Contact   Lou Schleifer

Join us as we ride 3 different Rail Trails in PA, spend our rest day strolling through Longwood Gardens, and then ride along the Jersey Shore!

Some Key Details About this Tour

1. Although 'Gravel' is the first word in the Tour's name, the fact is that you don't need a gravel bike to do this Tour, even though I'll be bringing mine.  If you have even 32mm tires--preferably with some tread on them--you should be fine. See further details, at the bottom of the Tour's description (below).
2. Also, take note: we won't have a single noteworthy climb on this Tour.  But we will definitely experience headwinds on occasion.
3. As to the mileages: Except for Day 2, which is a 1-way ride, all of these rides are out-and-back rides, and can easily be shortened, if needed.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 (Saturday): We drive out to Jim Thorpe PA, and check into our hotel for the 1st of 2 nights.  We'll have a Happy Hour at Molly MaGuires, and a group dinner (venue TBD).

Day 2 (Sunday), Lehigh Gorge Trail: 36+ miles of trail riding. Surface: Pea gravel or hardpack dirt. Along with our bikes, we'll be shuttled up to Glen Summit.  From there, we'll ride the D&L Trail--along the 'Lehigh Gorge Section'--back to Jim Thorpe.  This is along the river almost the entire way, and we'll see a few waterfalls, and probably also some rafters and kayakers. If we're lucky, we might even see the sightseeing train that runs near the Trail for a short stretch.

Day 3 (Monday), LVRT & Conewago RT: Distance TBD. Surface: Pea gravel or smooth blacktop. We check out of our hotel in Jim Thorpe and drive to the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center's huge parking lot.  From there, we'll ride the Lebanon Valley Recreation Trail, and continue on the extension which is the Conewago Rail Trail.  We'll stop in the charming Trail-side town of Mt Gretna, which has restaurants, shops, arts and crafts shows, its own lake with a beach (but not yet open for the season), and of course, ice cream!  We then pack up our bikes and drive a short bit soutwards to Strasburg PA--an area popular with the Amish--and check into our hotel for the 1st of 2 nights.  We'll have a group dinner in Lancaster (Katie's Kitchen, a popular Amish restaurant, is one good option).

Day 4 (Tuesday), Enola Low Grade RT: 50+ miles of trail riding. Surface: Pea gravel, or smooth blacktop. We'll ride the Enola Low Grade Trail, the western 6.5 miles of which is along the Susquehanna river.  We'll get the excellent view overlooking the river from the bridge.  We'll see the restored Caboose, and read all about what was considered at the time to be an audacious plan to build this line in the first place.  Construction included extensive blasting of the granite cliffs bordering the northern banks of the river. But this line turned out to be the most critical and profitable one in the entire history of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

Day 5 (Wednesday), Longwood Gardens: Rest Day / Travel Day.  We check out of our hotel in Strasburg PA and drive about one hour east to Longwood Gardens. We'll spend a few hours here.  Often called America’s greatest horticultural display, Longwood spans 1,100+ acres of rolling Brandywine Valley meadows, four acres of heated indoor glasshouses, and the newly unveiled $250M West Conservatory. Whether you're strolling through 10,000 plant varieties or catching the 10,000-gallon-per-minute choreographed fountain shows, it is an absolute must-see. We'll depart in the afternoon and drive east towards Philly, where we'll have a group dinner (venue TBD).  Once finished, we'll drive a bit further to reach our last night's lodging, in East Windsor, NJ.

Day 6 (Thursday), Jersey Shore: 39 (long) / 25 miles (short). Surface: Road/bike-lane/paved-trail riding.  We'll check out of our hotel in East Windsor, and drive a short stretch east to Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park. We'll ride north to Sandy Hook, and explore the park and the views of the ocean, the bay, and the places beyond (including the Highlands, and the NYC skyline).  We'll then double back, and have a group lunch in Sea Bright. Those pressed for time can end the ride upon reaching Seven Presidents Park (25 miles).  The rest of us can continue south past the Park, taking in the beautiful view of the beach from a restricted-access road, and seeing the lavish and meticulously landscaped mansions in Deal and Allenhurst.  We'll get as far as Asbury Park, where we'll do a scenic loop, and then head back north towards Seven Presidents Park (39 miles).  The Tour ends there.

Proper Tire Selection for this Tour

I showed my bike mechanic a photo of the pea gravel that was typical along the 3 Rail Trails (see last photo, below), and here's what he had to say: If you can manage 40mm tires on your bike, they'll let you ride with the lowest pressure and provide the very best traction and comfort.  But 35mm could certainly work, even though they would have to be ridden at a higher pressure.  Even 32mm could work, but it would require the highest pressure of all. Moreover, as you consider these skinnier tire widths, not only will the required pressure increase, but so too will the need for having some tread on the tire to maintain traction on loose gravel.  He recommends GravelKing Panaracer tires, which all have tread and come in a range of sizes.

Of course, the maximum tire size that your rims can handle can still be limited by the type of brakes on your bike and/or the clearance provided by your fork (front wheel) and seatstays (rear wheel).  The website below is helpful in getting an initial estimate of the proper tire pressure for both front and rear wheels. 

https://axs.sram.com/guides/tire/pressure

 

 

 

Contact   Lou Schleifer