And have your luggage delivered ahead of time.
When visitors arrive in the tiny , rural Pennsylvania hamlet ofConfluence , it ’s often by bicycle . Nestled in the Allegheny stack , the Ithiel Town is habitation to just around 600 people — and biking was n’t always so popular here . For generations , life in Confluence orbit around ember mining and log . The town hammered out a calendar method of life familiar torural Appalachian outpostsfor over a 100 until those industry get down to dry up . When chance floundered and left , the townspeople find itself full of shuttered storefronts and empty eateries . house physician wondered what would economize their town . They never expected it to be bikes .
“ have us consider what has happened . This town went through the boom and bust of timber , coal , and railroading . And now it has been revived by bicycling , ” say Larry Walsh of the Confluence Tourism Association . The overflowing bike racks posit out of doors of various concourse businesses are there because theGreat Allegheny Passage — a 150 mile motorcycle lead that runs between Pittsburgh and Cumberland , Maryland — now passes through the heart of the town . local and motorcycle enthusiast call it the GAP .
With the steady rise in bicycle touristry across the US throughout the pandemic and an ever - increasing nidus onnon - motorize infrastructure system of rules , it ’s a sound time to make an industry throw . But it ’s no longer just a bike track that ’s calling multitude to Confluence . With old storage warehouse buildings now housing cafe , art spaces , bakeries , restaurants , and inn , it ’s the sort of town that ’s a dream to kibosh by on a road trip — or track head trip . Here ’s how the townsfolk ’s unexpected reversal fall out , and what to check out out in Confluence should you decide to see what all the hype is about .
Tissue Farm
Welcome to Turkeyfoot
Confluence used to be named “ Turkeyfoot ” ( so motorcycle surely are n’t the only welcome modification ) . The far less - appealing sobriquet was given by George Washington ’s guide , Christopher Gist , in 1754 after seeing the strange shape of commonwealth here , make by three decussate rivers . Confluence , we might say , is a more disposed name .
Washington and his team surveyed the entire area before establish nearbyFort Necessity — which is now a home park . Over the years , through theboom and bust of ember townspeople , Confluence limped along with less than 1,000 occupier and high - than - average poorness rate for decades . It ’s situated in Pennsylvania ’s Laurel Highlands — an sphere known for born wonders likewaterfallsand architectural marvels like sixFrank Lloyd Wright homes . Despite the idealistic location , the town seemed ineffective to tap into the tourism market . That is , until the bike lead .
wheel enthusiasts long visualise a completely non - motorized corridor through the Appalachian mountains for years before it really make out to realization . The plane section of the track that runs between merging and nearbyOhiopylewas the first completed incision of the GAP .
Photo by Alex Byers, courtesy of Go Laurel Highlands
Today , the GAP connects to a largerrails - to - trail systemwhich runs from Pittsburgh to Washington , D.C. But in the previous 1980 ’s , the 10.5 - stat mi section of track in Confluence was only get laid as “ the river trail ” by locals . It would take several more decades before Confluence became a cycling haven .
Visit cafes and art studios galore
When that first section of trail was complete in the ‘ eighty , it activate interest from tourist as well as entrepreneurs . Pittsburgh native Anna Marie Yakubisin and her recent hubby , Robert Benns , fall to merging to ride that first trail section as daytrippers . They spotted a for - sales agreement preindication at a ramshackle riverfront mansion along the GAP . Immediately falling in dearest , they sealed the deal with $ 200 cash before returning the next calendar week to officially buy the home . In 1989 , they openedRiver ’s Edge Cafe and B & B , the first business birthed out of Confluence ’s bicycle renaissance . Still today , cyclists often enjoy a glass of vino on the wraparound porch while otters run in the nearby river .
“ I intend it ’s a misnomer that urban equal culture . Culture is everywhere . ”
But it was n’t until 2013 that the Great Allegheny Passage was amply completed , and that ’s when things really begin to look up for meeting . Others came to Ithiel Town and ended up opening a cafe , graphics studio , and artist residency in an previous car franchise . CalledTissue Farm , owner Suzanne Ragan Lentz and Jeffery ' Pope ' Pankey had been becharm by the town on the threshold of revivification while on a visit from Seattle . They bribe the shuttered dealership on a whim .
Photo by Alex Byers, courtesy of Go Laurel Highlands
“ Ridership issue keep give way up , particularly with the pandemic , ” says Pankey . “ einsteinium - cycle have added availability to the GAP Trail . We continue to see folk out here that would n’t normally be on the trail . The trail adds so much to the livelihood of the Ithiel Town . ”
Moving from Seattle to rural southwest Pennsylvania might feel like a huge shimmy , but Lentz and Pankey now ca n’t imagine being anywhere else . “ I conceive it ’s a misnomer that urban equal culture . Culture is everywhere , ” says Lentz . “ The masses , both locals and visitors , and the natural beauty keep me frozen in this small Appalachian townspeople . ”
Her better half concur . “ There is nothing more rewarding than building a coffee shop and community and ethnic center . You become the connecting tissue paper to folks who live in the same town and might not have meet . ” The bike rack outdoors of Tissue Farm is often overload as daytrippers and long - haulage bikers stop in for an iced coffee or a mouth-watering scone fresh from the oven .
Photo by Alex Byers, courtesy of Go Laurel Highlands
Just down the street , theConfluence Cycleryhandles tune - ups , bike rental , and trail - refer advice . Sometimes they repair your wheel for you , and sometimes they hand you some cock and a rag — it ’s a depleted - Florida key sort of position . A collection of othereateriesnow abounds in town , and more guest houses and Airbnb ’s are tote up every season . There ’s even a waterfrontcampgroundin merging , too , manoeuvre by The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers . The Parker House Country Innis also minutes from the trailhead . Plastic bins and towels for muddy trail power train greet Guest just past the parking lot . More bicycle than cars are stow at the Parker House most evenings as guest stretch out their old-hat peg on the covered porch .
As for other nearby attractions , it ’s all too easy to hop on and pedal your room toLaurel Caverns , Buffalo Bill ’s House , orYoughiogheny White Water Rafting .
Have your luggage delivered to the next town on the trail
concourse is the staring stop for bikers along the GAP — but it ’s just one stop of many . The 150 - mi trail boasts a smooth , humbled - limestone surface as it passes through 12 lead town , three tunnels , two viaducts , and onebone cave(yes , we had to look up “ bone cave , ” too ) . Over 1 million visitors travel all or some of the trail yearly .
Beyond the addition in dining and lodging options bring by the trail , other industry have also entered the scene . Angela Bonnell founded theSunshine Luggage Shuttleon the fringe of Confluence in 2012 , just as the track was come on completion . Her team ferries baggage from trail town to track townsfolk so that rider can enjoy the scenery without being weighed down . Her first time of year , she ferried less than ten sets of baggage . This yr , she will transport hundreds of orders up and down the GAP and its connecting towpath .
For those who ’ve already been describe into Confluence ’s charm , they have no plans to go anywhere . “ The lake , rivers , rafting , hike , biking — it has these things in abundance , ” says Pankey . “ It ’s so pretty , and these folk are the common salt of the worldly concern . ” And when it get along to comparison with with child urban cities , he asserts , “ meeting is not that dissimilar . Just no Door - Dash . ”
Tissue Farm
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Photo by Alex Byers, courtesy of Go Laurel Highlands
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