FKT: Brenner Burkholder - GAP to LHHT Gate to 8 (PA) - 2020-06-22

First unsupported FKT attempt on this route- carried all food and bike lock and only acquired water from free public sources along trail.

Leg 1:

Started the day at 5:10 with 4 hours of sleep. Slammed a guayaki, some cold brew, and ate a cold pizza slice with some eggs. Gathered my things, packed them into my car, and headed out to the Strip to find parking, which proved troublesome. Got going at 7:37 from the Point marker. Pretty empty trail until McKeesport, caught up to an aero fitted guy and went back and forth with him for about 15 miles. No intentional drafting / wheel riding occurred, but I stayed 5-100ft behind him whenever he chose to pull out in front of me. Talked for a bit and let him draft behind me, but I dropped him only a few minutes later. Made it to Ohiopyle in about 4:20. Re upped water at public fountain in Connellsville and again from public hose at LH info center in OP. Fastest avg pace for any ride I've recorded which was probably a poor decision in hindsight.

Leg 2:

Hiked the ascents but at least I could blast the downs. But seriously this trail is brutal in the heat and humidity, this is where I lost almost all of the time I was expecting to snag from the previous FKT. Most of it was having to stop and filter (or lay belly up in the creek and moan) 3x the amount of water I was expecting to consume. I need a handheld I can easily attach a filter to, mine worked but weren't ideal. Freaked out when I thought I clogged the filter with silt, but figured out how to backflow. Highly recommend anyone going for the FKT to do it in colder weather.

Leg 3:

Literal pain in the ass for 5 hours but got it done. Longer ~10min stop at Cedar Creek to eat Pringles and get water from outhouse adjacent to trail. If I do this again I will probably get aero bars for the purgatory-esque sections. Sat at the Point for a while after finishing trying to remember where I parked my car. Once I found it I went to Wendy's.