Day 12 - North Bend State Park, WV

We left Clarksburg in the morning and rode about ten miles to wolf summit where we picked up the North Bend rail trail. Like the other rail trails the path maintains a 2 percent downhill grade. However this trail was overgrown in several spots and bogged down from yesterday's rain, making for more difficult riding. I nearly bottomed out my front tire a few times in the large muddy puddles we had to trudge through. Every once in a while I would take a break to ride along an adjacent road for a bit.

Along the way to the trail and on the trail itself are several poor backwoods towns. Folks living in prefabs and trailers, livestock roaming their front lawns and auto graveyards along their driveways. We met one old timer in front of a gas station who remembers when the rail was in service and the area was a little more prosperous. He told us the recession didn't matter much around here because unemployment is always high.

We rode the trail for about 40 miles until we reached North Bend State Park where we pitched our tents for the night.


At the camp ground I ran into Ted and Coleen, a couple who have put in over 8500 miles bicycle touring across the US and post to the website foolsonamission.com These days they roll in a camper van with the bikes on the back, driving only 30 miles each day. Ryan met them the night before and it was a coincidence we landed in the same spot. We joined them for dinner and some great travel. Thanks guys!

I made my first rookie camping mistake tonight. Ryan kindly gave me a pb&j sandwich to eat but I was already full from dinner so I left it in my tent. We left the site for a little while and when I returned I found a golf ball size hole in my net and the sandwich gone. Live and learn I told myself as I cleaned up the mess.

I'm lieing in my tent now and hear a growling noise outside. No doubt its the same creature coming back for seconds.

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