VA to PA route help.

[FeloniousDunk]

We're going.  Finally.  We have 12 days in the end of June/begining of July that we'll be riding from someplace in Virginia toward north central PA (as close to Williamsport as we can get).  We'll actually only be riding about 6-8 of those days. 

My maps run out at the VA/MD line.  Any suggestions on routes from south centralish PA area to the north centralish area?  Of course we want single track, but some roads-paved or gravel are fine.

~Shaun

[John G]

Frederick Watershed(MD) to Michaux State Forest, PA

Dirt Roads in the same area, as well as around State College, PA.

Where are you planning to cross into MD.  I can make some specific suggestions.
JG

[FeloniousDunk]

Hey JG,  I'm open to suggestions.  My maps run out about Front Royal.  It looks fairly easy to map a route from the south to about there.  I'm not finding a lot north of there until I get all the way to the Rothrock area.  I have a suggested route once I get to the south west side of Rothrock that will take me to my final destination.  Any suggestions up the middle of PA heading toward State College/Rothrock?

[tomimcmillar]

Are you still looking to venture into PeeYay!?  Or sticking to VA?
I can help you get from the Mason-Dixon to State College....

[FeloniousDunk]

Are you still looking to venture into PeeYay!?  Or sticking to VA?
I can help you get from the Mason-Dixon to State College....

Hey, I read about your trip.  That looked like a good one.  Yes, I definitly prefer to ride through PA but a route isn't coming together up there as well.  Mapping a route through VA has actually come together pretty well though.  Today I ordered those maps you suggested.  If you can help me figure out a route up in PA I'd greatly appreciate it.  If I can't find one, I'm just going to start further south in VA and head toward Winchester and try to get a car from there.   

[tomimcmillar]

Sounds good!  VA is definitely easier to link up, how much trail are you trying to incorporate into the route?

[FeloniousDunk]

Sounds good!  VA is definitely easier to link up, how much trail are you trying to incorporate into the route?

I guess the vague answer is "as much as possible".  But I guess more accurately I'd say as much as possible yet the main priority is a route mostly going toward my final destination of Jersey Shore with as much fun and rural riding as possible.  I don't really have a craving for a lot of hike-a-bike but we could handle an hour every now and then. 

I haven't measured it closely but I wouldn' be surprised if the VA route I layed out is 90%+ ST. 

p.s. sorry for the slow response.   My wife and her buddy where in a bad road bike wreck thursday and things have been a bit crazy.  she's got a ton of road rash, but her friend isn't doing so well.

[Mike Brown]

Shaun- that sucks!!  Where  was the wreck?
Mike

[jhl99]

I'm not that familiar with South Central PA, but I know that from State College to  Jersey Shore to Wellsboro is covered by  PA State Forest which has good opportunity for forest roads and single track.  Weather the trails shown on USGS maps are ridable is another story.

Not that it helps much, but here is a Google map of the Wilderness 101 endurance race that I traced out a few years ago...Google Map W101

I suppose you know that Jersey Shore is the southern Terminus of the Pine Creek Rail Trail.

Here is Google Map w/ pics of a weekender I just did N of Jersey Shore.   Google Map Grand Canyon<< This is a link, but it doesn't change colors!

[FeloniousDunk]

Shaun- that sucks!!  Where  was the wreck?
Mike

Email sent.

[tomimcmillar]

I guess the vague answer is "as much as possible".  But I guess more accurately I'd say as much as possible yet the main priority is a route mostly going toward my final destination of Jersey Shore with as much fun and rural riding as possible.  I don't really have a craving for a lot of hike-a-bike but we could handle an hour every now and then. 

I haven't measured it closely but I wouldn' be surprised if the VA route I layed out is 90%+ ST. 

p.s. sorry for the slow response.   My wife and her buddy where in a bad road bike wreck thursday and things have been a bit crazy.  she's got a ton of road rash, but her friend isn't doing so well.

hey FD, do you have an estimate on how much ground you wanna cover in a day?

hope the wifey is feeling better.

[FeloniousDunk]

I'd like to say 50/day, but depending on the tread, a range of 30-60 may be more realistic.  I'd like to hit the trailhead with about 300 miles planned out ahead of me.

She's getting better and will be ready for the trip but it has set her back a week and a half or so. 

[jhl99]

A correction:  The link I posted for the W101 isn't exactly the 101, it is partly the 101 and partly some of my own rides.

FeloniousDunk where are starting in VA?  Any route details?

[FeloniousDunk]

Still not finding much between Winchester VA and mid PA that looks appealling this time around.  And the partner isn't that into exploring (she calls it "being lost" )   So we're going to take a somewhat more certain route starting in Damascus VA.  From there we'll ride north east.  Maybe we'll make it to Blacksburg, maybe Covington, maybe Winchester, who knows.  I'll try to post our route map tonight.

~Shaun

[FeloniousDunk]

I can't get my maps into a reasonable size to put on here.  But basically here is the route.  Open for local input.

we're riding from Damascus VA>Iron Mountain Trail>VA Highlands Horse Trail>New River Trail>25ish miles of back (hopefully) roads>Pandapas trails>FS114>road>North Mountain Trail>road to Covington>Fore Mountain trail>Middle Mountain Trail>Brushy Ridge Trail>Little Mare Mountain>road>Shenandoah Mountain Trail>North River Trail>Shenandoah Mountain North trail>FS road 85>FS road 232>FS road 302>help?>North Mountain trail>Mill Mountain>Tuscarora County Line>Tuscarora Hawk>?

About 400 miles and 76,000 feet of climbing.  It's not reasonable for us to expect to make it that far in our 8 days, but it's mapped just in case.  We're rolling out the 24th.  I'll report back after the trip.

[jhl99]

Thanks for posting your route.  As I get time, I want to map it out. 

Your post got me to thinking about alternate routes.   (Stick with what you got, this is just to generate ideas) 

There is an opportunity for an alternate route through WV.  The Monongahelia NF which can get you to the MD border (not sure of the ST percentage).  Taking some backroads can get you to a hiking trail that goes from Near Luke, MD to I-68 which is essentially the PA border.  At this point, you are in PA around the Granstville, MD area.  Still getting to SC on single track is  not very likely.

Another route through WV is  the Allegheny Trail which may or may not be ridable.  http://wvscenictrails.org/a-trail.html

The Mason Dixon to State College part is on my mind. 

[jhl99]

I started tracing the route.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fhome.windstream.net%2FJHLange%2FVA_route.kml&ie=UTF8&ll=37.418163,-80.430908&spn=2.495435,4.064941&z=8

I have no idea of the trail conditions in VA (blowdown, brush, rockiness, etc.), but this is looking like an ambitious ride.  No doubt, some of the climbs on ST will be pushers.  PA USGS 7.5 Quads normally have 20' contour intervals, I noticed that the VA maps are using 40' contour intervals.

[John G]

I started tracing the route.

Cool.  Keep it up!

[FeloniousDunk]

I have it all mapped on NatGeo's Topo....which, frankly, really sucks.  It says it's about right at 400 miles and 76,000 feet of climbing.  I'd definitly like to hone the route to get a few less PUDs (pointless up and downs).  I'll see how this ride goes and, who knows, maybe it'll be inspiring enough that I'll start linking stuff up further south and north for a future ride.  NC and TN are coming together okay. 

From just before where the New River Trail crosses the river into Pulaski I think I'll hop on the road and ride up along the river through Radford (bike shops, restaurants, groceries, etc) then continue up along the river (road and short section of RR tracks) and cross the river at Eggelston.  But boy, wouldn't it be awesome to drop in a Pakaraft below Claytor Lake beyond Pulaski and float to Eggelston!!

I started tracing the route.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fhome.windstream.net%2FJHLange%2FVA_route.kml&ie=UTF8&ll=37.418163,-80.430908&spn=2.495435,4.064941&z=8

I have no idea of the trail conditions in VA (blowdown, brush, rockiness, etc.), but this is looking like an ambitious ride.  No doubt, some of the climbs on ST will be pushers.  PA USGS 7.5 Quads normally have 20' contour intervals, I noticed that the VA maps are using 40' contour intervals.

[FeloniousDunk]

NatGeo's Topo....which, frankly, really sucks. 

...up along the river (road and short section of RR tracks) and cross the river at Eggelston.  But boy, wouldn't it be awesome to drop in a Pakaraft below Claytor Lake beyond Pulaski and float to Eggelston!!

Wooooo....case in point.  NatGeo shows a bridge crossing between Parrot and Dry Branch but thanks to jhl99's map, I just found that it doesn't really exist.  hum?  Guess I can still go with the idea of riding up to Eggleston and crossing then riding back down to Norris Creek Road.  Maybe while we're riding toward Eggleston right along the river we'll find a boat ride across or something.