Touring - Pennsylvania S route

I'm thinking of taking a week off and riding accross Pennsy. Specifically on the PennDoT "S" route, one of the designated bike routes that the Keystone State has setup. I've downloaded all the detailed maps and am planning out the mechanics of the trip. It will be a credit card tour and I plan to travel pretty light, 2-3 sets of bike clothes, basic repair kit, etc... I plan on a side trip or two, one to Falling Water and one to Johntowns (the flood place) but I figure apart from that I'll stick to the official S route.

Anyone done this ride?

If you need a place to crash when you get west let me know. I'm a bit north of Route S but you should be able to get to me pretty easily off of the Montour Trail. I'm about 2-3 miles from the north end of the trail.

Yes I did it 3 years ago as part of an XC tour, but I was riding with someone in PA who didn't have any camping gear, so we were staying in hotels. It worked just fine. Some of the days we did were rather long (80 miles) and it was all quite hilly. I printed and followed the maps from the bike PA web site, and they worked fine. We detoured off the route to go to Gettysburg. I think it took 5 or 6 days.

What did you want to know?

Well, I'm used to hills OK, my part of PA is hilly too, but the Allegheny mountains as well as the Appalachians are probably a bit more than I'm used too. I'll be riding a compact double with probably a 11-32 or 11-28 cassette in the rear. Wondering how that combo will work for me.

Also there seems to be a good section of the interior of PA that seems a little sparsely populated, any trouble finding decent lodging? I've allocated a week for the trip, but would like to keep it to 5 days if possible.

We did have some days where we had to do long miles to get a place to stay, and push til just about dark. Can't honestly remember exactly much, it was 3 years ago. But I think we could have gone short instead of long. There were definitely some big spaces between lodgings.

This was in early October, with short days.

Here's what's in my journal:
Pittsburgh
to West Newton (56mi/3180feet)
to Ohiopyle (43/620) rail trail (the best part of the route), stayed at a friend of a friend's house (by car)
to Bedford (76/3300) had to push to make it to a hotel
to Chambersburg (74/5280) hard hills, push to make it to a hotel
to Gettysburg (23/880) lots of hotels
to New Holland (70/2460) no notes, can't remember
to Lambertsville NJ (80/3760) lots of hotel options, long day

Hope this helps.

A couple of recent bicycle journals for you to consider:

Ted Herman's "Pittsburg to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 2007"
He rides the Great Allegheny Passage to the C&O Canal, exiting at Williamsport, MD and continuing up through Gettysburg
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=2765&v=4r

Jim and Kathy Winner's "Hearts Across Pennsylvania" took them to Lancaster by way of Bike Route "S"
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=2573&v=Bs

And one more for good measure:

Chris Bailey's "Pennsylvania S bike trail", which took place in 2005
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=1154&v=2p

All of these journals have a guestbook -- a means by which to contact the authors. I have ridden the Passage and C&O many, many times and live in Ligonier, PA -- just off of Route 30 -- kinda between Ohiopyle and Johnstown. If you'd like a tour of the Johnstown area - Flood Museum, Inclined Plane, Johnstown Flood National Memorial (South Fork Dam site), drop me a pm and we'll make arrangements.

Judy

I'm thinking of taking a week off and riding accross Pennsy. Specifically on the PennDoT "S" route,


If I may respectfully submit an alternative - how about McKeesport PA to DC via the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal?

If I may respectfully submit an alternative - how about McKeesport PA to DC via the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal?

Well, I live a stones throw from route S in SE Pennsy. My plan is to rent a car, drive it one way to Pittsburgh and cycle back. I'd like to keep it an all PA thing.