GAP C&O bike ride info

[bicycletricycle]

I want to ride the GAP C&O trail this year. I think I am going to try September or something, don't want it to be too hot. Wondering how rough the trail is and how tough a tire I should bring with. Also, any other information that would be helpful.

Thanks.

[rwsaunders]

BT...there was a discussion here earlier in the year. You can fly to Pittsburgh and ride the Montour Trail into the city and start from there...fly back home from DC. Try the www.bikepgh.org site for info as well.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=206148&highlight=pittsburgh

[2metalhips]

https://www.traillink.com/trail/chesapeake--ohio-canal-national-historical-park/

This may help

[pinkshogun]

The GAP is smoother than the CO. A 32mm or wider tire is fine

[mcfarton]

There is a group called ride Allegheny, they should be a wealth of info. Around that time of year they do a group ride from Pittsburgh to DC, I think its 5 days. Its for charity and they sleep in hotels.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[pinkshogun]

i should add that camping facilities with water pump and port a johns are available right on the trail and are much more closely spaced, mileage wise, on the C and O than on the GAP

[rccardr]

Late September is a great time, we did it on an Adventure Cycling tour in six days & stayed in hotels and B&B's. Could easily have done it in five but did a lot of historical stuff along the way. If you're just riding straight through you could do it as a two or three day ride- it's about 265 miles from downtown DC to downtown Pittsburgh.

Parts of the C&O are a little rough, but nothing that a thirty two size tire can't handle. No need to worry about gearing, I think I only used the big ring and about three cogs all week on this:

http://i797.photobucket.com/albums/yy254/rccardr/88%20Cannondale%20ST%20black%209%20sp%20triple/88STrightside2ndbuild_zpsa5d752df.jpg (http://s797.photobucket.com/user/rccardr/media/88%20Cannondale%20ST%20black%209%20sp%20triple/88STrightside2ndbuild_zpsa5d752df.jpg.html)

[bicycletricycle]

Call and plan ahead for campsites or can you just show up?

[robin3mj]

September is good. Watch the weather the ten days beforehand (fewer days if it's hot) to gauge the amount of mud you're likely to encounter.
If dry, any 32mm tire like a Pasela is fine, if wetter then something with nominally more tread may be better.

Honestly though, it's flat the whole way and there's zero need to brake so I'd aim for a 35-38 or even 40mm tire if you can fit it. Once you get rolling, there's no need to constantly brake and then spin a heavy tire back up to speed.

Flats on the C&O are more due to bad luck, bad handling, or bad tire pressure than the wrong tire choice, so don't put yourself thru the misery of Gatorskins etc at the expense of ride quality.

[pinkshogun]

Call and plan ahead for campsites or can you just show up?

just show up. they are literally right on the path. if i recall every 5 miles or so on the CO, sometimes more than one site in one specific area.

the towns are also very close if you want a hotel/motel/restaurants.

[Plum Hill]

Take in Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater near Ohiopyle.
There's another FLW home nearby that friends visited last year. I believe it may be rented by the day.

[El Chaba]

To the question, "How tough a tire should I bring?"....Well, it's fashionable today to think that one needs a 28 mm tire for smooth asphalt...but back to what will get the job done...The GAP is no problem and a 28 or 25 mm road tire would be fine. It also has a packed, finer gravel surface that is not as vulnerable to bad weather conditions. As for the C&O...It varies considerably from east to west. From Georgetown to Great Falls, it has a good gravel surface, but it can be loose in spots. Beyond Great Falls, the conditions deteriorate and the trail is basically packed dirt. I think a 30-32 mm road/gravel tire is fine, but you do have to be vigilant against roots and protruding rocks. A 30-32 m tire has enough air volume to not bottom out against *most* of these obstacles if you are vigilant. If it rains, all bets are off on the west end. A full blown MTB tire would be best-with mud tread. Having said all of that, I last did the C&O half several years ago in two days with 30 mm Grand Bois Cypres, so a popular road randonneur tire that actually measures 32 mm on my rims. It rained pretty hard on my second day on the west end and the tires were less than what would be ideal WRT to both width and tread aggressiveness. I made it, though.

[zennmotion]

Call and plan ahead for campsites or can you just show up?

After Labor Day the trail empties out significantly. You may not get the campsite of your choice all to yourself, but they are spaced at 5 mile intervals on average along the C&O, and each site can accommodate several parties- first come first choice. I've never done it, but you can also reserve a few of the lock houses for sleeping through the national park website- might be fun for a night especially with a group. Drinking water at the sites along the canal is from a pump at a well, and these are periodically shocked with iodine so the taste can be pretty bad- a carbon filter might come in handy, or just live with it. It will probably dry out a bit by September, but there are sections that I've ridden in the past couple of weeks that have a lot of mud puddles West of Riley's Lock to the end of the C&O that you have no choice but to ride through, so it can be messy business, fenders would be nice- it's been a wet Summer. It's pretty dry now between Riley's and Georgetown though. One last bit- be sure to have a light or flashlight handy to go through the Paw Paw tunnel- you can't ride it and it's long enough that it's pitch black in the middle, with a light wooden rail between you and the canal, a little freaky without a light, though there is an option to just hike a bike over the top of the tunnel if you're not traveling too heavy. A 32-35mm tire is all you need, if it's wet or actively raining a little tread on the front is nice to help in the ruts in the rougher western portion of the C&O. Give warning to the fishermen that line the path, more than once I've come close to getting a baited fishhook in the face from somebody throwing a cast line as I pass!

[cp43]

Call and plan ahead for campsites or can you just show up?

On the C&O you can just show up, the sites are free, and maintained by the National Park Service, you can just stop and camp.

On the GAP trail, the camping sites are privately owned, you'll have to register and pay, and when we did it, we arranged a site ahead of time.

Chris

[El Chaba]

Zen makes a good point about the lights for the Pawpaw tunnel. When got to that the first time I did that ride, my modern halogen headlight would not work. My bike had a 30 year old system involving a generator, but you need to be going at least 10 mph for that to work in any discernible fashion, so I plunged into the darkness and felt my way through. I was committed at that point, but should have just walked through.
I'll re-emphasize a point on tire width/volume. A 32 mm +/- tire is good for the obstacles. The rhythm that is stuck in my head is pedal pedal pedal pedal-BANG! (root)....pedal pedal pedal-BANG! (rock). You need the air volume to protect from the sharp impact. There is always the possibility that a protruding rock you encounter will be sharp enough to kill a tire. Since the towpath is shaded, it generally has dappled sunlight on the surface making some obstacles tough to detect until it is too late to avoid them. Because of this, I also find that about 15 mph is about the practical speed limit. The last time I did it I had limited time on the first day so I was pushing it and hitting quite a few more things at 18 mph or so...

[ColonelJLloyd]

I know you have a lot of bikes with 42-584. That's a good size. You could ride narrower but it gains you zilch and the wider, supple tires are in their element on a route like this. I rode the C&O with Switchback Hill ELs (with tubes at the time) and it was fantastic. But, never did I think the tire was overkill.

I rode it in the late spring and with the puddles it would have been super messy without fenders. Could be a different story in September. No shortage of small sticks on the trail so you need a generous gap between tire and fender. Camping sites were great and I never had an issue finding the right trees for hanging a hammock. It could sometimes take a few minutes to bring water up via the pump, but I never needed to filter it.

The GAP is well manicured quarter by zero gravel. Luxurious even.

Mark the beginning or end of the C&O with a beer and bowl of crab soup at Baltimore Street Grill in Cumberland.

[marsh]

Damn, I'll think I'll do the whole thing next Spring. Only got to do the C&O.
Do it! Don't know your camping setup, but I had no trouble finding a place to hang my hammock.

[sc53]

Just a word to the wise: I did it the last week of October one year and it was freaking hot a lot of the time! I brought wool jersey and tights that I never needed at all. We have not had that bad of a summer here so September may be nice and cool, or it might be muggy and hot, be prepared to check the weather right before you leave and pack accordingly. We stayed in "B&B's" of varying degrees of charm along the GAP and in an inn at Harper's Ferry. Had a wonderful time and did a lot of stopping to take pix, read historical markers, go to Falling Water, etc. Would love to do it again.

[hoonjr]

Include Fenders. I did a section of it memorial day and the people who had done longer sections looked like mud people. A little extra insurance wouldn't hurt

[yonderb0y]

Here's a short writeup that I did just after finishing the ride last October:

C&O + GAP (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=2058891&postcount=22)

[bicycletricycle]

Thanks for all the feedback, my coupler bike is a 29er touring bike monster cross thing so I have been thinking about what tire to put on it, definitely fenders, always fenders.

I am halfway between camping or hotels. I don't like making too many plans so I'll probably just bring a light hammock or something. I would really prefer cool weather. I may just Take the train so that I can go last minute based on a good forecast.

[ColonelJLloyd]

My riding buddy used 29x2.0 Furious Freds with fenders on his Fargo. Super fast tires

[cderalow]

i did the lower 60 of the C&O using 25mm conti GP4000iis about a month ago.

was a bit fun at times, but manageable.

my companion had a 32mm Performance brand 'road' tire... had no problems.

[charliedid]

Thanks for all the feedback, my coupler bike is a 29er touring bike monster cross thing so I have been thinking about what tire to put on it, definitely fenders, always fenders.

I am halfway between camping or hotels. I don't like making too many plans so I'll probably just bring a light hammock or something. I would really prefer cool weather. I may just Take the train so that I can go last minute based on a good forecast.

What's your plan Bicycleman? I'm getting on a train sometime next week in Chicago to Pittsburgh and heading to DC. Taking the train home. Plan to camp the entire way.

:-)

[bicycletricycle]

What's your plan Bicycleman? I'm getting on a train sometime next week in Chicago to Pittsburgh and heading to DC. Taking the train home. Plan to camp the entire way.

:-)

A combination of projects at work and a vacation to Hawaii may prevent it from happening this year, depends on how warm it is in late October.

[xjoex]

I say bigger tire the better. When I did it the C&O was in rough shape from cumberland to whites ferry. I had a 32, but wished I had a larger tire.

It's fun! The GAP is a beautiful trail when you get away from Pittsburgh.

Ohiopyle, PA where the GAP runs through is a gem in PA. Take a minute to cruise through town and check out some waterfalls.

Grab some food at the Over The Falls Cafe, right off the trail and across the train tracks.

-Joe

[charliedid]

A combination of projects at work and a vacation to Hawaii may prevent it from happening this year, depends on how warm it is in late October.

Sounds like a plan.

Hawaii is cool.

[charliedid]

I say bigger tire the better. When I did it the C&O was in rough shape from cumberland to whites ferry. I had a 32, but wished I had a larger tire.

It's fun! The GAP is a beautiful trail when you get away from Pittsburgh.

Ohiopyle, PA where the GAP runs through is a gem in PA. Take a minute to cruise through town and check out some waterfalls.

Grab some food at the Over The Falls Cafe, right off the trail and across the train tracks.

-Joe

Cheers Joe. I saw your post.

I'll be on my Gunnar Grand Tour with 38's and think it will be just smashing! :-)

Thanks for the tips.

[clyde the point]

The wife and I will be visiting Fallingwater this sat then riding to Cumberland from Confluence. Return the next day. Easy two day trip taking in the most beautiful part of the GAP. Rode from Pittsburgh last year and the Mrs. did not enjoy the Pitt to Ohiopyleofshi$ ride. Funny what they'll tolerate sometimes. I do love the trail and the b&b's.

I did the whole Shebang couple years ago from Pitt to DC. Had some big Continental Touring tires that were overkill for the GAP, but perfect for C&O. Fenders saved my bacon for sure.

[charliedid]

The wife and I will be visiting Fallingwater this sat then riding to Cumberland from Confluence. Return the next day. Easy two day trip taking in the most beautiful part of the GAP. Rode from Pittsburgh last year and the Mrs. did not enjoy the Pitt to Ohiopyleofshi$ ride. Funny what they'll tolerate sometimes. I do love the trail and the b&b's.

I did the whole Shebang couple years ago from Pitt to DC. Had some big Continental Touring tires that were overkill for the GAP, but perfect for C&O. Fenders saved my bacon for sure.

Cheers Clyde!

I have a rock solid Gunnar Grand Tour with 38 Conti Contact II and heavy duty aluminum fenders. The bike is an amazing tank of a touring rig. I've travelled quite a bit by bike over the last 35 years and always enjoy a new route and challenge. I'm excited about 300 + miles on a bike path. I had been planning a route in and around Wisc/Mich but seemed so old and boring. The GAP and C&O have always been on my radar so I just changed plans and decided yesterday to do it.

I'm not worried about the bike in the least. I'm lucky that way!

Thanks for the notes and enjoy your ride!

[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!

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[charliedid]

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]

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/maps-guides-more/map-routes/

[charliedid]

Beans in the Belfry was memorable. https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x89b61e2243b71ad3:0x15d2039dd4871ec!2m22!2m 2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m16!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1 !1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!2m2!1m1!1e6!3m1!7e115 !4shttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPwTeuhS_qgQ1M9gqQyFj2fK05oGbb1Q6stg7po%3Dw21 3-h160-k-no!5sbeans+in+the+belfry+-+Google+Search&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipPwTeuhS_qgQ1M9gqQyFj2fK05oG bb1Q6stg7po&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwityfWNr_XbAhVK54MKHRYHAUsQoioIpAEwEQ

[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]

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]

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:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/891/27912248197_1df62a6666_c.jpg

[cnighbor1]

www.crazyguyonabike.com for thatarea

[charliedid]

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.



Well maybe that bodes well for the entire redo this season. Nature.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gphin]

Road the gap two years in late June and the one thing I highly recommend is a trip to Antietam just up the road from sharpsburg. Check out the Public house and eatery in town to load on some grub. Like many have confirmed you can easily handle the trail on 32mm tires. The paw paw tunnel is also a blast to ride thru. Most of all enjoy the scenery.

[.RJ]

June/July/August is great time to ride the whole thing if you are camping. Will start getting cold at night past that, especially in points west.... even then, can be cold if you camp in Ohiopyle.

[unterhausen]

Does anybody know if they are working on fixing the washout near Brunswick? Or are they just letting that go until a later time...
They had a temporary bridge and a section of new path when I went through. I assume that's the washout you are talking about. The detour was no big thing, but the washout was pretty big.

[chris7ed]

They had a temporary bridge and a section of new path when I went through. I assume that's the washout you are talking about. The detour was no big thing, but the washout was pretty big.


How did you detour? On the road? I rode along the train tracks. Dangerous and illegal.

[unterhausen]

I am not sure we are talking about the same washout. What I went on was obviously the result of some official construction. There was new trail and a very short plywood bridge. I rode it on June 1st. I think the washout was a bit west of the Harpers Ferry bridge, but I don't really remember.

[El Chaba]

How did you detour? On the road? I rode along the train tracks. Dangerous and illegal.

Yes. That railroad line is very busy, and Brunswick is a crew change point. The whole area is actively patrolled and railroads generally arrest for trespassing first and ask questions later, if they ever get that far.

[.RJ]

They had a temporary bridge and a section of new path when I went through. I assume that's the washout you are talking about. The detour was no big thing, but the washout was pretty big.

There's at least one where its far too big for a temporary bridge. I dont know what the detour is though. Wouldnt stop me from doing the trip though, I'm probably heading up for an overnight to the C&O next weekend.

[Lovetoclimb]

How much would a trip be biting off to do the 120 miles from Cumberland to H.F. In a day? Figuring 12-15 mph ...

[El Chaba]

How much would a trip be biting off to do the 120 miles from Cumberland to H.F. In a day? Figuring 12-15 mph ...

Depends on the trail conditions/mud....Significant portions of the towpath took a pretty big hit from the heavy rains/flooding in May/early June. If the detours are remedied and the trail gets cleaned up, your target is attainable in dry conditions. the wild card is that the trail conditions on the western end are highly variable with anything greater than a recent light shower...Under ideal conditions 15mph is about the maximum speed that you could plan on.

[El Chaba]

I should elaborate a bit on the maximum speed on the trail. The vast majority of the length of the towpath is wooded. On a sunny day (most of the summer0 the trail is in dappled sunlight and certain imperfections and obstacles (most of them ) are difficult to see. For hours on end the rhythm becomes..pedal pedal pedal BANG-root.....pedal pedal pedal BANG-rock...pedal pedal brake-pothole..etc....For me at any speed above 15 mph, I hit WAY more objects. On something like a full suspension MTB with plenty of rubber you could just ride over most of the imperfections, but on a bike with such capabilities I can't imagine sustaining anything like 15 mph for 6-7 hours.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I agree with El Chaba about the way roots and rocks will surprise you. 50mm (650b) slicks was really nice, but I still tried to avoid sticks and potholes (of which there are many) as they slowed me down. My buddy, though, who is taller than me and was rolling 700x50 rolled over most everything.

Pretty sure there are folks who have done the entire GAP + C&O in under 24 hours. I believe that technically there are rules about riding certain sections at night and there's definitely a posted speed limit on sections that would make that time impossible if one were following the rules. It's faster starting in Pitt than in DC.

[palincss]

I agree with El Chaba about the way roots and rocks will surprise you. 50mm (650b) slicks was really nice, but I still tried to avoid sticks and potholes (of which there are many) as they slowed me down. My buddy, though, who is taller than me and was rolling 700x50 rolled over most everything.


Sure as hell surprised me. I was running 700Cx42s. Before I could react to the root I hit, I was off the towpath and in the canal, having broken my shoulder on the way down.

[charliedid]

I agree with El Chaba about the way roots and rocks will surprise you. 50mm (650b) slicks was really nice, but I still tried to avoid sticks and potholes (of which there are many) as they slowed me down. My buddy, though, who is taller than me and was rolling 700x50 rolled over most everything.

Pretty sure there are folks who have done the entire GAP + C&O in under 24 hours. I believe that technically there are rules about riding certain sections at night and there's definitely a posted speed limit on sections that would make that time impossible if one were following the rules. It's faster starting in Pitt than in DC.

Yep agreed,

A couple very accomplished racer friends did it in just under 24 hours from Pitt to DC with a broken frame and bike swap! :-) It's good to have friends close by who ride the same size bike and are free to drive to you with it!

I rode the C&O portion with just a small front load on my Gunnar touring bike with Conti Top Contact 38mm and blasted over plenty of stuff that could have thrown me to the ground. I feel lucky in that regard but the front load helped. I can see how that trail could ruin many people's day, especially less experienced riders.

Fast gravel bike and super light load (no camping) is how I would do it next time.

Great fun to ride that far on a path.

[.RJ]

Pretty sure there are folks who have done the entire GAP + C&O in under 24 hours. I believe that technically there are rules about riding certain sections at night and there's definitely a posted speed limit on sections that would make that time impossible if one were following the rules. It's faster starting in Pitt than in DC.

I have a friend making noise about a one shot full pull. I think he's brain damaged... but he's one of the few people I know that could do it.

[fixieporteur]

The washout at Brunswick, MP 55 as not yet been fixed.

I will be passing through southbound, and am wondering if anyone had found a reasonable detour to ride early on a Saturday morning.

[palincss]

The washout at Brunswick, MP 55 as not yet been fixed.

I will be passing through southbound, and am wondering if anyone had found a reasonable detour to ride early on a Saturday morning.

I'm pretty sure you'd find MD-464 a reasonable detour, if you're on the Paceline. Many of the people riding the Towpath because it's flat and has no motor vehicle traffic at all probably would not. There's 800' of elevation gain in the 9 miles between Brunswick & Point of rocks, and several climbs that RWGPS says are between 6 and 7 per cent and much of the distance has no shoulders. I understand many travelers on the Towpath are using shuttle services to get around the closed section.

[charliedid]

I have a friend making noise about a one shot full pull. I think he's brain damaged... but he's one of the few people I know that could do it.

Two friends who are early 50's and very strong bike racers did it a few years ago. Even had a broken frame and an emergency bike swap and still finished in under 24 hrs. Pitt to D.C.

[fixieporteur]

Thanks, palincss!

We will be a group of four overnighting in Brunswick on a Friday night. We'll check several sources when we get to Brunswick to verify if the towpath is open.

If the towpath is still closed, it will be very tempting to get up early on a Saturday morning and ride the MD-464 to Point of Rocks, where we will rejoin the towpath.

I was quoted something like $400 for a shuttle for four. I don't consider myself cheap, but it troubles me to pay that much to not ride!

[Cornfed]

May be a way "through" ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhDNlqPGyuk&feature=youtu.be

[djg]

i did the lower 60 of the C&O using 25mm conti GP4000iis about a month ago.

was a bit fun at times, but manageable.

my companion had a 32mm Performance brand 'road' tire... had no problems.

From DC out past Harper's Ferry a bit? I've done it on 27s and found it manageable. Did a shorter stretch a couple of weeks ago on the cross bike and I was glad I had wider tires at 33, but I would think that would be fine.

My son's scout troop does a C&O trip every other year, where some do two days out, followed by a ride home, and some do and get a ride home and some do the whole thing. I didn't go on the last one, but I've seen a mix of bikes, go out, including mtb, but also including various road, touring, or cross bikes -- people do fine.

[fixieporteur]

May be a way "through" ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhDNlqPGyuk&feature=youtu.be

Thanks! This is worth sharing with my traveling group.

[fixieporteur]

From DC out past Harper's Ferry a bit? I've done it on 27s and found it manageable. Did a shorter stretch a couple of weeks ago on the cross bike and I was glad I had wider tires at 33, but I would think that would be fine.

My son's scout troop does a C&O trip every other year, where some do two days out, followed by a ride home, and some do and get a ride home and some do the whole thing. I didn't go on the last one, but I've seen a mix of bikes, go out, including mtb, but also including various road, touring, or cross bikes -- people do fine.

Re: 25s, 27s, and 33s might work for hardpack conditions. Would you want to run wider tires for the current wet/muddy conditions?

I’ve been pre-running sections for a few weeks now in the wet conditions and depending which bike I want to take, I’ll be on Compass Pumpkin Ridge 42s, or Schwalbe Thunder Burt 53s. With full fenders!

[cderalow]

From DC out past Harper's Ferry a bit? I've done it on 27s and found it manageable. Did a shorter stretch a couple of weeks ago on the cross bike and I was glad I had wider tires at 33, but I would think that would be fine.



Opposite direction: harper's ferry into DC all the way.

Re: 25s, 27s, and 33s might work for hardpack conditions. Would you want to run wider tires for the current wet/muddy conditions?

I’ve been pre-running sections for a few weeks now in the wet conditions and depending which bike I want to take, I’ll be on Compass Pumpkin Ridge 42s, or Schwalbe Thunder Burt 53s. With full fenders!

it was a mix of mud and wet the day I rode it, including rain.

It'd be perfectly possible to ride ride the towpath portion in a day if you're reasonably fit and still stay within the speed limit (15mph on most of it)

[El Chaba]

I planned to do the C&O (and the GAP as well) this summer. I prefer to do it when it's dry and not a mudfest and there were just a couple of 1-2 week windows this summer when that description *might* apply. I don't think it will recover this fall.

[djg]

Re: 25s, 27s, and 33s might work for hardpack conditions. Would you want to run wider tires for the current wet/muddy conditions?

I’ve been pre-running sections for a few weeks now in the wet conditions and depending which bike I want to take, I’ll be on Compass Pumpkin Ridge 42s, or Schwalbe Thunder Burt 53s. With full fenders!

Well, I definitely haven’t seen the worst of it lately, so there’s that. Under the current wet and muddy conditions I would definitely prefer something wider than the road tires, although 33 cross tires might be just fine. I certainly don’t want to try to talk anybody out of 42s or more if that’s what the person has, and has been testing on sections— you know what’s working for you.

[fixieporteur]

I don't disagree that narrow and smooth tires would work for some combination of really experienced riders, light & fast, or dry conditions.

I forgot to mention I'm doing GAP + C&O Pittsburgh to DC. My traveling companions are not interested in light & fast.

I'm local, so I've been pre-running sections of the C&O this season. Our schedule does not allow flexibility to wait for better weather.

For the current muddy conditions, I decided I wanted small knobbies and full fenders.

And yet, I want low rolling resistance on pavement! So far the Pumpkin Ridge 42s and Thunder Burt 53 and 57 have been living up to their billing as fast multi-surface tires.

My traveling companions are arriving today. All I know right now about their bikes is they are on Salsa Fargo 29ers, steel and Ti. Should be very capable.

[BikeNY]

I don't disagree that narrow and smooth tires would work for some combination of really experienced riders, light & fast, or dry conditions.

I forgot to mention I'm doing GAP + C&O Pittsburgh to DC. My traveling companions are not interested in light & fast.

I'm local, so I've been pre-running sections of the C&O this season. Our schedule does not allow flexibility to wait for better weather.

For the current muddy conditions, I decided I wanted small knobbies and full fenders.

And yet, I want low rolling resistance on pavement! So far the Pumpkin Ridge 42s and Thunder Burt 53 and 57 have been living up to their billing as fast multi-surface tires.

My traveling companions are arriving today. All I know right now about their bikes is they are on Salsa Fargo 29ers, steel and Ti. Should be very capable.

If your companions will be on Fargos, they will probably have proper 29er MTB tires. If that's the case, just go with the Thunder Burt 57s, as they should be the most capable and comfortable.

[palincss]

And yet, I want low rolling resistance on pavement! So far the Pumpkin Ridge 42s and Thunder Burt 53 and 57 have been living up to their billing as fast multi-surface tires.


You aren't going to find more than a few miles of pavement on the GAP + C&O Canal Towpath, certainly less than 15 miles.

[El Chaba]

I don't disagree that narrow and smooth tires would work for some combination of really experienced riders, light & fast, or dry conditions.

I forgot to mention I'm doing GAP + C&O Pittsburgh to DC. My traveling companions are not interested in light & fast.

I'm local, so I've been pre-running sections of the C&O this season. Our schedule does not allow flexibility to wait for better weather.

For the current muddy conditions, I decided I wanted small knobbies and full fenders.

And yet, I want low rolling resistance on pavement! So far the Pumpkin Ridge 42s and Thunder Burt 53 and 57 have been living up to their billing as fast multi-surface tires.

My traveling companions are arriving today. All I know right now about their bikes is they are on Salsa Fargo 29ers, steel and Ti. Should be very capable.

After today's rain it will be plenty muddy west of White's ferry all the way to Cumberland....maybe save for the section of the Western Maryland Rail Trail if you take that option....

[palincss]

After today's rain it will be plenty muddy west of White's ferry all the way to Cumberland....maybe save for the section of the Western Maryland Rail Trail if you take that option....

And don't be too sure about the WMRT, either. When I was there earlier this year we encountered a mud slide that deposited a big layer of mud 6" deep in places on top of the blacktop where the bank collapsed, less than a mile from the far end of the trail. One of our group crashed on it. When we turned around and were on the way back, they'd closed the trail.

[Cornfed]

Just finished the GAP/C&O on Friday and in response to a few common questions:

Yes, the trail is still closed in Brunswick due to the bridge being washed out, but there is a large and wide (can't miss it) side path down to the water right next to the bridge and the stream is narrow (~25') and very passable. Ankle deep when I went across.

There are other construction-related detours along the way, but they are all very short -- up and over and back down.

Despite only having one day/night of significant rain this past week the C&O is still VERY muddy in many, many spots. Frequent 10-20 foot sections of 4-5 inch deep mud. You can often ride around them, but mostly you just have to go through.

I rode WTB Resolutes (700x42) tubeless and could not have been happier. Fast on the pavement/hard pack, smooth over the bumps, and very capable in the mud (good floatation and shed mud quickly). My riding partners were on 33-34s and they did OK, but they're much smaller (and better) than I am.

And wrt to the leaves, they were just starting to turn in most spots, but given the wetness of the summer and the sudden drop in temps, they may just die and fall. Still, the ride is beautiful and fun and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

If interested, you can check my Instagram for some pics from the ride: https://www.instagram.com/kurt__rosenthal/?hl=en

Enjoy!

[fixieporteur]

My group and I finished GAP/C&O on Saturday 10/20 and had a great time.

As reported above, C&O is muddy for long sections. In addition to the mud, we rode hardpack, rough gravel, groomed gravel, soupy gravel (on a rainy day), and pavement (~50 mi due to detours and exploring in towns).

All of my traveling party were grateful to have some form of small-knob tires. I rode Compass Pumpkin Ridge 650B X 42 Tubeless and felt they were perfect in every way.

The rest of my group also liked their tires, too!
Schwalbe Thunder Burt 27.5 X 53 (rear) 57 (front) Tubeless
Kenda Small Block 8 29 X 2.2 w/tubes
Schwalbe Rapid Rob 29 X 2.2 w/tubes

[weisan]

If interested, you can check my Instagram for some pics from the ride: https://www.instagram.com/kurt__rosenthal/?hl=en

Enjoy!

Corn pal, you have a really good eye and sense of colors, enjoyed your photos.

[Cornfed]

Corn pal, you have a really good eye and sense of colors, enjoyed your photos.

Thank you very much for the kind words. Hard to take a bad pic on that trail. ;)