 | functional guide to riding the GAP trail and C&O canal from Pittsburgh to DC |
Here are the things I’d mention if we were talking in person and you were thinking about doing the trail.
Make sure you get your shirts, stickers, and gear from Amanda GAP Trail and C&O merchandise.
Do it in the spring, when days are longer and the tunnels are open.
Elevations are a thing. Factor in elevation changes to set your expectations of what mileage you’re going to cover each day. Uphill and downhill.
Lots of cool info in facebook groups. https://www.facebook.com/groups/505456612991195
My favorite part, and one I’d like to become a family tradition is starting at the caboose at Meyersdale and riding all the way to Cumberland. You got some great views, a tunnel, coasting downhill, landmarks, the mason-dixon line, fun 17 mil cruise down hill, easy in and out, places to eat and sleep, and benches. My girls were 11 and 9 and were able to do the +30 miles without complaining. Even enjoyed it. Solid day’s ride with breaks.
Do not feel bad about getting on the Western Maryland Rail Trail at lock 56 and Hancock, Md. Make sure you check out the Indigo Tunnel that way too. The bypass was like a middle finger to the C&O for me, it was wonderful. It was redemption.
Make sure you check on alerts and closures. Some weren’t even posted on the site. I don’t do riding on the roads, especially country roads.
Plenty of camp grounds on the C&O. In my view, doing it all in 1 long trip is just a 3-way balance between “how much stuff can I take with me”, “how much can I buy along the way”, “how low can my standards of personal care and quality of life be”. Some people get a kick from that. Some people want to bust it all out in 3 days or less and survive on energy bars and sports drinks. I think that’s a slippery slope into performance enhancing drugs. I also didn’t want to have a rain plan. That’s stupid. There’s no metal for that.
Don’t be stupid. Know how to change a tire and a chain and have spares with you.
I really enjoyed tracking my speed, distance traveled, and ETA to my destination. It was fun seeing how much stuff I ended up buying along the journey. I started off with just me and a bike. Then I got saddle bags. The I got the phone mount. Then I got vertical grip bars. Then I got the mirror. So many other things you can get.
If you do decide to use something for directions, make sure it keeps your path on the trail. MANY times, it would give me biking directions that got me off the path and onto roads, probably for speed, but it would throw my expectations off because I would obviously just keep riding on the trail. So even though it said the ride would take 5 hours, sometimes it really would take 6 hours because there was an a hour shorter route had I followed a road.
Nutrition is a thing. I didn’t realize how much of a thing it was. I could tell a difference when I just went out and rode for 3 hours vs going out for 6 hours with energy blocks and hydration packs. Worlds apart. That said, I didn’t really like the aspect of having to manage eating and such. I just wanted to ride. Maybe you’re differen.t
If you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy journaling about your trip or even the thoughts you have. I loved being in my head and sorting through all my mental jewelry. And listening to music.
Maybe I’ll update this page with more as time goes by and conversations happen, but it’s pretty straight forward.
Click through for the rest of the journey:
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