Leaving from town you get an easy 10 mile warm up on the Great Allegheny Passage.
Then you can spin around the town of Confluence and pick up a clif bar at the Confluence Bike Shop. then head back towards O’pyle. Then turn off at Ram Cat Road. You’ll head up hill on gravel for a bit.
When you encounter your first left, go up Fire Tower rd. The sign is missing, but its the first left. And this is where the ride gets rough. What with all the rain and the increased logging activity the road is rough. I found myself riding the hump between ruts. In Boulder they would call this mountain biking and kids would be on FS bikes.
After climbing for a while.
Its begining to take its toll on me.
It just keeps going up…
And Then a fork in the road. Funny thing is, last time I rode this, the turn to the right was like a 4 foot wide trail. now its been logged and is 20 feet wide.
As a result the road gets a little messed up the higher you go, which is good since you are tired then and can use it as a reason to take a break. “Oh yeah I lost traction on that…”
And the TOP! 1800′ gained in 4 miles.
And a paved descent back to the car.
The route more or less, miles can be added…
I want to try this again, and turn on the dirt road that crosses the Sugarloaf trail, I think it is called Grover rd. Take that to Dinner Bell rd. and back to town.