meaculpa
04-09-09, 08:43 PM
Hi guys. I'm hoping someone in the forum can help me here. My GF booked us in at this spa-resort at Bedford Springs for Friday & Saturday leaving Sunday.
My dilemma is which bike to take? I got a GFisher 1x9 29er for trails (25miles) and a Bianchi Volpe road bike for just cruising the country-roads (172miles).
Obviously, I'm torn as I can only take one of the two.
Any thoughts? Local riders please help me out here. Thanks!
jagraham
04-10-09, 10:34 AM
Oops, probably too late here, but here goes:
Take the road bike if you're going to tool around the area - the Bedford area has some really nice bicycling. This is from an e-mail sent to me by a member of the Western MD Wheelmen:
"Judy,
Actually, Cumberland to Bedford is one of my favorite rides. Just did it last week with a couple of fellas, with a nice lunch stop at the Green Harvest Cafe on E Pitt St in Bedford....great sandwiches and coffee. We had intended to stop for lunch at the newly remodeled Bedford Springs Hotel just south of town, but they don't open the poolside snackbar until 1130. Even if you don't stop to eat, make sure and stop in an check out what $25M did to the historic old resort; it's quite impressive.
Anyway, to get to Cumberland you ride south out of Bedford on BR220 / Richard St past the Country Club, then take the first left onto Sweet Root Rd (next to big cut in hillside), and you'll pass right by the Bedford Springs Hotel. Leaving the hotel, stay on Sweet Root Rd (TR408) along the east side of the golf course. After a couple miles you'll bear right across a small bridge, then a couple hundred yds up to a stop sign. Turn left onto Teaberry Rd and continue straight all the way to Cumberland, paralleling just east of 220. You could safely travel on 220 (good shoulder), but I usually avoid it due to truck traffic, sun, and winds. Just keep to the left (east) as you head south, until you intercept Evitts Crk Rd, just past the White Church Rd cutoff to Centreville (food/water stop). You'll pass Lake Gordon and Lake Koon, then follow Pine Ridge Rd til it intercepts 220 just north of Cumberland. Best bet is to enter Cumberland via Bedford Rd. It's about 35 miles down to Cumberland. Enjoy the smooth new asphalt they just put down on Evitts Crk Rd.
See if this MapMyRide map works: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/md/cumberland/256700945865
Let me know how it works out.
Rick"
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PA Bike Route "G" is nearby - I took Rick's advice about an alternate route from Frostburg to Bedford last year. Here are his notes:
"Judy,
Ref the route from Corriganville to Manns Choice, you'll want to get off of PA96 just above Ellerslie at Cooks Mill Rd, turn right and follow Cooks Mill to the east side of 96 along Wills Creek all the way to Hyndman, very scenic and no traffic to speak of, esp compared to PA96. Then at Hyndman get back onto 96 and go a few miles to the next right at Gravel Pit Station onto Milligans Cove Rd. Take this wonderful backroad all the way north past White Sulphur Springs (water stop) to Manns Choice and Rt 31. That keeps you off of PA96 as much as possible and is most enjoyable.
Rick Bartlett
Western Maryland Wheelmen"
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A link to the Western Maryland Wheelmen: www.wmwonline.org
Also, here is a link to some rides in Bedford County - http://www.bedfordcounty.net/bikeloops/index.htm - I haven't ridden any (yet), so I can't vouch for them.
Also, there is a bicycle shop in Bedford - Fat Jimmy's - which relocated to Bedford from Breezewood. You may want to check with them about local road conditions and rides.
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On the other hand, the Pike2Bike (abandoned PA Turnpike section) starts in Breezewood... not too far away. I'm hoping to explore that this summer.
Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.