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A world-class recreational opportunity has been steadily approaching Pittsburgh from points east. With the completion of two new bridges across the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle and Confluence, it's closer than ever. In fact, it's a weekend getaway, as the tired Bear pedals.
Many readers are already aware of the Youghiogheny River Trail, the primary link in the chain of rails to trails projects that will soon connect the Golden Triangle with Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Thousands of us now use various sections of it for biking, hiking and jogging.
Hugging the south bank of the Youghiogheny River for 69 sylvan miles, the trail's primary Pennsylvania link runs between the villages of Boston, near McKeesport and Confluence, just over the border of Somerset County. Skirting river towns like West Newton, Sutersville, Smithton, Connellsville and Ohiopyle, it follows the former right of way of the Western Maryland Railroad.
Surfaced with finely crushed limestone, the gradually elevating trail snakes over five newly refurbished bridges, offering a dramatic approach over the falls at Ohiopyle State Park and its recently renovated rail station. Although work remains to be done on two miles of trail from Boston to McKeesport, the recent opening of the restored rail bridge at Confluence marks the completion of many years of dedicated efforts.
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From Confluence, the pathway, now designated the Allegheny Highlands Trail, continues along the deepening valley of the Casselman River, passing near the town of Rockwood to Meyersdale and beyond, toward the Maryland border. Except for an unfinished four-mile stretch between Confluence and Fort Hill, this section adds 34 miles of beautiful woodland to the ride. It crosses the Casselman on several high bridges and spans the broad valley at Meyersdale on a 3,000-foot-long viaduct, under the huge and spinning turbine towers of a windmill farm.
An avid recreational pedaler, I have spent many joyous afternoons over the years breezing through the trees with friends and family. Although I've ridden every mile of the Youghiogheny Trail as they were completed, most of those excursions have been on the 27 incomparably beautiful miles that traverse Ohiopyle State Park.
Driving to Connellsville, parking in the lot and pedaling to Confluence and back made for a challenging yet enjoyable expedition, with plenty of time for toe-dipping respites in the Yough watching waves of paddlers pass by.
Though biking buddies and I had long licked our chops at the prospect of trying to do the entire 340-odd miles of trail to Washington, that seemed a huge undertaking. Heck, though we'd discussed it for years, we'd never even done the whole length of the Yough.
That changed last weekend.
Waiting out a steady rain on Friday morning, my friend Rob Ruck and I unloaded our bikes at the trailhead under the bridge in Boston and started riding east about 11:30. The trail was sloppy and the gritty spray from our tires soon had us coated in a gray film, but we made steady progress.
When the drizzle finally ended about 3:30, we were approaching Connellsville, where we rinsed the grit off ourselves and our bikes at the pump in the park.
Pressing forward, we were a few miles from Ohiopyle and already visualizing our arrival in Confluence when my rear tire went flat. Fortunately, Rob had a pump and patch kit, and we were able to find the puncture and repair the tube, delaying the end of our biking day by only half an hour. The 69 miles we'd ridden represented a personal best for both of us, and we were definitely ready to dismount as we crossed the new bridge at Confluence.
We'd made reservations at the Parker House, a tidy guest home that opened last year, one of a half-dozen small establishments that have sprung up in the area to provide trail travelers with food and accommodations.
It was at the Parker House that we ran into Larry Walsh, a PG staff writer and biking enthusiast. While Rob and I were recuperating from the day's ride, Larry extolled portions of the trail we hadn't seen, the Allegheny Highlands section, claiming that it even surpassed the best the Yough had to offer. In fact, he offered to give us a ride up to Meyersdale the next morning so we could experience it first-hand. Since Saturday promised better weather and an earlier start, Rob and I decided to take Larry up on his offer.
So about 9:30 the next morning, we unloaded our bikes from the back of his truck at the still-to-be-refurbished station in Meyersdale. That was the first moment that we realized we were adding 34 unknown miles to the length of trail that separated us from our car back in Boston.
Larry had not exaggerated the virtues of this part of the trail, which exits Meyersdale via the Salisbury Viaduct before sweeping down along the south bank of the Casselman River. Except for those four miles that remain to be surfaced, it's an easy, edifying ride that provides an intimate excursion through the steep and wooded hillsides. Several magnificent bridges span the river, offering views of the Casselman's twists and turns unsullied by any evidence of civilization.
Fortunately, the patch on my rear tire held almost until we'd made it back to Confluence. Even more fortunately, I was able to buy another tube and tire in the hardware store and, over lunch at the Two Sisters Cafe, recover from the morning's efforts.
My memories of the remainder of the day's ride are a long blur. The weather was wonderful and the afternoon was largely uneventful, but I freely admit we were both ready to stop riding miles before we'd reached our goal.
In fact, the thought of ice cream at the Dairy Queen in Sutersville was a sustaining notion for at least 20 miles, and the calories we consumed there pushed us for the final 10 miles.
It was just before 8 p.m. when we got back to the car, having ridden 104 miles and shattering our records of the day before.
Though more exhausted than I can remember ever being, I also felt like I'd had a glorious adventure and was little worse for the wear.
Now I'm not sure when we'll try the long trip to Washington, but at least now I know it's not an impossible dream. Of course, I do know it'll be best to keep that ride to no more than 60 miles a day.
Bikers who are tempted to try and ride the length of the Yough can participate in the second annual "Dam Ride to Confluence" on Sept. 9 and 10. They can start in either Boston (138 miles round trip) or Connellsville (56 miles round trip). Proceeds benefit the Mon-Yough and Steel Valley Trail Councils. For more information, call 412-462-5328 or www.thatdamtrip.org