Anyone biked the GAP and C&O? Curious after reading the Washington Post story…

[americancyclo]

There are some good threads here in the forums about it. I want to try it after I get a cross bike! I don’t blame you for not seeing search results, I can’t get the forum to search words less than four characters (annoying when looking for “GAP”, “CCT”, etc., and Allegheny is hard to spell.

EDIT: Link to search didn’t seem to work. Here are the threads I was talking about:

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?215-Great-Allegheny-Passage

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?672-Great-Allegheny-Passage-and-C-amp-O

[creadinger]

I did the C&O from Cumberland to DC in the fall of 2005. The GAP trail hadn’t been officially completed and connected yet. I did it in three days and stayed in Motels along the way. I rode a mountain bike and carried a back pack, which was fine but these days I highly prefer panniers. I had a really good time, and it kinda got me more interested in touring and traveling by bike. I plan on doing the whole thing from Pittsburgh sometime, just have to set aside a few days.

I know others here have done it more recently, but in general I think it is something every local cyclist should do at least once. It can be really boring (endless tunnel of trees), but it’s historic and scenic in places and is a great example of rails-to-trails conservancy. I think the fall is probably the best time to do it. Typically the hot/dry sun of August/September will dry out the mud and there’s a slightly lower chance for rain, which can wash the whole thing out. Unfortunately you can get tropical storms during that time too, but that’s only if you’re unlucky.

[PotomacCyclist]

I’d like to try it sometime, but not this year.

[Rootchopper]

I rode from DC to West Newton PA before the GAP was finished. I had to ride over the mountains between Cumberland and Meyersdale. They are beastly. I broke 40 mph on one downhill and I could have easily upped that to 50. (Brain kicked in and said, “Whoa!”)

As for the trails, what a beautiful ride. I did it on a long wheel base recumbent. I do not recommend using a road bike. There are lots of places on the C&O where the trail is one dip, mud puddle or tree root after another. The Gap Trail is in much better shape but the limestone dust can get into the works of your bike. And if it is wet it will ossify brakes. Beware.

I also rode it from West Newton to Rockland PA (the opposite direction). If there is an elevation gain, it was tiny.

I went back after they finished it and rode from Cumberland to Meyerdale. Cumberland to Frostburg is a long slow slog. On the return I cruised at 16 miles per hour on a folder. The views along this stretch are beautiful panoramas of the mountains. There’s also the coal fired train and two tunnels. From Frostburg to Meyersdale you get another tunnel and the Eastern Continental Divide (woo hoo!).

The sections through Ohiopyle State Park are impressive. Green everywhere. A river far below. Kayakers and fly fishermen. Just a gorgeous ride.

The Salisbury Viaduct takes you over an entire valley. Very cool.

And then there is the alien looking Garret Wind Farm, huge wind turbines high above the trail on a ridge line.

The folks who live in the towns along the trail really appreciate the income from the bike tourists.

So by all means do this ride. Wait a couple of months until the trails dry out. (I did my rides in June and July.)

[jrenaut]

So who is going to buy me a cross bike and watch my kids for a week so I can do this?

[eminva]

@jrenaut 16151 wrote:

So who is going to buy me a cross bike and watch my kids for a week so I can do this?

You know you can take them along, right?

My husband rode the C&O Canal towpath from Cumberland to DC with a friend in October 2011. They had a great time. We were thinking of doing the entire GAP and C&O with our 11 year old this summer, adjusting our daily mileage totals for his capacity. For a variety of reasons we won’t be able to do that this year, but we hope to do it in the future at some point.

He’s old enough to ride his own bike, although we also considered having him on the back of a tandem. For a younger kid, you would need the trailer or a trailer cycle. Without a doubt it would slow you down and be a very different experience than a solo trip or trip with adults. However, there is a lot along the way that would be fun for kids.

Liz

[CCrew]

@jrenaut 16151 wrote:

So who is going to buy me a cross bike and watch my kids for a week so I can do this?

You don’t need a cross bike. Can easily be done on a regular Hybrid.

Wife and I ride it regularly, have done pieces, the whole thing, various combinations. Never really gets old. Ok, the 22 mile uphill from Cumberland to Big Savage tunnel isn’t a high point of riding it

If I had to pick a best time to do the whole thing it would be May or September.

[JimF22003]

I’ve only done day rides. I did a 70 mile out and back this winter to Point of Rocks on a Specialized Tri-Cross with 700/32 tires. Even with that bike I got pretty beat up. I think I would prefer something with some suspension such as a mountain bike or hybrid. In the summer time it can be a bit dull in spots. I rode from Cumberland down through the Paw Paw Tunnel a year ago. Except for the tunnel, which was cool (bring lights, no kidding!!) it was a long stretch of overarching trees and green algae-choked water. I felt sorry for the poor turtles basking on the logs that fell across the water.

[vvill]

@jrenaut 16151 wrote:

So who is going to buy me a cross bike and watch my kids for a week so I can do this?

My thoughts exactly! Except I’d go with 29er instead of cross because a) I’d like a 29er and b) My wrists get painful easily on bumpy tracks.

[jrenaut]

@CCrew 16164 wrote:

You don’t need a cross bike. Can easily be done on a regular Hybrid.

But probably NOT on a road bike with 700/23s.

I’d love to bring the kids, but I think they’re still a little young. I don’t want to have to drag them the whole way in a trailer (nor would they be likely to want to hang out back there for that long).

[CCrew]

@jrenaut 16178 wrote:

But probably NOT on a road bike with 700/23s.

Naa, that one’s a stretch GAP Surface in PA which is most of it is really fine ground limestone, does get a bit soft after a rain also. Think kinda wet cementish…

C&O, well that’s a whole discussion in and of itself.

[skreaminquadz]

I did this ride last year, from DC to Pittsburgh. The C&O portion was pretty hard on my body, the 34 degrees and rain didn’t help. But the GAP portion was excellent! They did a great job on that trail. I was on a cross bike and felt that it was the right bike for it. A front suspension MTB would have been nice on the C&O, but too much on the GAP.

[Terpfan]

Interesting, I may try it in fall on a long weekend with hybrid. I figure it will also give me a good excuse to do some longer riders this spring and summer to make sure I’m good to go for it.

[culimerc]

My wife and I are talking about doing this ride in May. Bit of the credit card touring. B&B’s dinner out etc. Bring only the cloths you need and the credit card. If you can put down a couple of 75 mile days early, you can do the whole thing in 5 days pretty easily and sleep in relative comfort from the looks of things. I will probably ride my Vaya with 42 mm tires and panniers, and my wife will ride her hybrid w/ 28’s and her camelback. Maybe a small trunk for the on the trail snacks.

http://www.atatrail.org/tmi/elevation.cfm

[CaseyKane50]

I did a six-day solo ride in October 2009 (started on a Sunday and finished up on a Friday) on a Trek 7500 Hybrid. I rode from the west end of Alexandria, VA to Homestead, PA. I stayed in motels and B&Bs for the entire trip. Total trip length was 365 miles. I had plotted out my stops based on availability of places to stay. Most days were around 60 miles. The exception was the first day, I ended up with 77 miles with the last mile climbing up High Street in Harper’s Ferry. I had run out of gears by the time I got to the top of the hill. The B&Bs I stayed at were close to the trail and were all very friendly – food was good and in a couple of instances, they had laundry facilities to wash your clothes and all provided places to wash and lock up your bike. Even the hotels in Harper’s Ferry and Homestead allowed me to take my bike into my room. There was virtually no car traffic, except at the beginning and end of my ride and for a short detour on the C&O. The ride from Cumberland up to the continental divide was not nearly as daunting as you might have heard. It is simply a steady climb up for many miles, but not at all hard, plus there are plenty of places to stop along the way to take in the view.

I used two Arkel panniers mounted on my rear bike rack to carry clothes and supplies. One item that I did not take with me was chamois cream, but I corrected that oversight in Cumberland. I recommend you start with it. A headlight was useful for going through the PawPaw and Big Savage Tunnels. A couple of good resources are http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coTowpath/ and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Great_Allegheny_Passage/

If you go, you will almost certainly have a great time.

Casey

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