Crossing Pennsylvania takes a long time in a car, but on a bike it can seem like forever.  Almost half of our trip will be spent in Pennsylvania.   Not only will we bike over 320 km here, but we’ll be tested by the very hilly terrain.

In order to pass the time, Andrew is exercising his mind using mental counting games.  Today he is counting roadkill and Dollar General stores to keep his mind off the hills.  We are passing by Pennsylvania Game Lands which are maintained by the state for use in hunting, fishing, and trapping; consequently, animal life is plentiful and Andrew’s roadkill count is accelerating.  Because it is another hot day, the smell of the roadkill sometimes greets you before you spot it.  Today’s roadkill consists of fox, deer, birds, snakes, and raccoons.  The total count comes to 74 by the end of the day.  In addition to the roadkill, we encounter live ground hogs, chickens, and rabbits, but no bears this year.

As daylight fades, we call it a day near Freeburg, PA.  Having covered a hilly 155KM for the day, we reward ourselves with a hotel room, hot showers, and a soft bed for the night.

One of our goals was to get a strong start the first day and escape the state of New York.  We accomplished both of these goals by biking about 165 kilometers (that’s over 100 miles for those Stateside) and arriving in Sayre, PA.  We started riding early to get most of our miles in before lunch, so that we could stop for a long lunch/rest and avoid the hottest part of the day.

Andrew’s brother, Brian, met us for lunch and brought his dog, Sadie in mid-afternoon.  We spent some time wading in a creek, and having a Siesta, before we were on our way again.

It was sunny and hot in the 30’s (90’s Fahrenheit) most of the day, but we were able to finish the day with a cooling dip in the Susquehanna River at the end.  We also watched an evening youth baseball game and found a place near the river to pitch our tent for the night.  After the fishermen and the local teens retired, we had a peaceful night.