My Quest Along D&L Trail Continues

When I was a little boy, I periodically ran away from home. My plan was to become a mountain man for 20 years, after which I'd return with a beard and coonskin caps. I'd get up in the middle of the night, load my rucksack with a few soup cans and visit the homes of two friends who thought this was the greatest idea in the world. But it never happened. One or the other of us was always asleep. The idea of getting away from the world, however, always stayed with me, so long as it's not for too long. This is why I always enjoyed running long distances when I was younger. Now that I'm an old fart, it's why I love long bike rides. Instead of soup cans, I pack lots of water, coffee, cliff bars, a bagel, bananas and lots of bandaids and neosporin for the adventure that lies ahead. And I'm off. That's what I did Saturday in my quest to ride the Delaware and Lehigh Trail from Cementon to White Haven and back in one day. I am now up to 74 miles. It's slightly under the 80-mile ride I had hoped for, but I was distracted by a steam locomotive in Jim Thorpe. I had to ride it.

Tropical Storm Isaias has done a lot of damage to the Delaware and Lehigh Trail, especially between Sand Island and Easton and along the Delaware. But the pristine northern stretch is as beautiful as ever. The heat was much less oppressive than it has been in recent weeks, and lots of people were on both the trail and river.

When I hit Jim Thorpe, people were lined up at the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, which was about to depart for a jaunt to Old Penn Haven. That's only about six miles north but is along the trail. The train's iron bell was clanging an imminent departure, with an angry air horn letting out a blast here and there. I had to ride it, and my bike and I were on the train.

Jim Thorpe is formerly known as Mauch Chunk, which in Lenape means Mountain of the Bear. Despite numerous warnings, I've yet to see one along the trail. But I saw one in Jim Thorpe, waiting to board.

I was shocked at the number of people not just riding, but lined up along the route to wave at family and friends. People love those steam locomotives as they chug along the tracks, with dark smoke billowing from the engine. As we rode along, we were regaled with vignettes about different parts of the trail. For example, Glen Onoko Falls is apparently haunted by the Spirit in the Mist, an Indian princess.

At Old Penn Haven, my bike and I got off the train, and I continued my trip north. And uphill. According to my trusty Apple Watch, the elevation gain was only 512 feet during my entire trip. It's still noticeable. The nice thing is that what goes up must go down. So the ride back is downhill.

I usually get banged up when I ride over one of the two narrow wooden bridges between Jim Thorpe and Weissport. I'm too proud to dismount and walk it. This time, I managed to rip one of my toe clips away from my pedal, and need to fix it. For most of you, this is a minor repair. For me, this is a monumental undertaking. Mountain men don't usually do repairs.

At Rockport, there is a breathtaking waterfall that the kids really enjoyed.

This alone made the ride worth it.