Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - George Washington Slept Here!

A couple of weeks ago I tried out the Multi-use Path that runs through Valley Forge National Historic Park. It's a fun ride, but there are some cautions I want to make clear:

1. It's not flat. General Washington chose Valley Forge for the encampment partly because it's rolling terrain with good defensive possibilities. He never had to ride a bike up one of the hills.

2. The park's path was designed before standards for MUPs were upgraded. So the path is narrower than most trails.

A hill I don't like at all.

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A park resident. There are a large number of deer in the park, and they are very used to humans. This one let me get within ten feet of him before he bolted. Bike and deer collisions are not unknown in the park, so use some caution.

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The Washington Memorial Chapel, built a century ago, before Valley Forge became a National Park.

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No, it's not an original log cabin. These are replicas built in the 1950s.

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The Grand Parade:

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wow between the great places Beanz and you are always riding...

LUCKY YOU!!!

thanks for the pics!

I used to enjoy spending a lot of time at Valley Forge. Thanks for the pics and tour. It brought back some fond memories. Especially of the Bicentenial Celebration in 1976. A wagon train came from the West and Valley Forge Park was the destination. There were shows and firework displays during the week of July 4th that I have never experienced since. I used to swim in the creek that runs through the other end of the park from where your pix were taken. My wife and I, before kids, would spend countless hours on a Sunday afternoon reading and just laying around in the fields relaxing. Sorry for the little trip down memory lane but I can't focus much on work today.

I rode there once, and I agree, the hills were more than I expected. I took the offshoot of the river trail where you and I rode Neil, and then I crossed the river and hit the park... The hills began immediately. It didn't take long until I returned back to the nice flat trail along the river.

I rode there once, and I agree, the hills were more than I expected. I took the offshoot of the river trail where you and I rode Neil, and then I crossed the river and hit the park... The hills began immediately. It didn't take long until I returned back to the nice flat trail along the river.

Yes, the Schuylkill River Trail is flat. Once you cross the pedestrian bridge over the river, you get into hills. The bridge crossing is a little disturbing as well, with Rt. 422 traffic speeding by on one side, and on the other a 60 foot drop into the river. Also, the bridge is only wide enough for two bikes, which means one rider has to stop to let another through.

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Back on the SRT, there's a historical marker for the Lubin film studios near the bridge:

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I am so amazed by some of the trails you people have to ride. I have to ride on the shoulder of a highway to ride any distance, or drive 60 miles to get to flat trails by the river. Keep taking pictures and letting us know about the trails. I try to take my bicycle when I go to some other area for a day where I might get a chance to ride a bicycle.

The wife and I are going to start planning some weekend get-aways next year and try and hit towns or small cities with trails, so we can ride and camp.

I am so amazed by some of the trails you people have to ride. I have to ride on the shoulder of a highway to ride any distance, or drive 60 miles to get to flat trails by the river. Keep taking pictures and letting us know about the trails. I try to take my bicycle when I go to some other area for a day where I might get a chance to ride a bicycle.

The wife and I are going to start planning some weekend get-aways next year and try and hit towns or small cities with trails, so we can ride and camp.

I'm spoiled - Montgomery County, PA, has, or had until the economy went south, an ambitious trail building program. The goal was, at one point, to have a trail within five miles of every county resident. Since we have abandoned rail lines all over the place, that's not an impossible goal. Since 2001 the county has opened 30 miles of paved and gravel trails (not counting any trails opened by boroughs and townships, or any in state parks) without a dime from DC.

When my children have left the house and my wife is ready for the travel nursing, we will be trying to find cities near these types of areas to stay in for 90 days. Your area will be on our list!!!!

When my children have left the house and my wife is ready for the travel nursing, we will be trying to find cities near these types of areas to stay in for 90 days. Your area will be on our list!!!!

Oh, and the City of Philadelphia/Philadelphia County has bike lanes on most major streets, in addition to trails. This includes the Parkway, running from the Art Museum to City Hall. The "Rocky" view of the city from the Art Museum steps shows the full length of the Parkway.

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we are going to try the trip Saturday from the jersey side of the BFB.

nice pictures.. never rode a bike there but drove the car thru there.. nice area..