Allegheny Passage – contemplating straight through ride from Pittsburgh to DC
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- This topic has 20 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 12 years ago by
Dirt.
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May 18, 2013 at 11:43 pm #970585
Dirt
ParticipantI was thinking of doing out and back in 5 days… the last day being Cumberland to DC. There’s a group of locals doing the C&O in its entirety from Cumberland to DC on June 22. I was going to ride with light camping gear and eat in restaurants when I could.
I’m flexible.
May 18, 2013 at 11:44 pm #970586TwoWheelsDC
Participant@Bilsko 52655 wrote:
Now that the route to Pittsburgh is essentially complete, it goes on my list of rides to do.
If I can find a weekend later this summer or, more likely, in the early Fall – I’d like to do the ride either as a straight through 24-30 hour ride, or split up as a pair of 165-milers. Trail riding, especially on the C&O, will bring average speed way down, but I think with minimal stops, 30 hours is a reasonable target. Heck, some PBP riders pull off 750 miles in 55-60 hours.
I think the ideal plan would be to sort out how to get the bike on the Amtrak train up to Pittsburgh. Get in around 11PM/midnight, find a place to stay, then start the ride early the next morning.
Riding out to Pittsburgh would also be an option but I’d rather deal with travel logistics before the ride than after.
I’d like to do it over a long weekend, but your plan sounds insane! What about renting a car one-way? Probably cheaper than Amtrak and easier to deal with the bike. Amtrak requires you to box it, I think.
May 18, 2013 at 11:58 pm #970589
GreenbeltParticipantI’d like to suggest a weekend tradeoff/car shuffle approach.
1. One group starts in DC on weekend #1 and rides toward Pittsburgh at a leisurely pace during week #1
2. Another group drives to Pittsburgh on weekend #2
3. Group 1 drives back to DC in Group 2’s cars on weekend #2
4. Group 2 rides back to DC during week #2What could possibly go wrong?
May 19, 2013 at 12:11 am #970590Tim Kelley
ParticipantTotal300. I’m in!
May 19, 2013 at 12:23 am #970591Participant@Tim Kelley 52661 wrote:
Total300. I’m in!
Coolness. I’ll cut my trip from 5 days to 3 and We’ll rock it. 640 miles in 3 days? What could possibly go wrong?
What gear should I select? 44×18 has worked well so far.
May 19, 2013 at 12:45 am #970592eminva
ParticipantWow, I don’t know what to say . . . I am awed by your excellence in ambition and overachievement!
My husband, kid and I will be the ones you see floating down the Yough, if you happen to look up, in our free time on our one or two week tour. 😎
Liz
May 19, 2013 at 2:08 am #970595rpiretti
ParticipantI’m up for it, I’ll be paying attn to the thread. I’m doing a C&O run next weekend, the wife is taking a trip down south. Saturday to Antietam from Vienna and staying overnight in Harpers Ferry and then back on Sunday. Should be a good warmup and a good way to get experience on this trail before attempting the whole thing.
Not against anyone joining me next wknd so if you want to join let me know but may want to let the Tea Horse Hostel know to secure a bed, they’re running out of room, popular Memorial Weekend!
May 19, 2013 at 2:11 am #970596jopamora
ParticipantWhere do I sign up?
May 19, 2013 at 12:15 pm #970605creadinger
ParticipantI’m interested! I’ve been meaning to do this trip.
May 19, 2013 at 4:33 pm #970611hozn
Participant@Dirt 52656 wrote:
I was thinking of doing out and back in 5 days… the last day being Cumberland to DC. There’s a group of locals doing the C&O in its entirety from Cumberland to DC on June 22. I was going to ride with light camping gear and eat in restaurants when I could.
I’m flexible.
The idea of a non-stop Cumberland to DC sounds like a lot of fun. I was gunned up to do this last year, but one of the group was unable to make it so we did a milder Murderer’s Row instead. Maybe I will take a pulse on organizing that for later in the summer (June 22 won’t work for me this year).
May 20, 2013 at 1:38 pm #970633ParticipantDoes someone have a RideWithGPS or Strava file of the whole thing handy?
May 20, 2013 at 6:19 pm #970686ParticipantHere’s a RWGPS link I found: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1085007
Being all rail-trail and canal it’s pretty flat.
May 20, 2013 at 6:44 pm #970695ParticipantInteresting. And what is the surface like farther out from DC? I’m familiar with the packed dirt/gravel closer in to DC. Is it like that the whole way?
Since I’m without a CX bike, is this a carbon road bike with thicker tires on it kinda of ride? Or more of a 29er with slick tires and clip on aerobars kind of ride?
At 15 mph average that’s about 22 hours of moving time. Who are we getting to sag us for that long?
Do you start first thing in the morning so that you’re riding in the middle of the night when you are most tired, or do you wait until after your afternoon nap to ride in the evening when you are fresh?
May 20, 2013 at 6:51 pm #970697Participant@Tim Kelley 52778 wrote:
Interesting. And what is the surface like farther out from DC? I’m familiar with the packed dirt/gravel closer in to DC. Is it like that the whole way?
Since I’m without a CX bike, is this a carbon road bike with thicker tires on it kinda of ride? Or more of a 29er with slick tires and clip on aerobars kind of ride?
At 15 mph average that’s about 22 hours of moving time. Who are we getting to sag us for that long?
Do you start first thing in the morning so that you’re riding in the middle of the night when you are most tired, or do you wait until after your afternoon nap to ride in the evening when you are fresh?
It is a Bullitt kinda ride. Take turns napping in the box.
May 20, 2013 at 6:59 pm #970699Participant@Tim Kelley 52778 wrote:
Interesting. And what is the surface like farther out from DC? I’m familiar with the packed dirt/gravel closer in to DC. Is it like that the whole way? Since I’m without a CX bike, is this a carbon road bike with thicker tires on it kinda of ride? Or more of a 29er with slick tires and clip on aerobars kind of ride?
The C&O condition varies somewhat along the length of it. I haven’t been out west of Harper’s Ferry in a while, but there was a significant amount of gravelly dirt double track. There’s also ~12 miles of lovely pavement near Hancock, MD. I think the rail-trail is a bit like the NCR/YCHT trails between Baltimore and York, PA. It’s more finely crushed gravel than the close to DC parts of the C&O so it’s a little smoother, but I could be wrong. Due to more users, I thought the condition closer in was worse than the lesser used areas. After rain, there can be large, muddy puddles on the towpath too.
If I was to ride it now, I’d put 35mm tires on my touring bike. 330 miles of gravel sounds like a job for a 29er with slick tires to me.
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