Start:  Conneaut, OH

Finish: Erie, PA

Weather:  85 degrees, sunny

Miles:  50

Distance to date: 2,408

The morning was clear and cool; I hopped right on my bike and rode 25 miles to the most perfect non-breakfast spot.   Teresa’s Deli on the outskirts of Erie puts Subway to shame.  A sausage, pepper and onion sub, grilled to perfection, with a giant Reese’s cup cookie at 9:30 am may not be everyone’s idea of breakfast, but it works for a hungry cyclist.  The best sub I have had all trip; proof that I am moving East.

Pennsylvania has very well marked cycling routes, so it was easy to follow the shore road along Route 5 and Alt 5.  I visited the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at the entrance to Presque Isle State Park, a glacial moraine peninsula that provides protection for Erie Harbor.  The fifteen mile bike route around the park is picturesque and historical; I learned all about Commodore Perry and the
Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.  On the lake side I stopped at a beach.  The waters were too rough for actual swimming, but it was great body surfing.  The surf builds over several hundred miles of easterly winds and the undertow is fierce.

Back in town I toured Erie, a city of stately tree-lined boulevards and a fascinating promenade on a bluff overlooking the harbor.   The city seems to have survived the transition from industrial port to service city much better than its Ohio counterparts.

The area leading to Presque Isle is a 50’s motel paradise.  There must have been a dozen motel courts of different styles, all with swimming pools. I had already scoped out a motel downtown that proved to be a great place.  I arrived about 3:30, had a refreshing swim in the pool, and got to
explore downtown Erie on foot at dinner time, where I found an excellent gyro place.

My computer is back to working 100%, so the time spent in the Conneaut Library yesterday had its value. Still, I am happy to be back to full time touring.

Penn State Fever is Rampant in PA