Day 76: Tunnel, Tunnel and more Tunnels

Start: Confluence PA

End: Cumberland MD

Distance: 63.49 miles 

Elevation: 1027 feet 

I had a great breakfast at a dinner in Confluence and headed out for the day. Weather was pleasantly cool again today. Weather was going to be exceptional today. 

Today, I should come to the southern terminus for the GAP trail in Cumberland. 

Today was slower going due to moisture and softness of the trail surface but the trail was beautiful running by the Casselman River. 

Today might be deemed tunnel day for I went though 4 tunnels, the biggest was Big Savage Tunnel. 

Also I passed over the eastern continental divide separating the watersheds of Mississippi and Chesapeake bay. 

I was unable to go into the Paw Oaw tunnel due to reconstruction work. I missed the highlight of the canal towpath, the paw paw tunnel in which the canal and towpath go through a 318ft tunnel. The tunnel is being fixed from some landslide at the southern exit so I had to walk my bike up 400 feet on a foot path and back down for two miles in total. It was a workout.

After hitting the sidvidenir was 20 miles descending down to Cumberland for the day’s end. 

Scenery was outstanding, weather great made for a great day. 

Tomorrow I will be starting the C&O canal tow path for the final 184 miles of the trip. Oh yeah!!