A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That . .: 08/17/17

A trip to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands with Stephen and Catherine. We stayed a week at The Regent Grand Resort. And of course we spent a lot of time Dave and Denise and their girls :)

Regent Grand, Provo, TCI

Atabeyra arriving at Blue Haven Marina, Provo, TCI

Sunset cruise on Atabeyra

Mangrove Island, Sunset cruise on Atabeyra

Sunset cruise on Atabeyra

Provo Golf Club, Provo, TCI

Potcake puppies @ Potcake Place, Provo, TCI

Ocean Club @ Grace Bay, Provo, TCI

Ricky's Flamingo Cafe @ Grace Bay, Provo, TCI

Grace Bay, Provo, TCI

Catherine and a giant sand crab @ Grace Bay, Provo, TCI

Jeff & Stephen @ Mr Grouper, Provo, TCI

@ Sailing Paradise, Provo, TCI

Breakfast from Caicos Bakery, Provo, TCI

Conch Salad & Grouper for dinner

Cracked Conch @ Ricky's

A fence made out of conch shells, Provo, TCI

Plovers sitting on an old dock @ Grace Bay, Provo, TCI

Day 1 - Washington DC - Point of Rocks, MD:

We won't have too much sagging to do on this ride since it is on a trail where we can't get by car. But we will lug the luggage from one town to another and just in case they need us we can meet them somewhere close to the trail.

We stayed last night at a friends place in Braddock Heights. In the morning we dropped them all in Georgetown, Washington DC near the beginning of the trail. They are riding up to Point of Rocks where we will pick them up again and then stay the night at Braddock Heights.

Getting ready to leave from Braddock Heights, MD

Ready to head out from Georgetown, Washington DC

Off they go from Georgetown, Washington DC

We saw this little dog near Point of Rocks, MD. Her name is Rhea

Day 2 - Point of Rocks, MD - Hagerstown, MD:

Today we dropped the guys at the same point where they ended yesterday, at Point of Rocks. They were bicycling to Hagerstown MD where we had a hotel reservation for the night. Karen S and I headed out to see some sights while Karen K had to stay at Braddock Heights for the day.

Gary, Mark and David ready to leave Point of Rocks, MD

Joe and Jeff ready to leave Point of Rocks, MD

Ready to leave Point of Rocks, M

Harper's Ferry, WV

John Brown's Fort, Harper's Ferry, WV

Harper's Ferry, WV

It started pouring during dinner and the atmosphere was a typical tornado weather. We stayed at Country Inn and Suites in Hagerstown.

Tornado weather at Hagersville, MD as seen from our hotel room window.

Day 3 - Hagerstown, MD - Little Orleans, MD:

Today they started riding straight from the hotel. They had some city streets to deal with before getting back on the trail. We didn't see them at all until they got back to the next place. Karen K wasn't able to join us today either, Karen S and I went to do some sightseeing. We ended up at Berkeley Springs WV where we had lunch in a nice little restaurant. Then we headed up to Little Orleans MD and to Town Hill B&B where we stayed the night. This place is in the middle of nowhere, there are not even any restaurants nearby. Luckily the owners served a wonderful dinner and breakfast for everybody. Couple of other small bicycling groups stayed there also that night. This place is a bit hard to get so the owners went and picked up all the cyclists from the trail, otherwise they would have had a long uphill ride without much shoulder on the road. And finally Karen K was able to join us for part of this trip.

Getting ready to go from Country Inn & Suites, Hagerstown, MD

Berkeley Springs State Park, WV

George Washington's Bath Tub at Berkeley Springs State Park, WV

Berkeley Springs State Park, WV

At Town Hill B&B, Little Orleans, MD

Bike trailer at Town Hill B&B, Little Orleans, MD

Town Hill B&B, Little Orleans, MD

Karen, Joe and Jeff relaxing after the riding at
Town Hill B&B, Little Orleans, MD

Dining room at Town Hill B&B, Little Orleans, MD

Day 4 - Little Orleans, MD - Cumberland, MD:

It had rained over night and today is supposed to be a bit drizzly but the guys went out anyway. The trail was quite muddy along the way as you can see from the pictures. Both Karens and I drove to Cumberland, MD and looked around the downtown area and tried to figure out where to go out for dinner. Cumberland is the end of C & O Towpath Trail and the beginning of the Great Allegheny Passage aka GAP Trail. We are staying tonight at Cumberland Inn and Spa, which is absolutely wonderful place to stay. The rooms are just perfect. Of course the cyclists were filthy muddy by the time they got there so the owner didn't want to let them in until they were hosed down. She even supplied them with housecoats and towels and even washed all their cycling clothes and shoes. Absolutely the best service ever. Highly recommend this place.

Ready to go from Little Orleans, MD near Bill's Place

Off they go from Little Orleans, MD near Bill's Place

Baltimore Street, Cumberland, MD

George Washington's Headquarters, Cumberland, MD

Baltimore Street, Cumberland, MD

Canal Place, Cumberland, MD

Both Karen's goofing off at Baltimore Street, Cumberland, MD

Mile marker 0, end of C&O and beginning of GAP
at Canal Place, Cumberland, MD

End of C&O and beginning of GAP
at Canal Place, Cumberland, MD

Old train station at Canal Place, Cumberland, MD

Muddy riders, Cumberland, MD

The best service ever

Day 5 - Cumberland, MD - Rockwood, PA:

It is a lot nicer day of riding than yesterday. The guys headed out straight from the Inn, Karen K headed back to Braddock Heights and Karen S and I went to Spruce Forest Artisan Village in Grantsville, MD. It is almost like a museum but all the old buildings have a different artisan doing and selling their crafts. The same Village also houses the House of Yoder which promotes the Yoder family heritage. We had a lunch at the restaurant in the Village, they also have a lovely gift shop.

For the night we had a Rockwood Trail House B&B booked in Rockwood PA. The B&B and the host was very nice with a lovely breakfast the next morning. It is also right next to the GAP Trail and a bike shop. BUT it is very close to the train tracks and the trains kept going through the town all night with whistles blowing. Also the road next to the house was a busy one with big trucks traveling all night. Needless to say we didn't get much sleep. Rockwood also doesn't seem to have any good restaurants since we ended up going to Somerset for dinner.

Gary, Jeff and Mark K heading out from Cumberland MD

Spruce Forest Artisan Village, Grantsville, MD

House of Yoder, Spruce Forest Artisan Village, Grantsville, MD

Arriving at Rockville Trail House, Rockville, PA

Bike shop next to Rockville Trail House, Rockville, PA

Rockville Trail House, Rockville, PA

Day 6 - Rockwood, PA - Connellsville, PA:

After a sleepless night but a good breakfast the guys headed out to Connellsville, PA. Karen S and I wanted to go and see Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater since we were so close to it. It is in Mill Run, PA. It is a bit expensive to go in but so worth it. He was way ahead of his time designing it. I wouldn't mind living in there.

After taking the tour and looking at grounds and a lovely lunch at their cafeteria, we also headed out to Connellsville. We had rooms booked a Connellsville B&B, which is right down town and not too far from the train tracks. At least this place provided some earplugs but luckily we didn't need them. Maybe we were just too tired from the previous sleepless night. Mark W's wife Susan joined us at the B&B from Toronto. We headed out to dinner to this restaurant that was converted from an old garage or something and it did smell a little bit like gasoline.

Jeff & Mark K leaving Rockville PA

Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA

Guest house @ Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA

Visitors center @ Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA

Connellsville B&B, Connellsville, PA

Our room @ Connellsville B&B, Connellsville, PA

Day 7 - Connellsville, PA - Pittsburgh, PA:

Another lovely breakfast before the guys headed out. We waited a little bit before leaving since there were not that many places to see before arriving to Pittsburgh. After finding a parking space for 3 cars close to one another we headed out for lunch, which we had at the Wyndham Grand Hotel right across the street from Point State Park. We didn't really have much time to see anything since it would have taken us way too long to get to these places so we just walked around the Park and before long the guys arrived. After saying goodbye to everyone each of us headed home,