Gettysburg to Lancaster PA

Today there were no clouds, no rain, mostly no wind- just sun, heat and hills. Did I mention sun? Temps were in the low 90's, and the hills kept coming. We rolled out of Gettysburg, again passing through yet another part of the battlefield- lush fields of crops with monuments cropping up over and over again. Gorgeous and peaceful- hard to believe there was so much carnage in these fields.

We cycled through rural countryside on perfect biking roads. The terrain was rolling with more than a few steep climbs. The climbs were getting hotter and hotter as the day wore on- the downhill descents were cooling and welcomed. We rolled through small towns, including Hanover PA, where we passed by the Utz factory, with the rich smell of potato chips in the air, and then stopped at the Utz Factory outlet (for all you potato chip connoisuers).

We made the key choice of stopping for lunch- subs and what else, potato chips, in the oddly named town of Dallastown. It's always a calculus on a hot day whether to blow off lunch to get yourself back to the hotel sooner before the temps get even hotter. We were sweating as of 8AM which is usually a sign of a killer hot day. I have found for me that a lunch stop is essential- I was bonking and dealing poorly with the heat right before lunch. Totally better afterwards.


The key was staying cool today, anyway you could- dumping cold water on your head, looking to bike through as much shade as possible (even if it meant biking on the left side of the road), drinking cool liquids as often as possible. At the last SAG (rest) stop, there was ice cream across the street, much to the delight of everyone, including our riding buddy Jerry, who very much enjoyed his chocolate malt shake.

Towards the later half of the day, we crossed the Susquehana River on a mile long bridge (sorry no pix- too busy a road!), and biked through gorgeous farmland and then through Lancaster to our hotel. A beer, or two (with twizzlers of course), a swim and jacuzzi, and air conditioning, and we're recovered and ready for the last 134 miles.