Covid Cross Day #2 Chester, NY to Delaware Water Gap, PA

Covid Cross Day #2
June 2, 2020

Chester, NY - Delaware Water Gap, PA 87 Miles

Start 8:18 AM Finish 7:40 PM
Ride Time 9:43

Ascent 4899 Feet

Descent 4949 Feet

Tour Total 169.5 Miles
Details at: https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20200602-0818-68754

I slept well last night in my stealth camping spot alongside the Orange Heritage Trail. Myk's tent had been set up right behind mine. The loud roar of I-84 thundered in the distance. Birds started chirping at 5:30am. After I awoke, I sat in my tent for an hour editing yesterday’s report. My laptop is a joy to write on, compared to typing on my phone. I can’t believe I’ve been creating these journals on my phone all this time. It was a slow pack up. My tent was wet from condensation. Myk found a tick crawling up his leg. Joggers and cyclists were already out on the trail. We had an 8:15 start. Myk was heading back to the city and I was continuing west. We elbow bumped before departing. It was sad to be going forward alone. Myk was my last bond to Brooklyn. He described yesterday as jumping into cold water, yet figured that he could eventually get used to it. He couldn’t believe that I had another two months of this.

Joggers, cyclists, and walkers were out using the trail, which was surrounded by trees and views of fields through the tree openings. I reached Chester in just a few minutes and stopped to use the Port-a-potty. It was chilly and overcast. I was wearing my leg-warmers, sweater, and rain jacket as a warming shell. I was wearing the same socks and underwear as yesterday, and quickly slipping away from cleanliness level one. A squirrel ran across the path with a walnut in its mouth. My handlebar tape was already beginning to unravel.

I was aware of the riots happening back in New York and around the county. Swaths of businesses had been looted last night and windows had then being boarded up. There were massive demonstrations protesting police brutality. was it escapist of me to be taking a cross country bike tour this summer? Should I have been at home protesting, painting banners, or making masks? I felt liberated out here. The bombardment of depressing news can be paralyzing. Here I was surrounded by beauty. I recognize my white privilege. Would two black cyclists be able to sit out front of ShopRite drinking beer, or stealth camp alongside a busy rail trail? That said, many of the runners I noticed today on the trail were African American - which made me think about what happened to Ahmaud Arbery. If every action is political, was my tour part of the problem, or was riding across the country a positive political statement?

A squirrel darted out in front of me, and I narrowly missed crushing it. The trail ended and I found myself in the small beautiful village of Goshen. I stopped at Quick Stop Foods for a Starbucks Frappuccino and an egg and bacon sandwich. I was struck by the racial diversity here. There were numerous people of color, Asians, and Hasidic Jews. A pair of police officers, one black and one white, entered the store. Additionally there were several elderly people. Everyone was wearing masks and I was particularly concerned about the older folks. We all kept a safe distance from one another. Quick Stop was cash only. The heavy clanging of loose change in my handlebar bag has begun.

Goshen featured beautiful old wooden homes with flowering azalea bushes, election signs, and placards congratulations the class of 2020. On the other side of town I returned to rolling country roads through farmland and fruit orchards. I was lost in the beauty of the moment and and missed a turn. I only had to return a couple hundred feet.

I’d been having trouble getting into my small front chain ring, which was essential on hills. I began climbing a steep grade and was fussing with my shifting lever and my chain came completely off. I lost control of my bike and was still clipped into my pedals. I started to fall into the ditch and at the last second released a foot to break my fall. It was clumsy but much less disastrous than it could have been. It happened right in front of someone’s house and I prayed no one saw me. My lower water bottle rack got bent and my fingers were greasy black reinstalling the chain. As I started heading back up the hill I noticed a day cyclist behind me.

It wasn’t long before Tom caught up. He cycled these roads every day and did an annual birthday ride to mark his age. He serves as a local ski patrol in winter and his wife trains horses. He told me that on their honeymoon they cycled from Maine to Washington State. They swore that they'd do it again someday. Tom promised me that the hill before Port Jervis would be easier from the direction I was going.

In Westtown I took a right onto NY State Route 1. I noticed on my map that the climbing would soon begin. I pulled over and preemptively removed my rain jacket. The hill was a series of rises. On the way up I passed a large field full of solar energy collectors. I missed a turn further up the hill, and had to retrace half a mile. I finally made it to the top and began my descent coasting through Huckleberry Ridge State Forest and down towards the Delaware River Valley.

I stopped at the Montague Citgo where I purchased a red Gatorade and cashews. The curb had just been painted and people had tracked the wet paint everywhere. I found a place to sit in between the yellow footprints. There had been no state border signs announcing that I was now back in New Jersey. Montague marks New Jersey's northern tip.

I pedaled down River Road alongside the Delaware River. I passed the Tri-State Bible Center, which was followed by numerous yards displaying TURD 2020 flags and signs. I rode past several horse farms and entered the beautiful Delaware Water Gap. I encountered the tour's first confederate flag alongside a series of signs saying "I used your Commie money to buy these signs." They could have donated their stimulus check to a charity.

It was getting sunny so I stopped and removed my sweater and leg-warmers. I applied sunscreen and put on my sunglasses. I was stopped at a complicated intersection and wrongly assumed that I needed to climb the hill before me. Once at the top I realized that I was off route, so I turned around and rode down the hill to the small peaceful road that I was supposed to be on.

Old Mine Road was originally built in 1650 to connect the Pahaquarry Copper Mine with Kingston, NY. It was a quiet two lane road with no traffic. Gorgeous bluffs could be seen in the distance. I had the road completely to myself. Most of the houses along the road had long been shuddered and were in various states of dilapidation. Purple and white wildflowers were in bloom. I spotted a large furry object in the distance in the middle of the road. I was delighted to discover that it was a groundhog, which ran into an adjoining field as I approached.

I rode past Peters Valley School of Craft which was closed. I could hear gunshots in the distance. It was a beautiful ride with hardly any traffic. I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. Hundreds of long furry caterpillars were trying to cross the road. I was surrounded by hills and briefly lost cell phone service for the first time.

I missed another turn and really screwed up this time. I was riding along the Delaware River which was to my left. It should have been to my right. I looked at my map and discovered that I was way off route. I had missed a turn and stayed on Old Mine Road which looped around and retuned north. My navigation error occurred at a confusing crook of the Delaware River. I ran into a cyclist who tried to help me. I felt like an idiot trying to convince him that I knew where I was going. I thought that I had gone through Mill Brook Village, but it had been Peters Valley. He told me about a huge hill. Long story short I pedaled an extra 11 miles.

I finally figured out the mistake I made. There had been a left turn over a bridge on an unsigned Road. I immediately hit the huge hill and was enveloped by gnats that drove me crazy. The road had a fresh asphalt surface. I was upset about my mistake and stopped at a scenic overlook mid-hill to eat an apple.

I rode through Mill Brook Village, and then hit a huge downhill. I re-joined the Delaware River, which was on my right as it was supposed to be. I exited Delaware Water Gap State Park and entered Worthington State Forest. The road was so bad that at times it reminded me of the Carretera Austral in Chile. I dodged huge craters and pavement breaks. I came to an odd stop light in the middle of the woods. The narrow road became one lane and traffic could only travel in only one direction at a time. I could hear interstate 80 in the distance.

The bridge crossing over the Delaware was confusing and I relied on my maps to find the walkway. I was delighted mid-bridge to see a hand-painted Welcome to Pennsylvania sign. The footpath I was on served as a crossing for the Appalachian Trail.

I was starving and tired. The best option to serve all my needs was Doughboys Pizza. Illuminated beer signs hung in the window. Because of the pandemic the business was take-out only. I donned my mask and ordered a large pie with pepperoni and anchovies and got a six-pack of Sam Adams and two bottles of water. I sat out front on the curb and consumed the entire pizza. I read the depressing news about the violent protests back in New York.

I noticed a puddle on the sidewalk underneath my water bottle rack. I realized that one of my water bottles had a small hole from my fall earlier in the day. I was now down to two bottles and definitely now needed a third. After dinner, I packed up my two remaining bottles of beer and doubled back to the route on Cherry Valley Road. It was starting to get dark and I began looking for a place to sleep. I was headed west on Pennsylvania Bicycle Route V.

I noticed people walking on a small asphalt path through a field to my left. I cut down and discovered the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Knowing that rain was forecast, I found a level spot underneath some trees. I was spotted by two walkers as I was setting up my tent, but figured I'd get away with it. I was exhausted, and crawled into my tent. I finished yesterday's post and finished my last two beers.