If you saw my recent post about the Youghiogheny River, you will know that 2 friends and I rode half of the Great Allegheny Passage a few weeks ago. Part of the Rails to Trails system, the GAP Trail is 150 miles long, and starts in Pittsburgh PA and ends in Cumberland MD. Work constraints kept us from doing the whole trail in one trip, but we loved the 75 miles that we covered, and we already have the other 75 planned for April of 2026!
We started our weekend adventure in the trail town of Ohiopyle, a Pennsylvania borough devoted to all things outdoor adventure – hiking, cycling, fishing, kayaking, and white water rafting. The whole vibe fuels the adventurous spirit and adds to the fun. As you know, clicking on any image in the galleries will let you see the full picture.
With a first day plan of a 40 mile ride to Myersdale, PA, we headed off! Our first stop was in Confluence, another small borough in Pennsylvania that welcomes cyclists and all other outdoor adventurers.
While in Confluence, we stopped at Mitch’s Fuel & Food where the incredibly nice folks there made and wrapped up our sandwiches for lunch later on down the trail.
It was a perfectly beautiful day to ride! Sunshine, cool temps, and interesting people along the way, like this guy who offered to let us try out his Penny-Farthing, aka High Wheeler. We declined but marveled at his speed and ability.
We stopped for lunch along the river before continuing on to the Pinkerton Tunnel.
The 849-foot Pinkerton Tunnel, built in 1911, was originally part of the Western Maryland Railway. It was rehabilitated and reopened to bicycle and foot traffic in 2015.
We thrilled at the ride over the Salisbury Viaduct, the longest trestle on the GAP. At 1,908 feet, the viaduct is 101 ft above the river and was built in 1911 (when tragically, 7 men were killed during construction).
Hundreds of spectators cheered when the first train crossed in 1912. Abandoned as a through-route in 1975, it was decked for bike and pedestrian use in 1998.
The GAP is made of packed, crushed limestone making for a smooth ride, and is well marked.
We arrived in Myersdale, PA where our fabulous and fun SAG Crew met us.
We checked into Yoder’s Guest House in Myersdale where we were greeted by Chuck, who safely stored our bikes in the bike garage. Chuck and Denise were so welcoming and we were soon enjoying the large front porch and a cold beverage. What a fabulous place to stop for the night! Highly recommend!
After pizza from a local restaurant, we went to bed excited about Day 1 and looking forward to of Day 2!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 
Gorgeous weather and beautiful scenery. You can’t ask for more than that Laurie 😊 I’m envious because there is no way I would have been able to ride a bicycle that distance. Beautiful job documenting your journey.
I guess you can tell by all my comments this past hour that I am in blogging mode! Thank you for reading and viewing, Joe. It means alot
Your trip sounds like great fun and fabulous exercise. The sights are amazing. Thank you for sharing the history along the way.
Did I mention how nice it is to have you back? Xo
Hello my friend! I’m finally responding to comments AND writing the Day 2 post! Phew! Hope you are continuing to heal. I’m so excited for you to be able to move about freely and without pain!
Thank you, Laurie. I’ve just read part two with a smile on my face the whole time. My healing is coming along. I had my first post-op today. The wound vac is out along with the staples, and the PA is pleased with my progress. I had my 6th in-home PT today, and I start with Drew next Tuesday. Thank you for all your good cheer.
Oh Laurie, this looks like my kind of trail…bridges, water, a tunnel, great scenery and a smooth, even ride. the GAP Trail might be in my future if I can convince a certain biking buddy to go for a week. I didn’t bike much this year, but your post inspires me to do better in 2026. Great photos and glad you got out on your bike to enjoy.
It really is a doable trail. So much fun! I have a friend who did a fully supported ride (hotels booked, lunches packed, suitcases moved) and that’s how I learned about it. We had such a great time! I just posted about Day 2 🙂
That all looked fabulous Laurie. The images took me along for the ride. I especially love the B&W image looking through the tunnel. Do you take your big camera on these trips or just use your phone? I also really love the photo of the shadow of the trestle bridge on the farm land below. You’ve always had a great eye for composing interesting photos 🩷🌸🩵
Hi Kelly! It’s funny you asked about my big camera: I bought a special camera bag for the bike … but never took it out. Any I’m not sure why. Before buying the bag, I had purchases a special strap so it would sit on my back. No surprise, tariffs made the deal fall through (it was coming from the Netherlands … grrr).
grrr is right !
Wonderful post, and great photos. Thanks for bringing us along on your ride!
Thank you for reading. I enjoyed reading your profile and how your newsletter started as a way to document family vacations. Similar goal – that is why I started mine, and am just now getting back to it.
This trip looks wonderful. I really enjoy being able to virtually participate in this bike journey via these posts. My husband and I have vaguely discussed possibly doing this trip from time to time – and this post really makes me want to actually do it next year.
Sheryl! You and your husband need to ride the GAP! While we did train because it was 75 miles over 2 days, the grade made for pretty easy riding. I just posted Day 2 and that portion of the ride had so many historic bridges and tunnels. Super fun!