The GAP/C&O trip is one of the most popular bike touring routes in the country, and I’m glad we got to do it. It hits a lot of the points in my Cycling Joy index, and in particular, the ability to ride next to a companion and have an extended conversation is really enjoyable and relaxing. And the stress of route planning is mostly absent.
For me, though, this kind of riding lacks some of the things which draw me to bike touring. The adventure level is low; the whole day is kind of the same vibe and there aren’t many challenges to overcome. And more fundamentally than that, bike touring for me is about experience of place, and rail-trails don’t provide much of a sense of place. There just isn’t much difference between riding on the rail-trails in Montreal, upstate New York, and Maryland, or wherever else they exist; the logic of the railroad dictates that.
The GAP Trail towns are embracing the trail, and starting to create a sense of a connected string of towns supporting bike tourists, with campgrounds, museums, and outdoor food options. On the C&O side, there isn’t very much of that yet. More of that would make the ride more experiential. The trail only opened in 2013, so there’s still opportunity for development.
We did the ride in five days, which was too quick. I was hanging with some of the slower riders, but even the faster groups didn’t have much time to check out museums or the towns. I’d take three days for the section to Cumberland, and stay in Cumberland which is the most interesting city along the way. And I might take four days on the C&O, planning a short day to Harpers Ferry to get more time in the historic town.
I also think ending the ride in Georgetown is anticlimactic. The C&O empties into the Potomac just a mile from the Lincoln Memorial. The tour should finish with a lap of the National Mall; that would provide much more of an experience of arrival.
We got lucky with the group dynamics; everyone seemed to get along, and no one had major struggles on the trail. We also got very lucky on weather (though unfortunately, due to climate change influenced drought). The trail would be a lot harder if it were wet.
If I were to do it again, I would definitely bikepack it. The NPS campgrounds along the C&O Trail looked great, and the lockhouses are pretty cheap. Riding up the hill into town is a bummer at the end of a long day.
After the ride, Nancy and I spent a week in DC, and then because I needed some more adventure, I wound up riding up to NYC to visit family in Jersey. I’ll write that up soon.
Thanks to Climate Ride and everyone who rode with us!
