Originally Posted by
spinnaker
I have been on the GAP dozens of times and have never seen a bear on the trail. In fact, I have been living in PA for 60 years and have never seen a bear here. Not that they don't exist, they do but raccoons are your bigger worry.
And in my yard it is chipmunks. They have taken over the yard.
I grew up in northeast Ohio, and we never thought twice about bears. If there was ever a bear sighted, it made the news, and they were quick to point out that it was likely just passing through since we had no bear population. So when I saw no provisions or signs of concern on the GAP, I just figured it was the same thing. But then the presence of an actual bear seemed to challenge my assumption. But I never even would have seen it if not for the people on the road who were trying to get a better look. I was brewing a celebratory coffee at the high point of the trip, and I heard voices from the road above me. They pointed back the way I had come, and I turned around just quickly enough to see a large, black bear cross the trail. I willed my coffee to brew a little faster and hoped the creampuff I had picked up in Rockwood didn't tempt him as much as it had tempted me.
Where I live now also has no bear population to speak of, but if you head towards the coast, you get into some black bear habitats, and if you go the opposite direction to the mountains you'll find them as well. A couple of bike trips to the coast have made me more aware of my lack of experience camping in bear territory. But I seldom hear about them on this particular trail(s), so it's probably not a major concern. Still, I may make an effort to hang my food, to keep it from the racoons if nothing else. Especially if I'm at a spot without a large human population to keep the bears from being too curious. I plan to hit a couple of the hiker/biker sites on the C & O. I have no experience with that trail, but some of them seem like they might be a little remote.
Originally Posted by
spinnaker
If you need a place to stay or want a tour of Pittsburgh let me know. Happy to help if I am around.
Thanks. This will be my 3rd visit to Pittsburgh in 3 years, and every time I say, "I need to plan it so that I get to spend more time exploring the city." But yet again, I didn't. I have a place to stay, and by the time I get the bike reassembled and get checked in, I only hope I have enough time/energy to bike around for a little and see the sights for a brief time before bed. Next time, though, I will have to make sure I leave more time for exploring.