I rode the Western Maryland Rail Trail from Big Pool to Pearre Station, Maryland. At the end of the 36 km paved trail I rode 6 km on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath which is gravel and dirt. The surface was soft due to recent rains. I returned the same way and only saw 4 people along the entire trail with lots of deer and a possum. As I approached the possum it froze still in its tracks. I got off my unicycle and took a picture. As I got closer for another shot it slowly rolled on its side with its tongue hanging out and did what possums do best - played dead. The last 8 km of the ride was in the dark. When I arrived at the parking lot to return to my car the park ranger was waiting since the trail officially closes at sunset. He was so surprised to see me ride up on my unicycle that he did not seem angry. He said he wanted to make sure that everyone was safely off the trail. The weather was partly cloudy with light winds and temperatures in the mid 40s (F).
Total elapsed time including breaks was about 6 hours. Actual riding time was about 5 hours. Total distance: 84 km Soft gravel: 12 km Night riding: 8 km
3/3/2008
157
I rode the Washington and Old Dominion Trail from Reston, Virginia to Purcellville, Virginia and return. The weather started out great with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 60s (F). As I neared Purcellville the winds started to pick up and became a factor. On the open stretches I could not hold my bars with both hands because the wind was hitting me from the side and I need one arm out for balance. My return trip was considerably slower due to the increasingly stronger crosswind. The sheltered sections of the trail were fine but the wide open stretches were a challenge. On one stretch as I passed an open field I was blown off the unicycle by a very strong gust but luckily landed on my feet.
Total elapsed time including breaks was about 6 hours and 45 minutes. Actual riding time was about 5 and a half hours. Total distance: 80 km Ascending: 200 m Descending: 200 m Strong winds: 20 km