Bikepacking style racing - Not just for off road

[DCrozier]

Hi,

Love reading everyone's posting, I've been lurking in the background for the past year or so.  The bikepacking style of racing was obviously formed through off road races, but check out 'Crush the Commonwealth' - Pittsburgh to Philadelphia / 400 miles.  First one to Philly wins.  100 miles on rails-to-trails, 300 following a signed PA state cycling route on roads.  All self contained.  Carry or buy what you need along the way.  Hotel, camp, just ride through - you're call.  Same basic rules as Tour Divide.  Just show up at the start, follow route, call in from finish - all on the honor system.   Unlike the Tour Divide, the route actually changes direction each year.  East to west one year, west to east the next.

People trying to figure out how to attach racks and bags to their custom road Serottas.  A thing of beauty.

http://ctcpa.blogspot.com/

Darren   

[mmeiser]

Cool, this is in the beginning of May?  I'm not familiar with Route S, but have done the allegheny.  Do you have a good google maps overview of the route or GPX?

Sounds like my sort of fun. Pitts to Philly two. Would be easy for me to make it to the start, slightly trickier to make it home, but I'm sure I could get to DC and take the train back.  The only question is how is route S?  I ask because I took Bike route A north from Pitts and it was the most hell hole death wish of a route I've ever been on.  No shoulder gaurd rail and cops and drunks flying up and down it like it was some sort of racing game.  Was absolutely ridiculous. That being my only experience with PA bikeways I have no idea what to expect.  On the other hand I road route 8 from butler most of the way to Pitts and back and it was an awesome ride.  I don't get how the roads in that state work yet. No "map sense".

[mmeiser]

tracking responses

[Mathewsen]

An event like the Crush really should be held on the GAP rail trail + C&O Canal tow path. All off pavement, 300+mi from Pittsburgh to DC or vice versa, but yo-yo it. 650mi of pain. ~72hrs of suffering. cyclocross or mountain bikes would work. A ti Fargo would be sweet. Plenty of services. It would make a great mid-May event or early October event.

[Blackhound]

I fancy the Crush perhaps in 2012 along with Trans-Iowa or Dirty Kanza if the other half lets me out two summers in a row...  I have not broached that subject yet.
I don't mind some road riding but not if it is crazy roads like mmeiser encountered.

I have ridden the C&P / Gap as a tour and it is nice enough but 150 miles (300 both ways) along the canal is not so interesting.  I recall it being quite bumpy on my rigid mtb back in '07.  Recall an excellent pie shop and  easy navigation though!

[mmeiser]

An event like the Crush really should be held on the GAP rail trail + C&O Canal tow path. All off pavement, 300+mi from Pittsburgh to DC or vice versa, but yo-yo it. 650mi of pain. ~72hrs of suffering. cyclocross or mountain bikes would work. A ti Fargo would be sweet. Plenty of services. It would make a great mid-May event or early October event.

Now that would be awesome. Out, checkin and back. Could compete agianst riders going both ways.  But... a little tame trail wise, 1% grades and all. Could always use it as a base and do some off shoots.

[jhl99]

An event like the Crush really should be held on the GAP rail trail + C&O Canal tow path.

But then it wouldn't be called 'Crush the Commonwealth'... Leave PA, and you are out of the commonwealth.

I'm not 100% sure origins of the race, but I know that some of the employees of Dirt Rag where involved.  Dirt Rag is based in Pittsburgh.  Pittsburgh/Philly are the 2 book end cities of the state, it kind of a natural route, maybe for parochial reasons.

I can't imagine wanting to ride GAP and the C&O as an out and back... riding under continous canopy, constantly looking for the next mile marker, wears me down in 20 miles.

Regarding the PA state bike routes:  http://www.dot.state.pa.us/bike/web/tour_routes.htm.  These routes are not necessary  good for bikes.  Given that they are 'state' routes, they make use of state roads (I don't know the rules when PA is considered a 'state' and when it considered a 'commonwealth').  In many instances, there are better alternatives by utilizing local roads.  

[DCrozier]

Sorry, haven't had a chance to log on in a few days.  Here is the Crush the Commonwealth route from Bikley....
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Liberty-Bell-to-PPG

Depending on the side of the state you live, either getting to the start or getting home after the race is a little bit of challenge.  The route changes direction each year.  2011 is Pittsburgh to Philly, 2012 will be Philly to Pittsburgh, etc. 

Best approach seems to be to rent a one way Uhaul and load as many bikes and people in as you can.  I'll be taking one from the Philadelphia area to Pittsburgh the day before the race, then hoteling it near the start the night before. 

The rails to trail section near Pittsburgh is on the GAP path, but then it swings off to PA Bike Route S for the majority of the trip across the state.  Final 30ish miles is on paved rail to trail into downtown Philadelphia.   

There's crazy talk about a Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to Pittsburgh one year.....From the blogs I've read the Phittsburgh to Philadelphia direction is the easier direction of the two. 

Darren

[mmeiser]

I like the crazy talk, but just how is route S?   Anyone ever ridden it?

[mmeiser]

BTW, was just looking at the route.  There's a new bike specific bridge over the river into McKeesport. It's been open for about a year. Anyone know if the approach is done West side of the river.  Last time I was over there it was just finished and it petered out into a rail yard.

[DCrozier]

The S route across PA is what you would expect.  Some portions pretty nice and rural, other not so much.  A section through Lancaster and shopping outlets is best done in the daylight.  Also a section through the city of York is a little crazy.  While the route obviously wasn't put together by a rider, it's very well marked and really allows this type of race to take place.

[6thElement]

I love that I've just discovered a cross state race actually on the East coast close to me in NYC. TI and DK appeal to me but are logistically tough. This is actually feasible!

[adamgnewman]

I rode CTC last year and know the organizer(s) well. It's a small, grassroots type thing with only about 15-20 starters last year (2010).

Bike Route S is great. The path gets you out of downtown Philly, out into Amish country where it is really beautiful. Halfway across the state the mountains really start to kick up. I understand the East to West direction is the harder of the two. The final 75 miles or so are on the GAP trail into downtown Pittsburgh.

The weather in April in PA can be crazy too. I got caught in a 35-degree hailstorm outside Somerset and it wasn't fun.

The vibe is VERY low-key and low pressure. There is very little promotion/organization to suck the fun out of it. I would love to do TI but the lottery registration and huge crowds is a big turnoff. I'm looking forward to CTC2011!

[adamgnewman]

It's official: CTC will start April 29 at Point State Park. See you there!

[Emily]

I've been interested in CtC for a couple years, and it is penciled in for me for 2011 based on how Trans-Iowa shapes up the weekend before. 
I would love to tentatively coordinate with anyone for shuttling afterward.  Please get in touch.

[adamgnewman]

There are several of us who live in the Pittsburgh area, within a few miles of the start. We could co-ordinate something if you end up doing the race. Just let me know when you decide 

[eMcK]

An event like the Crush really should be held on the GAP rail trail + C&O Canal tow path. All off pavement, 300+mi from Pittsburgh to DC or vice versa, but yo-yo it. 650mi of pain. ~72hrs of suffering. cyclocross or mountain bikes would work. A ti Fargo would be sweet. Plenty of services. It would make a great mid-May event or early October event.

Yuck, that would be a seriously brain crushing experience. I know a lot of people love the GAP trail, but the 80 miles of it on the CtC route is enough for me for an entire year. 700 miles would make me never want to ride again.

Honestly my real long term goal is to run a cross state race on logging roads and single track. Northern PA is full of them. I just have no time to map out.