Originally Posted by
DuckFat
I did the trip on a touring bike with a sprung Brooks saddle. The butt was fine but the hands got a lot of vibration on the last parts of the C&O and I lost some feeling. The C&O is bumpiest the last forty miles into DC for some reason.
It's definitely doable on a touring bike but get knobbier tires and let air out as it gets bumpy. If I were doing it over I'd take my mountain bike though.
The BOB trailer was perfectly fine on the trip. But a dual wheeled trailer would be awful because there are long sections where the path is dual track with only about 12" width to the track and a dual wheel trailer would bounce too much on the grass on either side of the path.
Thinks to think about:
- Fenders are a must have -- It'll be rather wet in June.
- Don't overpack food, there are lots of stores along the way. There are hand pump wells fro water every 5 miles or so on the C&O so you can unload some water too.
- Harper's Ferry is worth a few hours stop.
- Any excursion off the path involves some steep hills.
- The entrance to the WMRT is hard to find. It's a little dirt road off the trail near an abandoned-looking farm. Look for a newish metal gate and a dirt road going around the barn. The WMRT is a blissful trail.
- There is little camping near Ohiopyle so your plan to camp before there is a good idea. Don't push on past Connellsville.
- Earplugs are a good idea because there are active railroads near almost the entire route.
- Seal up or hang your food at night. Raccoons and skunks are more common than bears but there are those around too.
Good luck. You'll love the trip, it's very scenic and you may want to add more friends as this is a newbie friendly route.
Thanks. I and Neil F., the fellow I'm riding with - we're the Neils on Wheels Bike Touring Team - read your CrazyGuy journal last night, and I changed the campground to Connellsville based on your bad time at Ohioplye. Also it doesn't make sense to hang around Ohioplye all morning waiting for Fallingwater to open at 10:00 AM.
Food is going to be more of a problem for Neil F. than me, since he keeps Kosher, but he's started a thread on that subject, and is getting good advice. Should we bring a camp stove?
I'd love to invite friends, if I had any, but the logistics are a little difficult - I live in a rural area outside Philadelphia, Neil F. lives in Northern New Jersey, and we have a safe place to keep my car for a week in Washington. I don't have room for any other people or any other cars. Also, the more people in a group, the more you have to worry about pacing for all the members. I know a fellow who could ride the entire GAP to Cumberland in one marathon ride - he's not going to be happy hanging with us. Still, it's a good idea.