MID ATLANTIC BACKCOUNTRY DISCOVERY ROUTE

[CJ-ING-RJ]

Heading out East the first week of October. I'm looking to drive the Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route. This will be a daily move for the most part type of trip. The wife has a bum foot so no long hikes for us this year. I'm looking to run it from South to North with a stop off in up state NY to visit my mom for a day.

The authors have it boke down into 9 segments. I understand the need to shorten up the rides while on bikes but that seems a bit short for 4 wheels. Has anyone on here ever run this route? If you have what are your thoughts, likes, dislikes, recommendations?

I have a fully self contained rig that would normally be spending 10+ days out west. So I'm comfortable being off grid and self contained.

Thanks in advance. RJ

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[Lunentucker]

https://ridebdr.com/mabdr/

link for the unfamiliar

 

[acyuncw]

Why did you send me down this rabbit hole?!!! I just watched 3 YouTube videos of some dudes on big ADV bikes running this "trail". It looks perfect for what I like to do - nothing too technical but far enough away from civilization to feel like you're out there... It's mostly gravel roads with a few creek crossings and sections of pavement. I'm already prepping the wife but I had to promise hotels vs. camping.

 

[CJ-ING-RJ]

Why did you send me down this rabbit hole?!!! I just watched 3 YouTube videos of some dudes on big ADV bikes running this "trail". It looks perfect for what I like to do - nothing too technical but far enough away from civilization to feel like you're out there... It's mostly gravel roads with a few creek crossings and sections of pavement. I'm already prepping the wife but I had to promise hotels vs. camping.

Sorry but not really.

 

[acyuncw]

I'm back! I talked my wife into taking a little trip to Damascus for my birthday. We rode the Va Creeper Trail on a rented tandem the first day - lots of fun. That night, I spoke with the owner of the VRBO where were staying since he had a MABDR banner on the front porch. Turns out, he was unhappy with section 1 of the MABDR being mostly pavement so he researched an alternate route. He gave me the .gpx file and off we went. Let me know if you want the file.

The alternate route is a series of back roads (paved) that lead to awesome gravel roads right through the mountains. A lot of the woods roads were right alongside the Appalachian Trail. The leaves were so thick, it was hard to see where to drive in places. I never needed 4X4 though there were sections where disconnected sway bars would have been nice. We ended the afternoon at the Mountain Lake Lodge.

Notes if you go: pack a lunch and fill up on gas before you start. Also, prepare your co-pilot to use the bush latrine. Even the the paved sections were in the middle of nowhere with nothing but farms.

I didn't get many pictures. I was having too much fun driving and my wife was busy navigating with Gaia GPS. On Gaia - we missed a dirt section when it froze for a looong time - I just drove NE on the pavement until it woke up.

Thanks again for sending me down the rabbit hole. I want to go back and do the rest.

 

[John in the Woods]

I'm back! I talked my wife into taking a little trip to Damascus for my birthday. We rode the Va Creeper Trail on a rented tandem the first day - lots of fun. That night, I spoke with the owner of the VRBO where were staying since he had a MABDR banner on the front porch. Turns out, he was unhappy with section 1 of the MABDR being mostly pavement so he researched an alternate route. He gave me the .gpx file and off we went. Let me know if you want the file.

The alternate route is a series of back roads (paved) that lead to awesome gravel roads right through the mountains. A lot of the woods roads were right alongside the Appalachian Trail. The leaves were so thick, it was hard to see where to drive in places. I never needed 4X4 though there were sections where disconnected sway bars would have been nice. We ended the afternoon at the Mountain Lake Lodge.

Notes if you go: pack a lunch and fill up on gas before you start. Also, prepare your co-pilot to use the bush latrine. Even the the paved sections were in the middle of nowhere with nothing but farms.

I didn't get many pictures. I was having too much fun driving and my wife was busy navigating with Gaia GPS. On Gaia - we missed a dirt section when it froze for a looong time - I just drove NE on the pavement until it woke up.

Thanks again for sending me down the rabbit hole. I want to go back and do the rest.

Glad you got out there. I was planning on heading north to south in October, but got delayed in the Finger Lakes in NY. I’ll be headed south at the end of December, but I’m guessing that’s to deep into winter for the northern end of the route.

I’d definitely love to see that alternate map. The more dirt the better.

 

[Fpolanco]

Heading out East the first week of October. I'm looking to drive the Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route. This will be a daily move for the most part type of trip. The wife has a bum foot so no long hikes for us this year. I'm looking to run it from South to North with a stop off in up state NY to visit my mom for a day.

The authors have it boke down into 9 segments. I understand the need to shorten up the rides while on bikes but that seems a bit short for 4 wheels. Has anyone on here ever run this route? If you have what are your thoughts, likes, dislikes, recommendations?

I have a fully self contained rig that would normally be spending 10+ days out west. So I'm comfortable being off grid and self contained.

Thanks in advance. RJ

Good morning! Did you ever end up doing this?

 

[CJ-ING-RJ]

Good morning! Did you ever end up doing this?

We did not We decided to look around the great lakes and hit up state NY instead. Looking at it a gain in a few years.

 

[Fpolanco]

We did not We decided to look around the great lakes and hit up state NY instead. Looking at it a gain in a few years.

I mean, that’s not a bad option either.

Just an FYI, a buddy and I did this closer to 5 days. We ended skipping the Maryland part. According to most of the reviews, it was mostly paved city driving.

And we ended up combining the last couple days bc they were shorter in distance and easy in difficulty.

When you hit Lancaster County in PA, you’re going to pass a little cafe/diner with a red roof on the right hand side. If I can find the name of it again, I’ll pass it along. I HIGHLY recommend stopping in and trying any of their baked goods.

 

[Jobofly]

We did not We decided to look around the great lakes and hit up state NY instead. Looking at it a gain in a few years.

where in upstate Ny did you go?

 

[CJ-ING-RJ]

where in upstate Ny did you go?

My mom lives in a small town called Hinsdale, so we went and visited her for few days. Went over to Niagara then out the south end into Pennsylvania.

The majority of the trip involved the UP of Michigan and Wisconsin. went to Drummond island and did the Badge of Honor trail.

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