questions about biking, from a non-biker

[blueraven95]

Hi everyone - I'm hoping you might be able to help me out with a couple of questions I have.

I'm working on putting together a conference that will be in July in the mid-Atlantic area. Traditionally, this conference takes an afternoon to go on some excursions, which we have at most 3 hours for, one of which is generally a bike ride. There are plenty of trails in the area, so this shouldn't be an issue, but the conference organizers are thinking that it would be fun to have a bike ride to a tourist location (about a 7 mile trip), and then take a shuttle back. My question is, considering that July in the mid-Atlantic is hot and humid, is 3 hours really long enough for an excursion like this, the 7-mile bike trip and time at the location? Or should we separate the two, and just do a bike trip on the trails? Most of these participants would be experienced riders, so I'm not so concerned about if people could make the 7 miles, more if it is feasible in the time alloted.

Thanks in advance for your help, and sorry if I've used totally incorrect terminology.

[prolesunited]

1. Very doable but not very green

Even if they just managed 10 mph, which is a lightweight pace, the ride would only take 70 minutes, leaving you more than 1 1/2 hours to scope out the location, get on the shuttle and get back.

But, you would drive an empty shuttle to get the group and then another vehicle to get the bikes back and fourth. Seems like a lot of wasted fuel. With all of the trails in the area, why not just do a circular trip on the trails that passes by some points of interest. Or you could break up the trip by serving ice cream and having music in the middle for a fun treat. Ask some cyclists in the area what would be an interesting route.

A lot of cyclists are eco-friendly and I don't think waste would go over well.

[blueraven95]

2. I'm pushing for a circular trip,

so thanks for your advice. Since I don't cycle at all, I have no idea what's considered a doable pace, so I appreciate your input!

[happyslug]

3. How flat is the trail? Some websites give that information.

The "Great Allegheny Passage" gives such information, but then it is going from DC to Pittsburgh over the Appalachian Mountains. If the trip is relatively flat, not a problem, but any sizable hill climbs (or descents) then the one way trip is advisable IF THE TRIP BACK IS UP HILL.

Great Allegheny Passage web site:
http://www.atatrail.org/

Elevation Chart:

http://www.atatrail.org/maps/elevation.cfm

The trip from DC to Cumberland is relatively flat, but then you hit the mountains. Through the Maximum grade is only 1.5% (i.e. 1.5 feet over 1000 feet of travel, or if you are metric, 1.5 meters of travel for every 1 kilometer, i.e. 1000 meters of travel).

Baltimore area Bike Trails:
http://www.baltobikeclub.org/index.pl/trails_org