Day 49 Jefferson Hills PA to West Newton PA

Stats: mileage: 30; total climb: 975; total mileage 2221

After much discussion, we decided that pedaling down Rte 51 would be far worse than pushing the bike up the half mile super hill across from our motel and heading back to the Montour Trail on a back road. In the cool of the morning and with a good night's sleep, the hill was less daunting than yesterday. We knew we had made the right choice. Soon we were back on the trail and in no time we reached the end. Then we moved onto the Steel Valley Trail which is a well marked road trail that leads to the Great Allegheny Passage. Soon we were crossing the Monongahela River. When we started this trip, the barges were filled with grain. Here they are filled with coal.
We pedaled along the Monongahela River until we reached the Youghiogheny River. We waited on the bridge hoping to see a train, but none appeared.
Once we crossed the river, we were in McKeesport, just south of Pittsburgh. We stopped for coffee and then we hopped on the Great Allegheny Passage which is a rail trail the goes from Pittsburgh PA to Cumberland MD.
The section of the trail that we will be traveling on is the former Pennsylvania and Lake Erie RR. It is 145 miles long and we will ride 135 miles of it.

The trail is crushed lime stone and has an uphill grade until Deal PA. McKeesport is at 752 ft and Deal's elevation is 2390 ft. But all the climbs will be gradual.
During this part of the ride, we will be along the Youghiogheny River. Right now it is just wending its way to the Monongahela River, but that will change.
This "Red Waterfall" is caused by the pyrite in the coal that was mined in this area. Many of the streams that we have seen have a very iron/rusty look to them.
After twenty miles on this trail we reached West Newton, our destination. We had a great dinner at a local eatery with our WarmShowers hosts, Lisa and Eric.
After dinner we took a walking tour of town. Although a mainline runs right through town, Paul was still unlucky in his efforts to get a train picture today. Hopefully tomorrow will prove more successful.