A Bicyclist Guide through McKeesport on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail

Рет қаралды 2,409

Жыл бұрын

As you travel on your journey one place that is a bit challenging to get through is McKeesport, PA. Riding the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) rail trail is truly an adventure experience of a lifetime so I suggest staying on the trail as you keep moving. I’ll describe the trail so you will know the GAP route to safely bicycle thru. It is best to navigate through this city before dusk. Follow these directions for an easy way through McKeesport and plan for a stop when you reach Boston PA.
Links:
GAP Trail History:
gaphistory.org/point_of_inter...
History of Allegheny County:
digital.library.pitt.edu/isla...
About National Tube Works:
www.tubecityonline.com/steel/n...
exhibit.library.pitt.edu/labor...
About the water roundhouse: www.tubecityonline.com/almanac...
About Dead Man’s Hollow:
alleghenylandtrust.org/green-...
Other references:
Old Home Week Book, McKeesport, Pennsylvania. (1910). United States: Nicholson Printing.
www.loc.gov/item/pa3346/
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitts...
archive.triblive.com/news/his...
pghbridges.com/articles/railro...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Stupich, Martin, creator, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Cbaile19, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Пікірлер: 20

@rhondasmith6857 Жыл бұрын

Great overview, history, and helpful Trail tips!

@user-mg3vm1dh9s 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for an honest look at the GAP. I just returned from my first visit and was shocked at the difference between KZfaq video glamor shots and reality.

@MadMatt1984 Жыл бұрын

I can remember as a child, watching the trains on the P&LE tracks in Boston by the old Harpers Pond.

@hvrtaxi60 6 ай бұрын

I watched a ton of GAP/C&O videos before doing my solo trip this summer. I wish I would have discovered your videos first (c'mon algorithm!). Very well done and meticulous, thank you! I really like the effort to include historical maps and perspective. Regarding McKeesport, this was kind of bummer section of my trip on the first day but your historical perspective provided an entirely new way to approach that area. I can't wait to ride through again.

@railtrailbike 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate hearing from people who have watched these. Each one of these takes me a lot of time and I’m glad to hear when someone enjoys them!

@FranklinChen Жыл бұрын

Nice video series! I hope to see more videos on the GAP from Boston onward.

@railtrailbike Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the compliment! The rest of the GAP will be created and released over time, subscribe and stay tuned for their release. These take me a long time to research but I’m working on the next one now and plan to keep going!

@rossengland6666 Жыл бұрын

Thanks found this helpful!

@railtrailbike Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you found this helpful - my goal is to help riders through this area of the trail

@ReimaginedAdventures Жыл бұрын

Great video !!!

@railtrailbike Жыл бұрын

I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

@Canoedad11 Жыл бұрын

Now I know why there are no Hotel's or B+B's anywhere in that area. My upcoming trip will be from Meyersdale to Boston.

@railtrailbike Жыл бұрын

The GAP trail is diverse. You should have a great ride! If you haven’t been through the Big Savage Tunnel, consider a double back to see it and the overlook. Not much further and you will be at the Mason/ Dixon line. All great places. Videos on that section are planned!

@dancoyle7697 Жыл бұрын

I did the GAP and C&O in 2021. My first day was 175 miles and started in Pittsburgh at 3am. Riding in the dark through McKeesport was the most challenging navigation of the whole ride. The construction at Water St and the transition from on road to trail on River Rd made for a couple of head scratching moments and some wrong turns. I took a nasty spill in the park along Water St when I was surprised by what looked, in the dark, to be a small downed tree limb across the brick path (clearly I was off course) and tried to ride over it. I have a nice souvenir scar on my forearm to remember the adventure.

@railtrailbike Жыл бұрын

Sounds memorable but not in the most pleasant way. Stories like yours are what inspired me to make these in the first place. I would hope riders can enjoy the ride and not be overly concerned with where to turn.

@radar_the_fox Жыл бұрын

The clay factory was called union city sewer

@rivnuts7398 Жыл бұрын

Nicely done. The aerial views are particularly interesting and useful along with the old cameo photos of the city. I’ve recommended your videos to prospective first time riders of the GAP to give them a visual of the route. The videos exiting downtown Pittsburgh and this one getting through McKeesport would be quite helpful to those willing to spend the time to watch them before embarking or, even, while navigating through these areas. The history bytes are quite interesting as well and complement the histories in the book by Bill Metzger.

@railtrailbike Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind review. I do hope these are informative, helpful, and encouraging for bicyclists. I’m certainly learning as I make these!