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A bike is pictured at an overlook just before Ohiopyle. (Cris Forelli)
Depending on the route, it takes more than five hours to drive from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. Now imagine making that trip on a bicycle. Over the weekend, a group of 25 riders attempted to do just that.
The rules of the Crush the Commonwealth ride are simple, yet extreme: Meet at Point State Park in Pittsburgh, be there for a 5 a.m. start, and then “ride yer damn bike.”
Since 2005, the annual 380.3-mile ride has taken cyclists from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia in odd years and back the other direction in even ones. The 2020 event was canceled thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, so there was a just-let-me-pedal mentality amongst the riders this year.
Mary Ann Thomas | Tribune-Review
Newly completed section of 9/11 National Memorial Trail in Garrett, Somerset County, on April 29, 2021.
Mary Ann Thomas | Tribune-Review
George Walker, owner of Whitehorse Brewing in Berlin, holding a special commemorative glass and special brew “Liberty” to raise money for the trail and to observe the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 later this year.
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Somerset County and other officials cut the ribbon Friday in Garrett for the first 1.5 miles of the newly developed, off-road section of the 1,300-mile-long 9/11 National Memorial Trail.
One of the “must see” state parks for your bucket list is located in Fayette County.
Ohiopyle State Park is a unique place to stay for a day or a week. It has everything that you could imagine being part of a natural resource.
The park is a place where mountains, rivers and major trails converge in one small community. It’s such a special attraction that more than 1 million people visit this park each year.
Scott Stough of Friendsville, Md., has been kayaking there since 1982, and we met up with him during my recent visit to the park.
“It’s convenient and it always has water,” he said about the powerful Youghiogheny River that includes numerous scenic waterfalls. He also said there are plenty of shuttle services for those riding kayaks down stream.
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A biker makes his way along the Great Allegheny Passage in West Newton on Aug. 27, 2018.
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Cyclists from Western Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C., certainly know the power of the Great Allegheny Passage or GAP for short.
But it’s always good to know that others are hearing its praises as well.
The 150-mile trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., was recently named among the Best Long Rail Trails in the U.S. by Bicycling magazine.
“When you connect the crushed limestone Allegheny Passage with the 184.5-mile C&O Canal Towpath in Cumberland, you can ride all the way from Pittsburgh to D.C. without having to worry about busy streets or traffic,” Caitlin Giddings wrote in explaining what makes the trail so great. “It’s the perfect place to try your first week-long bike tour.”