Touring - New C&O Canal trip report on CGOAB

For those who might be interested, I just posted a trip journal from my 2008 C&O Canal Trail bike ride on Crazyguyonabike:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/cando-tour

I hope to have a journal from my Oct. 2009 tour posted soon.

I also have a few trip reports from my tandem tours in Germany, Austria and Czech Republic on my personal website at http://www.brianwasson.com/trips/index.htm (I'm planning to port them over to CGOAB, too).

Very nice report. I enjoyed reading it, especially because you rode the trail two weeks before I did in 2008.

The toll bridge between Oldtown and Greenspring is fun to ride across, but be careful your tires don't get stuck in a crack.

Thanks Historian! I've also enjoyed reading your personal blog in the past. Great insights and motivation! We should hook up for a ride sometime once the snow melts in the spring (assuming it ever does...).

Thanks Historian! I've also enjoyed reading your personal blog in the past. Great insights and motivation! We should hook up for a ride sometime once the snow melts in the spring (assuming it ever does...).

If my knees ever work again, it's on! :-(

Very Nice report... I want to do the C and O this summer/fall but your last line leads me to believe I should consider the GAP having road the C and O as a kid with the scouts I would love to do it again but all at once... but then having done it maybe I should do the GAP

Mike

Very Nice report... I want to do the C and O this summer/fall but your last line leads me to believe I should consider the GAP having road the C and O as a kid with the scouts I would love to do it again but all at once... but then having done it maybe I should do the GAP

Mike

Lots of folks love the C&O, so don't let me dissuade you. That said, I definitely found the GAP to be overall a much nicer trail, from the way it is surfaced (crushed gravel vs. dirt), the scenery, the small towns en route, etc. One big thing the C&O has going for it is the free hiker-biker campsites every five miles or so. Very nice feature. I'm eager to go back and ride the GAP; indeed, if I was closer I'd probably ride sections of it all the time. I don't feel so drawn to the C&O, but everyone is different.

By all means, if you can do both sections, that's great. Not too many (any?) similar long-distance off-road routes in the US. If it's a choice between the two, and you've already done the C&O, I'd recommend trying out the GAP. Logistics are often quoted as a problem for either trail, but I found using one-way rental cars to be an easy fix.

FYI, I've updated my trip report on CrazyGuy a bit to include maps of the two on-road detours I took (especially the one from Williamsport, Md. to Harper's Ferry) and additional links that take you to info about historical sites along the trail. Working on the GAP tour write-up, and hope to have it done sometime next week.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/cando-tour