GAP D5

This is our last day on this trip, and I have had a geat time travelling with Lauren, Robyn and Leisa.  And there is a 22mile downhill run, that's  right 35km! Maybe even a little more. To get to it we have to ride uphill. Oh well, not much to worry about there with more low gradients before we peak and cross the Continental Divide on Mt Savage. On our way down we pass rather contradictory signs reading "Game Reserve, No trespassing and no hunting. Mt Savage Sportsmens Club"

Then the Big Savage tunnel a little further on and crossing from Pennsylvania into Maryland across the Mason & Dixon Line.  Robyn and Leisa are driving to Frostburg, our lunch stop, which is a lovely thing as they buy our lunch and bring it to the trailhead saving us the trouble of riding the very steep hill into town from the trail.
But I have jumped ahead - I wanted to share the joy of breakfast at Donge's Drive-in Diner (since 1967). No longer a drive-in the diner has the original decor and atmosphere, is a family  business handed over to the current owner by her grandfather. The menu is a good range of breakfast and cheap.  Bottomless coffee and tea,  obviously frequented by locals. An older man asks us about ourselves, where are we from, where are we going, etc etc and tells us about himself. A real character who wishes us well as he leaves.  What a treat for a birthday breakfast.

So that's two meals down, a ride alongside a river for a while before we cross a bridge and move away from it. Between Frostburg and Cumberland, where the GAP trail ends our path is next to the Maryland Scenic Railway - right next to it. It would be unnervingly close if it weren't for the fact that no train is running today. It is currently weekends only, but in October it will run daily for people to view the autumn/fall foliage.  Lauren and I are going to hunt that down elsewhere.

So, Cumberland, and that's it. Mile 0. 

Our accommodation for the night is very comfortable, and the prosecco before dinner cold and refreshing. Just the thing to toast Leisa (who had a recent birthday), me on my birthday, Lauren for getting us all together and Robyn for her support and baggage transport.  It makes an enormous difference to a trip to not have to  constantly think about luggage and carry it all the time.
Final dinner in town sitting outside in the mall. Leisa should not have bopped along as the guy with the boom box went past before  checking him out.   She quickly grabbed her phone to her ear as he went past a second and third time.  We were warily amused. Dinner was good, we had thoroughly researched several menus before settling on City Lights and were very pleased with our choice. Good thing we had to walk back home.

All the President's Men is on TV, it still holds up well even if you do know the ending.