Riding the Great Alleghany Passage (GAP)

[Catrin]

The other two, for various reasons, cannot go now, so I'm thinking of doing this in October rather than in August.

As it turns out, I had to cancel this year. We were talking about the same time next year in late September. I would also consider late spring, but that probably would not be the best time to take on a multiple day ride of 50+ miles each.

[owlice]

Well, poop, I was counting on you for information, hoping you'd be the voice of very recent experience!

I looked at the expensive way to do this (the 50/40/30 option here: http://www.atatrail.org/pv/hotels.cfm), but two things stop me from signing right up.... the thought of having to negotiate the steps to the sleeping loft when I wake up in the middle of the night to pee, and the cost. I have the money, but wow.... just do not want to pay that much to have to negotiate steps in the middle of the night!! (I think everything else sounds just lovely!)

So I'm trying to figure out how to get to P'burgh with my bike while leaving my car in Cumberland. I'm thinking of renting an SUV in Cumberland, tossing my bike in the back, and driving to P'burgh. If anyone has other ideas, please share; thanks!

[ny biker]

There's a coTowpath yahoo group, and I think some of the folks there have ridden the GAP. Might be worth a look.

[Zen]

There is also a yahoo GAP group

[owlice]

Hey there, Zen; I've been wondering where the heck you were! And yes, it wasn't entirely solo! How are you? And where are you?

ny biker, thanks! I'm hooked into the towpath Yahoo Group, but don't want to take them off-topic. At the moment, anyway... may change my mind about this!

Zen, there's a GAP Yahoo group? Didn't know; will go look. Thanks!

[Liljam]

Hi! I'm new to the board and biking but I've lived in Cumberland (the area anyway) my whole life. The trail is amazing and the canal is great too. We have a business off the canal and our home is off what we hope to become an addition to the rail trail.

You might be able to rent a SUV from Enterprise in Cumberland and leave it at an Enterprise in Pittsburgh. This is done occasionally for our auto customers at our business. I think we also have a Hertz rental but it's slightly more expensive. When you do come to Cumberland, I hope you enjoy our town!

[owlice]

: wanders in :

Wow, that's some thick layer of dust going on!

: dusts off membership :

: looks around :

Everything looks so... so... different. Still taking biking, though, so looks the same at the same time, too.

So finally, I'm going to do the GAP this summer. Took me long enough, hmmm? Going with a friend, taking a leisurely pace.

And hey, hi!