Author name: tom

I was glad to have some adventure to tack onto the end of the rather cushy GAP/C&O Canal trip. The mix of lodging types (friends and family, Warmshowers, traditional hotel, and primitive camping) provided some variety to the days and nights.

Riding in similar terrain for hours on end just doesn’t isn’t the experience I seek when bike touring. There are times when a rail trail provides an important link in an area where there aren’t good alternatives, but I’ll always want to string together some mountain climbs and rural roads, with an occasional rail corridor, rather than the other way around.

Today’s plan was to get to Highlands, the northernmost point of the Jersey Shore, in time to catch the ferry to Manhattan at noon. Seemed like a good idea when I drew up the map, but on this particularly day I had to ride into a stiff and persistent headwind, 20 knots or more.

After a “rest” day at my sister’s (including 55km out and back to my mom’s place), I headed across the Pine Barrens to the Jersey Shore. I had canoed in the Pine Barrens when I was a kid, but hadn’t visited since then.

The riding to and through Brendan Byrne State Park was beautiful. Highway 70 to the shore, less so.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.