The plan was to cycle the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Towpath from Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, MD, then catch the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) from Cumberland, MD into Pittsburgh, PA. The C&O Towpath is a century year old dirt and gravel path that parallels the C&O Canal for the 180-mile journey from Cumberland to Washington. This canal follows the Potomac River Valley and has a fairly undetectable grade (unlike the mountain roads surrounding it). It's currently owned and operated by the National Park Service.

The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is a much newer multi-use path. It's overseen by the Allegheny Trail Alliance, a consortium of smaller organizations that own and maintain various sections of this trail. The GAP is basically a continuous rail-to-trail path built on the old Western Maryland Railroad bed and is broken into four sections on its way from Cumberland to McKeesport. There are 3 smaller trails of the GAP that travel the urban jungle from McKeesport to downtown Pittsburgh, but they were neither complete nor contiguous when we rode our trip. So McKeesport became the northern terminus of our journey.

The Red Eye

We started our trip here at home, in Hilliard. In order to catch the "red eye" Amtrak into D.C., we left home at midnight Saturday morning and drove the 3 hours into Pittsburgh. There, we loaded our bikes and gear onto the train, and sat back for an enjoyable train ride through the mountains into D.C. It was my first train ride ever (I felt like such a kid again!), and many of the sites during the first half of the train ride were very familiar, since we often visit the area on weekend boating trips. Towns like Ohiopyle, Confluence, and Markleton flew by - very recognizable, but viewed differently from a seat on the train instead of the those in a car or in a boat. Since the railroad followed the river valleys, just like the trails we would be cycling on, we often caught glimpses of the GAP and the C&O.

About 7 hours and a half dozen stops later, we arrived at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The station was bustling with activity, even on a late Saturday morning. We found a quiet corner to re-assemble our bikes, with occasional strange looks and questions from passing strangers. Finally, we, along with our the assembled bikes and travel gear, left Union Station for our hotel. We spent the next few days sightseeing in D.C. By Tuesday morning, we headed off for Pittsburgh.

The C&O

Our first half of the bike trip were spent on the C&O Towpath. We planned to ride the 180 miles in 3 days, figuring that 60-miles per day would be easily attainable. However, over the course of the next few days, we found encountered several challenges that thwarted that assumption. First, the trail conditions were not what we expected. Instead of the well-draining limestone surface of GAP, the C&O Towpath consisted of dirt and gravel. During wet periods, this trail turns into a giant mud hole. While it wasn't rainy during our trip, the days leading up to our trip were very wet. Therefore, the trail didn't have much time to dry out, and the first day was the muddiest. We spent lots of time dodging soft and wet mud holes. Even though we got very proficient at reading the "dry" lines around or through the mud spots, eventually, one of the mud holes got me! I misread my line, and, like in whitewater, crashed into the wet hole.

The trail was also pretty rough; it often had course gravel and lots of trail debris, including branches, rocks, leaves, and even walnuts. As a result, our progress was much slower than if we were on nice smooth pavement - like what we were used to in Central Ohio! So, all the extra hours we expected to have off the bike sightseeing near the Towpath were eaten up just riding from camp to camp.

Lastly, food was also another challenge. Since our trip was after Labor Day, many of the facilities catering to trail users were closed for the season, or just operated shorter hours. And, most of the services were located next the interstate or major highways, not the century-old Towpath. So, half the time we ate what we could find - grocery store subs, ice cream breakfasts, snack food, or whatever we could find in our bike bags. However, we also dined on fine Italian food (okay, pizza) and in local family-style restaurants when we could find them.

Tunnels, Deer, and Civil War

But, with all these challenges, the C&O was magnificent! Even the unexpected conditions we found added to the C&O's charm and character. The trail and the surrounding park offer so much history - a glimpse into life a century ago. At the Great Falls Tavern, 15 miles north of Georgetown, the Park Service offered canal boat rides on a restored canal boat. Demonstrations and exhibits were also provided at this visitor's center. But even beyond the visitor's center, the canal itself, the canal locks, the lockhouses, and the aqueducts were constant reminders of a bygone era. It was difficult to imagine the ingenuity and man power required to build some of the amazing structures on the trail, especially considering the limited technology of the time.

The most dramatic example was the 3,100 foot Paw Paw Tunnel. It was carved out by the canal builders, to avoid a 6-mile detour around Paw Paw Mountain. And it was very impressive! Though we could see the "light at the end of the tunnel", after only 30 feet or so into the tunnel, it was pitch black all around. We walked the bikes by headlight through the tunnel.

And have I mentioned the scenery? It was beautiful. Lush green trees and brush surrounded the trail, with frequent views down to the Potomac River. On our last day on the C&O, we often saw dramatic cliffs and pretty rock outcroppings. We passed few people during our 3-day tour on the trail, instead, we saw lots of deer. Even though we passed through small towns several times a day, road crossing were rare. The trail was very remote - once we left a town, there was usually nothing but the trees, the trail, and the river to keep us company. We often did not see any signs of civilization until we reached the next town.

Off the trail, there were many sights to see. Most notable on the first day was the Great Falls of the Potomac, just 15 miles north of D.C. - considered the most spectacular natural landmark in the D.C. metropolitan area. The falls consist of cascading rapids and several 20 foot waterfalls with a total 76 foot drop in elevation over a distance of 3500 feet. It is considered the steepest and most spectacular fall line rapids of any eastern river.

Additionally, there is so much Civil War history along the C&O. For instance, the trail goes right by Harper's Ferry, WV. This little town witnessed the John Brown's attack on slavery and the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War. Now, the lower portion of the town is owned and operated by the National Park Service and a National Historical Park.

The Towpath also passed within a couple of miles of Antietam, located in Sharpsburg, MD. This location was the site of the Battle of Antietam, the first major Civil War engagement on northern soil, and the bloodiest single battle day of American history.

There were many other sites worth visiting that we never had the opportunity to see - forts, national landmarks, towns, etc. We just didn't have enough time! But, missing those sites just provides us with an excuse to come back to the C&O again.

At sunset on the our last day on the C&O, we rode into Cumberland, MD. After 180 miles, the riverfront town was a sight for sore eyes. We got a very late start that morning, since we needed to take the time to fix my broken spoke in the rear wheel. So, we cycled our butts and legs off to make the 65 miles into Cumberland before nightfall. We had reservations to stay at a very cyclist-friendly Inn. Unfortunately, our room was on the highest floor - about 5 stories up from the parking lot. It was quite the climb for our sore legs, but the promise of a warm bed kept us going!

The Great Allegheny Passage

The next morning, we caught a shuttle to the Meyersdale trailhead of the Great Allegheny Passage. The 35 mile section between Cumberland and Meyersdale was only partially complete. So, instead of taking most of the day to ride the hilly detour, we covered the miles in about 40 minutes in a shuttle vehicle.

When we arrived in Meyersdale, the first thing we noticed was how much cooler and rainier it was. We climbed (okay, the car climbed) a total of 1500' from Cumberland to Meyersdale. The C&O rose from sea level in D.C. to about 605' in 184 miles to Cumberland. The GAP rises from Cumberland to Deal, PA on the Eastern Continental Divide, elevation 2375'. That's an elevation gain of 1770' in 24 miles. From Deal, the trail descends into Meyersdale, elevation 2110'.

The first couple of miles of the trail outside of Meyersdale were pretty rough - the trail conditions were very similar to those on the C&O. However, once we reached the Salisbury Viaduct, the trail conditions improved markedly. This 1,900 foot long structure is definitely the most impressive single feature of the trail. It was built in 1911 over the Casselman River and the former B&O Railroad. The structure was opened in 1999 to bicyclists, following the addition of a concrete deck where rails once carried steam engines on the Western Maryland. It also carries the trail over the new four-lane Route 219.

Once we left the viaduct, it was an easy downhill ride into Confluence. We considered it a "free" day since we descended over 700' in just 30 miles. And, since the trail surface was smooth "rock dust", we didn't even worry about having high rolling resistance slowing down our ride. We followed the Casselman River, from town-to-town. Once we reached Markleton, we watched the river even closer, since this 8-mile whitewater section was one we often paddled on weekends. We recognized many of the rapids, and even stopped at the put-in to look at the river levels. It was very strange being there without our boats or any of our gear. Unfortunately, the river was even runnable - a rarity for early September!

Strolling through a Metro Park

The scenery for the first couple of days on the GAP rivaled that of the C&O. Again, lush green trees, and the river, first the Casselman then the Youghiogheny River, were constant companions on our journey. However, the towns were more frequent, and more services available for trail users. We also saw many more people - families as well as lone trail users. It just seemed a very different trail from the C&O. It always felt like civilization was closeby, either around us when near a town, or just past the next turn in the more remote sections. While the C&O reminded me of being on a rugged, remote path through wilderness, the GAP gave me the sense of traveling through a local metro park. It was beautiful, certainly, but it was still a different experience.

We spent time in a couple of the bigger tourist towns along the trail: Confluence and Ohiopyle. These two towns attract mostly whitewater boaters and fishermen, but other activities abound as well - cycling, golfing, hiking, climbing. We were both very familiar with the facilities and services available, so some of the unknowns of the C&O didn't exist with the first couple of days on the GAP. We feasted in known restaurants, and kept expecting to run into other COP friends from Ohio, especially since the river was at a good level on a beautiful September weekend.

The End of the Line

So, we continued on towards Pittsburgh. Actually, we didn't have far to go. The total length of the GAP we cycled was only about 100 miles, almost half the distance of the C&O, but we still had 3 full days. But the shorter distances were wonderful! We had time to lounge in town parks, watch whitewater boaters at Swimmer's Rapid, eat good meals, bath in the Yough River (between flotillas of rental canoes!), and read by daylight at camp.

How fast 3 days can pass by. Before we knew it, we approached Boston, a southern suburb of Pittsburgh. We took a detour around a section of trail that had been buried by a landslide early in May. Once we got back on the GAP, we were in McKeesport, the end of the line for our trip.

Dave caught a bus into Downtown Pittsburgh, where we left our truck 8 days earlier. Soon, we loaded the bikes and gear, and headed home.

This was a great trip! It was inexpensive, fairly close to home, and beautiful. And for recreational cyclists, like us, it was a very attainable and enjoyable experience. We plan to ride these trails again, perhaps with a few changes in the trip itinerary (i.e., spend more days on the Towpath).

This article continues into the January newsletter. Next month, we'll provide some insight into planning for a trip like this, specifically, what we did. Also, we'll give a list of resources, both web and book based, that we used to plan this trip and used as a guide while we cycled. Lastly, you can learn from our mistakes - we'll let you know the things we will and we won't do differently when we ride the C&O and GAP again.

Dave with our loaded bikes at Union
Station in Washington, D.C.

Squeezing Dave, the bike, and the
bags in the tiny hotel elevators. The
Metrorail elevators (D.C.'s subway)
were a little bigger, but we still had
to stand the bikes on end. My Rans
Stratus was a foot and a half longer
than Dave's bike, and spanned the
ceiling to floor in this elevator.

Sign in Connellsville, PA.

My bike falls into one of the soft and
wet mud holes on the C&O.

Standing in front of the eastern
entrance to the 3,100 foot long
Paw Paw Tunnel.

Walking the bikes across one of the
many well-built aqueducts on the C&O.

A group of rafters punch through the
hole at Swimmer's Rapid on the Lower
Yough River. Walking trails from the
Yough River Trail on the GAP take
cyclists and other trail users down to
the various rapids on this popular river.

Tall birch trees line the scenic
Great Allegheny Passage.

Dave charms a black snake on the
GAP and encourages it into the brush.
The snake was sunning itself in the
early morning hours on the trail. It may
have been warm, but the snake was in
danger of getting run over by bicycles
and getting injured or killed. We saw
several snakes on our trip.