KillRamsey
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Hood River, OR
- Name
- Kyle
Specifically, it's about 40% the Great Allegheny Passage, and then it becomes the C&O Canal Towpath for the remaining 60% of the trip. Total mileage is about 340, and we did it in 6 days. Most days you do a little over 60 miles, one day was 38 for us and one was 74. The Allegheny portion is in better shape than its West Virginian / Marylandian counterpart, the C&O. The grades are never steep enough for you to really notice, either up or downhill. You could do the Allegheny portion on literally any bike you're comfy on. And make no mistake, it is your comfort (or lack thereof) that will determine how much you enjoy doing this. Physically it's not much to ask, just rolling along gently at 11 mph for 6-8 hours isn't a ton of calories. But if your butt and your saddle aren't best friends, they're going to start fighting, and the fighting can get ugly quick. (The saddle always wins, by the way.)
So, some shots of the trail...
This is how it begins, it Pittsburgh. In our case on a Sunday morning.
KBRX1666 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
Leaving the industrial outskirts of Pitt, it's all paved and the bridges are nice.
KBRX1700 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
At a rest stop on the trail, next to a campground and an old cemetery.
KBRX1755 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
Once you get out remote, it's just other long-distance packers, and some hikers / birders / fishermen looking for remote spots. So when you suddenly come upon a Cub Scout troop or something, you know a town is coming... like sighting shore birds from the deck of your ship. Once the crowds are gone, it's just you and the animals, mostly deer. More on them later.
KBRX1815 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
The first day, the wife had planned a surprise for Father's Day. But it meant leaving the trail after 68 miles, and then biking 17 miles UPHILL into the countryside to get to the special surprise. We didn't have it in us, nor did my bike battery. This guy tossed our bikes in his truck and drove us there. And he wouldn't take a dollar. Amazing guy, and my god did he save my bacon.
KBRX1833 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
The surprise was staying in this house, designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright student, on a plot of wooded land among several other such houses, one of which is actually a FLW.
KBRX1841 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
We went for a walk in our PJs.
KBRX1881 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
The next day we biked 21 miles to Falling Water. It was HILLY. The downhills had us doing up to 38 mph! The uphills had us crying.
KBRX2015 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
A nice spot on the trail.
KBRX2087 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
Stretching helps.
KBRX2173 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
My setup, with copilot...
KBRX2232 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
The tunnels were our favorite part, I think.
KBRX2349 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
Once it turned to the C&O, it was much less dry. HUGE mud puddles, for miles. At some point it's time to turn off the path each evening, bike through a town, find your place, garden hose everything down, bring stuff inside, shower the mud off, consume a lot of calories, put the kid to bed, crack open beers, be adults for a few hours, then collapse into a happy heap and sleep like you're dead.
KBRX2459 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
Typical C&O, after the huge rains we got. You're getting muddy... just embrace it and get on with the business of getting on.
KBRX2717 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
Harper's Ferry at night.
KBRX2896 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
A regular occurrence. You didn't often go longer than 30 minutes without spotting a deer, often pretty close.
KBRX2923 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
And then suddenly, 340 miles later, you can see the Washington Monument.
KBRX3124 by gordopuggy, on Flickr
So, some shots of the trail...
This is how it begins, it Pittsburgh. In our case on a Sunday morning.
Leaving the industrial outskirts of Pitt, it's all paved and the bridges are nice.
At a rest stop on the trail, next to a campground and an old cemetery.
Once you get out remote, it's just other long-distance packers, and some hikers / birders / fishermen looking for remote spots. So when you suddenly come upon a Cub Scout troop or something, you know a town is coming... like sighting shore birds from the deck of your ship. Once the crowds are gone, it's just you and the animals, mostly deer. More on them later.
The first day, the wife had planned a surprise for Father's Day. But it meant leaving the trail after 68 miles, and then biking 17 miles UPHILL into the countryside to get to the special surprise. We didn't have it in us, nor did my bike battery. This guy tossed our bikes in his truck and drove us there. And he wouldn't take a dollar. Amazing guy, and my god did he save my bacon.
The surprise was staying in this house, designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright student, on a plot of wooded land among several other such houses, one of which is actually a FLW.
We went for a walk in our PJs.
The next day we biked 21 miles to Falling Water. It was HILLY. The downhills had us doing up to 38 mph! The uphills had us crying.
A nice spot on the trail.
Stretching helps.
My setup, with copilot...
The tunnels were our favorite part, I think.
Once it turned to the C&O, it was much less dry. HUGE mud puddles, for miles. At some point it's time to turn off the path each evening, bike through a town, find your place, garden hose everything down, bring stuff inside, shower the mud off, consume a lot of calories, put the kid to bed, crack open beers, be adults for a few hours, then collapse into a happy heap and sleep like you're dead.
Typical C&O, after the huge rains we got. You're getting muddy... just embrace it and get on with the business of getting on.
Harper's Ferry at night.
A regular occurrence. You didn't often go longer than 30 minutes without spotting a deer, often pretty close.
And then suddenly, 340 miles later, you can see the Washington Monument.