On July 23, Saturday (rain date Sunday, 7/24), Bonnie Neher will lead the biking group from Pottstown (parking in the lot at Berks County Heritage Center and nearby Montgomery Community College, 140 College Drive). We will bike the Union Canal Towpath, part of the Schuylkill River Trail System, the Thun Trail (pronounced “Tune” Trail), which follows the former Pennsylvania railroad built along the historic Schuylkill Canal. Near the trail in Gibraltar is the Allegheny Aqueduct, a stone structure built in 1824 to carry the Schuylkill Canal across the Allegheny Creek. Beautiful railroad bridges built in 1918 provide impressive views of the river and surrounding hills. Several miles toward Birdsboro is Morlatton Village, a Swedish settlement that has been restored.
We will meet in the parking lot at 10:00 AM, to be on the trail around 10:15 AM. We will bike from Pottstown Riverfront Park to Birdsboro (11.5 miles), stopping at Morlatton Village (7-mile mark), on the way. Those wanting to bike further can continue on to Gibraltar (14 miles) and Reading Riverfront Park (18 miles). Then, return to Pottstown and meet for lunch, snacks and beer at The Pourhouse, 636 E. High St., Pottstown, PA.
Please contact Bonnie Neher (bneher1@gmail.com) for more information.
DIRECTIONS: From Harrisburg, take 81 N to 78 E, then take exit 29 to Pottstown/Reading. Follow I 61 to rail trail.
