Coyotes, grandkids, other biking vacations - piecemealing the GAP - Hopscotching the Great Allegheny Passage Trail 2024

Coyotes, grandkids, other biking vacations - piecemealing the GAP

This year, along with another couple, we did a supported group "Wisconsin Wanderlust" 6 day tour from Milwaukee on multiple rail trails. We'd planned for some other bike trips in the spring to get my wife Carole's biking mileage up.

Then, while walking her friend's dog on the fire trails in the woods behind our suburban MD house, Carole and the dog were attacked by a rabid coyote that came out of nowhere and attached it self to her calf and badly mauled her. The dog broke away, the coyote chased the dog, probably saving Carole's life. Six hours later the coyote attacked another woman and was tracked and shot by police.

The actual varmint, from a video drone launched by some guy who listens to police calls and sells videos to news outlets.

Sounds improbable - but you can see some actual video of the coyote here and me explaining what happened to the press here.

Rabies shots and wound recovery took Carole off the bike for months, so when she got the clearance to ride we planned a modified version of our 2024 gapped GAP tour:

A ride centered around the 2nd "Great Day on the GAP" fundraising festival in Cedar Creek Park in early June.
Multiple days of riding centered around Confluence PA in early September (sans Carole...)
Riding on the GAP and Montour trails near Pittsburgh in the fall.

The Bikes

These were unloaded shuttle-type day rides. I rode my Jamus Renegade Escapade gravel bike while Carole rode our sons 30 year old Specialized mountain bike.

This journal will be updated as each segment is completed.

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Gregory GarceauIt must have been a harrowing ordeal for both you and Carole. I admired your poise while being interviewed by the news reporter. You have a fine media presence.
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3 months ago

John PescatoreTo Gregory GarceauHarrowing is a good word for what happened but it could have been so much worse! Part of my job duties over the past 15 years has been dealing with the press, so when they showed up at our door Carole asked me to talk to them and they did a good job.
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3 months ago

Scott AndersonOh, my gosh. What a horrifying story, John. How terrifying for her, and for you too I’m sure. I’m relieved to hear she’s come through it OK.
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1 month ago