C&O/GAP2015

Friday, September 25, 2015

A Dam Fine Day

September 25 Shepherdstown to Williamsport. A light day of biking, thanks to Rob’s planning, and his good memory (knowing that the third day of any of our trips is often the most tiring— due to adjusting to back-to-back riding days, time zone changes, and the older muscles). Plus it’s often laundry day.

We slept in, had an ok hotel breakfast and were on the road (yes, “road” was intended) by 10:10. Only 1.7 miles of city streets and over the bridge before we were again on the glorious C&O Canal Tow Path. Another gorgeous day of cool temperatures and relatively easy riding. A few slightly technical patches, but otherwise an easy 30 miles. Two interesting features in today’s ride. A wide concrete pathway of about 1.5 miles along the Big Slackwater portion of the Potomac. The original towpath historically followed the bank of the Potomac, allowing boats to be towed along a quiet ("slack") part of the river. But this area suffered damage from floods in 1972, 1985, and 1996, and was closed to the public for several years. Construction began in 2011 and was completed in 2012.

The second interesting feature was Dam #4. As part of constructing the canal system, seven dams were built on the Potomac River to strategically divert water into the canal. Dam #4 (the first we have seen) provided water for the next 22 downstream miles of the canal. The water intake into the canal was regulated by a guard lock adjacent to Dam #4. The guard lock was regulated to maintain a constant level water traveling at two miles per hour. Dam #4 began doing double duty in 1913 as a hydro-electric gravity dam (later updated in 1994). For the last 100 years the dam has captured the power of the water and transformed into electricity via drive belt turbine system.

The trail comes into Willliamsport at the C&O canal museum. We concluded our day's ride with a museum visit and watched a 9 minute silent film short – vintage 1917 – about the canal. Then we walked our bikes up the street and had a good lunch at the Desert Rose Cafe. From there we rolled to our home for the night – the Red Roof Inn, where Rob did laundry (such is an exciting Friday night for old folks on gravel bikes).

One of 75 locks along the canal.

Dam #4.

Along this stretch the riding got down to single track. But the camera man failed to catch Diane zooming between large rocks and the water's edge.

A little over the shoulder photography capturing the rebuilt trail abutting the Potomac River.

Then we cruised into Williamsport

Stopped in at the C&O Musuem for a movie.

And had a local brew (soda pop) with our late lunch.

So did you look up Paw Paw Fruit?

Thursday, September 24, 2015

True Test

September 24 Leesburg, VA to Shepherdstown, WV. What a beautiful day! Began with a solid breakfast at the hotel. Then hotel staff transported us, two other cyclists (Jan and Juanita from Toronto) and all our bikes to the historic White Ferry (one of the last cable-pulled ferries in the U.S.). After a 5 minute ferry ride across the Potomac River we all rolled up to the C&O Canal Tow Rad. Since Jan and Juanita were biking the GAP from Pittsburg, and C&O into D.C., we wished each other well and went in opposite directions.

Like George Washington we cross the Potomac to conquer ...... the C&O Trail!

The day’s ride was just short of forty miles, all gravel, upriver, but surprisingly easy and fast. The weather was perfect and we were in the shade most of time. The Potomac was on our left, but not always visible. The canal was on our right, sometimes dry and sometimes filled with thick algae-covered water.

We were told to expect to see turtles, but instead we saw deer, squirrel, geese, and a steady-as-a-stone blue heron.

Given the deciduous primordial nature of the C&O trail, it is reasonably well-maintained with small campgrounds (and the customary port-a-potty) every 10 miles or so along the length of the Trail. Trail riders include both distance riders and day trippers.

How to make 9 miles an hour on gravel look fast!

Once our day on the trail was done we had to ascend a steep set of asphalt switchbacks to mount the bridge that crossed the Potomac into Shepherdstown. We walked the bikes up to the bridge and rode a very wide sidewalk into town, since there were no bike lanes. Once across the bridge, the wide sidewalk ended, and there were still no bike lanes, so we walked two tenths of mile into town (yes Diane's odometer works even at "zero miles per hour"), where we had a good Mexican meal, followed by a some more bike walking and a quick jaunt on a highway bike lane into our hotel! Then it was shower, check over the bikes, do email and go to the store to buy Fritos and Polar Ginger Ale time.

Shepherdstown, WV has a fairly picturesque down town. Their downtown library is a good example.

Ok, here is your botany lesson for the trip. This a Paw Paw..... look it up.

President, Pope, and the W&OD Trail

September 23 – Americana Hotel, Arlington, VA to Leesburg, VA. We had a great day! It was about a six hour day, but only 4.5 hours cycling. We would have been done sooner, but stops for minor adjustments to bike components. (This problem is an inevitability when you break down a bike and ship it. This is why we start this trip with a paved trail... it allowed us to"shake down" the bikes before jumping on the gravel C&O trail.)

Since the Americana Hotel did not serve breakfast we started our day by mounting up and riding about a mile to the Holiday Inn. There we were just in time to have breakfast with President Obama and Pope Francis (on the dining room big screen, that is).

After breakfast we rolled south on a city street, which had a bike lane between the sidewalk and the motor vehicle parking lane, until we hooked up with the Four-Mile-Run trail which runs along the Potomac, then connected with the Washington and Old Dominion trail (W&OD) which we rode all the way into Leesburg.
W&OD is an excellent asphalt trail, and its suffered only from occasional street crossings until you clear the urban core. Surprisingly there are several hills on the trail, but all are manageable.

This W&OD trail is very well maintained and seems to be a high volume trail with a variety of users – long distance, day riders, young and old, families, couples, solos. Most importantly, all the riders were having a good time. And salutations were exchanged for the whole 4 hour ride. Beside the great pavement the W&OD has a load of bicycling amenities-- water, port-a-potties, strategically placed picnic tables, benches, and one rest stop even had electrical outlets and a free electric high pressure tire pump. (And if you are a follower of our past trips, you know we are always looking for "good air.")

We took a break in the shady parking lot of the Reston Academy of Christian Education. One of the staff came out to talk with us about out our travel and then gave us fresh ice water and use of the restroom. We left rested and blessed.

The hotel booked in Leesburg is off the beaten track, but we chose it because it provides transportation to the ferry we take to get on the C&O trail. In addition they also will transport you to the historic downtown and its many good restaurants. So we had a great meal followed by a short pleasant walk around the old downtown, then summoned our chariot. Back in our hotel Diane crashed into bed and Rob quietly read his book. That night we both dreamed of gravel.

The W&OD Trail from inside the DC Beltway to Leesburg, VA.

PS. Now my brakes don't rub.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

DC Reassemble

Starting the flight with a little help from the 12th fan.

The day began well—relaxing breakfast at the Alaska Air VIP Boardroom. No delays, smooth flight. Upon arrival at Reagan, quickly retrieved by Americana Hotel courtesy van (interestingly, a Transit Connect). Bikes in their boxes promptly delivered to our room upon arrival, and they looked to be in fine shape. Unpacked Rob’s first. All was fine. Unpacked Diane’s. Not all fine. Well, the bike was fine, but the tire pump was inexplicably damaged beyond repair. Luckily, a bike shop nearby had a reasonably priced pump. Rob caught a cab, and within about 30 minutes he returned with a new pump and began reassembling the bikes. Now, about four hours later, looks like the bikes are ready to roll.

The Bikes are assembled and ready to roll tomorrow.

The end of my vintage 1970's Zefal HP pump! Fedex strikes again.

Nothing to do but console myself with a pizza.

Good Night from DC!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Staging in for the Ride.

2015 Inaugural Gravel Ride – Washington & Old Dominion Trail - C&O Canal Towpath - Great Allegheny Passage
During a long tour it is our custom to conceive our next ride. This one is a bit unusual though. The impetus for our inaugural gravel ride stems from three things -- Diane’s vow during our 2014 journey, OnTheTrace2014, “I’m done with road trips,” Rob’s need to make every ride an adventure, and the beautiful Northeast countryside accessible via limestone/gravel trails.

Rob did the homework on this one—not just the route and trip logistics, but on the kind of bikes and their set-up that would enable us to explore gravel grinding, without making a huge investment in bikes we might not ride again. Over the winter and early spring, Rob acquired used frames and put together two very nice touring mountain bikes and we rode them this summer whenever we could. Our first “long” ride was on our 45^th anniversary, in honor of which we rode a 45 mile round trip on the crushed rock Cascade Trail linking Sedro Wooley and Concrete. On another day we pumped our way through a 30 mile uphill gravel ride on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. We took other training rides on parts of the gravel Willapa Hills Trail, and forest roads in the Lake Cushman area. And to make sure we got in some training miles in we also did several rides of 20-40 miles on our beloved asphalt trails, the Chehalis-Western and the Yelm-Tenino.

We anticipate a leisurely pace and easy days on this 2015 Inaugural Gravel Ride - but Diane says, based upon Rob’s history of prior promises in this department, she is withholding judgment. No matter what conditions we actually do experience, we know there will be joyful moments and more good memories! (And hopefully we will make you laugh once in awhile as you following “old people on bikes.”)