GAP C&O bike ride info

[charliedid]

Just finished the GAP and hitting the C&O tomorrow. Sent home camping gear today and staying in a hotel and airbnb the rest of the way. Cold as hell at night and mostly sunny and mild in the day. Not sure I love solo bike travel. Camping might be easier with a friend but I keep hanging with the same guy. He's slower but we always seem to find each other for meals or camp. Here are a couple pics.

[mcfarton]

Perfect weather! Enjoy!

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[charliedid]

Originally Posted by mcfarton

Perfect weather! Enjoy!

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

So far so good minus the freezing mornings and a sprinkle of rain the other night. All indoors except for the riding from here on.

[Lovetoclimb]

bumping this thread to get some beta on peoples’ favorite towns along the trail. My friends and I will be doing it credit card tour style PGH to DC, then amtrak back. So towns with good food (some vegetarian options would be ace!), decent bars, and scenic sights. Planning on 3.5 days to keep the pace lively but very manageable.

Oh btw, we are starting after the first day of Picklesburgh on July 20! Any area natives have good feedback on that festival!?

[Spinner]

Culinaire Cafe on Baltimore Street, a pedestrian mall, in Cumberland offers a variety of good foods at reasonable prices.

Morguen Toole Company in Meyersdale has acceptable food too. They also offer full bar service and hotel rooms.

The G I Dayroom in Meyersdale offers a solid breakfast in an original retro environment.

The Falls City Pub (across the river) in Ohiopyle offers solid bar food and drinks-o-plenty.

Hutch's Tap Room in Connellsville on Route 119 has decent steaks with the trimmings and adult beverage too.

Cheers.

[chris7ed]

Recently rode the c&o. Be aware that the bridge just south of Brunswick is gone. Also, campsites can be reserved on the c&o. Don't know if it's necessary. North of shepherds town was super muddy a week ago.

[rwsaunders]

Originally Posted by Lovetoclimb

bumping this thread to get some beta on peoples’ favorite towns along the trail. My friends and I will be doing it credit card tour style PGH to DC, then amtrak back. So towns with good food (some vegetarian options would be ace!), decent bars, and scenic sights. Planning on 3.5 days to keep the pace lively but very manageable.

Oh btw, we are starting after the first day of Picklesburgh on July 20! Any area natives have good feedback on that festival!?

I don't know about the festival other than it's held on the Roberto Clemente Bridge, which is next to PNC Park, which should be easy access for you as there is a bike trail that runs along the Allegheny River for a bit. Here is a link to some other events that are happening in town that weekend as well as a bike map of downtown. Safe travels.

http://www.picklesburgh.com

http://pittsburgh.carpediem.cd/events/?dt=20.07.2018

https://www.bikepgh.org/resources/ma...re/map-routes/

[charliedid]

Beans in the Belfry was memorable. https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en...AUsQoioIpAEwEQ

[unterhausen]

I recently rode from Shepardstown to Brunswick, and I was really glad I had fenders. I think the longest stretch I did without hitting water was about 100 feet. OTOH, my 32mm tires were fine. Lots of roots, which got pretty annoying after a while. Someone told me they were being eaten up by mosquitoes. I didn't notice, but after that I kept moving.

[El Chaba]

There are sections of the C&O that are best done in the middle of a drought. That area 5 miles or so either side of Brunswick is one of them...Does anybody know if they are working on fixing the washout near Brunswick? Or are they just letting that go until a later time...

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

There are sections of the C&O that are best done in the middle of a drought. That area 5 miles or so either side of Brunswick is one of them...Does anybody know if they are working on fixing the washout near Brunswick? Or are they just letting that go until a later time...

Not sure,

I did meet a guy who was one of the lead coordinators spearheading the grading and leveling of the entire C&O which he said would take two years and was supposed to start this year some time. That would be nice, even though I loved the trail and had no major issue. I can see how it could give many people trouble, especially in wet weather or heavy fall leaf cover. Some rough (hidden) stuff, like chunks of granite, if you are not paying attention.

Another memorable stretch was the Paw Paw tunnel was out when I did it and had to hike it up and over!

Next time around I am doing it with 3 friends. The plan is the go Pitt to DC and back to Pitt in 7 days with a rest day. If dry it's totally doable.

[charliedid]

Edit: Was the washout a major thing or an issue that came up this season? Because when I went through last year they were doing major work on it near Brunswick that diverted you from the trail.

[marsh]

Planning on heading out there in 3 weeks, hope it dries up significantly by then.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Edit: Was the washout a major thing or an issue that came up this season? Because when I went through last year they were doing major work on it near Brunswick that diverted you from the trail.

The washout is new after some heavy rains this summer.

There are sections of the C&O that are completely out, as in, the whole culvert collapsed, and will require detour/reroute, mostly west of Brunswick.

On the other side of the river closer to DC, the PHT was pretty well submerged for a while and even though everything on higher ground was bone dry, it was still a clay filled, muddy mess as of a week ago.

[palincss]

You're really better off forgetting about the C&O Canal this year and just riding the GAP. Upon arriving at Point State Park in Pittsburgh (we went from Cumberland to Pittsburgh) I found this view inspiring: