Relay succeeds by the skin of their teeth!

Each year we set out to do something silly and challenging…ride from Washington DC to Pittsburgh in less than 24 hours. In 2008, we accomplished the mission with 150 riders and a big blowout for Pittsburgh’s 250th birthday. Last year we made it our goal to raise funds to finish the bike trail into Pittsburgh and rode in with minutes to spare. This year we were at it again, ready to pedal through any weather and dodge mammals big and small.

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On the Passage Preview Party

Award-winning film maker John Urman has been working on a the film On the Passage for over 2 years! The 30 minute film features the Great Allegheny Passage, our local bike trail that connects Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland and eventually Washington DC.

Be one of the first to view the film! The preview party is Wednesday, July 7th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Melwood Screening Room in Oakland. This is the first opportunity to see the film, and meet John Urman afterwords. Read more

A bike tour for every skill level!

Bicycle vacations are the newest craze for anyone seeking a unique vacation. However if you haven’t been on a bike in awhile, or you don’t own a weeks worth of padded bicycle shorts, some of the lengthy trips probably look a bit intimidating. Never fear dear bike tour beginner, Venture Outdoors has bike tours that don’t even require a bike! Read more

Confessions of a not so serious biker

Saturday May 1, we loaded the Venture Outdoors trailer with bikes and a charter bus with 34 riders to hit NYC up for a weekend of riding and exploring via the NYC 5 Boro Bike Tour.

Before this ride, I’d never biked more than 25 miles in one go. I’ve long enjoyed both the outdoors and biking, but ever approached both with one thing in mind: leisure. Well, leisure to be accompanied by a post-leisure ice cream cone.

But I decided to do the ride for the personal challenge of biking further in one day than I ever have, the opportunity to see the city from something other than a cab or photographs, and the promise of being on the back of a tandem bicycle with our Bike Tour Coordinator, Seth “I Bike Uphill for Giggles” Gernot. What could go wrong?

Sunday morning we rolled out of bed around 6:00 AM with the sun and balmy morning air as our cheerleaders. Nothing, not even a waffle (okay, maybe a waffle), could have energized me more. Although the ride wouldn’t begin until 8, thousands of people had already lined up by the time we took our place between the starting point and Battery Park. Being surrounded by that many bikers—eventually, the number would reach over 30,000—was one of the most incredible parts of the ride.

Even in the crowd, we were able to keep track of each other with the footlong flags we decorated our helmets with. We also saw helmets with fluffy pink flamingos, sparkly red streamers, and Star Wars bobble heads. The force was definitely with those riders.

A few New Yorkers apparently hadn’t heard that we were coming. My favorite quote was at a crosswalk as a girl waited impatiently, talking on her cell phone. “There’s like, a thousand bikers here blocking my way,” she said, “and they aren’t stopping.” Poor gal. I bet she was standing there awhile.

With Seth’s surplus of charisma and our 4 well-tuned engines (two right legs and two left in total), I’m pleased to report that the 40 miles flew by pretty comfortably—even on a heavy Huffy tandem made in the ‘80s. That evening, I was also able to get my sweets fix with some “mascarpone” gelato from a little market near our hotel. Mmmm.

I ended the ride with only one complaint. Seth made me bike uphill, and he graciously volunteered to manage the downs. That’s fine—he’s old and needed my help.* But where in the heck did he get this picture?

Someone is trying to sabotage my career as a serious biker. Come on—I pedaled myself, and Seth, up the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Staten Island to Brooklyn.** You can be sure I’m tough.

Personal experience by Whitney Philipps, Venture Outdoors Development Intern

*Seth definitely isn’t old! But he did celebrate his birthday with us on the day of the ride, and during the drive to New York with some delicious cupcakes from Dozen.

**Including immediate approaches, the bridge is about 2.7 miles long—the first half of which is uphill.

Tribune-Review features VO Bike Tours

The word is getting around–we have expanded our bike tour schedule for 2010. Check out this great Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article by Karen Price. It’s all about our bike tours!

The article notes that we are continuing our most popular trips from last year, like the NYC Five Boro Bike Tour, Fall Foliage Bike Tour and the 24-hour Relay, but adding a new series of tours called the RAP Tour (Ride Across Pennsylvania) saying:

In addition to return trips to New York in May and Washington, D.C., in the fall, Venture Outdoors has added a 225-mile, four-day trip from Erie to Morgantown, W.Va., in August.

Read the full article

For more information on any of our 2010 tours, including packing lists and frequently asked questions visit, ventureoutdoors.org/biketours.aspx, or click the Bike Tours link on our homepage.

7 vests left for the Five Boro Bike Tour!

The Five Boro Bike tour sold out of regular entry slots in just 25 days! If you’re still looking for a chance to join the ranks, we have 7 spots left in our group registration! Join us and 30,000 others from around the country for a 42-mile car free ride in New York City.

The Five Boro Bike Tour is just a one day ride, but we’re making it more like a mini vacation. We’ll take care of transportation, tolls and lodging, so you can simply enjoy the ride. Read more

First ever RAP Tour now open!

Did you know Pennsylvania has 9 state bike routes – including 4 that span north and south, and 3 that travel east and west? Pretty cool, right?

Venture Outdoors is excited to announce a new series of bike tours on the BicyclePA Routes. Our first ever RAP (Ride Across Pennsylvania) Tour will be this August, and we’ll be traveling BicyclePA Route A from Erie, PA to Morgantown, WV.

Registration is now open for the RAP Tour. Sign up before May 31st to receive an Early Bird Special. For more details on the ride CLICK HERE.

But be sure to check out this cool map of Keystone State Bike Routes below. We’ll be one of these routes each year!

Best Time to Bike!

Despite the soggy start, the Fall Foliage Bike Tour which traveled from Connellsville, PA to Cumberland, MD from Friday, October 9 through Monday, October 12, was a great success. From downtown Pittsburgh, a small and enthusiastic group set off for Connellsville to ride the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). Though the weather wasn’t sunny, our dispositions were. One participant said, “Well, at least the trails won’t be crowded.”

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GAP makes USA Today

It’s no question that people from around the world are starting to take a closer look at Pittsburgh and its surrounding region. And what they are seeing is a new economy and a refreshing take on past industry. Examples are everywhere, the latest in a recent USA Today article on cycling the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP).

The story touts the trail’s amenities that we all know and love like even terrain, beautiful views and exciting tunnels, but also speaks to the economic opportunities for towns along the trail and the money to be made when over 700,000 people travel the passage.

Read the article at, www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/affordableamerica/2009-10-08-great-allegheny-passage_N.htm

While your there check out the Venture Outdoors link along the left side. Our Fall Foliage Bike Tour is out there riding the Great Allegheny Passage right now!

Summer Cycling Tour raises needed funds for the YMCA and the Allegheny Trail Alliance

In the heat of the August, 15 adventurous souls headed into the wilderness to ride the Great Allegheny Passage while raising money for two great causes. The four day tour was organized by Venture Outdoors. Cyclists were rewarded for their work with breathtaking views of mountains, tunnels, viaducts, wind farms, and the occasional kayaker floating down the lazy rivers.

Money provided by the riders combined with funds from Venture Outdoors totaled $250 and will go directly to the Allegheny Trail Alliance (ATA), the all volunteer group that maintains and builds the trail. Venture Outdoors encourages all the outfitters, shops, restaurants, hotels, B & Bs, cyclists and anyone else benefiting from the trail to make a contribution to finish and maintain the trail at www.atatrail.org. Together, we can create a sustainable source of income that will keep the trail a world class asset for decades to come.

Eric Mann, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, took it upon himself to ride every mile to raise money for his organization and the youth it serves. 130 miles and four days later found him smiling from ear to ear with over $7,000 in pledges. He had so much fun that he’s already planning to expand the ride next year to include over 50 cyclists from the YMCA. The impact of a large number of cyclists generating funds for youth programs will be substantial. Eric had this to say, “Venture Outdoors does an unbelievable job, the YMCA is planning it’s 2010 Great Ride for children with special needs.”

The fun is not over yet for 2009. There’s still one more chance to vacation with Venture Outdoors on the Great Allegheny Passage in October. But, there are only 8 spots left for the Fall Foliage Bike Tour, a relaxing 4 day bike tour that is perfect for cyclists and their non-cycling spouses and friends. Details and online registration can be found at www.ventureoutdoors.org or by calling 412.255.0564 ext 35.

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