Originally Posted by
alan s
I just rode it a couple weeks ago from West Newton to Cumberland. A few years ago, I rode out and back from Cumberland to Connellsville. Greatly prefer starting in Cumberland and doing the 25 mile steeper climb on fresh legs, and then a 65 mile descent. The constant uphill either direction is grueling, so the shorter the better.
I rode Pittsburgh->Cumberland and I didn't find the gentle railroad-grade uphill grueling at all. I wouldn't want prospective riders to be scared off by that description.