Wanders on the Great Allegheny Bike Trail | New Book

The 3,294-foot Big Savage Tunnel north of Frostburg closed for the winter on November 30, 2023, and would not reopen until March 28, 2024, thus effectively ending the biking season for through-trips between Cumberland and Pittsburgh. I spent the winter holed up in Frostburg, Maryland, which I am using as a base for my wanderings on the gap. After the November 30 tunnel closing a few brief snow squalls laid down an inch or less of snow that quickly melted and occasionally rain would freeze at the higher altitudes, making the trail treacherous, but other than during these brief episodes the gap remained open to the tunnel for much of December and early January. In late January and in February a few heavy snowfalls closed the gap completely. The last big blizzard, which dropped close to six inches of snow, hit just before the Spring Equinox on March 19. It took almost a week for the snow to melt off the GAP north of Frostburg. As soon as the trail was clear I rode up to Big Savage Tunnel . . .  Continued.

Wanders on the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail | Deer | Flora

Moon Day 10

Starts Jul 4, 2025 03:26 PM
Ends Jul 5, 2025 04:27 PM

Keep seeing this two fawns at the same place. I assume they are twins (click on photos for enlargement),

Witches Broom flourishing!!!

Oswego Tea (Beebalm) is in bloom.

And here is a real find. Ghost pipe! 

Also, Rhododendron, like Mountain Laurel a signature plant of the Alleghenies, is in bloom all along the GAP.

Jewelweed in flower.

The flamboyantly showy Tiger Lily is a native of East Asia. It was introducing into America as an ornamental and now grows wild along the GAP.  Also seen in the flower gardens of houses along the GAP. 

Wanders on the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail | Susans | Daisies | Witches Broom

Moon day 9

Starts Jul 3, 2025 02:25 PM
Ends Jul 4, 2025 03:26 PM 

Black-eyed Susans are out:

Black-eyed Susans

Black-eyed Susans

Black-eyed Susans

Don’t confuse them with Brown-eyed Susans, which flower in Autumn

Brown-eyed Susans

Brown-eyed Susans

Ox-eyed Daisies are out in profusion:

Ox-eyed Daisies 

Ox-eyed Daisies 

Ox-eyed Daisies 

Witches Broom progressing nicely. Flowering stalk is now about sixteen inches long.

Witches Broom

Witches Broom

Wander on the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail.

Moon Day 7

Starts Jul 1, 2025 12:26 PM

Ends Jul 2, 2025 01:26 PM

I am keeping an eye on this witches broom plant. The flowering stalk first appeared on the day of Summer Solstice, June 20,  and is now more than a foot long. Should be a broom handle by the end of summer. 

Witches Broom

Saw the first Yarrow of the year! Known locally as Carpenter’s Weed.

Yarrow

Yarrow

The lovely Bird’s Eye Trefoil is in bloom! Not a native of the Alleghenies, it immigrated from southern Eurasia and nothern Africa.

 bBird’s Eye Trefoil

Bird’s Eye Trefoil

Bird’s Eye Trefoil

Flowering motherwort

Now that Dame’s Rocket has flowered and fallen by the wayside wingstem has taken over the right-of-way of the GAP.

Wingstem, not yet flowering

Wanders on the Great Allegheny Bike Trail | Smooth Spiderwort

 Moon Day 6

Starts Jun 30, 2025 11:24 AM

Ends Jul 1, 2025 12:26 PM

Lots of flora flowering after the Summer Solstice. Smooth spiderwort, a native of North America:

Milkweed and Wild Lettuce progressing nicely

Wanders on the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail | Solstice | Flora

Moon Day 27

Starts Jun 22, 2025 02:55 AM

Ends Jun 23, 2025 03:36 AM

Summer Solstice occurred on June 20 at 10:42 pm. June 20 was also the longest day of the year by one second. See Chart:

Summer will last 93 days, 15 hours, and 37 minutes and end on the Autumn Equinox,  which occurs on September 22 at 2:19 pm. 

Spotted more mountain pink.

Also more foxglove beardtongue

Wild lettuce has made the scene! Note the mountain pink mixed in.

Milkweed is flowering!!!

The big news on the flora scene  is flowering witches broom. Saw the first flowers of the year on the day of the Solstice. The stalk, or broom handle, will continue to grow as the summer progresses.

Also velvet grass.