Day two began with sore muscles for both of us, and knee pain with each pedal stroke for Brian.  Thankfully, this subsided as the day progressed.  The morning route included a scenic ride on a gravel road alongside a winding river.

It was beautiful, but after about 25 miles we returned to the main road because, although the trail was level, we felt it was hindering our speed too much. Immediately after leaving the trail, we were met with one of our biggest challenges for the day – a steep, 1 1/2 mile climb. In the process of reaching the summit, we rewarded ourselves with huge ice cream cones at an old fashioned country store, and then were blessed with an exhilarating descent on the way down.

The afternoon brought some unexpected sightings in rural Pennsylvania. Riding through a wooded area, Brian saw what he thought was a large dog loping across the road, but no, dogs don’t have such thick legs! It was then that he realized he was seeing a black bear. Unfortunately (Editor’s note: or fortunately in his parent’s opinion), it scurried into the woods before we were able to get a picture. Other animals we encountered included racoons, a heron, and a skunk family that dashed in front of Andrew as he was racing down a large incline. Another sighting: a road sign pointing to the Jersey Shore. Huh? Who knew that Pennsylvania had a Jersey Shore? In summary: good weather, God’s protection, and good progress today with over 111 miles logged.