CAPTAINS-
ACTIVITIES-
WASHINGTON, DC 2005-
2006-
2008-
2010-
CUMBERLAND 2007-
2009-
2011-
ROLLER SKATING-
HISTORY-
TRIPLETS PLUS-
3-D PICTURES-
MORE
The Mileposters tandem cyclists ride
trails out of Pittsburgh, PA, to destinations as far away as Washington, DC
(four times), and roller skate during the winter. Fundraising events for
Lutheran charities have brought in $10,000 a year for the last two years--over
$30,000 since the events first started.
SCROLL DOWN for more pictures.
NEW--BLOG!
Newest junior captain on his qualifying ride, Milepost 25, Youghiogheny River Trail
(Great Allegheny Passage), October 8, 2011
(photo in cross-eye 3-D format)
New tail gunner with veteran riders, Milepost 25, Youghiogheny River Trail
(Great Allegheny Passage), August 11, 2011
Our newest tail gunner, 5 years old, being taught how to use the pump at Dravo Landing
by a veteran rider, July 26, 2011 (scroll down):
One stoker got to meet Ronald McDonald in person!
Two new riders with youth trail mom, Riverfront Trail, June 5, 2011
First ride on the Bud Harris Cycling Track, June 29, 2011
Mileposters friend, author Frederic Durbin, at Dravo Landing, July 17, 2011
Articulated quad and tandem with second trail mom and riders, Milepost 35, Youghiogheny
River Trail (Great Allegheny Passage), September 7, 2008
At the Eliza Furnace, Ghost Town Trail, September 6, 2009, with our second and fifth trail moms
Original articulated quint with riders of the day (trail mom at left, group leader at right),
September 5, 2009, Cedar Creek County Park, on the Youghiogheny
River Trail, part of the Great Allegheny Passage (photo by Jim Ference)
First ride on the white 20-inch tandem, April 12, 2009, Milepost 5, Great Allegheny Passage
FOUR WASHINGTON, DC RIDES COMPLETED
Lockmaster's house at Pennyfield Lock, on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal,
where we spent our last night on the trail during our 2010 ride from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC
2010 DC RIDE PAGE
2008 DC practice ride, crossing the new through truss span over Second Avenue leading
to the recently-opened bicycle side of the Hot Metal Bridge, April 4
MORE 2008 DC TRIP
PICTURES
2006 DC practice ride, South Side Trail, by the Birmingham Bridge
MORE 2006 DC TRIP
PICTURES
2005 DC practice ride, Yough Trail, Milepost 40
MORE 2005 DC TRIP
PICTURES
TWO RIDES PITTSBURGH-CUMBERLAND
The 2009 ride from Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD almost didn't happen.
Scheduling became impossibly snarled with several other fundraising rides
on the list of commitments, but suddenly it became apparent that the G-20 summit was
going to provide a window of opportunity. The principal riders were already
in shape, so little practice was necessary. Illness caused cutbacks in personnel,
but the ride was done in four days as scheduled, with a fifth added later.
The first day set a record to Connellsville, and ended at Wendy's there.
MORE 2009 TRIP
PICTURES
Training for the 2007 ride from Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD
started March 30 with a ride on the Arrrowhead Trail and the Montour
Trail from McMurray, PA to Bethel Park (Logan Road). The longest
training ride was 40 miles, and there were back-to-back 20-mile days.
MORE 2007 TRIP
PICTURES
First ride of 2011, to the new Steel Valley Trail bridge over railroad tracks, near the Rankin Bridge
Aetnaville Bridge, Wheeling Island, West Virginia, May 21, 2011 (over back channel, Ohio River)
Bridge past the east portal of Greer Tunnel, Montour Trail, August 4, 2009
Bridge coming out of the west portal of Greer
New stoker with first two captains, July 2010, The Enlow Station
Inside The Enlow Station
2010 season-opening ride, Montour Trail below Enlow Tunnel, April 3
New junior tail gunner, Riverfront Trail, August 1, 2009
Enjoying ice cream at the Yough Twister, June 6, 2009
New 20-inch tandem test ride, Riverfront Trail, March 15, 2009
Before and after pictures of our convertible articulated quint on
its first live test, with an experienced team of evaluators--as a bike
for five, and then split into a triplet (built in the Mileposters shop
in 2005) and an independent 20-inch tandem (the convertible part--made
available to us by tandem@hobbes member Bill Connors)
2010 FUNDRAISING RIDES
"Booster" ride for Campus Ministry at First Trinity Lutheran--Connellsville, PA, September 25, 2010
Hymnals for Haiti ride, Decker's Creek Trail, September 6, 2010
30-mile practice ride, preparing for Washington, DC--Douglas Run, Yough Trail, May 15, 2010
2009 FUNDRAISING RIDES
"Booster" ride for St. Thomas building repairs, Arrowhead Trail, July 30, 2009,
with our new trail mom
Eastern Continental Divide, July 18, 2009, for Sonshine Community Ministries, McKeesport
Taking a break at Milepost B170 on the way back down
Savoring the completion of a difficult ride at the Western Maryland station, Cumberland
2008 FUNDRAISING RIDES
May 24 and 25 we did a two-day, 42-mile camping trip to raise money for kitchen repairs
at St. Thomas--photo in the individual
camping area at Cedar Creek County Park, Milepost 37, Yough Trail
(Great Allegheny Passage); the ride went from Milepost 27 to Milepost 58.
On Saturday, April 18, the Three Trails in Three Days, 50-mile continuing effort to raise funds for
building repairs at St. Thomas Lutheran Church concluded on the
Arrowhead Trail, using straight and articulated triplets and the convertible
20-inch tandem.
November 2 and 3, 2008, Mileposters rode 33 miles, from Thompsonville
to Champion, on the Montour Trail, raising support for the Pittsburgh
Lutheran Center for the Blind, a PALM mission: pictured below at
Greer Tunnel and Trestle, and at McDonald Trestle. Riders stuffed
and labeled envelopes for the appeal three days before the ride started.
Officials of the Allegheny Trail Alliance have been working hard with local
government and private interests to finish the last nine miles of the
Great Allegheny Passage, from the marina in McKeesport to the Point in Pittsburgh.
In a breathtaking move, the Union Railroad donated the Riverton Bridge over
the Monongahela River from Duquesne to McKeesport, surrendering the daily
rail traffic on the route, and in less than five months, the rails were removed
and the bridge was decked and fenced for bicycles and a new ramp was built on
the McKeesport side, opening October 4. The Mileposters made their first ride
across the bridge on October 19, starting from Boston. [Second picture takes longer to load.]
Riverton Bridge approach from the Duquesne side of the Monongahela, October 4, 2008
Riverton Bridge, from the Duquesne-McKeesport Bridge, in twilight, October 4, 2008
Lingering summer, Youghiogheny River Trail, Boston trailhead, October 21, 2007
Arrival of fall, Cedar Creek campground, October 28; experimental warmer uniform
First ride over Hot Metal Bridge, Pittsburgh, January 2008
We ride tandems, triplets (straight and articulated) plus an articulated quad and quint.
The first ride with the articulated quint was in May 2006.
First ride, articulated quint, Sarver, PA, May 29, 2006
Articulated quint and stokers, Dravo Landing, Yough River Trail, October 21, 2006
Pumping water
Articulated quad at Smithton Beach, Yough Trail
Big Savage Tunnel, Allegheny Highlands Trail, August 11, 2007
Familiarity with the Connellsville/Uniontown area helped us discover the
operation of an original Baltimore & Ohio Budd RDC (Rail Diesel Car) car on the
Fayette Central Railroad (former Baltimore & Ohio track). The point where our
rider is standing in the photo below will be occupied by the Sheepskin Trail
(rail-with-trail) some day.
B&O Budd RDC-1 at Dunbar, PA, on Sheepskin Trail R-O-W, August 4, 2007
The Sheepskin Trail currently runs only from Bowest Junction on
the Youghiogheny River Trail to Dunbar. It will continue beside the track to
Smithfield, and without track to the West Virginia state line, joining the
Monongahela River Trail to Morgantown and Fairmont. Bowest Junction was a
connecting point between the Western Maryland Railway (right-of-way for
the Yough Trail from Connellsville to Cumberland) and the Baltimore & Ohio.
The group leader's favorite place is just beyond Connellsville,
along the Youghiogheny River Trail.
The pictures below were taken in Maryland, south of Paw Paw Tunnel,
and at Swain's Lock, on the C&O Canal.
Various kinds of wildlife are encountered along the trails;
the butterfly and baby rabbit below are on the Yough Trail.
CLICK HERE FOR A MOVIE
of Mileposters in action, coming out of Enlow Tunnel on the Montour Trail. When
you are finished, please use the 'Back' button in your browser to return to
the Mileposters site. (You will need a high-speed [DSL or cable] connection
plus video software on your computer in order to see this.)
CAPTAINS-
ACTIVITIES-
WASHINGTON, DC 2005-
2006-
2008-
2010-
CUMBERLAND 2007-
2009-
2011-
ROLLER SKATING-
HISTORY-
TRIPLETS PLUS-
3-D PICTURES-
MORE
The Allegheny Trail Alliance Web site has maps
and many links
to information on trails in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia.
Messages: mjshields AT totalusa DOT net