Day 06: Warren, PA to Meadville, PA

Day 06

Well what can I say about day 06? It rained from the moment I left the Budget Inn until my lunch stop in Spartansburg. So much not fun, everything was a mess - there was road spray all over me, the bike, my bags, my chain was/is a mess and Rt 6 was a four lane divided highway.  Until I decided to exit and find an alternate route:

Thanks google, if you didn't notice that is what you call a 'dead end.'  Back to 6... and on my way to 77.  Oh but wait!  Road closed 11 miles ahead, awesome.

Detour starts with an awful, wet, curvy climb into farmland.  I should have known as the road was called 'Mickle Hill Road.'

At the top some cows and a few nice farms.

Finally found my way to a decent lunch after a round about way to Spartansburg.  I warmed up with some tea and I was on my way to a direct route to Meadville via SR 77.

Never trust a road that cuts straight across the countryside.
Instead of following rivers and ridges SR 77 ignored the hilly terrain of Western PA and provided the me with the hilliest day yet.  I should have kept to Rt 6.
I thought the state just had an excess of these signs:

Nope...

Climbed that one, 8%

Turns out they varied from 6-8% until Meadville

Reached a new top speed of 42mph on this one:

These are warnings for downhills but of course every single downhill was paired with equally painful uphill. I don't believe I gained or lost any elevation today, just rolled up and down for 65 miles.

Next time I'll remember, "fast decisions may have lifetime impacts"