GAP Points To Remember and Advice to Other Bikers
Final Thoughts
End of the Trail
POINTS TO REMEMBER AND ADVICE TO OTHER BIKING TRAVELERS
1. Bring more cash along in addition to credit cards. There are many little restaurants that are inexpensive and prefer cash. Support local!
2. Carry less stuff. Constantly ask yourself, "Is there any way I can do without this?" Remember the old adage about going on vacation: Bring twice the cash and half the clothes!
3. Go North to South on the GAP if you can. That is Pittsburgh to Cumberland. The elevation gain between Cumberland and the continental divide is the steepest. You want to be going down hill!
4. It is a ride not a race. Take lots of pictures and enjoy the beauty. Stop often to savor the sites.
5. Pay close attention to the weather and bring as little clothes as needed.
6. There are two long stretches with few or no towns or anything! Keep this in mind for food and water. They are:
-- Twenty-Five miles of trail just North of Connellsville
-- The 30 mile trek between Confluence and Meyersdale.
7. Trail Surface and bike type: The trail surface is very hard packed dirt most of the way. I was amazed how immaculate the trail was for 150 miles. A hybrid bike with about a 25 to 28 millimeter wide tire would be best. You could ride a mountain bike but it is extra weight and you don't that much bike durability. I did not see anyone riding a road bike with thin tires.
8. Shoes and Pedals: Three of us put toe cages on and one of us had clip-in pedals. We found that a nice pair of sneakers in toe cages worked best. We could stop for walks to see sites and easily walk around at lunch and in parks.
9. Make sure you have a light on the front of your bike for the tunnels. Some tunnels close in the Winter and there is no detour - just a dead end!
10. There are three common ways to travel the GAP for sleeping each night:
-- First, you ride your bike with no gear and you have someone with a car drive each day to your hotel. Your bike is much ligher but you need someone that is willing to move hotel to hotel with your luggage.
-- Second, you ride with your gear in saddle bags or panniers. You bike is heavier and harder to push but no one needs to drive your luggage from hotel to hotel.
Third, you camp each night. Probably the least expensive, but definitely hauling the most weight since you will be bringing tents, sleeping bags, food, and cooking utentsils. This usually requires some kind of bike trailer, cart or wagon.
11. If you are staying in hotels, book early! Our coordinator, Carl, booked many months in advance but didn't always get a hotel or home rental in the town of our choice.
SIX HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP FOR ME:
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1. I was able to bike 60 miles on two different days moving at a pretty good pace, lug all my gear and not feel depleted, just tired.
2. Getting to know my fellow riders better: Carl, Rob and C. Hirst.
3. The trail was remarkably clean, wide, safe, no potholes, and extremely well-maintained. There was ample signage and mile markers. Wiki states that the overall construction cost for the GAP was $80 million. And it is free to ride or hike! There are organizations that accept donations for GAP trail maintenance and I think I will contribute.
4. Seeing a part of America I have never seen before. Ohiopyle State Park was a standout for its waterfalls and gorgeous forests.
5. My favorite meal was the hole-in-the-wall diner in Meyersville: G.I. Dayroom Coffee Shop. The atmosphere was 1960’s classic diner and the wait staff and cooks were as Americana as they come.
6. The Comfort Inn in Connellsville offers clean towels and a water hose just for guests to clean bikes. Sitting on their back deck for breakfast while overlooking the river a couple feet away is tranquil and great way to amp up for the day’s ride.