Day 1 of Health Ride. Pittsburgh to Perryopolis

It's Sunday morning, October 4, 2009 and Pops and I made sure to sleep in with the long week of riding before us. So that meant up we got up at 7:30 am :)

First order of business was briefing of support crew about the day ahead. We did this over a healthy breakfast at Bob Evans. Our waitress (and pretty much everyone in the restaurant) had Steelers jerseys or apparel in anticipation of the big Steelers-Chargers game that evening. One older gentleman accepted my compliments to his Steelers tie, and he informed me that he wears it to church every Sunday. This is Pittsburgh.

I would like to introduce you to the individuals who will be participating and supporting the 2009 Cross-PA Health Ride and Kids Fitness Days. It is quite the motley crew of dedicated individuals.

Riders in addition to myself:
Roy Baldwin- my father, fearless leader, mentor, heart surgery survivor, and funny guy
Jeff Ostrowski- Lancaster native, now Physical Therapist in Philly. His sister is Lynn Zanowski who will be handling the elementary school assemblies in the eastern half of PA. She "roped" him into doing the ride.

Ellen Ormsby- Navy dad, Physical trainer, Fitness buff, leader of SPARK physical education programs for schools.
Mike Montgomery- my high school buddy, father of one and one on the way, secretly scared that Ellen will school him up the Allegheny mountains


Support Crew:
Greg Will- a guy my Dad met at the barber shop and asked to be a driver for the ride. He is a fellow graduate of Manheim Township High School (graduated the year I was born). Golf course architect by trade, he is also an outstanding Penske truck (the Pumpkin) driver.
Steve Schultz- went to high school with Jeff Orloski (see above). My Dad met at a Lighten Up Lancaster coalition meeting who the minute he heard about the Health Ride, wanted to help. He has done a great deal of support for his church group in the mountains of West Virginia. Steve is also very good with handwriting and penned the award certificates for the assemblies.
Daniel Millisock- a guy my father met on the golf course, and upon learning that he had just completed a degree in Film, asked what he was doing the first week in October. Our official videographer for the trip, he goes by the call sign "Dan the Video Man"
Dorie and Gary Blacksmith (advance team)- two devoted fans of the television program I was on two and a half years ago. They live in Carlisle, PA. Gary is a retired Family Physician. Dorie brought me Peppermint Patties for the ride just as a certain special someone did a few years back. Thanks to their satellite uplink connection and portable laser printer they provide the riders with up to the minute forecasts, directions, and news.
Dan Costello- my cousin from Rochester, NY. Dan just finished college at High Point, NC and has some free time. He wanted to spend some time with his uncle and cousin and drive a Penske truck for a good cause.

For some video introductions see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhdsAK_96CM

We arrived at the Pittsburgh Riverfront location on the South Side an hour and a half before the beginning of the Family Bike Ride put on by the Pittsburgh Optimist Club. This five mile, flat, safe loop around the City's riverfront is held every year and attracts hundreds of children. It would serve as the official start of the PA Health Ride this year as well. As the children, parents, and grandparents streamed into the site on bikes, we shared with them the purpose behind the Health Ride- raising awareness about childhood obesity and educating children on the importance of eating well, and physical activity. Had a great conversation with Scott Bricker, Executive Director of Bike Pittsburgh about advocacy and funding for biking programs for children across PA. After giving my best shot at a motivational speech to the large crowd we were off. The 5 mile loop was scenic, and fun and I chatted with little kids and their parents and loved seeing their smiles. I also updated our status on Epic Tracker to let people following know where the Health Ride team was from a GPS location- www.healthride.org/tracker At the finish there was healthy food and water awaiting us. The official food sponsors of PA Health Ride are Kegels Fruits and Lifestyle Foods. They showed up with hundreds of healthy option trays with fruit, vegetables, lean meats and more. It was great to see that some food providers were willing to step up to the plate (this is for you Giant).

After our five mile kickoff, the fearsome foursome (me, Ellen, Jeff, and Dad) continued on our way South along the Allegheny Passage trail which parallels the Youghiogheny River. Say that three times fast. As a young Virginia colonist, George Washington dreamed and pursued connecting the Chesapeake Bay and the Forks of the Ohio River for trade and commerce. In 1828 the C & O Canal broke ground and over the years was dug and then later converted to the B & O railroad. The Allegheny Passage covering this ground is now complete from McKeesport, PA to Cumberland Maryland, offering 132 continuous miles over abandoned rail lines smoothly surfaced with crushed limestone. The Passage celebrates railroad engineers who built tunnels, bridges, and viaducts to cross the Allegheny Mountains. Volunteer organizations locally own and maintain the trail.

I can honestly tell you that the ride we did today was one of the most beautiful rides I have ever done. Never have I seen such a well maintained bike path, straddling a gorgeous river, with water bearing the reflection of the trees above full of leaves of changing color. You could smell fall in the air, and the biting cold of Pittsburgh earlier in the day, gave way to the crisp air and smell of foliage that brought me back to my childhood days in the woods of Pennsylvania. We passed waterfalls, historic bridges, deer, and friendly citizens Steeler fans offering water (and beer).

The trail is well marked and I recall around mile 30 we came to a halt as Jeff had the first casualty of the ride- a flat tire. As we helped him change the tube, I looked out again at the river, the forest and listened the peaceful quiet. The only thing that was audible was the flow of the river passing us by. Do people know that these quaint towns, this gorgeous trail, and these picturesque forests exist?? I surely did not until today. I felt thankful that I was out of the hustle and bustle of the big city to big city life and had the opportunity to be surrounded by nature, and a passage with so much history associated with it. A passage through Pennsylvania, a passage through history. This is Forgotten America.

Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfDMv9lvrNM

The sun came out and we continued on for the final twenty miles through towns like Sutersville, West Newton, and Whitset, and finally to our stopping point for the day in Perryopolis. There is an extremely steep climb from the trail up to the town of Perryopolis, so we were all thoroughly excited to see a big yellow truck ahead at the trail head and Dan the Video Man poised to take some finish line shots, and the Blacksmiths ready with some Peppermint Patties. Complete! Well done. Ellen and Jeff came across the line, you tore it up on the trail today. Good job! Dad and Dan finished a bit later, and were in jovial spirits with their Muscle Milk.



The ride continues along this trail tomorrow from Perryopolis to Rockwood, where we will be doing our second Kids Fitness Day assembly at Rockwood Elementary School. Time to get some rest!

We desperately need donations in order to provide educational booklets on nutrition and activity to the thousands of children we are visiting this week. Please, any amount helps. Education and understanding why healthy lifestyles are so important goes a long way in helping to prevent overweight and obesity in children- our future.
Please donate here: http://www.healthride.org/donate.html

Thanks. Dr. Andy Baldwin