Cycling

May 4, 2024

Getting to this campground last night made a long day that was well worth the extra miles. We beat the rain and we were allowed to set the tents under a pavilion. It rained hard as we watched the lightning flash in the dark sky. Packing dry gear made a good start for the day.

10:28 AM

We ride into town for breakfast at the Bean in the Belfry, a cafe in an old church.

Once back on the Trail we come to the storm damage from last night. Multiple trees are down across the trail. Some, we get around by walking the bikes into the canal and back up to the trail beyond the tree. Others we pick the bikes up and over.

We think about our options for the night. Rain is on the way. Originally we planned to split the mile to the finish into two twenty mile days and camp at the campground six miles from our car in Williamsport. Then get an early start driving back home. The weather coming through would mean we would be wet.

As we ride closer and closer to Williamsport we choose to finish at the car dry with dry gear.

6:00 PM

Now at the car we clean the mud off the bikes and pack the car. We drive to the Red Roof Inn and get a room. We will have a good night’s sleep and head home tomorrow a day earlier than planned. This has been a wonderful tour.

May 3, 2025

I am awake looking around the room thinking about the day ahead. I smell the coffee brewing and the sounds of footsteps from the kitchen. I get up and begin stuffing my panniers with fresh clean clothes. Luxury.

9:00 AM

The bikes are loaded and Marcy is ready to lead us back to the C&O Trail. I go down to the wood shop to give my thanks to Jim and say goodbye. Jim follows me outside for a group photo.

We are off riding single file following Marcy. At the Trail we say our thanks once again. The hospitality shown to us during our stay was outstanding.

12:00 PM Whites Ferry

We stop at Whites Ferry for lunch and visit with other cyclists on tour either to Pittsburgh or DC. Thunder storms are coming through late afternoon and rain through the evening. We decide to add another twenty miles to the day and camp in Brunswick, MD.

A first growth tree.

3:44 PM

We ride into the Brunswick Family Campground. We are able to set up tents under the pavilion to have a dry place to sleep and relax. After showers we order pizza and salad delivery for dinner. The rain is here and we are dry.

May 2, 2025

We went to bed around eight last night with all the gear packed up. I left my rain fly open for the nice breeze on the hot night. Light rain passed over during the night but the tents were dry this morning. We got up at 6:00 AM and began breaking camp. Without breakfast and coffee we are ready to start the last miles to mile 0 of the C&O.

7:51 AM

Riding along the trail in 60° is a comfortable treat. We see many people out for their morning run, today the trail has groups of walkers heading toward us. We pass a few staffed tables with water and supplies. I stop at the second table to inquire. The military personnel are out on a forty mile walk.

10:30

We stop to see the Great Falls.

12:32 PM

We make the difficult to find beginning to the C & O Trail tucked behind a marina with the help of a local cyclist that fortunately stopped to ask if we need directions. He rode us to our destination. We arrive shortly after a group of three that stayed at our campsite last night.

2:24 PM

We finally get to eat, we skipped breakfast, at Nick’s Riverside Grill. We are now fed and fully hydrated so I text our host, Marcy, to let her know that we are heading to her home. As we leave she is riding toward us to guide us back to her home. 

4:00 PM

We are now at the Warmshowers host, Marcy and Jim. We enjoy a wonderful visit with your new friends. Now I’m ready for bed, the wonderful meal has begun the sleepiness that I have been holding off.

May 1, 2025

The trains last night were coming by every couple of hours. There are two tracks so at times two trains were passing. They were very loud with sharp metallic screeching. The horns were ear piercing. We both were tired from the heat and managed to get enough sleep.

Today is a short day twenty-five miles so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before leaving. Roy rides into our camp to visit, he is headed to Lockhouse 22 for the night.

10:12 AM

We are now on the trail. We stop often to take in the scenery and many photo stops. We stop on a bridge and begin a conversation with a young man taking a video of a water snake swimming toward the bridge. Along the way we meet a group of six women touring to DC. They are sleeping at air B and Bs.

My fitness age mile marker, 32.

2:30 PM

We are now at our campsite, Horsepen Branch. We cook dinner and clean up when a C&O Tail Volunteer stops to visit. We now have a group of three camping at the other end of this site.

April 30, 2025

Heavy rain last night. We packed everything wet to dry at our campsite tonight. We are about six miles from Shepherdstown, WV, we plan to have breakfast there.

9:11 AM

We leave in the cool air riding through the lush Spring foliage. This section is beautiful, peaceful and quiet.

11:00 AM

There is a nice bakery, Shepherdstown Sweet Shop Bakery, so we cross the Potomac into West Virginia for breakfast. With full bellies we head back to the trail and we meet Roy coming into town. We have been playing tag with him since Ohiopyle, PA.

We come to a tree across the trail so off with the panniers and we lift the bikes over the tree. It is now easy riding to our campsite.

3:00 PM

We make it to Calico Rocks. Our first task is to string a line to dry all the wet gear. Tents are set, we are ready to settle in for the night.

April 29, 2025

This morning’s breakfast was the rest of the ravioli from last night’s dinner. After eating we packed up and loaded our bikes.

10:30 AM

We are off to Williamsport, MD where we will stop for lunch and check Debbie’s car.

12:30 PM

All is good so we ride into town to a steep hill struggling with our heavy loads. On our way back to the trail we meet Roy, we met him on our way to Ohiopyle. It is nice to meet up again. He is also heading to DC. This section is very nice with many views of the Potomac. 

4:30 PM

We are now at our campground, we are hot and tired. We set up the tents right away to get away from the biting flies. We decide to just have peanut butter crackers, water and ice tea.

Now it’s time for a campfire. We burn out as quickly as the flames. It’s getting dark as we climb into our tents. As I am writing this it begins to rain. This should just be an overnight shower, I hope it brings a cool night for sleeping.

April 28, 2025

The sleep last night was quiet. This made up for the night before. Debbie and I packed up and then we ate breakfast. The morning was relaxed as  we continued visiting with Ross. He is touring to the West Coast with his dog, Mae, his traveling companion.

10:30 AM

Off we go, Debbie and I to DC and Ross and Mae to the West. Two miles up the road we enter the Paw Paw tunnel. This was dug through the mountain with picks and black powder. Fourteen years to complete this project.

3:00 PM

We arrive in Hancock, PA for dinner supplies and a short stop at the bike shop by the Trail. 

5:00PM

We are at Licking Creek Campground for the night. After the tents are pitched we cook cheese ravioli and a roused salad. Two cyclists come into the campground, we visit. It is now bedtime.

April 27, 2025

Last night we sat by the fire before calling it an early night. This campground was close to a train yard that was very loud. My sleep was broken every hour with loud bangs and roaring engines. It was also very windy but the tent were protected by the trees.

11:16 AM

We crawled out of our tents around 8:00 AM. I was happy to stay in my warm sleeping bag but hearing Debbie crawl out of her tent gave me motivation to greet the cold crisp morning. The night, windy and dry, left the tent dry so we packed them and cooked our breakfast of oatmeal and fruit. After cleaning up we put the bikes back on the trail and begin the ride to Paw Paw, WV. I have been in touch with Ross, I met him a few years ago in Delaware. He is riding toward us and we plan to meet him in our campground.

3:30 PM

We ride into Paw Paw for lunch before meeting up with Ross. We visit, cook dinner, and visit until it’s time for sleep. This is a nice and peaceful campground. I believe I was sleep well.

April 26, 2025

10:30 AM

It was pouring rain this morning. It was hard to get out of bed and there was no reason to hurry. We knew it would be raining and we stayed here to wait out the rain. Two other cyclists arrived later last night so we enjoyed each other’s company. 

The rain has slowed to a light rain and we are seeing some blue sky. Debbie and I load our panniers and ride off. The other two will be leaving soon.

Within a half hour the sky opens up, we are now drenched and cold. We stop and put on rain gear and continue to ride to Meyersdale, PA.

12:00 PM

We stop at the Meyersdale visitors center and eat lunch on the porch. We go inside to look around. There is so much history to see but we need to keep riding to get to our campsite and set up before the sun sets.

4:00 PM

We get to mile 0 of the GAP Trail in Cumberland, MD and stop at the Crabby Pig to order sandwiches and salad to bring to the campground for dinner. It is cold and the wind is strong. We have another twelve miles to reach out campsite.

6:00 PM

We are cold, tired, and hungry when we finish the day. Camp is set up and we are in warm dry clothes so now it’s time to eat. The fire is built and we watch it burn warning us as we settle in for the night.

April 25, 2025

6:40 AM

When we arrived last night and looked at the forecast we decided to shorten our day and only ride the seventeen miles to Rockwood and stay at the Rockwood Trail House. I had a deep sleep last night, the trains were muffled from the distance. It was a dry night so the tents are dry making packing up fast and easy. Then it is time for coffee and oatmeal. Now everything is packed and loaded.

9:35 AM

We visit a bit with the people in the next site then clip in and leave. The ride being short would allow us plenty of time to beat the rain. We stop at the Pinkerton Tunnel for a selfie.

12:00 PM

We arrive three hours before check-in but we are able to get into our room. We are now relaxing.