As we awkwardly rolled out of our tents this morning, we felt the pressure in our quads, tightness in our shoulders, and other aches and pains from our days of riding. Little did we know, our “flat” 65 mile trail day would exacerbate the rising tensions in our bodies.
We began riding early this morning given that we both rose with the sun around 6:30. We rode on the West Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT) rather than the C&O Canal per Greg’s recommendation. It was a very enjoyable 10-mile spurt because the path was paved. Charlie and I couldn’t help but sing, “A-a-aye, I'm on vacation Every single day 'cause I love my occupation!” The ride seemed too good to be true.
After the WMRT ended, we hopped onto the bumpy C&O Canal, which really slowed our pace down. But, what REALLY slowed us down was the Paw Paw Tunnel detour. We had heard amazing things about the beauty and potentially haunted nature of the tunnel, and we were sad to see it blocked off. So, instead of coasting through the 3,118-foot-long canal tunnel, we were forced to trek up and down a 400 foot elevation gain of scarily intense grade. The climb was so horrendous and our calves were so shot that Charlie and I both rid it from our memories within the hour, legitimately unable to recall what had happened prior in the day.
After our mountain-like experience, the ride was uneventful. We ate lots of pistachios, tried to take artsy pics, and took in our beautiful surroundings. I continued to complain that my butt, knees, wrist, and back hurt like a 😉, while Charlie kept us on course and kept himself sane. Charlie, I am sorry for my complaining. I’m crossing my fingers that my body soon acclimates to this riding because right now, I am not feeling too hot.
We arrived in Cumberland, MD and got to see Aunt Sue and Uni tonight. They gave us fresh fruit and protein snacks and treated us to a MASSIVE dinner. I’m so thankful that I got to see them; family really brings so much joy. Aunt Sue, a chiropractor, is going to help with my hand numbness tonight. Wish us luck!
Most importantly, Charlie and I continue to discuss our contribution to mental health as we ride. We have opened up to one another and have been fortunate enough to hear other people’s experiences through email and social media. Although neither of us are specialists in this field, we hope that if you or someone you know is going through something, you have someone to talk to. We are both available ALWAYS and will be providing resources on our social media and website going forward. Let’s stop the stigma together♥️