Hey Rich, you're welcome for the pics. I have done the trip 5-6 times in many variations, so can supply you (privately, so as not to bore others) with more Flickr albums, most with more "iconic" landmarks along the GAPCO. The trails are seldom what you would call "busy or crowded" but this year may present more trail traffic than in the past. That could mean sharing the smaller campsites with others. As to timing, both spring and late fall are probably my favorites, but if you want to avoid possible cold, summer is fine, too. The C&O campsites are along the Potomac, so a bit more buggy during the summer. They are free, and each varies in capacity. All provide primitive water pumps (teated with iodine) and a clean portajohn. Both the C&O and the GAP provide enough shade to have relief from the sun. Also, the GAP being mostly Pennsylvania, is both more northern and higher elevation, so cooler. (Up and over the Eastern Continental Divide.) The C&O can be ridden/toured all year long, but winter can present some mud puddles. (There are efforts by the park in many places in the eastern sections of the C&O to provide smoother and drier "pavement" - a hard composite of some sort, which cuts down on the dodging and weaving around mud puddles, which can get a bit tiresome if you're doing 50 miles a day.) The GAP is mostly cinder, but can get soft during prolonged rains. The GAP is open all year, but gets more snow and freezing temps. Importantly, the main tunnel, the Big Savage, underwent expensive restoration and is closed during the coldest portion of winter. (Closing and reopening dates are provided on their FB page.) No good and safe alternative detours I know of. I've ridden the section of the GAP between Cumberland, MD, at the eastern end, up to Rockwood, PA for camping overnight as late as Thanksgiving and the tunnel was open that late in the year. It was fun but temps did dip to about 24 degrees overnight, necessitating a winter-weight sleeping bag. I did it to say I could do it! There is lots of good info out there for both trails and both have active FB groups posting current conditions. Good luck! Have a blast. On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 4:44:05 PM UTC-4 RichS wrote:
> Hi Paul, > > Good report! Looks like you and friend Dan had a fine time. Your visual > and written account is much appreciated. This trip has been high on my want > to ride list for some time. Would late spring (which worked well for you) > or fall be the optimal seasons to be on the trail? > > Thanks very much. > > Best, > Rich in ATL > > On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 10:04:11 AM UTC-4 pbsm...@gmail.com wrote: > >> Nice pics Paul thanks for sharing. A friend and I are doing the DC to >> Pitt direction later this year. I've only ever done overnight bike camping >> trips and he's never even done that. Hoping to do it in 50 days. We live in >> DC. >> >> Originally had this planned for end of August, but life got in the way so >> now we are shooting for mid October. Gonna need some extra layers for sure. >> Do you know when everything starts to shut down for the season? >> >> Pat in DC >> >> On Monday, May 24, 2021 at 6:41:07 AM UTC-4 ascpgh wrote: >> >>> I really enjoy seeing all the variations of folks' trips and iterations >>> of outfitting on this route. I'm fortunate to be a twenty minute bike ride >>> from the Pittsburgh end and frequent the GAP portions and points along that >>> way that are fun detours and sightseeing. >>> >>> I started riding on the GAP with my Rambouillet which doesn't have a >>> load capacity for self supported travel but as a result I've refined my >>> options for refreshments, meals and accommodations. My favorites are two >>> day rides from home, either out to Ohiopyle for the night and back or to >>> Cumberland with a overnighting in Ohiopyle and Amtrak home from Cumberland >>> at 7pm. It is the use I patterned my custom bike to support. >>> >>> Last year I rode several centuries out and back on the GAP to take >>> advantage of the crowd thinning weather, my familiar trailside resources >>> and the relatively level grades. >>> >>> Andy Cheatham >>> Pittsburgh >>> On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 12:12:57 PM UTC-4 Bikie#4646 wrote: >>> >>>> While I have done unsupported multi-day trip from Pittsburgh to DC >>>> (GAPCO) a number of times, this time I accompanied friend, Dan on his >>>> 7-day >>>> trip from east-to-west in the opposite direction. A bit of a new >>>> perspective on the trails along the C&O Towpath in Maryland and the Great >>>> Allegheny Passage in Pennsylvania. >>>> I was on my Sam Hillborne, which is my dedicated touring bike, mostly. >>>> It serves me very well for this sort of thing. I have a Homer Hilsen I use >>>> for mixed-surface riding day trips and love it. It could probably handle >>>> touring, but I suspect the slightly stouter Hillborne is more reliable for >>>> multi-day loads. >>>> We chose to go a bit early, the end of April, and were met with a >>>> variety of weather conditions, from sunny (even hot) days to cold (down to >>>> freezing one night) with a bit of rain thrown in for fun. We were prepared >>>> for it so the cooler temps were welcomed. >>>> The benefits - especially this year when many more folks will >>>> undoubtedly be out riding these trails - were fewer trail users and more >>>> available campsites and fewer bugs along the Potomac River. (Not that is >>>> usually a big problem for us, even in the summer.) >>>> My Flickr trip album of the trip is chock full unfortunately - for my >>>> own memories - so I apologize in advance. This time around, however, I >>>> tried not to duplicate photos of the numerous and more recognizable >>>> landmarks for the GAPCO, which I have done before. >>>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/bikecrazy-paul/albums/72157719131492162 >>>> Happy trails to all, >>>> Paul Germain >>>> Midlothian, Va. >>>> >>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fe07fa94-f8d5-42b9-81d3-a26fbaca452bn%40googlegroups.com.
