Distance: 35.7 mi, Climbed: 2,904 ft
Completed: 429.8 mi, 26,266 ft
I hadn’t given my left pinky toe much thought in preparing for this bicycle trip. Honestly, I hadn’t given it much thought ever. But who knew this tiny toe had the power to bring this whole adventure to a screeching halt?
The day began as so many have for Rich and me: breakfast, pump the tires, and hit the road. And it was a good one—small towns, scenic views, and, of course, plenty of hills.
On this stretch of the journey, I’ve grown fond of street names like Hillcrest Drive, Summit Lane, and Mountain Top Road, because seeing them means we’ve completed another climb—at least until the next one. After one long hill, it was especially satisfying to see a sign for Murray Summit – elevation 1,712 feet.
Which raised an obvious question: how can we still be below 2,000 feet in elevation, yet already have logged more than 26,000 feet of climbing?
Answer: Pennsylvania.
The Appalachian ups and downs have a way of making you earn every mile.
We’ve ridden nearly 400 miles since leaving New York, and until today, I’d been feeling good. Today my left foot started bothering me. My pinky toe was rubbing against my shoe the wrong way, and what began as an annoyance soon became something more. Riding became a challenge. I wriggled my toes. I kept adjusting my foot. I tried to ignore it. Nothing worked.
I stopped and pulled out a couple of Band-Aids from our first-aid kit, hoping for a quick fix. No luck. Within a mile or two, I was in real discomfort again. I kept pedaling, hoping we’d find a pharmacy and some kind of blister relief. There was none in sight. It was a long uncomfortable day.
Thankfully, our Airbnb was right downtown, just a stone’s throw from a CVS. Tonight’s mission: rescue the pinky toe. With any luck, one of the remedies I bought gets me back on the bike tomorrow—or at least gets my foot back into the shoe.
