Cycling in Pennsylvania - Rails to Trails???

[Dogmama]

DH and I are taking a week in October through PA - most in Lancaster Amish country. I'm told that there is something called "Rails to Trails." I Googled it and it looks nice but I don't know if there is a particularly good (or bad) trail in that area. Or maybe we should just plan on riding the countryside? We will be renting bikes - probably just hybrids. DH is not a strong rider so I need to keep it short and not real hilly. Any suggestions?

[indysteel]

Check out Lancaster Bicycle Club's website. They list a number of routes, with cue sheets, and indicate their level of difficulty. You're likely to find something that suits you. I'm jealous. I was set to travel to Lancaster a few years ago to do some riding, but my plans fell through at the last minute.

[Dogmama]

Indy - thank you!!! Perfect - exactly what I was looking for!

We've never been to PA and have been wanting to go to Gettysburg & Amish country. So we're pretty excited!

[indysteel]

Have a great time. It's a pretty state. Be sure to give us a trip report!

[ny biker]

King's New York Pizza in Gettysburg has excellent pizza.

The battlefield park is great for cycling. I find it easy to lose my sense of direction due to a lack of roadsigns, but I think that's because I'm always following a cue sheet rather than the battlefield tour map.

The area around Gettysburg is beautiful, very rural, great for cycling.

Have fun!!

[Boudicca]

How hilly is Lancaster County? I too have a trip there coming up next month, and wondering what to get mentally ready for.

[Dogmama]

Check out the link to the Lancaster bike club (above - Indy's post.) Their rides are rated for difficulty.

[indysteel]

I ran into the brother of the friend I was planning to visit in Lancaster a few years back. They're both cyclist. He chuckled when I asked about flat rides there. It appears that flat rides can be had, but it's otherwise a hilly place.

[ny biker]

I'd say much depends on your definitions of "hilly" and "flat." A few weeks ago a local racing club held their annual century. Most people who cycle in southern Maryland would consider their route hilly, but one of my friends met a couple of women from Pittsburgh who had come down for the ride, and they thought it was flat.

Some folks I know did the Covered Bridges ride last month, and the day before that they did their own ride using a cue sheet from the Lancaster club. There were two versions of the route. According to Ride with GPS, the 35-mile version had a total elevation gain of 1444 feet and the 42-mile version had a total gain of 2194 feet. Both rides started at the Strasburg Railroad Museum and went past the farm that was featured in the movie "Witness."