Another day, another bike ride.....The "Ghost Town Trail" (Picture Heavy)

[happyslug]

The Ghost Town Trail is a trail between Indiana Pa and Ebensburg Pa. The trail gets its name from the various old town along the ole railroad line that no longer exist (These old Coal patches lasted till the Great Depression and then died out, the Railroad itself survived till the 1990s in some section through most of it had been abandoned in the 1970s).

This trail (along with the Hoodlebug trail In Indiana County and the Lower Trail in Blair County) is sometime called the "Three County Seat Trail" for when all three are finished the trials will connect the county seats of Indiana County (Indiana Pa), Cambria County (Ebensburg) and Blair County (Hollidaysburg).

More on the Trail:
http://www.indianacountyparks.org/parks/gtt/gtt.html

For a map of the trail see:
http://www.indianacountyparks.org/photos/maps/regionaltrailmap.pdf

Anyway, last Saturday I traveled to the Blacklick run section of the Trail. I entered the trail off PA 259 and headed downstream to Auld's Run (Which was 1/4 mile from Pa 259):




I then biked down to Brush Run:












Brush run is a very small stream, but is interesting for the old bridge that still stands over Blacklick Creek for the old Brush Run Road. The road has NOT been used since the Great Depression but the Bridge still stands:









As to Brush Run Road, almost nothing remains of it. Here is the Road from the south side of the Bridge:


And here it is from the North Side:


Yes, the bridge is still solid after over 60 years of neglect (and it survived both the 1936 Flood, Agnes in 1972 and the 1977 Flood). It is one of the reason I believe Peak oil will NOT be as severe as some of the Doomsayers are making it out to be. Roads will be passable for centuries after we run out of oil and with passable roads will come trade and commerce (Through not the big trucks of today which are the number one reason Highways have to be replaced every so often).

I then keep on till I run across "Laurel Run #1" one of the many sites of long abandoned Coal Patches on this trail:




I then peddled to the end of the trail (where it hits US 119). Currently you can go under US 119 and then go by back roods to the West Penn Trail whenever that opens (It needs a Bridge across the Conemaugh River).


In this area are a lot of old abandoned Rail lines and old rail road piers:




I then return to Pa 259 and headed up hill under PA 56:


I then continued on till the paved trail ended and proceeded on foot from the trail end to the missing bridge over Black lick Creek:





To the cut before the Bridge:






And finally to the first missing bridge (out of two that are missing on this trail):




I then biked back to PA 259. The distance was 22 miles (5.5 from Pa 259 to US 119, 5.5 miles back to PA 259, 5.5 miles to the missing bridge and 5.5 miles back). Flat for western Pa (i.e. had a nice 2-3% grade).

[bvar22]

1. Another great ride!

Thanks for the pics.
They make me want to pack up the bike and head to Penn for some of this great scenery.

[happyslug]

2. The abandoned Railroad lines are from the old Coal Companies

As is the orange Color on the Rocks (Orange color is a side affect of Acid Mine Runoff, which also kills tthe fish in the Rivers).

[keith the dem]

6. Do it!!!

PA is the best kept cycling secret. Central and western PA has no shortage of incredible riding. Long ago, Eastern PA had a road paving program so that farmers could get their product to market. Consequently there is almost an unlimited supply of lightly traveled beautiful roads for cycling. A good starting point there is the Lehigh Valley Velodrome. The track is open for the public to ride on most of the time. A fun experience in itself.

[happyslug]

3. Kicking to keep my pictures together

[peacebuzzard]

4. wish I could have been there.

guess you are getting your rides in now. winter there must shut down these trails for you.....

I would love to get back into some biking again.....

[happyslug]

5. Not the on road trails

And even the Rails to Trails are open when it is not snow covered (which is most of the winter). Snow is a minor problem, the real problem is ice. I purchased some tires with studs and they work quite while in winter, through the roll resistance is MUCH greater than the slicks I normally use.

[peacebuzzard]

7. Wow..I would love to see some winter pics

do you have any?
You are hard core!!!

I envy you!

[happyslug]

8. I did not have a Camera last winter, but in march I took these

Western Pennsylvania's winter tend to vary between cold and no snow and just above freezing and snow (Thus what snow falls tend to melt). Thus you get muddy roads and messes like in these two pictures.