GAP - C&O Blast

 The GAP trail!

Most folks that pedal, at least on the east coast of the USA, have heard of it and many have pedaled or hiked it.

147.5 miles of former train trail from Pittsburgh, PA down to Cumberland, Md…. or the other way. Regardless of where you start, and to be accurate, mile marker (MM) 0 is in Cumberland and MM 147.5 is in Pittsburgh, it’s an incredibly historic and scenic ride..crossing the continental divide as well as the Mason Dixon line. It’s a PA park so it’s nicely maintained along with many volunteers.

After living in Virginia for years, I had yet to accomplish it.

Then there’s the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath. It starts in Gerorgetown, DC..somewhere.. and ends, 184.4 miles later in Cumberland, MD.

Back when we used horses, it was used to tow people, and supplies up and down, paralleling the Potomac River. The canal is long since overgrown and filled in with fallen trees, but much of it has water, and wildlife! It’s a National park also, so it’s maintained along with volunteers. There are campsites along the way..it’s another beautiful pedal..or walk path.

While I had done the C&O, I had not added the GAP. This time, I combined them for a single blast and I wanted to find out what I could do, since I have a TransAm Ride 4 Alzheimer’s looming.

I’ll be taking my red bike, named Phoenix, on the TransAm ride and I wanted to test it first.

This ride was to be ‘only’ 350 miles of tenting and pedaling. Here's what I experienced. (My friend and riding partner, JEFF @ Yellowbike reminded me that I passed a few roses.)

I got a ride up to Pittsburgh from a good friend. That's a hard part sometimes...getting to the trailhead. On the drive up, Tuesday afternoon, we encountered near whiteout snow! Why am I doing this right now? It's mid April and theres a blizzard and I'm going to pedal a bicycle? It had subsided by the time we got down to Pgh, and the weather was just cool with some rain.

I left Pgh about 0830 after a hotel breakfast. Here’s Phoenix at the trailhead. While it was cool, the skies were mostly clear!

I just rode along enjoying the morning and so many waterfalls and ultimately stopped in Confluence, PA for the night at the Army Corps park or something. It’s called the Outflow Campground and is right off of the GAP.  Since it’s a National park thing, being 'old' has advantages.. was only $7.. for a tent site with a Seeing America Senior Pass. It seems I did about 80 miles that day..but they just rolled by 1 mile, 1 hour at a time. It was a lovely setting after a long day's ride. Aaahhh.. sleep.

Woke up Thursday morn to cold and rain. It’s part of the adventure! Coffee, (I brought my french press) some protein snackery..peanut butter in a tortilla with granola. That was the standard fare for the trip.

Up I go.. rain all day. There was snow on the trail between Rockwood and Myersdale… ON the trail.. not just the surrounding area! Earlier, a passing long-hauler told me he had to walk. Well, that was a challenge to me.."don't walk. Hold on and pedal through it!":...so I did. But it was probably deeper for him. His name is Paul, from The Netherlands...spending a 90 day visa, seeing our country by bicycle from DC - San Fran... Nice guy!

I blasted through to Cumberland and beyond! I guess the snow and climb up to the Continental Divide 

slowed me down because I completed about 74 or so on Thursday. I stopped in Cumberland long enough for a quick meal at the BBQ place there and the requisite 'proof pic', of Mile 0..yes, more rain.

.. then onward just to Evitts Creek, a Hiker-Biker site, just 5 miles below Cumberland to set up camp for the night.
There were minor issues on the GAP.. but no closures or detours.. that I recall. Some untethered dogs and a few trees down, but nothing really adverse.

Lots of wild natural beauty on that trail and slogging through the mushy, snow gravel where I was 'happy' to be able do 7-8 mph for quite a few miles. 10 or more is a typical norm.There were some trees down but nothing major.

The C&O was a different story.
The PawPaw tunnel is closed and requires a hard (for me) 1.5 mile climb up and over! Be prepared with shoes.
Up a rocky, rutted single-track.. exceeding 10%!  Here's the Potomac, looking back and down...

 

Then down a muddy, wet, slippery mess.. but part of the adventure.
I stopped in Cumberland Valley HB site.
The Hiker-Biker (H-B) sites are pretty nice with cleanish porta-potties, (Green Meanies), fire pits, a table and treated well water and they are located about every 5 miles or so. They are also provided by the NPS, but there are no trash cans, so remember to carry everything out. There are bags there for that.

Frogs singing, owls calling and the river flowing past…

 

Up Saturday morning to depart early, but somewhere near mile 94, there is a trail closure and detour.. up and around to MM 88. It added a few miles to the trip. Don’t do it at night! The NPS says it’s only a 1 mile detour, but I think it’s much more.

I did about 110 that final Saturday.
A few other minor ‘detours’ but nothing terrible… a few trees down....some wildlife, including a snapper that was not intimidated.

Yeah..likely a beaver did that!

My Dad loved rock/stone construction and was a master at it! Here’s an original structure that he would have loved.

Dam it!

4 long days, 3  nights and one heck of a ride! I wanted to go up the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) the rest of the way to my house, but I was spent, so Jeff and his wife met me at a convenient spot in Arlington, VA for a final shuttle ride. I am grateful for his support.

Crossing the Key bridge into Virginia, looking down the Potomac.