ABAL Guided Tour
June 18-22, 2025...The Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop (ABAL) is a 5 day, 4 night moto-camping Guided Tour covering diverse western Pennsylvania terrain. Big hilly panorama to dense forest, vista views to river valleys, twisty pavement to dirt roads, small town charms to wilderness. The ABAL covers amazing terrain in Western Pennsylvania including McConnell Mill State Park, Moraine State Park, Allegheny & Clarion River Valleys, Allegheny Plateau, Oil Creek State Park, Allegheny National Forest (ANF), Hickory Creek Wilderness, New York's Allegany State Park, National Natural Landmark Cook Forest, and many interesting places in between! Our favorite ride in the arsenal, the ABAL was developed over 6 years with multiple tours over the past 4 years as well as continuous scouting to find the best the area has to offer!
We will pass through beautiful scenery, historic sites such as ghost towns, oil relics and old rail lines, small towns with mom-n-pop's, and a great mix of pavement, gravel, dirt, 2-track, and a section of easy-rated rail trails. The rail trail is a rideable piece of history, a majority of the rail is flat (like a bicycle trail) with an occasional water hole. The main routing is great for any skill level with some optional challenge areas thrown in for those looking for a little excitement. There are only 3 traffic lights during the entire 5 day tour, and they are all on one day! The ABAL tour is limited to 10 participants!
On Wednesday afternoon an easy going 50 mile scenic ride of the McConnell Mill/Moraine State Parks is available to help get the newly formed group into the groove before heading out on the main tour. A local campground will serve as our starting point for the ABAL as well as a meet & greet moto-camp dinner on Wednesday evening. Trucks/trailers can be parked here for the duration of our tour. Each night we will camp at a different location including a dispersed camp at my favorite spot in the Hickory Creek Wilderness of ANF (dispersed refers to camping in remote locations generally with little or no amenities; our location has a creek and fire ring only). A ghost town will serve as our accommodations on the final night. Besides Hickory Creek, all other camping will have amenities including vault and/or flush toilets, shower house, drinkable water, and is included in the price of the tour. The tour was also designed to pass by small towns and gas stations where we can refuel, grab lunch, and snacks along the way. The routing for each day covers around 135-145 miles of Western Pennsylvania beauty!
Along with dinner on Wednesday, cost of the tour also includes coffee each morning, breakfast on Thursday and Sunday as well as dinner on Saturday from head chef Mama Wags. We offer full guiding services to bring you to the best ADV touring spots in the area with a ride lead that can help coach you throughout the tour. Cost does not include gas, refreshments and meals (with the exception of those noted above), or guarantee of the weather. Part of riding on a Group Tour is working as a team, we will pull together to make dinner for the group at our dispersed camp on Thursday evening. Our Guide and Sweep will carry some of the necessities to help with dinner and breakfast meal preps on these occasions. Friday the group will have the option to stop at a local establishment (one of our favorites!) for a sit down meal prior to heading to camp.
A perfect ride for folks interested in a great ADV riding experience, looking to get into ADV motorbiking with rider coaching, or a test ride for those planning on tackling a longer BDR or multi-day or multi-week trip living off the bikes! The Ride Lead for this event is Kane Wagner, owner of Appalachian ADV and coach for our ADV & Dual Sport Riding Clinics. Kane is a certified coach with the US Motorcycle Coaching Association (all USMCA Certified Coaches uphold the USMCA's Values and Code of Conduct, pass a background check, and hold certifications in abuse prevention, CPR/First Aid, concussion protocol, heat illness & cardiac arrest training). Kane is here to help support your journey with us before, during, and after the tour! Coaching you through the planning process, providing guidance and opportunities to test your skills during the ride, and there for any questions after we get home.
Kane is also Wilderness First Aid Certified through Survival Med. The 2-year certification uses an industry-standard 16-hour Wilderness First Aid course with Hands-on Practical Skills that is accepted by National Park Service, National Association for Search & Rescue, USDA Forest Service, Boy Scout troops and many other governments, non-profits, organizations & businesses.
Our ABAL Tour has also been used by previous adventurers to prepare for tackling one or more of the Backcountry Discovery Routes. It is a great opportunity to test out your packing, gear, bike handling while loaded, living off the bike, camp set-up/break down, etc. Some of our new friends have taken the experience they've gained on the ABAL and tore up the MA, NE, ID, CO, AZ, & UT BDRs. Let Appalachian ADV help prepare you for your next BDR or similar adventure!
You must use your own motorcycle or that of a friend’s for the tour. At this time, we do offer one rental bike with luggage racks and the option to rent soft panniers for your gear. Please reach out to [email protected] for more information. Otherwise, please check Riders Share for motorcycle rentals. We will not have a support truck following us from camp to camp, we will live off of our bikes for the duration of the ride to make this an authentic ADV experience. Our Base Camp Crew will be helping me out with food prep on Wed evening as well as Sat-Sun meals noted above and will be stationed at our last camp starting Friday. For those with little to no ADV moto-camping experience, basic pointers and suggestions on appropriate gear and bike packing can be provided. Appalachian ADV also enjoys coaching riders along when we are out on the ride!
We will have a special guest sweep rider for this year's tour... Brad McFadden, founder of Lost At Last Adventure Travel and creator of the Great Ohio Adventure Trail! See the link in the Friends section below!
Participants will receive email communications prior to the event with more information.
Appalachian ADV is a Recreational Promoter Charter with the American Motorcyclist Association. Membership is not required to attend our Sanctioned events but we do encourage you to give them a look and join!
Appalachian ADV is an Outfitters and Guides permit holder with the US Department of Agriculture-US Forest Service for the Allegheny National Forest.
"[Appalachian ADV's] depth of knowledge and experience in ANF and beyond is exceptional!" -Purple Lizard Maps
Friends of the ABAL:
Lost At Last & the Great Ohio Adventure Trail
What's Included:
- 5-Day guided tour of amazing terrain in Western Pennsylvania and Western New York
- 2 Dinners (Wednesday & Saturday)
- 2 Breakfasts (Thursday & Sunday)
- Tent camping at some of Appalachian ADV's favorite spots
- Truck/Trailer parking
- Rider support including rider coaching by a USMCA Certified Riding Coach, GPS tracking/communications for the family at home, Ride Lead certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR as well as AMA Road Captain and Trail Boss, a set of general tools (metric), tire repair/tubes/air, tow strap, siphon, etc. for roadside repairs as well as assistance in obtaining recovery services, if needed
- One Tour T-Shirt
- The ABAL Photo Dump...Appalachian ADV sets up a shared folder so ride participants can upload and download shared pictures!
What's Not Included:
- Motorcycle
- Gas
- Lunch
- Dinner on Thursday & Friday
- Breakfast on Friday & Saturday
- Personal insurance and incidentals
ABAL Beginner-Intermediate Ride Summary Video
ABAL Off-Bike Panoramic Views Video
Lost At Last's ABAL Documentary
ALL TICKET SALES CLOSE ON SUNDAY JUNE 15, 2025 unless we sell out first!
Please review our FAQs for Appalachian ADV Events for answers to common questions including our definitions of ADV skill levels, terrain ratings, how we come up with our pricing structure for various events, cancellation policy, and more.
Appalachian ADV is an outfitters and guides permit holder with the USDA USFS ANF.
In accordance with Federal Civil Rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Civil Rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior credible activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Disclaimers: Participants of Appalachian ADV Rallies and Group Tour events must be a minimum age of 18 years old. Waiver forms will be made available and completion is required prior to participation. Appalachian ADV events are an all-weather affair, we like nature and everything it throws at us. Street legal motorcycles with appropriate insurance and applicable license endorsement are required. A minimum 50/50 tire is required but Appalachian ADV strongly suggests a more dirt-oriented tire that includes some level of knobblies. Appropriate armor for your body and bike as well as the appropriate skill, mental toughness, and attitude are also required! The goal is to challenge yourself and have fun! So, be prepared to pick up your bike with a smile!
