Today, we set out from Murrysville, PA through Latrobe (site of the old Rolling Rock Brewery) and then south to pick up route 31. Route 31 climbs Laurel Hill before descending into Somerset PA. Western Pennsylvania has absolutely no sections that are flat. As soon as you are down one hill, you begin climbing another. I saw slopes as steep as 15% today. Fun going down, but my heart rate was regularly up into the 160's.
Laurel hill is appropriately named because there is lots of mountain laurel there, which was in full bloom. I was too busy focusing on the climb to take any pictures. Laurel hill is inappropriately named because it is no mere hill. As I was climbing, I heard a truck honking, smelled burning rubber and saw smoke. The truck passed another, narrowly missing an oncoming car. I had never seen a real runaway truck, but I suppose that's what the runaway truck roads are there for. The mountains in the west may be taller, but the roads in the east are steeper.
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| My bike couldn't figure out how to take a photo. |
I was born and raised in Pennsylvania and I love the state; but it has always neglected the roads. I hit a monster pothole today, got a flat and threw my wheel out of true. Even though it was after hours when I found a bike shop, Kevin and Eric opened up to help me out (http://www.fatjimmys.com/). Many thanks to them for getting me back on the road.
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| Kevin and Eric get my vote for employee of the year. |
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