Originally Posted by
Chitown_Mike
I could probably push through it by this fall, but I want to ensure if I pushed myself I could do 80 miles a day, hence the training. Plus all my current long rides are on a road bike in the super flat lands of Chicago, so the dirt trails and such, plus the continental divide, would probably push me harder than I can expect.
The GAP has an average grade of two per cent. At times that becomes a whopping three per cent in places such as Ohiopyle State Park and the stretch between Rockwood and Garret. Going South to North the grade up Savage Mountain from Cumberland is two to three percent for 24 miles, IIRC. Aside from the five mile road detour on the C & O south of Williamsport there's little tough climbing. Keep in mind in most places if you go off trail you are either going down or up.