Hello One and All,
Just got back from Baltimore and thought it would be helpful for anyone to get my experience especially using the maps from Adventure Cycling.
I recently went to Boston not using these maps but instead using just good old route 1. I actually got to Boston in only two days, way ahead of schedule.
I started as the maps said getting out the Newark Penn Station exit and followed the directions street by street. At the end of the first day I made it to Norristown, PA but had a few experiences. First I went with a friend who wanted to use his Fuji training bike and he could not carry any cargo. I had all the cargo which made my Cannodale F400 hybrid weigh about 35 - 40lbs total.
The first day was going great with stops for lunch and dinner until on the way to Lambertville, River Road was under construction and we had to go through some alt route which added more mileage. Than we stopped at Route 63 for food and I wanted to call it a day at about 6pm. He wanted to keep going and it started to rain He than took a spill on the way while trying to cross railroad tracks. Thank god no injuries and finally found a hotel on Germantown Pike which took us about 10 miles off trail.
The next day was the killer!! Did not have time for Breakfast as we wanted to get back on trail and make it to the Schuykil trail. The trail was real nice but I found the route through Valley Forge to be real long and boring. I really wish they had an alt route for it. As we got out of Valley Forge heading for P (Pugh) town, I have to admit we started to hit some big hills. I did not consider myself weak but the hills around St. Peters, all the way to Reamstwon was tough, real tough. The first day I caught some tough hills around Linvale and Mountain Road but this was crazy. We were making such bad time we decided no lunch but a quick stop at a camp at Bowmans to catch some food and water.
At that point we looked at the map again and said we will never make Baltimore by end of day if we have to go to Mt Joy and cross there. We decided lets get on 272 and head for Lancaster and shoot down from there using 222. It was going great as 272 was so much easier, flat, and had big shoulders as did 222. We than went on to 324 which also had shouders and was not a busy road at all. Unfortunately the hills started again and even worse and worse until we got to the end of 324 which looked like it should meet with 372 where we were going to cross the Susquehanna.
At this point we asked for directions and a lady just gave us that look, like you do not know how bad things are going to get for you!! She gave us the directions with river road and such...this made us hit roads that were just huge steep, I had to get off the bike and start pushing. I could not believe the steepness near the Susquehanna. we finally hit 372 completely dead on the PA side going downhill across the river heading to 74 back on map. Still hitting some big hills, we were out of gas and doing more walking than riding. The sun was about to go down in a half hour and I am sure I am going to sleep in a corn field tonight.
Suddenly going down 74 I see an amish girl selling produce, I stop as I have nothing to loose. She gives us water in mason jars and I buy some cookies and some cans of coke. I ask do you know of any place to sleep and food. She and her 5 bros and sisters go back and tell me that Delta is down the road and there is the Peach Bottom Inn. We hit it as the sun was going down...it was a little shack but was a 5 star innn to me with a connected diner. My wife is sure the girl was a mirage and my daughter thinks she has been dead for 30 years and helps strangers on the road. Whatever she was, that little girl seemed like a savouir.
The next morning have a great breakfast in Delta and ask for their opinion which way to go. Took 136 which was kind of hilly but compared to yesterday was a joke which hit route 1. Route 1 was hilly by gun powder falls but again not as bad. Hit outskirts of Baltimore and as I got closer to Baltimore, lets just say I seemed to ride faster as the neighborhood started to look more war zone. Got to Pratt street and made it by 1pm and meet with my friend to work the convention for the weekend. Done, 260 miles later, which should have been less than 200 if stood on route 1 all the way. It was a great experience and achievement but I felt like I survived a small war. No matter how I explain to the people in the office they just will never understand how tough these hills were, when they think Central Park is hilly.
I must say overall the directions are "exact", street by street it is hard to get lost. While I do not consider myself a bike pro, I do ride alot and go to the gym often. I do not know how they expect the picture of that lady on the bike in section 2 to be doing these hills. PA was just so much tougher than I expected with all my gear. I do not know how far they expect these folks to get in a day?? I must also say they make you go throgh some pretty areas but they seem to love to put you on every hill and national park in the area. These roads are dead...I mean in some areas, no cars for what seemed like an hour and no stores or people. I do not know how they expect you to be hydrated when you do not pass a store for what can be hours on some roads. We joked that they want you to carry a 30lb jug of water!!
While I would have done the route different next time, I must say it was pretty and pushed me to my max. I basically did two centuries back to back and a bit more the last day. My biggest physical problems was my knee but not so bad and my ankle..again not bad. But the real killer on the last day was my butt like for Boston. It started to blister and chaff bad...I used the butter every day and thought I had a good seat but it was killing me and started to feel numb down under. It may be the spring stem I use to help with the bumps or my seat just stinks no matter what the shop says. It is an italian brass job but seems not to work. I am about to give up on it or get rid of the stem...any ideas or advice guys? On the other hand the bike held up like a champ!! Not a flat or problem at anytime, never took a spill or felt any worries on the decents in the rain. Great bike for the bucks!!
Well there you go guys, two tours later and now looking forward to next year and bigger action. This one definitely left some war scars but I am stronger for it. It may seem from my post I am dissing the Adventure Cycling maps...I am not but just giving you guys some heads up before you think these roads could be a piece of cake.
Best regards
-jfs
Just got back from Baltimore and thought it would be helpful for anyone to get my experience especially using the maps from Adventure Cycling.
I recently went to Boston not using these maps but instead using just good old route 1. I actually got to Boston in only two days, way ahead of schedule.
I started as the maps said getting out the Newark Penn Station exit and followed the directions street by street. At the end of the first day I made it to Norristown, PA but had a few experiences. First I went with a friend who wanted to use his Fuji training bike and he could not carry any cargo. I had all the cargo which made my Cannodale F400 hybrid weigh about 35 - 40lbs total.
The first day was going great with stops for lunch and dinner until on the way to Lambertville, River Road was under construction and we had to go through some alt route which added more mileage. Than we stopped at Route 63 for food and I wanted to call it a day at about 6pm. He wanted to keep going and it started to rain He than took a spill on the way while trying to cross railroad tracks. Thank god no injuries and finally found a hotel on Germantown Pike which took us about 10 miles off trail.
The next day was the killer!! Did not have time for Breakfast as we wanted to get back on trail and make it to the Schuykil trail. The trail was real nice but I found the route through Valley Forge to be real long and boring. I really wish they had an alt route for it. As we got out of Valley Forge heading for P (Pugh) town, I have to admit we started to hit some big hills. I did not consider myself weak but the hills around St. Peters, all the way to Reamstwon was tough, real tough. The first day I caught some tough hills around Linvale and Mountain Road but this was crazy. We were making such bad time we decided no lunch but a quick stop at a camp at Bowmans to catch some food and water.
At that point we looked at the map again and said we will never make Baltimore by end of day if we have to go to Mt Joy and cross there. We decided lets get on 272 and head for Lancaster and shoot down from there using 222. It was going great as 272 was so much easier, flat, and had big shoulders as did 222. We than went on to 324 which also had shouders and was not a busy road at all. Unfortunately the hills started again and even worse and worse until we got to the end of 324 which looked like it should meet with 372 where we were going to cross the Susquehanna.
At this point we asked for directions and a lady just gave us that look, like you do not know how bad things are going to get for you!! She gave us the directions with river road and such...this made us hit roads that were just huge steep, I had to get off the bike and start pushing. I could not believe the steepness near the Susquehanna. we finally hit 372 completely dead on the PA side going downhill across the river heading to 74 back on map. Still hitting some big hills, we were out of gas and doing more walking than riding. The sun was about to go down in a half hour and I am sure I am going to sleep in a corn field tonight.
Suddenly going down 74 I see an amish girl selling produce, I stop as I have nothing to loose. She gives us water in mason jars and I buy some cookies and some cans of coke. I ask do you know of any place to sleep and food. She and her 5 bros and sisters go back and tell me that Delta is down the road and there is the Peach Bottom Inn. We hit it as the sun was going down...it was a little shack but was a 5 star innn to me with a connected diner. My wife is sure the girl was a mirage and my daughter thinks she has been dead for 30 years and helps strangers on the road. Whatever she was, that little girl seemed like a savouir.
The next morning have a great breakfast in Delta and ask for their opinion which way to go. Took 136 which was kind of hilly but compared to yesterday was a joke which hit route 1. Route 1 was hilly by gun powder falls but again not as bad. Hit outskirts of Baltimore and as I got closer to Baltimore, lets just say I seemed to ride faster as the neighborhood started to look more war zone. Got to Pratt street and made it by 1pm and meet with my friend to work the convention for the weekend. Done, 260 miles later, which should have been less than 200 if stood on route 1 all the way. It was a great experience and achievement but I felt like I survived a small war. No matter how I explain to the people in the office they just will never understand how tough these hills were, when they think Central Park is hilly.
I must say overall the directions are "exact", street by street it is hard to get lost. While I do not consider myself a bike pro, I do ride alot and go to the gym often. I do not know how they expect the picture of that lady on the bike in section 2 to be doing these hills. PA was just so much tougher than I expected with all my gear. I do not know how far they expect these folks to get in a day?? I must also say they make you go throgh some pretty areas but they seem to love to put you on every hill and national park in the area. These roads are dead...I mean in some areas, no cars for what seemed like an hour and no stores or people. I do not know how they expect you to be hydrated when you do not pass a store for what can be hours on some roads. We joked that they want you to carry a 30lb jug of water!!
While I would have done the route different next time, I must say it was pretty and pushed me to my max. I basically did two centuries back to back and a bit more the last day. My biggest physical problems was my knee but not so bad and my ankle..again not bad. But the real killer on the last day was my butt like for Boston. It started to blister and chaff bad...I used the butter every day and thought I had a good seat but it was killing me and started to feel numb down under. It may be the spring stem I use to help with the bumps or my seat just stinks no matter what the shop says. It is an italian brass job but seems not to work. I am about to give up on it or get rid of the stem...any ideas or advice guys? On the other hand the bike held up like a champ!! Not a flat or problem at anytime, never took a spill or felt any worries on the decents in the rain. Great bike for the bucks!!
Well there you go guys, two tours later and now looking forward to next year and bigger action. This one definitely left some war scars but I am stronger for it. It may seem from my post I am dissing the Adventure Cycling maps...I am not but just giving you guys some heads up before you think these roads could be a piece of cake.
Best regards
-jfs