Riding the GAP to the Flight 93 Memorial
On September 6-7, 2019, a few members of our Mt. Lebanon Cycling and Caffeine Club rode 170 miles from Pittsburgh along the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail to the Flight 93 National Memorial east of the city. There is an initiative by the 911 National Trail Memorial organization to link all three 911 Memorial sites (Shanksville, PA; New York City; and Washington, DC) by way of 1,300 miles of cycling-friendly roads and trails. Our ride was part of a fundraising effort to help develop the trail from the GAP to the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville.
We left from the Mt. Lebanon Coffee Tree on Friday morning and rode into the city to begin at the GAP Mile 0 at Point State Park. Under perfect bluebird skies we skimmed the banks of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers as our tires rolled over the GAP’s dry crushed limestone trail. One hundred or so miles later we arrived in Confluence to overnight and eat everything not tied down. After wakening to a cool, quiet morning of birdsong and canoes floating on the river in front of our B&B, we continued on the GAP another 20 miles to Garrett. At this trailhead we met three more companions who had driven from Pittsburgh that morning. Leaving the GAP at Garrett, we made our way north on beautiful rolling country roads to Berlin and the start of the official fundraising ride. The roads had surprisingly little car traffic, but there were still police officers to help us through any of the busier intersections. It was a a hilly and challenging route, but we were motivated to reach the Memorial under our own power as another kind of pilgrimage. We walked along the Memorial and listened to staff narrate stories of the day, and watched as white tents were set up near the crash site in preparation for the remembrance ceremony a few days later. In an enclosed field covered in wild flowers sits a large solitary boulder that marks the impact site. Only family members are allowed within the gate to touch the boulder and say a few prayers.
This week we continue to remember all the souls who lost their lives that bluebird September day, and their family and friends who are forever changed.
Our Ride for Two Perfect Days
The Route
The maps below are for Day 1 and Day 2. Use the zoom tools to examine the route here, or click on the Komoot logo to the right to open the map’s page in a new window.