staehpj1

I posted this on the NE regional forum and hadn't gotten any replies so I thought I would try here.

I was asked to suggest a route to someone riding from West Chester PA to my house in Parkville MD (on the north side of Baltimore). A quick look at Google Maps makes it look like the following might work out OK.
Rt 52 to
Rt 926 to
Rt 10 to
Rt 1 to
Rt 1 Belair Bypass to
Harford Road (Rt 147)
to near my house.

I have ridden the part in Maryland, but it has been a few years since I have been over Conowingo Dam. Is it still open to cyclists? I rode the same route from Parkville as far as Hickory and back last Sunday and I think it may be the best compromise of directness of route, scenery, hills, and traffic.

Is the Pennsylvania part of this route a good route. If not do you have other suggestions? Or other suggestions for the whole route for that matter. The rider is on tour and will therefore be carrying some load (although not camping equipment).

-holiday76

Ive done this several times (i grew up i west chester and still leave on tours from there since my co-rider lives there).

I'll have to look at my maps though and see how we went in the past. I do know the damn is still open to cyclists.

Sorry I'm not much help to you right this minute, but I will do some research and get back to you.

staehpj1

Thanks. I appreciate any further info, but knowing the dam is still OK is a help already.

ernok1923

i know that this will put you a bit off course, but consider this route that will take you through some great countryside as well as away from heavy traffic:


etc...
Rt.1 Belair Bypass to
E. Jarrettsville Rd. to
Rt. 146 to
Manor Rd. to
Glen Arm/Club Hill Rd. to
Hartford Rd.

metzenberg

How interesting. I've done this route through Delaware and Maryland, doing the illegal thing when I got to the Pulaski Bridge and getting pulled over by a cop. He was nice enough not to give me a ticket.

I told him that there was no place in the state of Maryland where cyclists could legally cross the Susquehanna River. He admitted to me that he gets touring cyclists all summer long, mostly from Europe. During the summer, he told me, the cops will carry you over the bridge in a pickup truck. But I was there in September. This was in 2006.

That's my encounter with the Maryland police.

Howard

staehpj1

First... Let me say that I am actually off of Loch Raven Blvd, just inside the beltway so it wouldn't require climbing Cub Hill, but rather he could continue onto Cromwell Bridge Rd and up Loch Raven Blvd. I didn't mention the exact location because I didn't want to confuse things with the little details at the end of the route, but maybe I should have.

Next... Yes I agree that is a nice route. I ride it all the time. I didn't initially suggest it because my impression was that it a bit longer and more hilly. Maybe I will suggest it as a scenic option, although Harford Rd has fairly nice scenery too.

Fueled by Boh

https://www.penndot.com/
see;
"More Links --> BicyclePA
great touring specific resource