June 9, 2021 - CUMBERLAND, MD - Think you have what it takes to cycle faster than a speeding train? Cyclists are invited to challenge the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s (WMSR) train as it climbs Mt. Savage in this face-off between man, machine, and mountain. Mountain Maryland Trails will host the 3M Challenge on Saturday, September 11, 2021.
A timed challenge between cyclists and the train locomotive, the 3M Challenge will follow a 15.3 mile stretch of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP Trail) alongside the WMSR railroad tracks, from Cumberland, MD, to Frostburg, MD. Teams of up to six riders per team or individuals can enter the challenge, and funds raised will support maintenance and development projects in the Maryland portion of the Great Allegheny Passage as well as new trail development opportunities. This year, Mountain Maryland Trails has created a new non-competitive category for class 1, pedal-assist e-bikes eager to take on the challenge.
Riders will depart from the Western Maryland Railway Station every 10 minutes, starting at 8 AM. The train will depart from the station at 11:30 AM and will be timed. Teams are challenged to have a better climb time than the train. Teams and individuals who beat the train’s time will receive a prize, and all participants will receive a souvenir gift.
For more information and to register your team for the challenge, visit www.bikereg.com/3m. For questions regarding the 3M Challenge or to become a corporate sponsor, please email melinda.kelleher@cumberlandmd.gov. Mountain Maryland Trails thanks our sponsors to date: Gold: The Belt Group; Gap Self Storage; H&S Development; Progressive Physical Therapy; Scarpelli Funeral Home; Specs Chemical Services; Silver: Geppert, McMullen, Paye, and Getty Law Firm; and Bronze: 2 Wheel Escapes, Rusco Home Improvement, Somerset Trust, and UPMC Western Maryland. In-kind sponsors include Cumberland Trail Connection, Martins, REI, and Walmart.
Mountain Maryland Trails is a nonprofit volunteer organization working in partnership with Allegany County Government in the maintenance, development, and promotion of the Maryland portion of the Great Allegheny Passage. The zero mile marker for the Great Allegheny Passage starts in Cumberland, MD, and extends through the Allegheny Mountains to Pittsburgh, PA, providing 150 miles of beautiful off-road trail enjoyed by locals and visitors from all over the world. To learn more about Mountain Maryland Trails, visit www.mountainmdtrails.org.
PHOTO: Participants line up for their start at the Cumberland Railway Station at Canal Place during the 2019 3M Challenge. Photo Credit Doug Schwab