Tag Archives: C&O Canal

Fall Tour to Ohiopyle (November 2023)

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11/13/2023 – 11/18/2023

Some photos and stories from a fall bike tour along the C&O canal and GAP trail:

Day 1: Harpers Ferry to Devil’s Alley campsite

86.6 miles / 7 hrs 53 mins

Liftoff! Running the lowrider front panniers and frame bag again. Taking the extra dry bag on top of the front rack and the rucsac to carry 7 full days of food and winter clothes.
Stunning views at the point, Harpers Ferry
Beautiful morning reflection on the Potomac, taken near Dargan
I love riding in the fall.
The raised towpath at Big Slackwater
Williamsport basin
C&O Bicycle shop in Hancock, Maryland, where I stopped for a snack break
Riding the scenic Western Maryland Rail Trail, parallel to the C&O
Gorgeous evening on the WMRT
Closing in on Devil’s Alley campsite as the light faded
Cooking dinner in the dark!

Day 2: Devil’s Alley campsite to Evitt’s Creek campsite

36.0 miles / 3 hrs 33 mins

5* accommodation on the canal
Breakfast in bed
Beautiful morning light on the Potomac River from Devil’s Alley campsite

The highlight of day 2 was passing through Paw Paw tunnel again. This was my 3rd time through and it’s always impressive!

You approach the tunnel from the south through a rocky ravine, riding on a boardwalk above the canal. It’s a fantastic section of the trail.

Then you approach the tunnel proper. It’s a crazy feat of engineering given when it was built (work began in 1836 and the tunnel opened in 1850). It was one of the masterpieces of civil engineering in the mid-19th century:

Approaching the tunnel entrance
Yes, it’s long. It’s very dark without lights. And almost certainly haunted.
Tuna pita bread for lunch. Delicious!

The trail beyond the Paw Paw tunnel is very scenic and quiet.

The path becomes increasingly scenic (and quieter) as you get deeper into western Maryland.
Rocking the front low-rider panniers again. It worked really well on the test overnighter to Cumberland Valley last month.
Reflections in the canal at Evitt’s Creek campsite
Evitt’s Creek camp alongside the Potomac River

Day 3: Evitt’s Creek campsite to Ohiopyle State Park

78.9 miles / 7 hrs 14 mins

Cold morning, around 27F
Strawberry Granola and coffee for breakfast
The bike was covered with a layer of frost as I set off
Mile 184 on the C&O canal, with Cumberland in the distance
Cumberland, Maryland, where the C&O and GAP trails connect

I stopped for a coffee in Cumberland and swapped the bumpy C&O canal for the smooth crushed limestone surface of the GAP trail.

The first 22 miles of the GAP trail are all uphill, at a gentle 1 – 2% gradient. Just enough for you to notice but it’s not too hard. It’s a long climb though, alongside the rail tracks for 12 miles or so. It’s a lovely ride.

On to the GAP trail
Enjoying the change of scenery and smooth surface of the GAP trail.

I passed the Mason-Dixon line and officially left the south of the US and entered the north.

At the Mason-Dixon line

Shortly after, I reached the best lookout of the trip, at Big Savage mountain, just before Big Savage tunnel.

The lookout at Big Savage vista
Under the mountain I go. Entering Big Savage tunnel
The very long, but not so dark, Big Savage tunnel.

Just beyond Big Savage tunnel, I crossed the Continental Divide, the high point of the route. Any hopes of a freewheeling, coasting descent down the other side were quickly dashed however. The gradient is so gentle (around 0.5%) that you hardly notice a change. Unfortunately, you still have to pedal. It’s perhaps 5% easier though.

The Eastern Continental Divide
Crossing Salisbury viaduct, which offered extensive views over the plains
It was warm enough for shorts, which was nice contrast to the 27F morning!
Dollar General in Confluence where I stopped to buy water
I left Confluence in the last of the daylight and rode into Ohiopyle State Park under lights
Riding into the night through Ohiopyle State Park. 90% fun, 10% intimidating.

Day 4: Ohiopyle State Park to Big Savage mountain

53.5 miles / 5 hrs 20 mins

I turned around at High Bridge biker campsite, making Ohiopyle the furthest point from home of this tour.

The campsite was wonderful. Nestled in the woods, just off the GAP trail. I had it to myself and I enjoyed the sun rising over the ridge line to warm me up while I had breakfast.

High Bridge biker campsite, morning of day 4
Another cold start on the morning of day 4
The Casselman River from Pinkerton High Bridge
Wonderful scenery along the GAP trail
Heading back through Big Savage tunnel on this return journey
Beautiful evening view from Big Savage lookout
Dinner and a book before turning in for the night.

As the sun set, the forest behind my tent came alive. The rustling began in earnest and the darkness magnified every sound until I convinced myself that bears were all around. In all likelihood, the noises were mostly squirrels and perhaps a few deer.

At one point, I let out a few wolf howles “arooo, arooo, aroooooooo” to let animals know I was there. I nearly jumped out of my skin when something howled back from the woods. To this day, I’ve no idea what it was but I didn’t dare make that noise again. LOL.

Day 5: Big Savage mountain to Indigo Neck campsite

68.1 miles / 5 hrs 28 mins

The sunrise at Big Savage lived up to expectations. It was magnificent. I got up early, just as the first slivers of purple and orange appeared on the horizon. Distant ridgelines and layers of cloud combined to make a spectacular palette. A worthy backdrop to breakfast that morning.

Dawn on day 5
It was a beautiful morning from Big Savage lookout!
Best coffee spot of the trip! Big Savage mountain overlook at dawn on day 5
Sun rising at Big Savage overlook

After striking camp, it was 22 miles downhill into Cumberland. It wasn’t steep enough to freewheel, but it was easy pedaling and the fastest average speed of the trip. Cor blimey, it was cold though!

After another coffee stop in Cumberland, it was back onto the C&O canal.

Lock 70 at Oldtown
Super riding through one of the more remote sections of the canal, between Oldtown and Paw Paw.
Passing back through the Paw Paw tunnel.
Nearly there!

Day 6: Indigo Neck campsite to home

84.8 miles / 7 hrs 20 mins

The tent at Indigo Neck hiker biker campsite on the C&O
Cooking a final breakfast of the trip
Passing the ruins of Round Top Cement Mill
It was past the peak foliage but the fall colors were still stunning.
I haven’t had a McDonalds for years, but it’s always a tradition to have a Big Mac on long expeditions so I kept this alive with a stop in Williamsport on my way through.
The section of trail at Big Slackwater never disappoints.
Smiling because I’m so close to home now!
Caught out by the short days again, I rode the last hour in the dark.

Route

C&O Cumberland Valley Fall Overnighter

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30 – 31 October 2023

A video and photo essay from a quick overnight bike tour. I left around 3pm on Monday and was home less than 24 hours later. It’s phenomenal how much adventure and inspiration you can pack into such a short window.

Day 1: Harpers Ferry to Cumberland Valley Hiker Biker campsite

36.86 miles / 124 ft ascent / 3 hrs 15 minutes moving / 3 hrs 51 minutes elapsed

Day 1 was a race against time to make it to the campsite before dark. I made it with just enough time to pitch my tent, but cooked and ate in the dark. I ended up pitching my tent in the exact same spot that I used on the first night of last year’s Bike SUP tour.

Heading upstream towards Shepherdstown
Lockhouse at Canal Lock 37, near Dargan
The Surly Grappler in full cry
Glad I threw this light rain jacket in at the last second as I was drenched by a couple of showers during the afternoon.
The leaves were inches thick on the ground in places. Slightly surreal, like riding on snow. Beautiful conditions.
Moody sky from dam 4
The super cool raised towpath above the river at Big Slackwater, one of the highlights of the whole C&O canal towpath.
Looking downstream at Big Slackwater
Lockhouse at Canal Lock 43
Racing to beat the darkness and get to Cumberland Valley hiker biker campsite
Camp at Cumberland Valley Hiker Biker campsite
Pro tip for getting water from the pumps… use a funnel to speed up the process!
Making dinner in the dark. The chili dish was delicious.

Day 2: Cumberland Valley to Williamsport, then return to Harpers Ferry

47.85 miles / 431 ft ascent / 4 hrs 29 minutes moving / 6 hrs 8 minutes elapsed

It was fairly cold in the morning so I didn’t rush. I enjoyed breakfast from the warmth of my sleeping bag before breaking camp. I rode up to Williamsport to check it out before turning around and riding home.

Camp on the morning of day 2
Breakfast on day 2
Back in my sleeping bag to enjoy the coffee! ☕
Good morning from camp on day 2
Beautiful sunrise on the river. So calm and peaceful!
Stunning morning on the Potomac River
Passing under the I81 bridge on the way up to Williamsport
Conococheague Aqueduct at Williamsport, where I turned around for home.
The derelict R. Paul Smith Power Station at Williamsport
Lock 44 on the C&O canal
Mile 92.5, the mid-point of the C&O canal
Back at Big Slackwater but heading downstream, and the sun is shining! The section around Big Slackwater never disappoints.
Riding the elevated trail at Big Slackwater, one of the best sections of the C&O Canal
McMahon’s Mill
Cave biking? Exploring one of the many caves along this section of the route
One of the bigger caves
Crunching across a carpet of golden leaves
Time for a final brew before home, at Big Woods campsite
The serene Potomac River from near Dargan

Bike Setup

For this tour, I ran a set of front low rider panniers to hold sleeping gear and clothes. They’re a pair of 20-year old Vaude Sport panniers — veterans of my Norway tour — that are still going strong!

The Revelate Designs main triangle frame bag held camp stuff and tent poles. The seat pack held the tent and cook pot. I used the extra bottle bosses on the rear triangle to hold two bottles, although they were inaccessible whilst riding. But that’s not an issue on a tour like this where I’m making frequent stops to explore and take photos.

The bike felt super stable, if a little heavy.

C&O and W&OD trail loop to DC and back

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30 September 2023

Bike / 141.7 miles / 3,265 ft ascent / 11 hrs 05 min moving / 12 hrs 54 min elapsed

Feeling vaguely fit after the recent Gran Fondo ride, I wanted to tick off another big ride before the end of the summer.

I’ve ridden a similar loop to this one twice before, although starting from DC both times and turning around at Point of Rocks rather than Harpers Ferry (first time was a 2-day tour, second time as a 130+ mile single day).

I left early, but not alpine-start early now that the heat was back to normal levels instead of head-meltingly hot. As I rode the C&O canal into DC, I thought there was no way I could complete the full distance. I just didn’t feel that good. But I reminded myself that it often feels like this on longer rides, you just gotta ride into it. Sure enough, as I got further into the ride I actually felt better. Miles 20 – 40 were some of the hardest of the whole ride.

At Brunswick 7.30am. Feeling ok, but honestly feeling like I had no idea how I was going to ride 140 miles that day. The only thing you can do is ride to the next checkpoint, then keep going and pick off the next one. Repeat until you get to the end of the ride. Simple, really.
Point of Rocks bridge in the morning light
My trusty Cannondale Caadx, still going strong after 10 years. A perfect bike for this kind of mixed surface riding.
Potomac River Gorge, from Mary’s Wall in Great Falls Park
Enjoying the serenity for a few seconds. Great Falls is always crowded on the weekend.
Lockhouse 6 along the C&O canal

I had a great cake and coffee stop in Georgetown, DC, at High Road Cycling cafe. I was envious of the cyclists who get to ride from there and hang out there. But 5 minutes later, when I was dealing with the DC traffic, I realized that it’s a perk I’m willing to sacrifice to live out in the countryside where the riding is 🤌

Coffee and cake in Georgetown at the excellent High Road Cycling cafe (no longer open)

The section through DC on the Mount Vernon trail was pure madness on this Saturday lunchtime. Bikes and people flying in every direction, strollers meandering aimlessly through bike lanes, people stepping out to take selfies, etc., etc. You gotta keep your wits about you!

It quietened down when I turned on to the Four Mile run trail and then the W&OD.

Rosslyn skyline from the DC side of the Potomac River. Lots of memories from living here.
The Washington Monument from the Mount Vernon trail. Very busy on a Saturday afternoon.

From the Mount Vernon trail, I jumped across to the much quieter Four Mile Run trail, which follows the Four Mile Run creek. It’s surprisingly wild amongst the dense suburbia on each side. I love these kinds of trails that snake through dense urban areas, which I think stems from when I lived in London and used to explore the canals of East London.

Four Mile Run trail

I really enjoyed riding the W&OD again, such a great trail. It gets better as you get further out, with fewer road intersections and fewer people. I rode slowly to ensure I had enough energy to make it home. Didn’t want to collapse into a heap on the side of the road somewhere and have to call for a pick up.

The half-way point and feeling somewhat relieved to have made it this far. 70 miles down, 70 to go!
The W&OD trail is a fantastic trail through the super busy NoVA area.
Miles and miles of this. Very scenic, if you can look past the powerlines. It felt interminable though, with the mile markers passing very slowly.
Plenty of history along the route, although I just kept cycling and snapped this pic as I went past. Someday I’ll learn to slow down and take it all in 😉
Smiths Switch Station, where I refilled with water
Between Leesburg and Purcellville, the trail is very pretty.
One of the hardest aspects of these longer rides is taking on enough calories. After a while, all the energy bars and electrolyte drinks become unpalatable. Time to go back to basics with a ham and cheese bagel!

At the end of the W&OD, I had 20 miles of backroads to reach the C&O again. I didn’t know what to expect, I was mostly just hoping that the traffic was light. And gladly, it was! The roads were fantastic for riding (if you like gravel) and, apart from a few mega bumpy washouts, were in good shape. Plus, the evening light was divine so that was a nice bonus.

From Purcellville I had ~25 miles to get home, mostly on super quiet back roads, most of which were gravel.
Beautiful evening for a ride and still feeling quite chipper after 110 miles
The scenery and evening light were sublime, making for really fun miles.
Cruising along the gravel roads and enjoying the views

I raced to Brunswick to see if I could catch the sunset from a vantage point by the river, but this train crossing thwarted me. I was stuck here for 5 minutes. When I reached the canal again, I raced to find a break in the trees to see the sunset but I was slightly too late. C’est la vie!

Brunswick train crossing
Final miles along the canal to race home. It was much darker than the photo suggests by this point.
The best sunset photo I could get… in person, it was beautiful.

After all that sprinting, I realized I was pretty tired, so I cruised the last couple of miles to home under lights.

Great day out on the bike!

I think I’ll make this an annual ride and try to do it a little quicker next time.

Route Map

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/9952283882

DC and Urbana Century Ride

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4th September 2023

Bike / 109.8 miles / 1,550 ft ascent / 9 hrs 25 min moving / 11 hrs 45 min elapsed

What a great ride! My first century in almost a decade.

Like the Seneca ride, it was another super hot day (100F by the end), which made it hard work for the last couple of hours. My legs felt great but my head was fried by the time I reached Urbana. 🥵

I left at 4am to try to beat the heat, but as it was a full day outing it eventually got me!

Anyway, some photos from the day:

Riding along the canal under lights for the first 2 hours
Dawn breaking as I reached Monocacy Acqueduct
Liquid gold sunrise from White’s Ferry area
Zooming along the trail. Note the extra bottles carried on the front fork.
At a power line break I had a good view of the gorgeous sunrise.
The Surly Grappler eats this trail up for breakfast. Such a fun and comfortable bike to ride.
The still morning made for stunning reflection from Sycamore Landing.
Me!
The replica packet boat, the Charles F. Mercer, at Great Falls.
Potomac river channels just below Great Falls. Wild!
The towpath detour at Marsden Tract campground that took me up to Macarthur Boulevard (an integral part of the DC road riding scene). I remember lots of miles back and forth on this road in 2012/13.

I rode on for another 8 miles or so, to cross the DC boundary line. I remembered about a little overlook near Chain Bridge, which made for a convenient place to aim for. It also ensured that I rode all the way to DC.

Little Falls Overlook, just over the DC boundary line, looking towards Chain Bridge
The faithful bike in all terrain mode, with 5 bottles and a combination of Revelate and Rapha bags.
Turning around to head back upriver. Starting to heat up now!
The pretty little canal house at Lock 8.
About to pass back under the Capital Beltway.
The first water stop. I had finished all 5 bottles at this point, so I refilled all 5 here. It was 10:41 AM and getting really hot now.
Definitely still Type 1 fun at this stage!
FORÇATS DE LA ROUTE – CONVICTS OF THE ROAD
The well pump at Marble Quarry campsite where I refilled 3 more bottles and dunked another 4 over my head. This was mile 93 for me.

It was very hot by this point and my head was starting to ache. Thankfully, I was still mostly in the shade along the canal.

Just like they do in the Tour de France. It really works!

I turned off the canal at Monocacy Aqueduct and rode the back roads past Sugarloaf mountain to Urbana, to meet up with the family.

It’s a great route but I was definitely suffering under temps that approached 100F. Urgh!

Riding past Sugarloaf mountain, on the fantastic back roads.
The massively fun gravel road that winds around the base of Sugarloaf mountain. It has a lovely swoopy, fast descent for the second half.

Another tremendous ride exploring the countryside around me. My knees felt great all ride, so this gives me confidence to try some longer and hillier rides in the future.

Route Map

https://www.strava.com/activities/9784105338

Seneca Bike Adventure

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28 July 2023

Bike / 86.3 miles / 814 ft ascent / 7 hrs 49 mins

A brilliant day out on the bike! One of the highlights of the summer.

Crossing Seneca Creek

I left home in the dark at 5.30 am under full lights. I reached lower town just as dawn was breaking so the lights were soon dispensed with.

Confluence of the Potomac (R) and Shenandoah (L) rivers in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Then it was onto the C&O towpath, headed downstream towards Brunswick and beyond.

Zooming along the canal 🙂
Point of Rocks bridge

The park is beautiful at this time in the morning, with no-one else around, only the wildlife. As the sun rose, it peaked through the trees in glorious bursts:

The previous day a big storm hit the area around Dickerson Power Plant, so the trail was covered with downed branches and several fallen trees. It was slow going as I cleared as much of the debris out the way as I could. Several other cyclists who caught up to me helped out. We were able to leapfrog each other, taking it in turns to clear the next section.

Past this 3 – 4 mile section, the trail was clear again.

At Seneca, I split off from the canal towpath and jumped onto some singletrack: the Seneca Bluffs Trail.

This was really fun but also pretty hard work. It’s been a loooong time since I’ve been mountain biking and my skills are rather lacking.

(A longer term project of mine is to complete the full Muddy Branch to C&O Canal to Seneca Ridge Trail.)

For today, I was satisfied with a few miles of singletrack and decided to see if I could cross Seneca Creek to reach the road on the opposite bank, which would lead me back to the canal.

I scouted it first, without the bike. It was fast flowing but not particularly strong and never more than knee deep. It would definitely go.

Crossing Seneca Creek with the bike

On the far bank I had about 1/4 mile of bushwhacking to reach the road. I pushed, swore, and sweated my way along a vague trail to the road.

I thoroughly enjoyed this section!

After all this excitement, I had the relatively easy task of 40 ish miles back along the canal to home. The main challenge was surviving the heat.

My phone said it was 96 F and 104 F with the humidity. Much too hot for an Englishman.

I was out of water by the time I reached White’s Ferry, so I stopped here to refill. (I drank 7 large bike bottles and a bottle of coke during the day and still ended up dehydrated.)

View of the Monocacy River, which feeds into the Potomac, from the Monocacy Acqueduct
Smiling despite the crushing heat

I felt good until the final hill in Harpers Ferry, which had no shade. I really suffered in the heat and, sure enough, I had a headache by the time I got home.

A small price to pay for a fantastic day out!

I took a few videos during the ride, which I share below.

(There’s no coherent storyline, so it’s probably pretty tedious footage for everyone except me. But, one day, when I’m old and can’t ride a bike anymore, it’ll bring me some joy.)

Route

https://www.strava.com/activities/9539240813