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Grouseland Tours - any experience?


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Paul from Quincy, IL on 7/30/2013 3:33:30 PM:
We've got the standard "no baggage service at Cumberland" problem, and are thinking of using Grouseland Tours to shuttle back to Pittsburgh. The person I spoke with on the phone seemed cordial and the terms reasonable. But has anyone had any shuttling experience with them?

 
Anonymous on 7/30/2013 6:02:59 PM:
Grouseland Tours is reliable and reasonably priced. Murray is the owner/driver. I used his shuttle service July 19, 2013 for a ride from Cumberland to Confluence. Murray arrived before the scheduled meeting time. He's friendly and has lots of information on biking in the area. Highly recommend. I'm planning on using Grouseland again next week for a shuttle from Pittsburgh to Cumberland.

 
Anonymous on 9/25/2013 12:01:20 PM:
Reporting back here. All went well with our ride and the Grouseland Tours shuttle. The four in our group who rode the shuttle also reported being intrigued by Murry's bike touring wisdom. Unfortunately, my wife and I missed out because we were enjoying a steak dinner in the dining car and nightcap in the lounge car on the Capitol Limited, along with our folding bikes.

 
Paul from Quincy, IL on 9/25/2013 12:04:50 PM:
I'm the original poster to the thread. When I reported the good experience with Grouseland, I didn't mean to make myself anonymous.

 
Anonymous on 10/4/2013 7:20:28 AM:
Good service, on time, and very knowledgeable. Mile for mile they are more expensive. About $40 more for a shuttle from Dc to Pittsburg than the bike shop at Hancock. I understand they may have to drive further to pick you up so that maybe a factor.

 
Roy from Middletown, OH on 10/4/2013 3:52:50 PM:
So Anonymous, are you implying one should spends hundreds of dollars (or more) for folding bikes so Amtrak can be utilized? Pricey for a schoolteach. Real businesses meet the demands of the customer or go out of business. Even U.S. Gov runs out of money from time to time!

 
Paul (Anonymous) from Quincy, IL on 1/3/2014 4:58:53 PM:
I certainly didn't mean for my post to degenerate into a political rant. It was simply my way saying that if there is anything this retired school teacher likes better than a bike ride, it's combining a bike ride with a train ride.

@ Roy

What do most people pay per year for a smart phone? To me, that's about as stupid as it gets. The $480 and $550 (about the same as a bottom of the line road bike) I paid for my wife and I's Dahons were one of the best purchases I ever made. But that's just me. FWIW I bought the Dahon Stow-awy that my that my son rode at a second hand shop for $60.

I get it that you don't like Amtrak. Did you have a bad experience riding a train, are you disappointed that the Capitol Limited doesn't have roll on-roll off service, or are you just a disciple of Rep. Mica? For those who aren't aware, Mica is a Florida congressman whose mission is life is nit-pick and micro-manage Amtrak hoping that it will somehow or another go away and make his constituents, the highway lobby, happy. Do you really know anything at all about Amtrak, or were you parroting Fox News?

 
Roy from Middletown, OH on 1/7/2014 9:19:10 PM:
Rather personal there, anonymous. I asked a question of you and made two non-political comments. Perhaps you should reread my post. Business meets the demand of the consumer or face bankruptcy. And did the government partially shut down since my post? Monopolies in general have been discouraged historically in the U.S. with notable exceptions.
And I own about the dumbest, cheapest cell phone around and a disciple of but One.

 
Greg K from Chicago on 2/27/2014 6:24:13 PM:
If only you had had the extra days to go from Pittsburgh to Washington Amtrak's schedule lines up perfectly for coming in and out of Chicago as well as connecting to the numerous locals running from out to Quincy.

 
lenny on 2/28/2014 4:20:40 PM:
I post here quite a bit, and am not picking sides. But my feeling is that for the cost to amtrak(federal govt.)to make roll on service available would be incidential. But that is why rail service is nearly extinct. Won't adapt.By the way I ride Pittsburgh to DC at least once a year, that train would be sweet.

 
Rick Hancock from Grafton, Va on 4/3/2014 9:12:37 AM:
I feel the same Jenny. Amtrack is losing business. I lead groups of 4-8 riders several times a year along the Passage and C&O. We would be more than willing to sit back and enjoy a train ride from DC to Pittsburg and not have to worry about parking, gas, etc. I realize that the train is on a tight schedule and stops are timed. I just feel that they are doing a disservice to themselves and the public.