DC to Pittsburgh trails Documentary

A Pittsburgh television station is airing a documentary called, “The Great Ride,” exploring the 335 miles of bike trails connecting Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.

The Pittsburgh PBS station’s camera crew followed six bicyclist tour guides on both the C&O Canal Towpath, between the nation’s capital and Cumberland, Md., and the Great Allegheny Passage from Cumberland to Pittsburgh’s Point State Park.

As the bicyclists pedal past breathtaking scenery, viewers will meet a pair of military veterans, a Civil War buff, a naturalist-photographer, a volunteer who helped build the trail and a local trail ambassador.

“The Great Ride” debuts at 8 p.m. and lasts one hour. A companion website at wqed.org/ride includes a history of the C&O Canal Towpath and the Great Allegheny Passage, which runs along the Youghiogheny and Monongahela rivers in Pennsylvania, through the Laurel Highlands and Ohiopyle State Park, past the Hays Eagles Nest, to the Hot Metal Bridge on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

Also, I got an email about a bike hostel at the far end of the route called South Side Traveler's Rest. I can not vouch for it, but I think it's a good sign of success when businesses start to cater to trail users. 

Comments

[Brett Young]

Link online to view it is here
https://www.wqed.org/ride?fbclid=IwAR0wxUsTORFslXrTH7sCzBHQzKYZXR2XlI6qigk2x2-86_XEGn6Iqy0ng5M

[Dan]

I had a chance to watch this documentary and it is excellent. It is a great introduction to the trail system from DC to Pittsburg and the incredible amount of work that went into constructing and maintaining it.

I've ridden most of the trail from Georgetown, DC to Frostburg, MD over the years but am not familiar with the rest of the GAP. After watching the film, I'm inspired to ride the rest to Pittsburg.