Compare Maryland & Penn.: A Bike Trek in the Great Allegheny Passage by Road Scholar

Day 1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner, Class
Mount Pleasant, PA D Laurelville Mennonite Church Center
Activity note: Check-in from 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Rooms are not guaranteed to be available before 5:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Visit the registration table in the Dining Hall lobby to get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. After you settle into your room, enjoy a walk on Laurelville's wooded trails or relax in the spacious common area of your building.

Dinner: Gather in the Laurelville dining hall to be met by your group coordinator and hosts for a buffet dinner plus water, coffee, and tea with your fellow participants.

Evening: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes. We will discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Indicated times are approximate. Program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. One night we will be attending a BYOB restaurant. Please plan accordingly if you would like to bring your own beer or wine. All transportation will be via vans unless specified otherwise. Each morning and afternoon, we will bike portions of the Great Allegheny Passage. Rides may be anywhere from 11 to 19 miles long. Riders will have the opportunity to meet up with the support vehicle and staff for lunch and breaks.

Day 2
Ride from Meyersdale to Cumberland, MD along the GAP
Cumberland, MD B,L,D Fairfield Inn & Suites Cumberland
Activity note: Participants will bike approximately 32 miles today. Riders will have the opportunity to meet up with the support vehicle and staff for a morning break, lunch, and afternoon break. Snacks and water refills will be provided at these stops.

Breakfast: At Laurelville we’ll have a buffet with water, coffee, tea, milk, and juice.

Morning: We’ll depart the hotel in vans to the start of the week's ride. The morning ride from Meyersdale to Deal will highlight the curved Keystone Viaduct.

Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch in Deal, PA.

Afternoon: The afternoon ride from Deal to Cumberland features the Eastern Continental Divide, the 3,294' Big Savage Tunnel, the Mason-Dixon Line and the 957' Borden Tunnel. It is here at Mile Marker "0" the Great Allegheny Passage meets the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath (C&O Canal) to Washington D.C. Our ride will end at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, located along the first mile of the C&O Canal. After checking into your room you will have time to clean up, relax and explore nearby before dinner.

Dinner: Enjoy a sit down meal plus water, coffee, and tea at a local Cumberland restaurant.

Evening: At leisure. The evening is free to further explore the town or relax in the pool or hot tub.

Day 3
Ride from Meyersdale to Confluence, Evening Presentation
Mount Pleasant, PA B,L,D Laurelville Mennonite Church Center
Activity note: Participants will bike approximately 31 miles today.

Breakfast: At the Fairfield Inn, indulge in a tasty buffet with water, coffee, tea, and juice.

Morning: We’ll depart Fairfield Inn and Suites in vans for Meyersdale where you will begin the second day of riding. The ride from Meyersdale to Rockwood will highlight the 1,908' Salisbury Viaduct which crosses the Casselman River Valley, and great views of wind farm.

Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch in Rockwood.

Afternoon: The ride from Rockwood to Confluence will take you through the Pinkerton Tunnel. The ride will end in the town of Confluence, which has traditionally been called Turkeyfoot because the three streams coming into one. The Youghiogheny and Casselman Rivers and Laurel Hill Creek, look like the track of a turkey when viewed from the surrounding hills. The small broad valley here was the site of ancient Indian villages and a resting place between the mountains. George Washington camped here and this is the site of the Yough Dam, a major flood control and recreation project built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The vans will meet you in Confluence to return to Laurelville.

Dinner: At Laurelville.

Evening: Enjoy an informative presentation by a local expert to compliment your experience on the trail and a delicious dessert.

Day 4
Ride from Confluence to Connellsville
Mount Pleasant, PA B,L,D Laurelville Mennonite Church Center
Activity note: Participants will bike approximately 28 miles today.

Breakfast: At Laurelville.

Morning: Depart from Laurelville for Confluence where you will begin your next day of riding. The ride from Confluence to Ohiopyle will quickly take you into the beauty and serenity of Ohiopyle State Park. Much of the morning ride runs beside the river, providing great views and the opportunity to descend the slope and take a break riverside. This portion of trail also parallels the active CSX rail-line across the river. Note: Riders will have the opportunity to meet up with the support vehicle and staff for a morning break, lunch, and afternoon break. Snacks and water refills will be provided at these stops.

Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch in Ohiopyle.

Afternoon: The ride from Ohiopyle to Connellsville continues through Ohiopyle State Park and highlights the high and low bridges over the Youghiogheny River as you exit the park. The ride ends in Connellsville where the vans will pick you up for a short return trip to Laurelville.

Dinner: We’ll hop on the vans and head to a favorite locally owned restaurant serving American cuisine for a plated meal, plus water, coffee, and tea. They are a Bring Your Own Beer or Wine establishment so don't forget to snag your beverage of choice earlier in the week.

Evening: The evening will be spent enjoying each other's company over fine food at the restaurant, so expect a late return back to Laurelville.

Day 5
Ride from Connellsville to Buena Vista.
Mount Pleasant, PA B,L,D Laurelville Mennonite Church Center
Activity note: Participants will bike approximately 31 miles today.

Breakfast: At Laurelville.

Morning: We’ll depart from Laurelville for Connellsville where you will begin your next day of riding. The ride from Connellsville to Whitsett takes you into back in time to the heart of coal and coke country. Considered "the most important mineral resource in the history of the world," during the late 1800's and early 1900's, coal fueled the Industrial Age in western Pennsylvania and the U.S. Towns like Adelaide, Whitsett, Van Meter, and Smithdale are examples of the coal patch towns that were built by the coal and coke companies to house their workers. Whitsett, an intact coal patch town, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch in Whitsett.

Afternoon: The ride from Whitsett to Buena Vista will continue through old industrial towns that once connected these key coal towns to Pittsburgh. Soon after Whittset you will ride by the site of one of the worst coal mining tragedies in US history. In 1907, 239 miners were killed in an explosion at Darr Mine. Now little remains of the one bustling Banning No. 1 Coal Processing Operation. The vans will meet you in Buena Vista and return you to Laurelville.

Dinner: At Laurelville.

Evening: Enjoy an informative presentation from a local expert on flora and fauna, Gabi Hughes, to compliment your experience while enjoying delicious dessert.

Day 6
Ride from Pittsburgh to Buena Vista, Duquesne Incline
Mount Pleasant, PA B,L,D Laurelville Mennonite Church Center
Activity note: Participants will bike approximately 30 miles today.

Breakfast: At Laurelville.

Morning: At 8:30 a.m. depart from Laurelville for Pittsburgh where you will begin your last day of riding. This morning we will start at the heart of the city. We’ll first take a break from our bikes and ride the Duquesne Incline to see a spectacular view of the city. We’ll then ride to Point State Park. Here you can enjoy the iconic Point State Park Fountain where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers form the Ohio River. We’ll then begin our 12 mile journey to Homestead. Today’s stretch is the final part of the trail to have been completed and is now formally connecting the Point in Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. This segment of the trail runs alongside the river, offering great urban views, particularly as you cross over the Hot Metal Bridge.

Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch in Homestead.

Afternoon: After lunch, we'll cover the final ride from Homestead to Buena Vista, which is 18 miles. This afternoon you’ll go through McKeesport, which is strategically located where the Youghiogheny and Monongahela Rivers join. The city became a major steel center. Today, the major industries are telecommunications, pipe-making, and steel fabricating. Once you’ve reached Buena Vista, you’ve completed the Great Allegheny Passage! We’ll celebrate with a dinner at a local restaurant and share our experiences from the week.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: The vans will bring us back to Laurelville for a time to relax around the campfire!

Day 7
Program Concludes
Mount Pleasant, PA B
Breakfast: At Laurelville.

Morning: Enjoy breakfast at Laurelville then begin your journey home. We hope you enjoy all of your Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!