A Country Bike Trip

June 16, 2010

A lockhouse along the old C&O Canal

Though it is now getting to be old news, I wanted to share some reflections (and better; photographs!) on the couple-day bike trip I took recently. I rode from the shop here in Lawrenceville to a town called Hancock in Maryland. Hancock is one of the many towns that straddles the Allegheney Passage-C&O Towpath bike route, which will wisk even the most casual cyclotourist along some 330 miles of packed gravel trail all the way from McKeesport, PA to Georgetown, just northwest of Washington D.C.

This was the first that I’ve done anything like touring, and while it rendered me exhausted and sore, I can’t wait to get out on the road again. To me, this particular route highlighted the sheer elegance of using a bicycle as a means for long distance travel from one place to another.

Hiding from a thunderstorm under a bridge at the eastern continental divide.

This particular bike has never been so loaded- it’s the venerable daily runner. It handled a variety of rougher terrain admirably- save for the inevitable flat or two.  Since this was a first foray into the world of loaded touring, I wasn’t too sure about how much of what would be best to haul along. The other employer was thankfully able to provide me with a sleeping bag and lightweight tent free of charge, which packed small and were easy to set up at the end of an exhausting day.

My trip consisted of two nights of camping, the first night just short of Ohiopyle, PA, and the second some ten miles past the C&O trailhead in Cumberland, MD.

Passing through Ohiopyle at the beginning of the second day.

Best moment of the trip? By far, bursting out of the dark and chilly Big Savage Tunnel, a 3300 foot long restored rail tunnel, to this view:

At any rate, fantastic trip. Enough words now- just a few more pictures.

Cataloged as: News ← Clank Plank Reflect | Second Sunday Seersucker Saunter Spectacular →

3 Responses to A Country Bike Trip

1. defne says:

   June 27, 2010 at 1:20 am

   beautiful! you should ride to chicago next!
2. ellis says:

   August 1, 2010 at 7:20 pm

   great pictures! the section between cumberland and DC is anything but packed gravel though…
3. Mary Vanim says:

   August 2, 2010 at 8:44 pm

   Gorgeous pictures!