I don't know about you guys but, everytime I see someone whith a fully loaded bike (who obviously looks like they are touring) I always wonder where they are going and how they are doing. Recently I was able to talk with 2 pairs of poeple on bike tours
1)
Who: 2 Guys in their 30s
Spotted at: Camping at Dravo Cemetery Campsite on the gap
Bikes: Surly Pugsly and a hybrid bike
Where they are riding: Pittsburgh to DC. They are from the DC area
2)
Who: A guy and Girl in there 20-30s
Spotted: On Lebanon church RD at the County Airport
Bikes: Touring Road bikes
Where they are riding: To California from ???. I warned them about Lebanon Church Rd. They were heading to the Montour Trail. I told them the safest way from that point.
It would be great if this could be a running thread. I will be adding to it everytime I chat with someone on a tour.
igo
2014-04-19 09:57:04
One day I met a Japanese dude downtown looking at a map. He was
looking for the youth hostel like a decade after it was gone. His
english was garbage. I met told him to meet me at 5pm right there to
stay at my house. We rode back together. He had pirates tickets that
night so I put him on a bus with a note that said "If I am lost I am
going to PNC park and then back to oakland after the game. If I cant
find where I am going please call stephen at 412.xxxxx".. Haha. Dude
made it back late that night.
steevo
2014-04-19 11:48:58
Anyone remember the couple who happened upon the 2013 Viking Ride picnic? IIRC, they were going to or from Alaska.
Then, the day last October when @Vannevar, @srpgh and I were biking back from Connellsville after our test ride on Amtrak, we ran into a couple of guys in West Newton who were on their way to California, as in the state of.
stuinmccandless
2014-04-19 12:46:46
His english was garbage.
How is your Japanese?
helen-s
2014-04-19 15:44:08
Steevo, did you meet the guy from Japan in Oct? We ran into someone that fits that description on the GAP - he was outside of a convenience store in West Newton.
srpit
2014-04-19 17:34:23
Experience 1: setting bike counter equipment on GAP near Pump House. Four or five older guys (50+ IMO) heading eastbound from a Pittsburgh, all on 'bents. Chatted for a while, snapped a couple of photos.
swalfoort
2014-04-20 07:32:02
Experience 2: I was road marshaling for the Point Made! Celebration when a couple on a heavily loaded tandem stopped to watch the crowd. They (too) were older....
They had spent several months riding east from Southern California. They'd ride, then stay with friends for a week or two, then ride another thousand miles or so, stay with more friends, etc. They had completed the GAP route (with tandem appropriate detours) the day of Point Made!
After a couple days in Pittsburgh, they were heading north towards Erie, again to spend some time with friends. Their goal was to be in suburban Boston several months later, in time for a school reunion. Those details are now fuzzy, but important to the story...50th high school reunion? 40th college reunion? Enough years to clearly convey these were no youngsters.
After Boston, their plans were flexible. And might have included an option to bike back to California....!
swalfoort
2014-04-20 07:41:55
I dont speak japanese, but I am not cycling across Japan.
THis is a few years ago. Before the Gap was finished to Mckeesport.
He was planning on riding route 70 to dc. I steered him otherwise.
steevo
2014-04-20 08:28:45
steevo wrote:Before the Gap was finished to Mckeesport.
He was planning on riding route 70 to dc.
Yikes!
headloss
2014-04-20 09:02:25
Through the Warmshowers network, I have met/hosted folks from:
Ireland
England
France
Italy
United States (quite a few)
A lot of them are following the Adventure Cycling routes all over the US - and heading to the GAP in order to get a break from riding in traffic.
The appeal will grow. I expect a lot more this year.
p-rob
2014-04-25 08:41:02
On one occasion, I picked up a tired cyclist along the Ohio River Trail. On the drive back we happened upon another cyclist wandering around trying to find Bicycle Heaven and adopted him for the weekend too. Poor guy had a classic road bike loaded up with 75 lbs of gear - and 23mm tires. We got them bad boys beefed up ala Kraynicks (older 27's).
p-rob
2014-04-25 08:51:16
