In order to fully understand the trail user experience, TTOC rode the length of the Great Allegheny Passage from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland this September. Over the course of four days and 150 miles, we learned why so many people do the trip. While we undoubtedly enjoyed the experience, we also identified future projects, maintained our electronic counters, and finished taking inventory of every sign along the trail. Additionally, the trip allowed us the opportunity to view the towns we are familiar with in a different light. This trip continues to influence our ideas for projects, as we inevitably think about how we felt while riding. The signage inventory and subsequent plans have been major projects for TTOC this year, and riding the trail in its entirety showed us firsthand where signs need to be upgraded. As the trip progressed, we also began to see where gaps exist in services that we would have not noticed before. Although we had familiarity with the trail and towns we rode through, one certainly experiences a place differently on a bike.
