The Montour Trail

This tour of the Montour Trail took place in June 2023 as a part of a longer tour I called “The Great Western PA Rail Trail Tour” which included the Pine Creek Rail Trail, the Allegheny River Trail, the Redbank Valley Trail, the Armstrong Trail and the Ghost Town Trail.
If you’d like to enjoy the longer video, please watch that here: • The Great Western PA R...
For more info:
montourtrail.org
tandemconnection.com
Musical selections:
“River Runs Deep” Sander Kalmeijer
“Smile” Michael Vignola
“Day and Night” Yellen
“Last Light” St. James
“You Linger With Me” Goldfinch
(If you like these videos, please SUBSCRIBE and if you really like them, you could buy me a coffee ☕️ (https:/buymeacoffee.com/raadventures)
Camera + camera settings: Filmed on a GoPro 11 Black (4K/24fps, Linear mode), Insta360 One X, iPhone 13 Max Pro and edited in Final Cut Pro.
contact me at: bryanwehmeyer@ridealongadventures.com
(Bryan Wehmeyer, @2023)

Пікірлер: 68

  • @jeffbeers9658
    @jeffbeers96583 ай бұрын

    Hello. I’ve been enjoying your videos. I only allow myself to watch cycling videos from the seat of my stationary bike.But, I wanted to comment about the perspective of the Montour railroad transporting 7,000,000 tons in a year. I spent my life building underground mining equipment. Twenty plus years ago we put a machine in Mettiki mine that set a monthly production record of 3,000,000 clean tons. That’s one longwall face and one shearer in one month. The machines we were shipping to China before I retired would dwarf that tonnage. Thanks for your fun and informative rides. I appreciate you.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    3 ай бұрын

    😳 that’s amazing. I just can’t comprehend that amount. Wow. Thanks for watching. I do the same thing. KZread keeps me in shape. 😂

  • @thegreatexaggerator9077
    @thegreatexaggerator907722 күн бұрын

    Another great video! Pennsylvania really has some nice bike trails. A couple of notes, (sorry this could get long). I frequently have the last song I hear stuck in my head sometimes for a couple days like you had. I always fall asleep every night to one of a couple dozen playlists I have on my phone. Sometimes, the next day a song will be stuck in my head that played on the playlist, after I fell asleep! Strange. Also Kenny Rogers came into our restaurant one morning for breakfast. The waitress waiting on him asked him if it was OK to let the staff know that he was here because she knew one of the other waitresses was a big fan. He was very nice but he told her, “if you tell anyone I’m here I’ll leave.” Gonna bike the Pine Crest Trail next month with a couple of guys I met on the GAP/C&O. Happy trails!

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    21 күн бұрын

    Great story. 😂 man, I’d hate to be a celebrity. I love my privacy. Regardless, what a great voice. YES-PA is a gem in terms of rail trails. And just when I think I’ve ridden most of them someone writes me to point out another one. Enjoy Pine Creek. It’s awesome.

  • @MrTullyblue
    @MrTullyblue4 ай бұрын

    Thank you - amazing

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    4 ай бұрын

    Glad you liked it!

  • @lolshark99b49
    @lolshark99b493 ай бұрын

    Going to ride the Montour Trail this summer thanks for the info

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    3 ай бұрын

    Have fun! Great trail.

  • @MW-yj8zk
    @MW-yj8zk4 ай бұрын

    My wife and I are blessed to live in the Pittsburgh area and ride all of these trails on a regular basis. Thank you to all of the volunteers, something I want to do during retirement.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    4 ай бұрын

    Right on!

  • @billysbikesbrews7183
    @billysbikesbrews7183Ай бұрын

    Nicely Done 🚴‍♂️😎.. there’s some nice tunnels.. I’ve only been on the McDonald’s Trestle.. Panhandle Trail goes right by a brewery Oakdale PA.. Helicon Brewing 🍻🙂

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Ай бұрын

    Best of two worlds. 🚴 🍺

  • @billysbikesbrews7183

    @billysbikesbrews7183

    Ай бұрын

    @@RideAlongAdventures one more thing ☝️.. Good Decision about the smoke.. I remember those Smokey days here in the Carolinas 💨

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Ай бұрын

    @@billysbikesbrews7183 lol. I really struggled with that decision at the time. But, yeah, it was right. If you can’t see the incline, you’d best ride another day.

  • @kashanti1
    @kashanti16 ай бұрын

    Lolol Oh I remember that bridge at the end with the narrow path. Hated it! But I don’t like bridges or Heights in general, so that was nerve-racking riding across it.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    6 ай бұрын

    lol. I'm not a heights guy either. :)

  • @TheBane1979
    @TheBane19793 ай бұрын

    That trail that runs across WV will take you to Steubenville Ohio and onto the ohio river scenic byway, rt 7. contemplating trying to ride it all the way home when I do the C&O and GAP to Pittsburg

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    3 ай бұрын

    That sounds awesome. I can’t remember the video but I watched a guy ride that route. He crossed over in Augusta and rode on the KY side to Cincy. I think 52 must be tough. I’ve driven that before and I recall few shoulders.

  • @gorrdd
    @gorrdd11 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the memories, Bryan. I loved the many cool bridges. Pittsburgh looked like it did back in the early 60's with all that smoke and haze. And the fork in the road was found again... just never run over it by forking around.😂 The whole trip was such a contrast with the various kinds of weather. Sorry you didn't get to do the Gapper this time around. But you made the right decision.🤔 Blessings, Gord

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    11 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it. Lol…I totally remembered your joke when I came to that fork. 😂

  • @gorrdd

    @gorrdd

    11 ай бұрын

    @@RideAlongAdventures Haaa!!:) that's funny you remembered. Blessings, Gord

  • @petesacco3255
    @petesacco325515 күн бұрын

    Coraopolis is also the home of singes Lou Christie he graduated from Moon Township High School

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    15 күн бұрын

    Omg…wow. That brings back memories. Lightnin’ Strikes!!!! 👏🏼

  • @JamesLove-wm6ye
    @JamesLove-wm6ye2 ай бұрын

    At Pittsburgh AMTRAK/Greyhound Stations that the PRR created we have the PRR's line coming in from New Castle PA down through Conway Yards that replaced Pitcairn Yard. At AMTRAK/Greyhound had the PRR's Eastern Division hosting PRR's Conemaugh & Allegheny Valley RR Divisions. The Conemaugh & AVRR pulled left onto the wye at Homewood-Brushton Wye for the the AVRR to pull off the Brilliant Division up to Erie PA that's part of the Pittsburgh to Erie Trail. Back at the Brilliant Division over Butler Street/ Allegheny River Blvd. Conemaugh Division follows Old PA 28 to Butler Junction to meet the Butler Freeport Trail for the Conemaugh Division to pick up the PA Canal and the Western Pennsylvania RR as the Conemaugh pulls northeast to Kiski Junction as the Canal crossed burst Aqueduct and followed what became the Kiski Junction Railroad for the Canal to service to Johnstown to meet Plane 1 of the Allegehny Portage Railroad to reach Hollidaysburg onto Clark's Ferry to meet the Appalachian Trail and would be South Pennsylvania Railroad coming from would be line from East Broad Top RR coming from U.S. 522 to where SPRR was to use the Sherman's Valley RR along with the PRR's mainline to Harrisburg, Lancaster, Columbia, Duffy's Cut murder site on way to Philadelphia to reach Trenton N.J. onto New York City.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    2 ай бұрын

    thanks for the additional info, James. It's a great trail.

  • @robertgranato8399
    @robertgranato83998 ай бұрын

    Excellent video👍🚲

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    8 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it

  • @JamesLove-wm6ye
    @JamesLove-wm6ye2 ай бұрын

    When you look at the Montour Railroad it was operated by both the P&LE and PRR. As the Panhandle Division you mentioned in this video had a wye at McDonald in Washington County PA that the Panhandle Division that came off the PAT now P.R.T. Trestle split at the Tower above PA 51 above West Carson Street for the Panhandle Trail from above Corliss Tunnel out to Carnegie Station is now P.R.T.'s PAT West Busway, as Panhandle Division now Trail is finished from PRR's Panhandle Divisions Walkers Mill Station in Collier Township out to Wheriton Junction VA now WV. 2nd. The Chartier's Division of PRR. left Sheridan Yard following Chartiers Creek to Bridgeville where a wye crossed Station Street pulling right under I 79 to cross Montour Trail near PA 980 near National Tunnel as I found out this fact as its PRR cut line in Bridgeville was to wye to Montour Trail near Morgan PA. Chartiar's PRR Division goes under the Montour RR now Trail below where Mayview Hospital was below the Golf Course below Boyce Road south of Bridgeville PA.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    2 ай бұрын

    thanks for the additional info, James. It's a great trail.

  • @bobb2634
    @bobb2634 Жыл бұрын

    Nice ride and video. I rode it in the opposite direction 2 years ago while on the C&O/GAP. I really enjoyed the Montour. Nice to see the route through Neville Island hasn't changed at all.😂 Those little huts are for fire wood. I hammocked at that campsite and it was a pleasant stay. Thanks for sharing this ride and getting it out there for others that may want to explore this trail.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it! I’ve been told in numerous private emails that I caught Neville Island on a particularly bad day after a big rain. Fair nuf. 😏 yeah, I like that trail. Nice campsites.

  • @RufusAstra
    @RufusAstra9 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for this video. You have confirmed my decision to avoid the downtown area and jump off the GAP trail - take the connecting trail to the Montour Trail. You sometimes feel the need to go to the very end of each trail - but looking at google and all the other apps for a route through - I just think it will be a lot nicer to avoid as many roads as possible. Keep taking those smile breaks 😀

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    9 ай бұрын

    Glad it was helpful! In fairness, several people have reached out to me to say that I hit that section after a storm and the road may have been filled with more crap than usual. That still doesn't explain the angry drivers but the punctures may have been avoided.

  • @ronhoover5516
    @ronhoover5516 Жыл бұрын

    Thank You Bryan for the video!

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    My pleasure!

  • @JamesLove-wm6ye
    @JamesLove-wm6ye2 ай бұрын

    As we ride the P.R.T /PAT Panhandle Trestle as you know it today, we cross over the B&O Passenger line that serviced Industry in Point State Park as B&O had a Station along the inbound sidewalk for the Smithfield Street Bridge where the newer ramp is to reach the Mon. Warf parking area, If you look as your crossing inbound side of Smithfield Street Bridge or as your walking down the ramp you will see remaining limestone from the B&O Station that is across Water Street now Fort Pitt Blvd. from where the Monongahela House was located where Allegheny County has its Human Services building located at Smithfield Street at Fort Pitt Blvd. past Water Street. B&O Station was torn down for the I 376 Parkway east lanes. The last B&O Station was at Grant Street @ First Avenue across from Avenues A&B where the PA Canal was located along the Panhandle Division where a Passenger Station was located at 4th Avenue at track level for P&WV&F RR, Panhandle & Chartiers Division opposite existing 1st Avenue Station behind the Allegheny County Morgue at south end of Grants Hill Tunnel. The P&LE RR was under control of the Vanderbilt's as the would-be South Penn was to wye to the P&LE B&O RR's at Port Perry PA Trestle to connect SPRR to P&LE to reach Vanderbilt's mainlines at Youngstown & Cleveland Ohio. Edgar Thompson Works is built on the Braddock & Port Perry and Bessemer PA land below U.S. 30 below Bessemer Terrace here in Allegheny County. When William Vanderbilt passed away Andrew Carnegie got burned big time as rest of investors pulled out forcing Andrew Carnegie to build his Union Railroad to be the interlocking railroad between the NYC RR lines and the friendly NYC RR lines to connect to the PRR's 7 lines. Carnegie also had to build the Bessemer & Lake Erie RR.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    2 ай бұрын

    thanks for the additional info, James. It's a great trail.

  • @JamesLove-wm6ye
    @JamesLove-wm6ye2 ай бұрын

    Zeroing back to Pittsburgh AMTRAK/ Greyhound Station had the PA Canal built from the station through Grants Hill as the Canal Tunnel was and still can be seen under the ramp from under the ramp for the Federal Building parking lot as the smaller tunnel for the Canal to be to the left of the PRR's Pittsburgh & Steubenville RR and the Chartier's Division and the Monongahela Division that took over the Pittsburgh & Fairfax VA now West Virginia Line. The Canal was to meet the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal but City of Pittsburg now Pittsburgh with PA built the canal through Grants Hill through the 1st Avenue Garage pulled left down the B&O RR's Passenger Line to Panther Hollow Junction at Saline Street as the C&O Canal was only built and operated from MP 0 in Washington D.C. to MP 184.5 Mile dried up canal Basis where it met the Western Maryland Railroad now Railway Station and the B&O Station in Cumberland Maryland in Alleghany County Maryland.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    2 ай бұрын

    thanks for the additional info, James. It's a great trail.

  • @deniseemory4359
    @deniseemory435925 күн бұрын

    I’m planning a Montour Trail Ride soon and am considering camping mid week at the Cecil Henderson Kurnick campsites (mile 25.6). I am a female riding solo with my little dog and wonder if I need to be concerned about safety (being so near to the city).

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    25 күн бұрын

    That campground is pretty far into the suburbs. That’s awesome you ride with a dog. That’s a dream of mine. 😊 how does that work for you? Trailer? Backpack? How often do you have to stop for doggie breaks?

  • @deniseemory4359

    @deniseemory4359

    25 күн бұрын

    @@RideAlongAdventures I ride a Specialized Diverge gravel bike with Ortlieb rear panniers and the “Pedego” dog carrier sits up on the rear rack above the panniers. She’s an 8-9 pound ShihTzo, so a tiny girl. We’ve been doing 50 and up to 70 miles days on the Pennsylvania Rail Trails. She and I have done almost all of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trails this year as well as Redbank Valley, Pine Creek, Ghost Town, Hoodlebug and Path of the Flood. I live in NY state a quarter mile from a section of the Erie to Pittsburgh trail called Chautauqua Rails to Trails (a mostly primitive rail trail) and living that close to a rail trail and watching your KZread channel has been inspiring. I just started bikepacking this year and just retired a year ago. I ride one of my five different bikes every day !! I have a front carrier for the dog on my mountain bike and fat tire bike. I don’t take her on my fast paced road rides though.

  • @JamesLove-wm6ye
    @JamesLove-wm6ye2 ай бұрын

    PRR's Eastern Division with Pittsburgh Regional Transits, Port Authority of Allegheny County's Phase 1 & 2 and maybe phases 3 & 4 that's to reach Pitcairn Yards is on the PRR's Eastern Division serviced 45 miles to New Derry that is Derry as Derry is New Derry PA in Westmoreland County as it picks up the Pittsburgh to Harrisburg Trails. At Derry PA Yard area was the West Penn Powers West Penn Railways property also, as the West Penn Trolleys had a line leading to crossing would be South Pennsylvania Railroads mainline as it came up from Connellsville PA from the GAP's South portion at the Ohiopyle State Park Boundary. Part of the Eastern Division met the Pittsburgh Westmoreland & Somerset RR as the Ligonier Valley RR was built by Judge Mellon as he created Idlewild Park to help connect to West Penn Railways. William H. Vanderbilt was to take over the Ligonier Valley Railroad as PW&S & Bedford RR finished Vanderbilt's Quemahonning Tunnel as the Quemahonning Tunnel was ripped out by PA Turnpike recently.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    2 ай бұрын

    thanks for the additional info, James. It's a great trail.

  • @UlfDior
    @UlfDior Жыл бұрын

    Loved the BICUS bit. Keep up the great work. Look forward to your next video! Safe travels

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it! After years of business analytics, it’s fun to analyze the inane. 🙂

  • @JamesLove-wm6ye
    @JamesLove-wm6ye2 ай бұрын

    Between Large PA 41 near Toll 43 going towards Library PA was wye for the Montour RR and B&O. This would be where you left crossing PA 51 in Large PA at traffic light forced to use side streets until you got to Snowden Tunnel that is now known as South Park in that area of tunnel named Green Man's tunnel near the Coen Store out to where Mine is for the Library PA, West Library PA Silver line.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    2 ай бұрын

    thanks for the additional info, James. It's a great trail.

  • @FollowThomas
    @FollowThomas Жыл бұрын

    This trail reminds me of the GAP Trail. Beautiful ride. I'm gonna be out there next weekend to ride part of the C&O Canal Trail. 👍

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    Have fun!

  • @uhu69
    @uhu69 Жыл бұрын

    Another great video! Thanks Bryan! Love PA & NY. Had no clue there was a trail named The Montour Trail! Alex 👍🏼🍻

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @kashanti1
    @kashanti16 ай бұрын

    Yeah, when I was riding the gap that’s what I do. I got to some of these little motels and I just hosed it off first and got a room on the first floor. Never really had a problem. You probably also had the problem because you were in Florida there are not a lot of long trails in the state. so they’re not used to seeing people bike touring or bike packing like they are in Pittsburgh along that trail or the gap trail or any of the other rail trails across the country.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    6 ай бұрын

    true. the other thing I probably should add is that some motel/hotel staff just need a minute to take a deep breath and realize that a bike isn't that bad. Later last summer I had a check-in person tell me "absolutely not" about bringing my bike inside until they realized they were going to have to provide me some sort of alternative and they didn't want to put it in a storage closet and assume liability. Honestly, I don't like the confusion so I usually tell them when I'm reserving so there isn't an issue. Again, I find most places to be totally cool.

  • @ReimaginedAdventures
    @ReimaginedAdventures Жыл бұрын

    Yeah, we deffinalty need to do this ride , omg that smoke is horrible there !

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    It was really bad. My voice at the end was like a chain smoker.

  • @norbkuta

    @norbkuta

    Жыл бұрын

    Wildfire smoke was very bad for 3-4 days in a row.

  • @jafo766
    @jafo7668 ай бұрын

    Puncture's ? not after I started using Schwable Tire's !

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    8 ай бұрын

    Pardon my ignorance but do they make a gravel tire? The Gravelkings I’ve got now are an improvement, when I remember to replenish the sealant.

  • @jafo766

    @jafo766

    8 ай бұрын

    Check them out.@@RideAlongAdventures

  • @redcomusic
    @redcomusic Жыл бұрын

    I was wondering why Coraopolis PA sounded familiar, then I realized it's where most Pittsburgh airport-area hotels have their addresses designated. Speaking of hotels, it helps to learn the layout of the upcoming hotel via Google Earth or something so one can see the little nooks and crannies and plan accordingly ya know. - Red

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    Good advice. I will not admit how many wrong turns I made getting to that hotel. Nor how many times I pulled out my phone to check and recheck where I was headed. I used to claim that I had a good sense of direction. No more.

  • @redcomusic

    @redcomusic

    Жыл бұрын

    @@RideAlongAdventures oh haha! i didn't even notice you struggling :) i meant the little nooks and crannies on where to possibly store the bike, which is always a challenge.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    @@redcomusic lol. Got ya now. That’s a really good idea.

  • @francisnicoletti4534
    @francisnicoletti4534 Жыл бұрын

    So Bryan; if that Initial road ride to the start of the trail was so banged up & traffic filled; why didn’t you start at the trail entrance?

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    Жыл бұрын

    File that experience under “live and learn”. I really wanted to think there would be a doable big loop. Others have written me that it isn’t usually that bad. Could have caught it on a bad day. In fairness it had been raining like crazy so maybe that dredged up a lot of stuff in the bike lane.

  • @rosesmith6208
    @rosesmith620821 күн бұрын

    those trials look crappy to me I wont ride these type of trails. i forgot to add thank you for not putting in crappy music.

  • @RideAlongAdventures

    @RideAlongAdventures

    21 күн бұрын

    Uhh…ok. 🤔