CAT Bike Camping Trip to Jim Thorpe, Sept 29-Oct 1, 2023 | CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation

Please note that the itinerary has been altered to PLAN B due to rain and cooler weather forecast for Friday. We will be riding up on Saturday and coming back on Sunday. Email cat@lvcat.org for more info.

Suggested donation for the trip is $50 per person. This includes a group campsite (bring your own tent). Other expenses are on your own, i.e. food.

Official Signup Link now open for CAT members:
https://cat-coalition-for-appropriate-transportation.square.site/product/JT-camping-trip/62

Join CAT for a 3 day bicycle adventure that will take us from Bethlehem to Jim Thorpe and beyond. This will be a mixed group of the CAT community, with options to bike a little or a lot.

The route will be largely along the D&L Trail, but will also have on-road sections at both ends with a few hills. There will also be an option to ride the slightly rustic and rockier Switchback Trail for the last 3 miles to the campground.

Registration will open for all CAT members on 9/1, with an early registration open to active CAT volunteers on 8/27. Signup link will be sent by email. Trip will be limited to 18 participants.

Riders are welcome to ride at your own pace generally between 8-14mph, with 2-3 regrouping spots along the way. CAT ride leaders will be interspersed to support you. Note that there will not be a SAG vehicle during the rides.

The trip offers options for riders to carry your own camping gear or have it trucked up in a vehicle. Additionally for anyone not biking up, you are welcome to sign up and meet us at the campsites.

The Campsite
We have booked three lakefront campsites at Mauch Chunk Lake Park. These three sites will accommodate 18 people in tents. More campsite info at: https://www.carboncounty.com/index.php/camping/) Campground has hot showers and full toilets.

If you’re driving a car to the campground, note that only 1 or 2 cars allowed to be parked at campsite, suggest that you go to front office to get a car pass, then drop off your gear at the sites and park in overflow parking lot (a 5-10 minute walk). Note that dogs are not permitted in the campground.

Schedule

9/28-9/29, Gear Drop – If you are riding from B’hem to JT and are not up for carrying your stuff, it can be dropped off at the CAT Bicycle Cooperative on Thursday (9/28) 12-4pm or Friday (9/29) 8:45-9am. Predo and 1-2 other CAT volunteers will transport it for you.

Friday, 9/29, 9am, Ride from Bethlehem (40 miles) – For those riding up, we’ll meet at CAT, 1935 W Broad St, Bethlehem, PA 18018 on the front sidewalk. Will try to be there by 8:45am to have the door open for anyone who needs bathroom/water, etc.

The first 7 miles of our ride up will be on local roads that will take us to the Nor-Bath rail trail at Bicentennial Park, then connecting to the D&L trail in Northampton, all the way to Jim Thorpe. Miles 36-40 take us on the final climb along road (or Switchback Railroad trail if you wish) to Mauch Chunk Lake Park. Bathrooms and snacks available at Northampton, Slatington, Bowmanstown, JT.

Those driving car up to Jim Thorpe can arrive at the campsite no earlier than 2pm. The address for the campground is Mauch Chunk Lake Park, 625 Lentz Trail, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229.

We have the option to stop at the Jim Thorpe Market for groceries at mile 36 upon arrival to Jim Thorpe (before riding to the campground). This will avoid the need to carry groceries on our bikes for the first 36 miles. (Just leave some room in your packs to carry it.)

Saturday, 9/30, 9am, Day Ride from Campsite w/ option to meet 10am at Glen Onoko (0-40 miles) – Those biking from the campground can roll out about 9am for the mostly downhill ride to town and then further north along the D&L trail. If you’re meeting us at Glen Onoko, we’ll on the bridge closest to the restrooms (GPS: https://goo.gl/maps/NTmZM1GYxtZc9Teq9). If you are meeting us, please account for Jim Thorpe fall foliage festival traffic and be there early, so we can roll all together at 10am.

Note that for Saturday’s ride, we can travel light without our tents, etc, since we’ll be coming back to the campground for another night.

If you wish for a shorter/flatter ride option, meet us at 10am at the Lehigh Gorge State Park at Glen Onoko Falls parking lot. Saturday’s ride will be 20-40 miles that is determined by those participating.

If you’re not up for riding on Saturday, you are welcome to relax and hang out at the campsite or just walk around town.

Sunday, 10/1, Ride from Jim Thorpe to Bethlehem (40 miles) – Pack up camp and ride home . If you are not carrying gear, it can be transported back to CAT.

Bike Choice – As a start, we recommend a bike with tires at least 38mm wide (1.5″) with at least some amount of tread. This should offer a decent amount of comfort and control on unpaved surfaces, gravel, etc. Hybrid, gravel, and touring bikes seem to work the best, i.e. pure road bikes and mountain bikes are likely not the best choices.

Helmets – are required for group bike ride portions of the weekend!

Traffic and Trail Etiquette – With rides be on trails and streets, we hope that all riders are comfortable and confident. All riders are requested to follow best etiquette on trails and to obey traffic laws while riding on streets. Please let us know if you have any questions before the trip and the CAT team will be happy to work with you.

Camping Gear – Please contact CAT if you are in need of a tent, rack for your bike, bags, etc. We have a limited supply.

Food – A combination of:(1) food we bring from home on bike
(2) food we get at Jim Thorpe Market (grocery store) when we get to town (carry on bikes 4 miles before campground)
(3) food people bring via car (you can put some in SAG (dropoff at CAT Thursday or Friday morning)
(4) can pick up more food Saturday in town as well, incl. sandwiches,etc…We can share food and stoves, i.e. if someone has lots of pasta and someone else has veggies or snacks, we can share…

Cost – $50 suggested donation per person, with flexibility to donate more or less depending on your $ situation.

Ready to Sign Up? – Signups are limited to the first 18 people to register. Link will be emailed to active CAT volunteers first, followed by all active CAT members on 9/1.

This bike ride is organized by CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation. CAT envisions a world where bicycling, walking/ADA accessibility, and public transportation prevail.

This project is being completed in partnership with the Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape. Funding is provided in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc.