EBENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
I love riding on the road. Occasionally I enjoy rail trails but especially if they are developed, i.e., paved.
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| Nicole Sokira |
Today I went to the Ghost Town Trail where I met my 4th cousin, Nicole Sokira. The GTT is a crushed limestone trail. I wasn’t prepared for riding on this trail – I only had my road bike with me. Nor was I prepared for the cold — high 40s and low 50s. On Wednesday my Garmin displayed 106.7º on the asphalt.
The last time I rode the GTT was probably 14 years ago. Then it was open only from Dilltown to Nanty Glo. Andrew and I brought mountain bikes and enjoyed the trail.
I tentatively made a plan to ride with Nicole to Vintondale and then jump on the road for a 42-mile trail/road loop. Instead, we enjoyed talking so much that I told her we would stay on the trail. And she had planned to go only go out 16 miles and I talked her into going to Dilltown. She had never been so this would be her personal best.
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| Hunters Wear Orange So Should You |
It was a gray day with a westerly wind. Even so, it was hard to miss the beauty of the trail. The Blacklick Creek was running strong pushed by all the recent rain in the area. Sounds of waterfalls and whitewater were everywhere.
In the summer when the creek is running low it has a bright orange color from acid mine runoff. But today it looked as pretty as any pristine river running full.
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| Eliza Furnace |
On our way back as we reached Twin Rocks I jumped on the road back to Nanty Glo. It was good to put those road tires on pavement although there were two hills measured at 11%+ whereas the trail continued at 1%-2%. It was two miles on the road.
It was chilly, overcast, and a bit breezy but it is a beautiful trail to ride. My preference is those 11% and 12% hills and the accompanying descents but the scenery was better on the trail.
We joined back up in Nanty Glo and rode the trail the rest of the way back to Ebensburg.
It was a good day. But next time I will bring fat tires.
