence at that point, comfortably lost in your thoughts.
We parked our bikes on the towpath across the river from Harpers Ferry and crossed the bridge into town. A significant amount of time had been allocated to this destination because there was a lot to see.
After a lunch that resulted in more calories being consumed than had been expended thus far on the trail, we proceeded back to the towpath and resumed the ride. In spite of some lethargy because of the lunch, we were able to resume a good pace once we got back into the rhythm. It seemed that by this time we had become comfortable with the riding experience. There were less “butt breaks”.
While taking the previous picture we heard some loud conversation taking place on the aqueduct. We looked up to see that some urgent matter being taken care of over the phone!
And then it was time to leave for our final destination. As the entered the last couple of miles of the ride the energy level actually shot up and there was some sprinting going on. And then we were done!
We had to hang out at Whites Ferry for a little while because of a foul-up with the support van. We watched the ferry in action, and then spent the time chilling out. Ice cream was consumed in celebration.
We finally got home about an hour later than expected. It was time to unwind. Later in the evening we received some unexpected awards. (Thank you, Mrs. R!)
Then it was back to more conversation and singing Hindi songs before we finally went to bed, later in the evening than we ever did during the ride itself!
Then it was downhill at Four Locks.
Then it was back on the towpath.
Lunchtime was in Williamsport, MD. We crossed over the Conococheague Aqueduct to take the road into town.
There was another short stop at McMahon’s mill.
We started seeing the locks and lock houses for the first time once we started riding.
We stopped for a snack in Oldtown, MD. This was the only restaurant. It was actually located in the schoolhouse. We went in in spite of, or perhaps because of, the sign. The folks were very sweet.
Then it was time for a stop and dip at the Town Creek Aqueduct.
We arrived at the 3118 foot Paw Paw tunnel. It was an engineering marvel at the time it was completed in 1850.
We saw this amusing numbering for the locks. They apparently miscounted when they started numbering from each direction.
Then it was time for a dip in the river and lunch. Nobody loves the water as much as Koushik.
We made another stop at Fifteen Mile Creek.
We were exhausted by the time we got into Hancock. We were ready to crash out after dinner at Buddy Lou’s Eats, Drinks, and Antiques. We returned to our room for icing of sore muscles, liquid refreshments and entertainment.
And then it was time to fall into a deep slumber.
The mist cleared and we were soon riding under clear skies. This is a view of the Casselman river from one of the bridges we crossed.
This is the Pinkerton tunnel, opened only last year.
We stopped in Rockwood, PA for ice cream. The surroundings are beginning to change. We had been riding in the woods beside rivers. From now on it was farm land.
This is a random shot of a touch me not flower.
We met some interesting people. Jim, in his 60s, was into extreme outdoor exercise.
This is what you do to take care of the pain in the butt. We took a few “butt breaks”.
We have left the woods and are the riding past farms and fields at this point.
Crossing the Salisbury viaduct with the Casselman river below us.
Lunch place in Meyersdale, PA.
These two gentlemen are friends from back in the Vietnam war days in the army. They have amazing stories. They do a lot of riding all over the world. Really remarkable ordinary folks!
Crossing another interesting viaduct.
Calf with an interesting face.
More rest stops (butt breaks) before continuing the ride.
The Eastern Continental Divide!
(Click on the picture below to open it.)
View on the other side of the tunnel.
And then we were crossing the Mason Dixon line into Maryland. It was all downhill (in a good way!) from then on.
We went through a few tunnels.
After Frostburg, MD, we continued careening down the hill beside railroad tracks. There is usually a tourist train that runs between Cumberland and Frostburg during the summer, but the line looked like it was in a state of disuse.
And then we were in Cumberland at the start (end?) of the Great Allegheny Passage!
The following picture was contributed by Ramgopal from his camera since I was not carrying mine. We ended to evening with dinner at the Baltimore Street Grill. It was Koushik’s birthday present to Shankar.
The following picture is taken on the road that we biked from the town back to the Yough river. The tunnel takes you to the bridge across the river. We did not cross, but took the road that you can barely make out on the right before the tunnel. This took us to the trail head.
And then it was time to ride once again!
There had been a spectacular storm late the previous night that we had observed from the front of our hotel rooms. Fortunately, the trail was not too wet. This was the only place where a tree had fallen across the trail.
This chap is trying to get down from the trail to the river.
This is an abandoned railroad bridge across the river that we encountered. It appeared to be falling apart. You had to watch where you were stepping.
Crossing a gorge on a trail bridge. The GAP trail that we have been riding is a rail trail which was built where the railroad tracks once used to run. This bridge would have been carrying train traffic in the past.
There was steady freight train traffic on the other side of the river.
The section of the trail that we covered today was just amazing.
The Yough river seen from one of the trail bridges just outside of Ohiopyle.
One of the bridges over the Yough carrying the trail into Ohiopyle. The river meanders in a U-shaped loop in this section, and there are two bridges over the river.
At Fallingwater, PA. This house was built by Frank Lloyd Wright in the the 1930s.
The house is spectacular, both inside and outside.
These are the folks in Ohiopyle who provided us with the shuttle to Fallingwater.
It was quite late in the afternoon after the trip to Fallingwater, and had another 10 miles to ride to Confluence. We were hungry and got a snack to eat at a waterfall. We never found the waterfall, and ended up eating in the woods.
We made a few rest stops during the ride, including this one betwen Ohiopyle and Confluence. The bike being examined was making some strange noise. We will try to get it checked out in Cumberland, our destination for tomorrow.
This is Parker House, the place we are staying in Confluence. It is a beautiful place with lot of space. We are getting ready to go out for dinner.
The crew was famished!
It was dark by the time we left the Lucky Dog Cafe. The sky was spectacular (due to the absence of light pollution) and folks were identifying the stars and the planets. We walked back to Parker House using the faint light from a smartphone to show us the way through the dark streets of Confluence. Went to bed after a night-cap. Goodnight from Confluence, PA.
Our bikes arrive at the hotel.
With his proud family!
The riders are ready to depart.
Crossing the Monongahela river.
The Youghiogheny River in McKeesport.
Climbing the hill! This is after they returned back to the bottom of the hill after the initial attempt. They wanted to start the ride back up the hill in first gear!
In Boston, PA.
Along the Youghiogheny river.
He had to get his feet wet in the river.
Enjoying theplas made by Kalpana.
The red waterfall, which is basically waste water from an old mine. This is an unfortunate part of the legacy of industrial development in the area.
Lunch stop.
Bridge at West Newton. We crossed the bridge over the Yough into town for kicks, led by our fearless leader.
Under Interstate 70 on the trail.
The last rest stop.
Bridge over the Yough.
Koushik goes to the Byzantine church in Perryopolis on Sunday.
Chinese food for dinner at our motel.
Goodnight from Perryopolis, PA!
Splattered Brains 