Al's Blog-o-Sphere

I know some of you probably want to hear about my trip to the Great Allegheny Passage. I’ve put up a bunch of photos on Facebook but haven’t gotten around to writing about the experience.

I will say that it was not a life – changing experience, but more of an attitude – changing one. It was strenuous but fun and I met a great group of people who became friends instantly.

So, I guess I need a little time to let it digest, then I will write more about it here.

I got a new cell phone today; it’s another Android smartphone, a Samsung Galaxy S4 or SIV, whichever you prefer. It’s a pretty sweet phone, according to everyone in the know on such things.
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https://youtu.be/wT4EQ1VtSwg

I was channel-flipping last night and came across The Voice and stopped to watch this one song. It completely blew me away. It is all at once what is right about The Voice and what is wrong about our American music industry.

Here you have a young woman, the youngest on this season’s show, singing a great song and obviously owning it. She was on top of her game, confident enough to enjoy every moment of it. I told my wife, if she wrote this song, she’s got it all. She didn’t, it was written by Jo Dee Messina, but I didn’t really expect an original composition.

The song was clearly targeted to a country audience. That’s what is wrong with so-called country music these days. It’s not a country song at all. It could have been arranged slightly differently and been a rock song or a ballad. But country sells, so it gets twisted into that genre. She still nailed it, though.

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I’ve decided to join in with a group and do a ride of part of the Great Alleghany Passage route next week. It’s a four-day ride that starts out in Ohiopyle PA (near where WV meets MD at the southern side of PA) and goes out for two days, towards Pittsburgh, then turns around and comes back. We’ll get as far as Dravo’s Landing Campground, near the little towns of Buena Vista and Elizabeth.

The riding is light. Only 30 miles in a day on paths that are roughly the same as the Erie Canalway that I’m used to and have done 70 miles in a full day. It should be refreshing and leave plenty of time to explore towns and nearby sights before hitting the campground and settling in for the night.

The group of people I will be joining is an informal group formed on the internet known as Bikepacking US. There is no dues, no formal membership, just a bunch of people who enjoy cycling and camping. The group is in it’s infancy, and has only done a couple rides in the past, all on the GAP/C&O corridor.

The Great Alleghany Passage is a trail that goes from Pittsburgh to the Maryland border where it meets the C&O Canal Towpath which ends in Washington DC. Since most of it follows old railroad lines and a canal in the C&O section, the grade is fairly flat and avoids most of the mountains in the area. Several tunnels are kept operating as part of the trail. Continue Reading…