Pennsylvania North/South Tieing into the new Virginia North/South Route

[Hubcap29erMan]

Anyone interested in helping to put together a route N/S through PA connecting to the new single track route that goes N/S through Virginia?  Would want as much single track as possible and dirt roads.  Maybe start up toward Mansfield moving down through Wellsboro, some rail trail into RB Winter Area, Bald Eagle SF hooking into some Wilderness 101 route, over towards Spruce Creek and working south to Michaux area?  I have the center part of the state pretty much figured out as I live near State College.  Just need some input on routes in the northern and southern sections.  PA should be around 300 miles.  Connect that to 400 or so miles of trail through VA and we have the start of an east coast version of the Tour Divide

[Hubcap29erMan]

This site should be helpful.  Tuscarora is hike only but follow in that general path, Standing Stone into Greenwood area of Rothrock SF.  Through Bald Eagle on Wilderness 101 trails, out through Woodward to RB Winter then following general direction of the Mid State (hike only) system....etc.....   

http://www.explorepatrails.com/gm_trails.aspx

Anybody in the northern or southern areas of PA willing to help stitch things together?

[jhl99]

The 400 miler in VA... are you referring to the Great Eastern Trail?  (GET) http://www.greateasterntrail.net/index.html

Do you know how much and what sections are open to bikes?  I'm under the impression that not all section allow bikes.
----

Regarding PA... it sounds like you already have a route that would be hard to beat.  Adding more single track is tough, a lot of the legacy trails in the PA state forests go from the tops of the mountains down into the valleys... not really the preferred direction of travel.  

There is some singletrack outside of Wellsboro where the Laurel classic race is held... this is near the north end of the Pine Creek Rail trail and probably could be worked into your route.  It sounds like your route from Wellsboro to Jersey Shore would be on the Pine Creek R.T.

Here is a weekend route I did... along the Pine Creek RT, but not exclusively on the RT:  http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Fhome.windstream.net%2FJHLange%2FPA_GrandCanyon.kml&hl=en&sll=44.149509,-103.666936&sspn=0.704531,0.954437&t=m&z=9&vpsrc=0

One thing is for sure,  a route through the places you mention will have more single track than following the actual Eastern Continental Divide.  (I reference this report and route:  http://www.bikepacking.net/tripreports/usa-ecd-pa-eastern-continental-divide-triple-point-south-to-mason-dixon-line/

[Hubcap29erMan]

Thanks for your reply.  I was starting to wonder if anyone was out there!  You had a good ride, almost ended up in my back yard!  I live over by Spring Mills (Bald Eagle SF).  The 400 miler is, in part, the Great Eastern Trail.  Chris Scott has a single tract route he just completed along with some other riders.  I don't have the route specifics but know it ends south of Roanoke and starts near Winchester.  So, it doesn't extend the whole way to the borders, yet.  As soon as I heard about it I started envisioning an east coast Tour Divide.  I have been pouring over the PA maps and think there are several options for a n/s route.  Wellsboro/Mansfield was an easy start point with the rail trail already in place.  Obviously there are multiple options with the SF roads up there.  Getting to RB Winter didn't look too tough.  There are quite a few established single tract routes there.  Weaving into Bald Eagle and then jumping on established trails and dirt road from the Wilderness 101 race and you can get to Greenwood Furnace easy.  Then it gets a little sketchy making the way south toward Cowans Gap.  I know there is alot of single track in Michaux but that pulls you in close to more populated areas just for the sake of getting single track.  The idea would be maximum wilderness riding miles.  I think if a couple people did some exploring we could come up with something decent.  Interested?  Where in the state are you?  Thanks again for the reply.

[ruthslp]

i would be interested to help figure out off road routes anywhere i can.
but i live in pgh....would have to plan for my trips.

also, jeff, i think he is actually referring to the newly released SMT Virginia trail i had mentioned to you before (and in a separate thread on here under Routes). i don't see them giving the route away on that one though....but i had thought a cool slight diversion from the real divide sections of WV.

[Hubcap29erMan]

Yes.  Here is the recent post from Chris's trip. 

Virginia Mountain Bike Trail

  We couldn't get all single track but could definitely make a nice ride through PA.

[jhl99]

Although I would assist with a PA N-S route,  another alternative would to be to work on loop routes within our State and National Forests. 

[Payton MacDonald]

Wow Wow Wow, thanks so much guys for starting to work on this.  I'm planning some DIY Ironman-distance off-road triathlons next year and looking for some longer mtb routes in my area (I live in North Jersey) and this is perfect.  Now I just need to find a lake where it's legal to swim for a long distance that's close to the bike route.  Let me know if you have any ideas . . .

At any rate, please let me know if there's anything I can do to help you guys expand this route.  I'm not a pro mountain biker, but can hang okay. 

Sheesh, an East Coast version of TD sounds brutal.  Rocky, rooty single track for thousands of miles? . . .   

[ruthslp]

loop routes could be good in pa....i'll help you out anytime...

[Hubcap29erMan]

There are several lakes that the trail could be near.  I guess the key question is what a "long distance" swim is.  Most of the state parks have designated swimming areas where you could do laps.

[swampboy62]

Although I would assist with a PA N-S route,  another alternative would to be to work on loop routes within our State and National Forests. 

I'm already at work on a map of the mtb opportunities in and around the Allegheny National Forest, working with some of the guys from NAMBA (Northern Allegheny Mountain Bike Association).  It's in the early stages, but they've provided some good GPS tracks and I'm using my half-ass map skills to put it together.  It looks like they're providing some GPS of trails that I haven't seen mapped anywhere else, so it could be useful.

I'd like to try the same thing for the Monongahela National Forest in WV if the PA map works out, but I'll have to make some connections with active riders down there to get it going.  I figure the PA map will take at least another 6 months, so I def have time to think about it.

Steve Z

[batty]

Love the idea - Although I am a fan of loops (for the sake of avoiding shuttles) I think it would be awesome to piece together an appalachian bike route to rival the divide trail.  After I finish my West Virginia Trip this summer I am planning to do major exploring of northern and central PA.  I'd be happy to help.

[jhl99]

Hubcap29erMan has been pointing me to some data from Tom Oswald
http://www.oswaldcycleworks.com/.  The additional tracks have been added the data to a Google map (link below).

Also, thanks to Allen Kerkeslager whom's comments in my ECD trip report lead me to the Triple Divide Greenway. 

Revised Google Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Fhome.windstream.net%2FJHLange%2F2012_PA_VA_NY_Route_Rev_03.kmz&hl=en&sll=42.220382,-77.847748&sspn=0.55122,1.149445&t=m&z=6

[swampboy62]

Looking at that Google map, it looks like it will be fairly easy to tie in to the roads and trails on the Allegheny National Forest map that I've been working on.  It looks like the best place to tie in would be from the ECD route near Ridgway, right on the eastern edge of the NF.  From there it will be fairly easy to work out a route of jeep roads, singletrack and gravel roads up to the New York state line.  I've also heard that there is some new singletrack in NY's Allegheny State Park, which is just north of the state line - maybe it could be tied into the big picture as well.

Progress on the National Forest map is coming along pretty well.  I'm trying to look at it from a bikepacking point of view, not just for singletrack routes.  It'll be a project that keeps on growing, as more gated roads and trails come out.

Steve Z

[Hubcap29erMan]

Sounds great Swampboy.  Keep things updated if you can.  Jeff has been piecing the parts together.  I am looking forward to starting to ride this in the spring.  Probably will just do some scouting trips then and make a go of the whole route late June.  NY to VA.  I am in state college area and this route literally goes by my back door so easy access from home.  It includes a little of the Wilderness 101 route and some of the Trans Epic race course.  A big thanks to Jeff for all the work putting the parts together.  I was having alot of difficulty getting the softwares and files to work nicely with each other.

[bmike-vt]

wow. having lived at the south end of canandaigua lake and the rochester area in ny this looks great! would love to have a long route for east coast riders...

curious, why not the trails in letchworth state park?




http://www.cyclingbrockport.com/2010/05/letchworth-state-park.html

[jhl99]

Question:  curious, why not the trails in letchworth state park?

Answer:  Ignorance,  I'm not familair with that area and inserted the Triple Divide Pathway as shown.

Will update map with alternate route on Fingerlakes Trail through Letchworth SP as time permits.

Thanks for the contribution.

[bmike-vt]

Question:  curious, why not the trails in letchworth state park?

Answer:  Ignorance,  I'm not familair with that area and inserted the Triple Divide Pathway as shown.

Will update map with alternate route on Fingerlakes Trail through Letchworth SP as time permits.

Thanks for the contribution.

cool. i've only hiked in there, but lots of folks find some nice riding.

[ridebikes]

Hubcap29erMan has been pointing me to some data from Tom Oswald
http://www.oswaldcycleworks.com/.  The additional tracks have been added the data to a Google map (link below).

Also, thanks to Allen Kerkeslager whom's comments in my ECD trip report lead me to the Triple Divide Greenway. 

Revised Google Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Fhome.windstream.net%2FJHLange%2F2012_PA_VA_NY_Route_Rev_03.kmz&hl=en&sll=42.220382,-77.847748&sspn=0.55122,1.149445&t=m&z=6

This is looking awesome!! Have you come across info about the Pisgah traverse (NC), SC Connector, and TNGA routes? Here's a map of these, looks like there is a need for a bikepacking route from Old Fort, NC to Damascus, VA. Adding in this, it looks almost contiguous from Rochester, NY to the Georgia/Alabama line! Dannngggg!!

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/700184

[Hubcap29erMan]

Hoping to start riding some segments of this soon.  First rides will be from State College, PA north toward Mansfield and NY border.  Single track and dirt as much as possible.