The water tower depicts an American flag, and a boy and girl holding hands. I ride around to the other side to see if there is same-sex couple representation on there. …Kidding!

I need a rest and a real meal, and the Blueberry Pancake House is right here in Monroeville, just a block away from the “Make Monroeville Great Again” sign!

I was grateful for cooler temps, though raindrops began to patter my helmet as I set out toward downtown Cleveland and the anticipated flatness of the Lake Erie shoreline.

“I want apple butter for sure. I’m saying yes. And taking you at face value. And everybody else from now on.”

Who needs sleep? Or coffee? I had a destination: the city of Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and… maybe a basketball team.

The simplest answer is always the least obvious. To me, anyway.

So this ends up being yet another “yes” experience as we decided to eat lunch together in Cumberland, MD (the end of the muddy C&O) and the beginning of the GAP trail (GAP = Great Allegheny Passage) and continue riding together.

As I’d left him, Whitey Jackson was leaned up against the Airstream slick from the thick coat of dew. Many, many, many birds welcomed me.

All the struggle I experienced about when to set off was for naught. I had that ‘today’s the day’ feeling on Wednesday the 23rd as I popped my panniers onto Whitey Jackson’s racks.