August 23 Hills and twins

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/100771950

We started the day similar to yesterday, a haze in the air and low-hanging clouds obscuring the top of the hills behind downtown.  A few blocks took us to the riverside and, after a bit of confusion as to which path on the waterfront to use, we headed north along the West Virginia side of the Ohio River. At one point we saw some huge silos between us and the river, and wondered what they contained.  They didn't appear likely to be grain silos, especially with an apparatus crossing to the top of them from the top of the bluff. Kay was just at the access drive when someone was driving out so she asked about them. They  turned out to contain coal. The mine was a mile away and the coal sent to the silos, from which barges were loaded from 6 am to 6 pm.  There was enough coal in the mine to last 25 years and it was already sold.  

We came to where a new bridge was being constructed over the Ohio River. Due to the construction, the last part of the trail was closed and we had to go out onto the road sooner.  A big sign about the project said, if we remembered the numbers right, that Federal funds were 104 million, state funds 19 million and D.O.T. funds 7 million toward the project.   A few miles after Wellsburg,  we left the valley and had a significant climb up the ridge. After a few miles up and down along the ridge, we joined the Panhandle Trail, a rail trail that soon crossed the state line into Pennsylvania.  At that point there was a shaded picnic table on the wide railbed just before it crossed a stream which was a great place to take a break and have a snack.  This trail was mostly paved and took us most of the way to Pittsburgh.  We then had some moderately busy streets then a short very busy part as we approached the bridge over the Monongahela River.  After crossing, we went to the park at the point where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers join to form the Ohio.  It was fun seeing the views of the rivers, the large fountain and all the people. 

We then had about a 5-mile ride to our Warm Shower hosts with the last part a long and steady climb up a hill.  We had fun meeting their twin 4-year-old boys and enjoying their energy.