Bicycle events are sprouting this spring By Dave Hurst

Bicycle events are sprouting this spring

By Dave Hurst

© 2016 Hurst Media Works

The official gateway, greeting visitors to Apollo, announces that this is a Main Line Canal town. But these days passers-by may pay less attention to the distinguished stone wall there than to the bicycles placed in front of it.
One is a child’s bicycle painted bright yellow, a second kids’ bike is bright orange. A man’s full-suspension mountain bike is powder blue, while a woman’s trail bike is bright red.
The display captures a sense of what’s going on in Apollo this year. During this Kiski River community’s bicentennial year, its residents are acknowledging both their past and their future.
This onetime Main Line Canal town is now a trail town that hosts a network of bicycle trails. Connected to its five-mile Roaring Run Trail is a 1.5-mile Rock Furnace spur and more than 15 miles of mountain-biking single-tracks. From the downtown, the 1.5-mile Apollo Kiski Riverfront Trail extends into North Apollo.
Each year, Apollo hosts a mountain-bike race called the “Roaring Run Rumble,” which is scheduled for May 14. This year, though, the community also is hosting “Race to the Moon,” July 2, a 5K and 10K run/walk along the Roaring Run Trail as one of its bicentennial events. Information for both events can be found at RoaringRun.org.
As one who pays close attention to our region’s events calendars and their patterns, I’ve noticed something interesting this year: Increasing numbers of events are being planned that connect with our region’s rail-trails.
Some events are fund-raisers for trail development and maintenance, such as the Yough Trail 5K, 10K, Family Fun Walk on May 14 along the Youghiogheny River Trail (aka the Great Allegheny Passage), which benefits the Westmoreland Yough River Trail Chapter. BikeWYTC.org.
The Armstrong Trail’s “Eat, Play, Ride” on May 21 is one of that trail’s principal fund-raisers of the year. It begins and ends at the Nautical Mile Campground in Templeton. ArmstrongRailsToTrails.org.
In my home county of Cambria, a “Cambria County Trails Series” of special events has been launched this year to support, preserve and enhance trails there.
On May 14 there will be a Jim Mayer Trail Family Fun Run in Johnstown, on June 18 a Ghost Town Trail Challenge and on July 23 a Path of the Flood Bike and Hike. CambriaConservationRecreation.com.
Other groups also use trails to raise money for worthy causes, such as the Salvation Army, which is hosting a “River and Wind Challenge” on June 4 in Confluence along the Great Allegheny Passage. SalvationArmyWPA.org.
The region’s largest festival tied to bicycling has to be DirtFest, May 20-22, at Raystown Lake. Situated on the hillsides above Seven Points, the 24 trails of the Allegrippis system are among the best mountain bike trails in the East and draw thousands of riders to this annual festival. DirtRagDirtFest.com.
Blairsville’s a community that likes both trails and festivals. Along with its own Blairsville Riverfront Trail, the borough also is near the terminuses of three other rail-trails – the Ghost Town, Hoodlebug and West Penn.
Community leaders there are launching a new music festival on May 28, the Riverfront Music Festival. August 13, there’s a Knotweed Festival that includes activities along the riverfront trail. Blairsville-pa.net.
Later in the season, there’s a Hoodlebug Fall Fest/5K Run and Fun Walk on September 11 in Homer City (VisitIndianaCountyPa.org), and a West Penn Trail Triathlon on October 8 in Saltsburg (ConemaughValleyConservancy.org).
Bicycle trails add to our quality of life. They provide easy access to some of the region’s most-beautiful places, encourage healthy activity and attract visitors who spend money here.
However, all of these trail-related events and festivals suggest something else is happening as well: Our bicycle trails are providing fertile ground for groups of people to try new things.
Notice how many of these events take place during May? It seems fitting that such events are sprouting during the heart of spring – a time for joyous growth.