The Montour to the Panhandle Trail, PA

Definitely do not drink the water in McDonald, Pennsylvania!

No room at the inn

 

 

 

 

Well, through all of these miles I finally encountered my first lack of hospitality.  Asked if I could pitch my tent on their lawn and was turned down.   Let's make sure we never do that at Grace United Methodist Church.

(Five miles down the trail, someone from the church called my cell phone and they had changed their mind, but it was too late for me.  This might help the next cyclist who comes along.)

Pittsburgh, PA, & Montour Trail

The rejuvenation is incredible up river but down river as you get closer to Pittsburgh, you see a lot of the residual factories where steel and coal were processed.  The impact on the landscape is striking. This said, Pittsburgh is a beautiful city.  This was my first visit ever, and I found the people to be friendly and very helpful.   I've traveled far enough now that when folks ask where I started from, they are shocked when I say "Washington DC."  All dirt trails from Washington DC to Cumberland and then Cumberland to Pittsburgh certainly presented challenges.  Certainly Washington DC to Cumberland was the most challenging with very bumpy, rocky, rutted trails.  If you plan to take this trip, plan on no more than 20 to 25 miles per day.  Plan to camp at remote campsites, where you will need water, food, and the appropriate gear.  Some sites do have handpumps, but there is a very strong iodine smell in the water.  This said, this was a trip of a lifetime!

Well, I have now done the Chesapeake & Ohio Towpath, the Great Allegheny Passage, and now I plan to do the Montour and Panhandle Trails to reach Raccoon Creek Campground.  This is a distance of about 40 miles, uncharted routes, and I will be flying by the seat of my pants.  Looks to be a nice day, a good day for a ride!

 

So far everything has been uphill. I know there's got to be downhill somewhere along this trail.