Autumn Among Amish and Many Mennonites

   Because the forecast called for a relatively mild day, followed by some really cold temperatures later this week, I planned a special ride out in Lancaster County. We had been having some erratic weather recently with heavy rains, strong winds and then some colder days with snow, and I had only been able to get out once in each of the last two weeks. I even turned to the indoor trainer (ugh!), as I could feel my fitness already slipping away due to the inactivity.

   One of those rides I had squeezed in was a fairly relaxing spin with the Cycle Tech Turkey Trek gang – we had a really great turnout, even though we were in for a chilly and windy day. There would have been well over a dozen participants, if some late changes in plans hadn’t occurred. I joked that the no-shows had seen the forecast and were looking for reasons to avoid riding, but it really ended up not being too bad.

   With the wind (light breeze early in the morning) at our backs and the sun out, we actually felt like we had over-dressed. Some of us were considering taking off some layers as we quickly reached the city line and made our way down along Boathouse Row. It was at this point the wind really whipped up, and although we were sheltered a bit down along the Schuylkill Banks boardwalk, our mini-peloton was really smacked around on the way back.

   With our heads sometimes down fighting the wind, and with the participants at various levels of strength or fitness, our group splintered often, with a couple charging off the front and/or falling off of the back. Eventually we all just kind of gave up and rode at a little more than a jogging pace, simply enjoying the company and conversation.

   Before I get back to my recent adventure, I wanted to provide an update on my Merckx Grand Prix build. My new friend Dirk, to whom I had previously sold a Tommasini Super Prestige bicycle, had been asking questions about the Merckx and eventually committed. I had been keeping him informed on progress, and he gave me some direction with details, as he liked the leather look of the Pinarello Treviso I built a few years ago.

   Dirk also requested that I take a shot at painting in the Merckx logos on the fork blades. Using some white acrylic paint, I filled in the logos, then waited a few minutes for it to dry slightly. I then folded over a moist paper towel into a point and gently wiped over the area, removing the white from the high points and leaving the logos filled. I was quite pleased with the results.

   Other than a good cleaning and a little cleaning/lube to the Dura-Ace brake/shift levers, this bike was ready-to-go. It had originally come with tubular wheels, so I replaced those with a nice set of Rigida CSB semi-aero rims. Finally, I did a little sanding and buffing to the drive-side crank, as it had a nasty scratch, and then I took some photos of the completed bike:

Dirk was going to install his leather saddle, but I did a little photo
editing to add my own version to match the bars.

   The previous night, while I was trying to decide where I wanted to ride, I saw a photograph on the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society’s Facebook page, featuring a Reading Railroad passenger train at the station in Ephrata, PA. I enjoy railroad history, have built a few detailed model railroads and have a great interest in railroad architecture as well. I “collect” railroad stations by snapping a photo when I visit them and currently have over 600 station pics from all over the country!

   I have been to Ephrata a couple times in my life, most recently to purchase a Bianchi that became a Marco Pantani tribute bicycle. I knew there was a rail trail in development at the time, but I had no idea there was a station still standing in town. After some research on the area, I had a nice route, centering on the Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail, written down in detail on a small cue card that I clipped to the stem of my bike.

   The former rail line was chartered in 1857 as the Reading and Columbia Railroad to provide a connection for the city of Reading to the Chesapeake Bay region via the Susquehanna Tidewater Canal. Rails were laid in 1863, and trains transported coal, iron ore, and general merchandise. During its peak years, the railroad expanded into the Marietta and Lancaster areas and carried as many as ten passenger trains a day. Through its years as part of the Reading Railroad and eventually Conrail, the secondary branch declined in use until being abandoned in 1985.

   The Ephrata Station (above), which now serves as a visitor center, isn’t actually an official part of the trail, so I started my journey just off of Main Street and headed west on a smooth asphalt path. I had brought my cross bike partly because I was concerned with flatting on the debris left on the roads during the recent snowstorm, but also because I knew sections of the trail were gravel. Those areas of the trail ended up being a nicely packed base with finely crushed stone – I’ve ridden on worse surfaces with 23 mm tires, so I would probably choose one of my road bikes, should I visit this route again.

   The trail was nicely designed with well-marked, smooth transitions at road crossings and a lit underpass below busy Route 272. In some of the more exposed areas of the trail through farmland, the path was lined with shade trees, though I was glad the leaves had mostly fallen this time of year, and the sun could provide some warmth until I could get my own temperature up. One drawback was a break in the trail where a bridge is needed to cross the Cocalico Creek – a short on-road detour was necessary to link the two sections. 

   After reaching the end point in Lititz, I took to the streets in order to loop back to Ephrata. I think many of us incorrectly think it is flat farmland out there - it is far from it! In fact, just a couple of miles off of the trail I encountered a brutal incline up Kissel Hill Road. It wasn’t particularly long - it was just incredibly steep! At the top I was supposed to make a left turn onto Owl Hill Road, and I was praying that didn’t mean there was another climb right after this. Luckily, I was eventually going down Owl Hill after I made my way across a small ridge above Lititz Run.

   There were a handful of roads on my cue sheet that had the word “hill” in it, and the constant up and down nature of the ride didn’t leave much time for recovery. I was happy that the air was virtually still, and I didn’t also have to contend with wind.

   I crossed Zook’s Mill Covered Bridge (above) then turned east to follow the Cocalico Creek a bit, before heading back across the farmlands. I passed many horse-drawn buggies and a couple Amish adults on their kick scooters, which look very much like bicycles. Along the way, I received a few friendly waves from folks, mostly raking leaves in their yards, as the harvest was long past. I also saw a group of Mennonite children walking home from school, and a very small girl surprised me with a “Good afternoon!”

   I finally reached some less intense riding along Diamond Station and Peach Roads, then enjoyed some flat cruising along the Conestoga River on Cabin Drive. I didn’t really enjoy a short stretch of Route 322, as many tractor trailers blew by, but it was less than a mile before I turned east on Martindale Road and headed up Napierville Road and Church Street, over the pass through the hills that separate Hahnstown and Ephrata.

   I think if I was to tackle this ride again, I would cut down the size of the loop on the west side of this route to avoid the early nasty hills, and add the distance to the east side to go completely around the hills there. The riding to the northeast of Ephrata, through Reamstown and Denver was much more to my liking, even if there was a little more traffic out that way. In this more gently-rolling terrain, I could get up to a decent pace and hold it for a while.

   I can imagine some windy days out here in the flat farmlands near Cocalico High School, but I was thankful today wasn’t one of them! I knew there were only a handful of miles left, as I made my way down Church Avenue (the fourth different Church-named street on my cue sheet) through the eastside of Ephrata and back to my car.

   I always find November to be a disappointing time as a cyclist, since I know fitness will drop off as the weather causes interruptions to my riding schedule. Maybe finding other interesting routes on those bonus mild winter days will help compensate for any poor form.