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Pittsburgh to Tennessee Routing

I'm graduating soon, and took a job in San Diego so I'll be leaving y'all. Thanks for all the good board advice & chat and thanks to Bike Pittsburgh for all that.


My summer plans are to ride out to San Diego, and the first stage of that is to ride down to my family reunion, which will be right near Byrdstown, TN.


I have two weeks to get there, and direct routes are about 500 miles, so taking routes a few hundred more miles than necessary wouldn't be problematic. What route I should take I am unsure of.


A few options, many based on Google's suggestions:

#1 Panhandle Trail west to the Ohio, then south along the Ohio, deviating from the river around Huntington and following the western edge of Daniel Boone National Forest.

#2 South to Morgantown, then follow WV rail trails (Mon Trails, North Bend trail) to Parkersburg. Complete as above

#3 Deviate way east, take Skyline Drive southerly, then hump over the Appalachians following the Transamerica route, then head south


Right now I like #2. Any thoughts on riding southwesterly from Pittsburgh?


alankhg
2010-05-07 16:57:33

Coupe of suggestions;


Strategically - Mountains are either much up-and-down or else lengthy convolutions along meandering rivers. If time/effort is an issue, you might want to go west until it's flat, then southwest.


The Adventure Cycling Folks have a great rep. You might want to check out some of their maps. Not just for this leg, but for the whole trip. They mapped out the TransAmerica Route and have otehr coast to coast routes.


The ACA "Underground railroad" route might be close to where you want to go to get to TN. This also follows the "West until it's flat" strategy.


If you go "skyline" you could ride the skyline drive/blueridge parkway until you get tired of the hills, then drop into the "Great Appalachian Valley." Then maybe switch over to the cumberland valley at some point.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Appalachian_Valley


Colonials used muscle power to get over those hills, too.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wagon_Road


My guess is that the Transamerica route is farther north and hillier than you want.


Just some thoughts.


Write and let us know how it goes.


mick
2010-05-07 17:16:16

I have the "southern tier" maps if you are interested in using/renting/buying them. they are worth their weight just for the free camping in town parks.


steevo
2010-05-07 17:23:29

personally, I feel like the "west until it's flat" approach would be painfully boring.


I like the idea of taking the allegheny passage to somewhere past cumberland, cut down to the blue ridge parkway and take that to the smokeys.


dmtroyer
2010-05-07 17:32:51

As pleasant as it sounds, I don't think riding along the Ohio would actually be very nice. I've ridden along sections as far as Parkersburg (on a motorcycle) and the roads are heavily industrialized - chemical plants, power plants, heavy trucks. Unless it changes drastically at some point, but I doubt it. I've gotten back into the hills ASAP.


edmonds59
2010-05-07 17:37:05

Hmm, I guess then the decision is between Skyline Drive and WV rail trails to Ohio to KY foothills. Skyline definitely looks beautiful, but the connections on the VA and TN ends look potentially unpleasant.


alankhg
2010-05-07 23:33:40

A number of folks with the Major Taylor Cycling Club rode the Underground Railroad route from the Gulf to Lake Erie a couple of years ago. I don't remember ANY of the locals who rode it complaining about flat, or boring. Just FYI. I can probably put you in touch with them, if you want more details.


P.S. Sorry to see you go...


swalfoort
2010-05-10 14:14:06