Received the 2026 Great Cycle Challenge registration packet yesterday and I was thrilled to see the usually blue cotton T-shirt was orange!! Wow! Really felt dramatically increased my visibility!
June 28 -30, 2026 65 miles from Wellsboro PA to Jersey Shore PA across 2 days with Pocono Biking through an area called the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. It was visually stunning to ride along the clear river at the base of the tree covered “canyon” walls. What a fabulous trail! So well maintained, shaded for most of it and with comfort stations frequently along the way.
There were a dozen of us on this van supported tour with 3 leaders. We stayed at the Hotel Manor in Slate Run which is “half” way along the trail. The first day of riding starting from Wellsboro back to Slate Run was just under 40 miles, the second day was almost 30 miles riding from Slate Run back to Jersey Shore where we’d left our cars. We were lucky with the weather which was sunny and about 80F. I didn’t see any rattle snakes or black bears (which are apparently common along the trail) but did see a bald eagle, several deer and a turtle. Oh and 2 covered wagons each pulled by 2 Clydesdales.
Sunday ride on Columbia Trail (High Bridge to/from Long Valley). 23 miles. Really lovely day 78F, 45% Humidity. So many cyclists and walkers! Passed 2 gorgeous black Clydesdales being riden along the trail. Also encountered a fox walking on the trail,
A quick and muddy ride on the Sussex Branch Trail out and back from the Waterloo Road trail head almost to Andover NJ. I don’t have statistics since I forgot to turn on the tracking app, but I rode for about an hour and guess about 8 miles. Lucky to get the ride in between rain storms today. Pretty trail through woods and past several lakes.
What a gorgeous day for a ride today!! 73F & 46% humidity perfect for a jaunt on the Paulinskill Trail. Only 8 miles round trip to the Blairstown Airport & back. Quite a few trees leaning across the trail, but only 2 down across it that had me stopping and lifting the bike over them.
Fabulous ride today on the D&L rail trail through the Lehigh Valley Gorge from White Haven to Jim Thorpe. 24 miles. Was hoping the Rhododendrons would be blooming but none except those at the Rockport rest area. #railtrail
Was really looking forward to riding the Paulinskill from Warbasse Junction towards Newton today, but was disappointed to have the bumpiest ride of my life. Thank goodness for the shock absorbers on the front fork and seat post cause they got a real workout today! Only 14 miles but it sure like it was longer!
22.1 miles today on the Columbia Trail. As I left High Bridge I Set the timer for an hour which got me to within a couple miles of Long Valley. So a 2 hour round trip ride on a 96F day was long enough. Thankfully most of the trail is shaded.
What a beautiful day, it’s been chilly and rainy for what seems like forever, but today it was 70 and sunny. Only had time for a quick ride, but it was so enjoyable. 30 minutes out to the Blairstown airport and back on the Paulinskill trail. Lots of wildflowers in bloom along the trail.
A lovely day for a ride. Station Rd to almost Spring Valley Rd. Temps in the low 70s. 18.2 miles round trip, really felt like I could just keep going, but a 2 hour ride is enough for this early in the season for me. The trail is in excellent condition.
