I was on the north side of the Schuylkill River, which is where Adventure Cycling’s route would take me from Phoenixville, along the Schuylkill River Trail. But it felt more appropriate to head south of the river to check out the Valley Forge National Historical Site, a spot I had visited numerous times on school and family trips as a kid. It turned out to be some of the best riding of the trip.
Day 5: Valley Forge to Cherry Hill Read More »
I was feeling grody after primitive camping, and my clothes would soon be all dirty, so I was thinking of a hotel tonight. Routing to Phoenixville, near Valley Forge, would make the riding work better; the campground I’d been targeting was about 20km out of the way.
As I got closer to Philly, there were fewer routes to choose from, and busier roads.
Day 4: Lancaster to Valley Forge Read More »
I had a shorter day on tap; after a beautiful breakfast on the lake, I had time for some disc golf, before heading out on a mix of rural roads, rail-trails, and then increasingly busy suburban arterials.
Day 3: Codorus State Park to Lancaster Read More »
After a tourist day in Baltimore, it was time to get the adventure really started. The plan was to ride north across the Pennsylvania border, headed for the campground at Codorus State Park, where’d camp for the night.
My bikepacking setup was a light as I’ve ever ridden with; I hadn’t brought a tent, only a bug bivvy and tarp. It wouldn’t be cold, but the forecast showed threats of rain and thunderstorms. I hadn’t tried this gear in rainy conditions; I’d have to see how it went.
Day 2: Baltimore to Codorus State Park Read More »
After a prelude ride from Alexandria to the Union Station area of D.C., I continued along the Anacostia River towards College Park and Baltimore, where I met up with Nancy and her friend Kevin who we’d be staying with.
Day 1 (plus prelude): Alexandria to DC to Baltimore Read More »
The Climate Ride GAP/C&O Canal was a good trip for Nancy and I to share, but it was short on adventure for my taste, not to mention hills. Fortunately there are always more hills to climb, and here I was on the Eastern seaboard, not far from my original stomping grounds in Jersey. The ride
Introduction: Washington, D.C. to NYC Read More »
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. For me, though, this kind of riding lacks some of the things which draw me to bike touring.
Climate Ride GAP/C&O: Conclusion Read More »
The final day’s ride plan was just 99.4km, all downhill. Totally Doable! We had cloud cover and some possibility of rain as we headed into the more populated end of the trail.
Day 5: Harpers Ferry to Washington, DC Read More »
Today would still be over 100km, but all downhill; perhaps our easiest yet. The big question was the trail surface. If it would be like the end of yesterday, it could be a long haul.
My goal in the morning was to get out ahead of the group so I could be sure to get pictures of everyone, and ideally ride with them too.
Day 4: Hancock to Harpers Ferry, WV Read More »
Today we’d finish the last part of the GAP Trail in Cumberland, and start the C&O Canal towpath. We’d heard that the C&O wasn’t as well developed as the GAP Trail, but this portion was more or less the same crushed gravel that we’d been riding. This high up, the canal is mostly dry with occasional ponds with turtles and lily pads.
Day 3: Frostburg to Hancock Read More »