Yosemite: Day 1

Due to popular demand of 1, I'll revisit my Yosemite Adventure of August 2012.

There are a lot of web guides and suggestions for a 3 day stay and this is what we came up with:
Day 1: hike Vernal Falls
Day 2: Sentinel Dome, Glacier Falls, and Tuolumne Meadows
Day 3: Mariposa Grove
I think it was a fairly good plan. In the future I would consider doing Half Dome and maybe visiting the area around Hetch Hetchy.

We flew from D.C. to San Jose and stayed with some relatives. The drive from there to Yosemite was about 4 hours. There was a lot of desert and highway. A few Walmarts in between for last minute supply gathering, mainly food. Would recommend a lot of water and some snacks.

We decided to stay outside of Yosemite at the Days Inn Oakhurst. While it was only 14 miles from the southern entrance, it still took about 45 minutes to drive just to the entrance due to one lane roads and a low speed limit. If we were to go again I think we'd shell out and stay inside the park or as close as possible. Once in the park it is about 45 minutes to an hour(s) to each destination. That said the Days Inn had a nice continental breakfast each morning and the rooms were sufficient. There was a microwave and fridge.

Day 1 we arrived around noonish or 1pm and decided to try one hike, the Mist Trail to Vernal falls which was just 3 miles round trip. We thought it would not take that long but ended up taking several hours. We did stop and take a lot of pictures along the way. There are two or three places that people stop a lot of photos, all related to the falls. I do recommend getting off the trail to the bottom of the Falls. Nice rainbows and a refreshing mist during the summer.

In August it was crowded but manageable. People of all ages were doing the trail and there is one place to fill your water bottles. At the top of Vernal Falls there is a nice pool of water but even in August very chilly. Only a group of French adolescents were brave enough to jump in and swim to the other side.

Prior to this we were thinking of being ambitious and try the Mist Trail to Nevada Falls or even Half Dome. But we or I am out of shape. Maybe one day.

Being a "why adventure" when we got back to the car we saw a note on the car. Someone saw our keys on the ground and they had it! OMG. This was very distressing especially because our cell phones did not have any reception. We tried using pay phones and asking strangers to use their phone. Finally we found the Yosemite security and we were able to get in touch with the folks with our keys. I had dreams that we would be sleeping on a bench somewhere or when we found the stranger with our keys they would like stab us to death.

They were very kind and we ended up eating pizza at one of the dining halls and stopping to look at the stars before heading back. Pretty amazing but a photo fail. The Tunnel View was a place we placed several times each day and it was always an sight.

Mist Trail: http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/mist-trail/mist-trail.htm
Days Inn: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g32809-d79191-Reviews-Days_Inn_Yosemite_Sierra_Inn-Oakhurst_California.html
Yosemite Valley: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/yv.htm
Hetch Hetchy: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hetchhetchy.htm
Half Dome: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/halfdome.htm

3 Day Guides:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i21258-Three_Days_in_Yosemite_National_Park.html
http://www.sunset.com/travel/california/yosemite-travel-3-day-trip-itinerary-00400000050386/
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/3-days-at-yosemitethings-to-do-.cfm

Yosemite Day 2

This was a mostly fun and action packed day.

We went to Sentinel Dome first. It was about 2.2 miles up and back and took about 2 hours. The hike was pretty pleasant and the views were amazing on the Dome. This was about 45 minutes from the South Entrance.

I was experimenting with InfraRed or fake infrared during the trip. Here is a tree:

Then we drove not too far away and went to Glacier Point. There is not much hiking here just look outs. The parking lot gets very full for both of these spots so I recommend going early or being patient. There is also a gift shop and snack shop here.

Then we drove to Tuolumne Meadows which was very far away on the Northeast portion of the park. We actually had to stop and get gas at one of the in-park gas stations ($$). 

One of my favorite parts of the trip was a stop by Tenaya Lake. The lake was just so pretty and peaceful. Felt like I was in the Alps or something. A few brave, again I think Europeans went swimming in the cold water. 

Pretty right?

We also stopped by Omstead Point which is another nice look out but did not spend much time there.

We finally made it to the Meadows and it was not too exciting in the summer. We arrived too late to do a mule or horse ride. We had a picnic and relaxed a little and drove about 1.5 hours back to the Valley. It was too late to do any more hikes so we rented bikes and tried to catch a sunset with just mediocre success. :-D Bike rentals are pretty cheap and a lot of people bring their own bikes too. Fairly easy to get around on paved paths. We had dinner again at one of the Valley eateries and caught a movie about the dangers of Yosemite. The Valley is the area of most interest and traffic. It has multiple lodging, hikes (Half Dome, Vernal Falls), and places to eat and do souvenir shopping. 

Another long drive back to the hotel.

Tenaya Lake: http://www.yosemitehikes.com/tioga-road/tenaya-lake/tenaya-lake.htm

Bike Rentals: http://www.yosemitepark.com/bike-rentals.aspx
Tuolumne Meadows: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tmhikes.htm
Valley: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/yv.htm

Yosemite Day 3

While Yosemite was fun we were about ready to head home.

The last day we went to visit the Giant Sequoias at Mariposa Grove. There is a very small parking lot at the bottom of the hill near the South Entrance and it was full. We had to drive about 30 minutes to another parking lot and wait for the shuttles that came every 20 or so minutes. There is a souvenir shop there so I could spend some time wandering around.

Once there there is a paid tram tour but I was kind of cheap and decided to do the hike. We hiked to one of the cut out trees were and went back. It was about 2 or so hours. Cameras just cannot capture the size of these trees.

One of the fallen trees and a popular photo spot near the beginning of the hike.

We went by the Valley one last time (for souvenir shopping :-D) and then were on our way back to civilization. For our trip total (including a trip to San Francisco) we drove about 1000 miles in 5 days.

Final thoughts: Hiking shoes are useful. Bring Water. Dining options are limited in the park and outside of it so don't wait too late to eat. Be prepared to drive a lot. Plan to get to your destination well in advance, i.e. for sunset photo ops or scheduling a ride. May consider hiking Half Dome in the future.

Mariposa Grove:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/mg.htm
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/southern-yosemite/mariposa-grove/mariposa-grove.htm

Final thoughts on Biking trip 2012

Final thoughts on our bike trip from Pittsburgh to DC along the GAP and C&O.

It all felt uphill. People talk about which direction to go and even though it is a low grade up from west to east (Pitt to DC) with net downhill after continental divide it sure did not feel like it. Would it feel the same way the other direction? I'm guessing yes.

Prepare your body for the trip: get a good saddle, get miles in, get rest. Ride the bike you will be using on your trip. I usually ride a road bike and only rode my mountain bike a week before the trip.

Be realistic on how many miles a day you want to ride. I really wish we had at least one if not more lite days in the middle of our ride. It would give us time to recover some and also explore the town we were in. Also be aware of the weather and sunlight available. Also off-season several places seemed closed, although the hurricane could have played a part, along with bad luck - certain bike shops were closed on a Monday or Thursday, the days when we visited.

Study the maps. Note that there are less town stops on the C&O versus the GAP. Have a good plan of getting between Homestead and Pittsburgh as it is unfinished. There truly is no good way to get there on bike. There are bad ways. There are also shuttle services but you will definitely have to plan ahead. Find a friend if you have one to drop you off there. If we go all the way again I would wait until the GAP is finished, which should be next year?

Most useful items we brought: wet ones/wipes, multitool, lights, food and water
Wish we had: nail clippers and more pain killers, more food in the end

While riding I was thinking of making this blog as a cautionary tale. Even though we had a lot of pain and suffering in adverse conditions, it was a great epic adventure. If it was easy and was 60 degree sunny weather maybe I wouldn't have as much to talk about.

Would I do it again? Maybe several years (decades) from now. My dad wants to go on the trail now. I would do parts of it again for sure but to put on the pain for a week again so soon seems crazy. I also was thinking I would have a vacation from biking but the next day I wanted to get on again. Why!?

We are thinking of another bike adventure. :) Maybe Amsterdam. I'm hoping it is a "why, this is awesome" type adventure.

Feel free to contact and comment. Hope you get on your own adventure.

Preparing for the trip: the route

GAP/C&O planning.
The route

There are a lot of websites out there and the top ones I used were the official GAP site, BikeC&O, and Trip Advisor for B&B reviews, for the actual timing of the trip.

I've wanted to do a long distance bike ride since college when one of my friends did a 4K for Cancer bike ride from Baltimore to San Francisco. I don't have that much time available but I read an Washington Post article (looks like they don't have the original article onsite anymore) about biking the trails along with my boss mentioning he and his father did it. They all pointed to how "easy" it was so I had my mind set on it.

I have pre-set vacation and I happened to have one in early November or late April. Both are not super ideal as winter can still be an issue, but we bit the bullet and chose November. We looked up that there was on average 10 hours of sunlight and temps generally in the 40-50s. There were chances of rain but not alot.

There are alot of suggestions on how far to go and where to stay. During planning we came up with 3 to 8 day plans and settled with a 7 day plan: one day to get to Pittsburgh and six days of riding. If I were to do it again I would come up with a 10 day plan. I had previously only done a 59 mile bike ride. I was lulled into the idea that it was "only" a 1.5 or so grade uphill at most. Well riding uphill all the time still is difficult especially without much recovery. Anyone who rides a bike can do this trip, they just need to be realistic on how much time they need.

Our eventual plan:

The 7 day plan:
Day 1: Saturday 11/3 leave DC at 4pm, arrive Pitt midnight Hampton Inn
Day 2: Sunday 11/4 Pittsburgh, mm145 -> 113 (32 miles) west newton:   
http://www.brightmorning.net/rooms.html

Day 3: Monday 11/5  mm  113-->61 (52mi) Confluence

Falling water is near 75 mile marker - 1491 Mill Run Road  Mill Run, PA 15464

             http://www.theconfluencehouse.com/roomsandrates.html 
Day 4: Tuesday 11/6  61>0  (61 mi)  cumberland

http://www.brucehouseinn.com/contact.html

Day 5: Wednesday 11/7 mm 184->124 (60)  hancock
            http://www.1828-trail-inn.com/rooms.html
Day 6: Thursday 11/8 mm 124->60  (64) harpers ferry

http://www.theanglersinn.com/fenwickroom.html 

Day 7: Friday 11/9 mm 60->0 (0) Foggy Bottom



Even though we thought we planned it pretty well Mother Nature threw us curveballs.

1. Hurricane Sandy was the week prior: this caused snow in some areas of higher elevation near Deal to Eastern Continental Divide, and downed trees. We had to dismount several times and even carry bikes over difficult to walk around spots. Parts of the trail were washed out too making it very difficult to impossible to ride at times, causing alot of walking of bikes

2. Daylight Savings time: it got dark around 5-5:30 and we rode for up to 4 hours in the dark. Having headlights and back up lights is crucial. We should have been more aware of this.

3. Cold! With windchills it was in the 30s for most of the first half of the trip. Luckily we did not get any rain except for about 30 minutes of sprinkles one of the first days.


Towns I wish we had more time to explore:
Pittsburgh, PA
Connellsville, PA
Ohiopyle, PA - Falling Water
Frostburg, MD
Cumberland, MD
Little Orleans, MD
Hancock, MD
Williamsport, MD
Sheperdstown, WV
Harpers Ferry, WV
Potomac, MD
Georgetown, DC


Links:
Weather:
http://www.wunderground.com/ 

Daylight hours
http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/u/US72520003669931.php

GAP/C&O:
Official GAP site  - click on maps for things on each stop
 http://www.bikewashington.org/canal/plan-lodging.php - very helpful for lodging along C&O
http://www.bikecando.com/_bikecando/default.aspx - useful site in general for C&O and GAP
Official C&O map

Elevation map: helpful mentally
http://www.bikecando.com/elevation.aspx
http://www.atatrail.org/tmi/elevation.cfm

Trip advisor: had more B&B reviews. Honestly any would probably be nice.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/

Hopkins 4K:
http://www.hopkins4k.org/about/

Preparing for the trip: the supplies

GAP/C&O planning.
The supplies

There are a lot of websites out there and the top ones I used were the official GAP site, BikeC&O, and Trip Advisor for B&B reviews, for the actual timing of the trip. A few different sites/blogs advised things to pack and here is my own take on it:

Bike: cyclocross, mountain bike or hybrid.

I brought a mountain bike and it was very sturdy but not efficient. I also put hybrid type tires on it. I was averaging probably 5-6 miles an hour and pedaling pretty much the whole time, very little cruising. Also highly advised to get a saddle that fits. Sometimes you don't know until you ride > 50 miles and on multiple days. I had done a saddle fitting but thought the saddle was too expensive, and ended up buying a saddle on the trail anyways. If I had a better saddle could I have done better? I think so. After the 2nd day I was doing the saddle shuffle, trying to shift my weight to different areas.

Pedals: regular vs clip-ins - I had regular pedals and I liked it as sometimes there is unexpected terrain and you get better control. Clip-ins would have been more efficient, but other changes would have done better for me I think.

The PIC (partner in crime) used a cyclocross with clip in pedals. The ride was not as difficult for him but he fell several times trying to go over branches and in snow/sandy/gravelly places while I did not fall at all.


If I did it again I would use a hybrid bike. There are a few times you will have to carry your bike up and down stairs so take that into consideration too.

Essential items:

• Clothes.
• 2 of each: biking tights/shorts, jersey, base layer
• More than 2 of each: underwear, socks
•  windbreaker, water resistant jacket/rain jacket
• "normal" clothes - jeans, a shirt
• Sandals/slippers
• Bike shoes/sneakers
• gloves 
• head covering
• neck covering/scarf/balaclava

We went in 30-40 degrees weather with one day in the 50s. For the most part I wore two socks, a long john/base layer pants with biking tights with a chamois, a base layer long sleeve, arm warmers, and a jersey along with thin windbreaker. As it got colder I added my water resistant jacket, and sometimes a thermal long sleeve shirt too. I used Buffs for a head covering under my helmet, and another Buff for my neck/face. I wished I had a more "winter" buff though. I used regular Northface gloves, but biking specific gloves would have helped. A few places had washer/dryer. We hand-washed some and used a blow dryer to dry it in the morning - not the best option.

• Toiletries/Supplies:  if not camping, B&Bs will have the usual soap, shampoo, towels
• toothpaste, vaseline/chapstick, some sort of lotion (face and skin)
• wet wipes (ESSENTIAL)
• phone chargers, battery chargers
• first aid kit with bandages, antibiotic ointment
• pain medication: ibuprofen, tylenol or aspirin
• phone and camera
• Bike supplies:
• bike pump
• extra tubes (not used but have had busted tubes on rides before)
• head/front light (ESSENTIAL) - I have a NiteRider 250, lasts 2-3 hours on the low setting
• rear light - Planet Bike superflash
• extra light options
• batteries for lights
• multibike tool (ESSENTIAL)
• rack and pannier, backpack (plus minus, I didn't but PIC did)
• I got the Ortlieb back roller classics, PIC had a Topeak trunk with expandable side panniers. They both had their advantages/disadvantages. The Backrollers have one large compartment but are waterproof and easy to get on and off - we kept clothes in here. The Topeak has separate compartments and the trunk portion is more handy to remove tools from. We kept everything but clothes in there but it is a pain to remove the pannier.
• bike lube
• rag to wipe things
• zip ties - the terrain knocked off the cyclocomputer sensor a few times, eventually we stopped trying to fix it but zip ties were useful
• Map holder - I used Bar Map OTG after experimenting with different cell phone holders, a couple of which broke. This is simple, holds cue sheet but also a large map. Also we found out it holds the cell phone well in the front pocket
• Official maps - at a few of the major stops they have official maps which are nice because of the mile markers and major stops. Helped give us a goal to reach. We printed out some before the trip but they are not as detailed
• Food:
• water bottle and or camel bak - used about 1.5 average bottles a day in the fall, more presumably in the summer
• about 2-3 protein/energy bars per day per person, at least - luna bars are the best tasting in my opinion
• beef jerky (keeps well, protein)
• Clif Shot Blocks - best tasting for some quick energy (not sure if it works but I felt like it kept me going)
• one extra meal (lunch) just in case you don't find a place to eat on the trail or even for dinner, pizza lasts well

Not essential but glad I brought it: bug spray, contacts with solution, tape, tube repair kit, toe warmers, water purifying tabs (all the water sources were cut off), extra hand towel

Wish we had: matches/lighter, nail clippers, more pain medication, more food, massage tool, bengay/icy hot, better saddle, butt cream, extra grip for my mountain bike


Different guides:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=297145&v=28
http://tourdetech.posterous.com/
http://www.thegreatalleghenypassage.com/GAP_TRAIL_PLAN_YOUR_RIDE.html
http://www.atatrail.org/ne/tripreport.cfm

Clif Shot Blocks:
http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks/

Ortlieb Backroller:
http://www.rei.com/product/604989/ortlieb-backroller-classic-panniers-pair

Topeak trunk pannier:
http://www.rei.com/product/710404/topeak-mtx-trunkbag-dxp-with-expandable-side-panniers

Buff headwear:
http://www.buffwear.com/

Bar Map:
http://www.rei.com/product/637969/bar-map-otg

Saddle Sores Home Remedies:
http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/Home-Remedies-for-Saddle-Sores-and-Chamois-Rash
I ended up using neosporin because that was all I had

Day 1

Day 1, Saturday 11/3/12
DC to Pittsburgh, PA

We went to the Amtrak station in DC and wheeled our bikes with packs in and went to the check in. We had bought tickets several weeks earlier so went straight to the baggage check in and asked for boxes. We had intended to go 2 hours prior to departure but made it one hour early. I would recommend minimum 1 hour prior as it took quite a while just to get our boxes. It was also 20 dollars each for box and "shipping".  This took about 30 minutes just to get the boxes.

While waiting we tried to prepare the bikes. We looked up some videos and asked for advice from our local bike shop (Performance Bikes for me). You have to remove the pedals and also turn or remove the handlebars. This video helped. For the pedals you may need a pedal wrench or large allen wrench (we had "normal" pedals and egg beater pedals). To remove the handlebars you have to unscrew the two parallel parts and the top of the post (yeah, look it up or ask someone). Prepare this before you leave, this should not be done for the first time at the station. They had packing tape for us but we were advised to bring our own just in case. Right after we packed our bikes they were boarding the train and we were on our way.

The train (Capitol Limited) left around 4pm and arrived around midnight in Pittsburgh. This is the only train available that does bikes from DC to Pittsburgh. The trip itself was not bad. I enjoyed the reclining seats and the foot rests. There are food cars. The only complaint was our car was fairly warm and there was not climate control. We also had outlets but no wireless internet.

It took a little while to get our bikes off the train and it took us maybe 30 minutes to set everything up to head to the Hampton Inn. It was less than a mile, maybe 3 blocks away. As you exit the station turn left and make a few turns to the hotel. At that hour there is not much traffic. The hotel was understanding of late check in and ended up giving us an upgrade to a suite with jacuzzi tub.

Amtrak:
http://www.amtrak.com/capitol-limited-train
http://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard

Packing your bike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsLRIoPKt2M&feature=share&list=PL9DFE9639B2C41C24

Removing pedals:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/pedal-installation-and-removal-pw-3-pw-4-pw-5-hcw-16

Removing handlebars:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2191974_remove-handlebars-mountain-bike.html

Hampton Inn:
http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/pennsylvania/hampton-inn-and-suites-pittsburgh-downtown-PITDNHX/maps-directions/index.html

Day 2

Day 2, Sunday 11/4/12
Pittsburgh, PA to West Newton, PA
MM 145 to MM 113, about 5 miles from hotel to Hot Metal Bridge, about 37 miles
1:30pm to 7:30pm, about 6 hours

Day one of bike ride. Was a rough start but once we got on the trail I had high hopes.

During the day we had a pretty decent breakfast at the Hampton Inn on Smallsman St and then walked along the Three Rivers trail to the car rental thinking Pittsburgh is not a bad town. We rented a car to scope out our path to the GAP and had hopes to then maybe eat at Primanti Brothers or see another Pittsburgh site. We failed. The directions my gps was giving me was not very direct at all. The most direct was to take the Three Rivers Heritage Trail to the Hot Metal Bridge and then connect into Homestead. This is very direct only the last mile or so is unconnected with just railroad tracks and rocks. I had read about this and realized we may have to do some not so kosher things. We got off road after a fairly pleasant ride (after a small detour through downtown Pittsburgh) and had to walk our bikes on rocks to Sandcastle amusement park. A nice stranger said that is the path many people go but he just feared that the Sandcastle parking lot may be closed. We really had no other choice and went ahead. And of course the fear was realized and the parking lot was chained up. The two options were to go up a big hill into traffic which was highway speeds (scoped out before) with no bike lane, or keep going along the tracks. So we did the latter and finally made it to the other side. First major obstacle of the trip.

Thinking what do we do next at Sandcastle.

We still didn't see the trail right away and rode through the parking lot of the mall/stores in Homestead but tried to stay near the river. Eventually we found it and the first portion of the GAP had parts that go on road but with dedicated bike lanes. We had on and off pure path and going into traffic with bike lanes, some of it confusing at times but overall signs were helpful. About 10-15 miles to our goal it was getting dark and we realized this was going to be an issue for the rest of the trip. We had bike lights of course, but the batteries only last so long. I had an extra head lamp and also we had a maglite which we never had to use until the last day and that was to fix the bike. The first (or last) portion of the GAP has the most "traffic" surrounding it which we were actually appreciative of.

I regret not taking more pictures on some of the foot/bike bridges in the beginning because they did have nice views of Pittsburgh.

I felt bad for being so late to our first B&B but it seems like it is not uncommon for late arrivals. The Bright Mornings B&B was literally on the trail and we were thankful for that. I only wish more of them were! Surprisingly for a small town of West Newton there was a Fox's Pizza Den open until 10pm on a Sunday. We had decent pizza, good garlic parm wings, and nachos (irrational craving). Pizza leftovers were handy several days later. Our accommodation were on the 2nd floor which was a little painful on the knees, but it was a nice suite with private bathroom, reading room and bedroom. I never stayed at a B&B before but it was a good first impression.

If I were to do this entire trip again I would either wait until they connect Pittsburgh to Homestead, get a bike shuttle from hotel to Homestead (need to do in advance, we tried the day of and it was unavailable), or otherwise somehow get a car/taxi ride to Homestead. The part that is unconnected is such a big pain.  We even considered using the rental car, taking apart our bikes, dropping it off at Homestead and then take a taxi there.

GAP:
http://www.atatrail.org/tmi/map5.cfm

Three Rivers Heritage Trail:
http://map.friendsoftheriverfront.org/

Hampton Inn:
http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/pennsylvania/hampton-inn-and-suites-pittsburgh-downtown-PITDNHX/index.html

Sandcastle:
http://www.sandcastlewaterpark.com/

Bright Mornings B&B:
http://www.brightmorning.net/

West Newton:
http://www.dwni.org/

Fox's Pizza Den:
http://www.foxspizza.com/

Day 3

Day 3, Monday, 11/5/12
West Newton, PA to Confluence, PA
MM 114 to about MM 62, 52 miles
9am to 7pm or so, 10 hours

Day two of real biking and was starting to feel the pain bad. I rated the butt #1, then knees and thighs. Upper body was ok but fingers and palm sore.

Had a good first B&B experience at Bright Mornings with a lovely host and pretty nice guests who were on their yearly road trip with B&B stops to their winter home. That is something I'd like to be able to do one day. Of course they were driving. We had a cheese omelet, sausage and fruit (everything was grape fruit). Said our good byes and were off.

I tried to ride harder after arriving so much later than expected the first day but realized I probably couldn't go much faster than what I was doing due to mountain bike, almost constant uphill even if slight, and soreness/lack of recovery. Even though I'm an avg 12 mph or so road biker (not great but capable), I think we averaged about 5-6 mph overall on the GAP. At times we did faster on the C&O but only at times. The mountain bike was my enemy at times and I think I pedaled about 95% of the time or more while my PIC on his cyclocross pedaled considerably less.

Nothing too notable this day. We did not see many people, less than six I would guess walking the trail. We also saw less animals (deer) but did see a opossum. Riding in the dark was getting more worrisome as we did mostly through complete darkness (i.e. no street lamps like the previous day) and cold. Started to have some fears of falling off the side of the trail which is not very likely unless you are on the far edge. Near the end of our destination I was trying to estimate each mile and each mile marker was like a savoir or beacon of hope to go on. Dang, what was I thinking?

We did pass by Connellsville MM 87 which was a small town with several shops on the main street. We were actually looking for a bike shop to get cable ties because the cyclocomputer sensor was falling off and found one! But the shop was closed on Mondays! Grr. We looked for food at the bar across the street but it did not serve food, but open around 1pm, and we left. Down the street was Peanut's Pizza and we had respite from the cold and some tasty subs. The steak sub was more satisfying than the Italian. Also had pretty good french fries and gatorade. The place is mainly carryout with just two tables but there were not many other sit-in diners or bikers, actually none, just us. They were gracious enough to let us use their bathroom. We also found a hardware store on the street. I wish we had stopped earlier in the park to take a pic by the signs directing to DC and Pittsburgh.

Another good stop was Ohiopyle MM 73 which had the best rest stop. STOP here if you pass by as it has heated room and very clean bathrooms indoors which are not port-a-pottys. Ohiopyle is also the closest to Falling Water which we were thinking of stopping at but after the first day we knew it was not going to happen. Later we were advised it was a tough climb up bike unfriendly roads to get there. Would love to come back to visit it.

We finally arrived in the cold dark over some bridges searching for the B&B. Nothing looked open and the inn keeper at the Confluence House was gracious enough to make homemade chicken noodle soup for us and the other guests there. Afterwards my PIC passed out pretty soundly. Throughout the trip I had issues falling asleep. I usually slept about 7 hours but always wish I had more and more restful sleep. Would wake up sore and trying to find a good position. We also started taking an ibuprofen before bed after the first day.

Bright Morning B&B:
http://www.brightmorning.net/

Confluence House:
http://www.theconfluencehouse.com/

Peanut Pizza:
http://www.peanutspizza.com/

Ohiopyle:
http://discoverohiopyle.com/

Connellsville:
http://www.fay-west.com/connellsville/historic/

Confluence:
http://www.visitconfluence.info/

Youghiogheny River
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youghiogheny_River

Falling Water:
http://www.fallingwater.org/

Day 4

Day 4, Tuesday 11/6/12
Confluence, PA to Cumberland, MD
MM 61 to MM 0 of the Great Allegheny Passage, 61 miles
9am to 9pm, 12 hours

This day was the worst day, 12 hours of Hell it shall be renamed. Almost gave up during this day.

Left Confluence after good company from fans of Frank Lloyd Wright and a veggie omelet with bacon. Had encouraging words that the weather was not too bad but that a Nor'easter was on its way. Ominous.
Started out nippy but things seemed ok. Then after a few miles and hours we started to see snow in the distance. Were we going to get there? I hoped not. Then we actually started to see snow on the side of the trail. Ok still doable. Then as we got closer to the Pinkerton Tunnel MM53 there was actual snow on bridge! We briefly tried to bike through it but nixed that idea, or the idea nixed us. Around this time too we saw more downed trees. Before there were leaves and branches which caused bumps but manageable. Now we actually had to dismount to get around some and a couple we actually had to take our panniers off and carry bikes over. There were some tree vs bike incidents where the tree won. I actually appreciated my mountain bike at this portion as I had a better time of it than my PIC, easier to hop on and off and there were little dippies. This slowed us down considerably.

We finally found a small town of Rockwood MM 43 and asked at the gas station on our left hand side across a small bridge where we could get lunch and they said they served hot food like hamburgers and sloppy joes. The restaurant next door was closed and we learned there were power outages in the area so this had to do. We had to eat outside though and while cold at least there was sun. Had a yummy meatball sub and PIC had sloppy joe and we had chips and Gatorade. Thank you Rock City Express.

Onward we went and it was again ok, ho hum for a while and actually kind of nice up to Meyersdale MM 32. We knew it would be uphill and not easy. But soon after as we were heading into Deal and the Eastern Continental Divide (elevation 2392 feet) and this was the most difficult arduous portion. I had visions of just falling down from exhaustion and curling into a ball as a helicopter found us and rescued us. We crossed a few town streets and I was hoping some kind stranger would say, "You are crazy, why don't you let us give you a ride?" Alas that never happened. So we ran into ALOT of snow. It was not snowing but frozen snow. We kept going because we are stubborn, but also there were bike tracks so we assumed someone must have gone through. Later we saw less bike tracks and these two parallel tracks...I think they were skis. :( We walked our bikes probably for a mile or so and had short runs of riding in premade tracks.

This was the time when I thought, "This is the stupidest thing I've ever done." Or stupidest thing I did to myself. Why Why Why!!?? I was worried, scared and mad. I was also worried for PIC as the trip was my idea. Finally, finally we got to the Eastern Continental Divide MM 23, thankfully only a little after complete darkness. One of the things that kept me going was the promise of downhill after the divide, and two was the will to live. I don't think our cell phones worked anyways for someone to rescue us. We stopped for pictures begrudgingly as it took us forever, but I thought we would regret it if we didn't.

Alas it was a downhill but still with some obstacles of snow patches and downed trees. We thought we were home free by the Mason Dixon line and were able to call the Inn saying we were late. It was good going up to Frostburg MM15 and I was so happy to see electricity and signs of life, albeit far away from the trail. Going through the Big Savage Tunnel MM 22,Borden Tunnel  and Brush Tunnel, was good too with smooth road. We had many warnings to make sure the Big Savage Tunnel was open as it closes for the Winter...around first week of December and there is no detour. Then something terrible happened. The trail met up with the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. I thought it was going to be nice but we soon found out what it means for things to be "washed out" as the terrain was very sandy and gravely with big potholes. PIC fell several times trying to get through with cyclocross bike. This was almost or as frustrating as the snow because we knew we were so close. My mountain bike for the most part did ok. Again doing this all in the dark with our bike lights was not ideal.

Finally, finally we made it to Cumberland. The first of several having to go up a hill to the B&B, the Bruce House Inn. Saving grace was a warm fire place waiting for us and Chinese delivery from Chopsticks available until 10pm. Lovely home and I wish we could have stayed longer.

Our fortune cookies were relevant and gave me an extra boost to keep going: "Before the beginning of great brilliance there must be chaos."

Falling Water
http://www.fallingwater.org/

Rockwood:
http://www.visitrockwood.com/

Big Savage Tunnel:
http://www.wmwestsub.com/connellsvillesub/bigsavagetunnel.htm

Cumberland:
http://www.ci.cumberland.md.us/new_site/

Bruce House Inn:
http://www.brucehouseinn.com/

Day 5

Day 5, Wednesday, 11/7/11
Cumberland, MD to Hancock, MD
MM 184 to mm 124, about 60 miles
10:30am to 9pm, 10.5 hours

Breakfast at the Bruce House Inn was excellent: bacon, french toast, and scrambled eggs and a muffin (cranberry?). Lovely home with fireplaces. Even though it was a shower, the shower was full sized and had a great shower head.

A long day but started out fairly well. Felt like we were going a little downhill and the terrain was much better than the night before, i.e. no snow. We already were seeing more people out running or walking. Cumberland seemed like another cute little town with some history. It supposedly is revitalized and has a good arts scene. They also do have delivery until 10 pm. Crucial!

We couldn't find a place to eat lunch and ended up eating leftover pizza from Sunday night (3 days ago) in Paw Paw, along with beef jerky. The Paw Paw tunnel was kind of cool and creepy at the same time. Definitely needed those lights. It has some interesting history, see link below.

Had a little bit of mechanical problems after a big stick was trapped in PIC's rear derailleur/chain. We tried tinkering with it but I think it made it worse, wasted time, and made us both kind of annoyed.

Ended up on Western Maryland Rail trail per innkeepers recommendations and that helped a lot although there was not great markings, at least in the pitch dark but we eventually found it after getting lost up a hill near Little Orleans MM 142 (still far away). The WMRT is a left at the head of lock 56, MM 136.2 - you will see a paved path. The path was paved, yet still some uphill. We FINALLY made it. A theme.

The innkeepers at the 1828 Trail Inn were the sweetest we met and even drove us to Pizza Hut when we arrived late. There were cookies, cheese and crackers, tea and cocoa that awaited us and best of all the Jacuzzi hot tub! The Bruce House Inn and the 1828 Trail Inn were two places I really would like to return to, although most of the B&B's were great.

Bruce House Inn:
http://www.brucehouseinn.com/

Cumberland:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g41098-Cumberland_Maryland-Vacations.html
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/cumberland/intro.htm

Paw Paw Tunnel:
http://www.berkeleysprings.com/tunnel.htm

Western Maryland Rail Trail:
http://www.westernmarylandrailtrail.org/WMRT/

1828 Trail Inn:
http://www.1828-trail-inn.com/

Day 6

Day 6, Thursday, 11/8/12
Hancock to Harper's Ferry.
MM 124 to MM 62 about 58 miles
9:30am to about 930pm, 12 hours

Although we did not hit many bad obstacles, for some reason it took us forever this day to finish.

Breakfast at the 1828 Inn was probably my favorite: three-cheese omelet in a croissant, bacon, and more grapefruit. Also with some blueberry muffins, which we saved along with cookies (chocolate chip with walnuts?) for snacks along the way. Said bye to Bill and Darlene and their excellent house. There was an awesome Jacuzzi tub which I highly recommend you seek out. It made up for the climb up the hill to park the bikes behind the house.

The first 10 miles we took the Western Maryland Rail Trail that runs along side the C&O but it is paved. It would be awesome if this trail was even longer. After this we rode 15 more miles along the C&O and I suspect we slowed down considerably. My butt was really feeling it this day and at Williamsport, MD MM 100 we stopped by the bike shop River City Cycles and I got a new saddle (Selle brand). I was not sure it was going to help but I had to trust the bike shop owner. Well it did help and I think it might have saved me. Much less stopping for pain and butt stretches. I had looked up home remedies for saddle sores and the only thing I had to help was Neosporin. We also stopped at a really cute place for lunch: The Desert Rose. Excellent chicken salad sandwich and cheetos. PIC had bbq sandwich. This was the best place we stopped for lunch. Great food, good place to sit. Big bathroom. Even asked if we wanted a refill for the water bottle! Blessings. They also had some ibuprofen which we were in need of. They also had bike racks on the side of the building. All in all Williamsport was a nice little town and worth going up the hill for (this hill was small in comparison to the one we had to do at night). They also had a pharmacy a few doors down.

We passed by the midpoint of the C&O Canal MM 92 but there did not seem to be any signs for it and rode on. There were about 10-20 feet stretches of bad mud we had to walk bikes around and two bad washout areas we had to walk over too. Then we made it to the relatively new Big Slackwater area MM 86. It's a flat surface (?concrete) along the river, maybe 1.5-2 miles long. It was windy this day so getting near the edge was a bit scary for me. I also had a new-found fear of falling into cold water. Maybe this is just a rational fear? PIC said it was not.

It was getting dark soon after this and the fear and annoyance of riding in the dark was strong this night. Terrain was OK but at some point, fairly close to our destination I just couldn't ride on and felt like something was stuck in my bike but it wasn't. We hit a dead end and was pretty nervous about what to do next. Turns out we missed a light veer right and wasted about 20 minutes. Crucial in the dark cold.

At some point we also passed Sharpsburg but it was too dark and late to care.

Around 920-930 we finally made it to Harper's Ferry and were told to turn right on Appalachian trail. We see this bridge but only stairs to cross it. That can't be right. No bike access???? We rode on in hopes for some ramp but there was none, time to face to facts that we have to carry bikes up stairs. Wanted to cry. Crossed the bridge which was kind of nice and there was a ramp to get off of it. Rode down and wanted to cry again. Giant hill, about 0.7miles to our destination. This sucked. Arrived a little before 10, no food in town. Thankful we had leftover pizza from the night before and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies the Angler's Inn had. Soaked in the tub again, passed out. One more day to go.

Again we don't really know why this day took us so long. It was a shorter distance. Overall the elevation map said net downhill (didn't feel like it). No huge obstacles except getting lost once and the stairs, and the big hill. Maybe the days were just wearing on our poor legs. This day I started to really complain of my toes hurting. It felt like the big toes were stuck in clay at the tips of my shoes.


1828 Trail Inn:
http://www.1828-trail-inn.com/

Harper's Ferry:
http://www.nps.gov/hafe/index.htm
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g60722-Harpers_Ferry_West_Virginia-Vacations.html

Big Slackwater:
http://www.canaltrust.org/trust/index.php?page=big-slackwater

Angler's Inn:
http://www.theanglersinn.com/

River City Cycles:
http://rivercitycyclesinc.com/

Desert Rose Cafe:
http://desertrosecafeandcatering.com/

Williamsport, MD:
http://www.nps.gov/choh/planyourvisit/williamsportvisitorcenter.htm
http://williamsportmd.gov/businesses.html

Day 7

Day 7, Friday, 11/9/10
Harper's Ferry to Washington, D.C.
about 62 miles of C&O Canal Trail, MM 62 to 0
Started around 9:30am and arrived in Georgetown around 7:30pm. 10 hours.

Breakfast at the Angler's Inn was a scallion, tomato, goat cheese, prosciutto ham omelet, poached grapefruit, and date bread. One of my top 3 breakfasts. Inn was very nice, as was most of the Bed and Breakfasts. We had the suite which included a king sized bed, a sun room, and a bathroom with claw foot tub. As with the entire trip did not get to really use everything, relax and explore the town of Harper's Ferry which I could probably spend an afternoon or day in. Harper's Ferry is also the half way point of the Appalachian Trail (something I do not plan to walk the entirety of, please stop me if I try)

Went down the big hill, went up the walking path along railroad (Appalachian Trail), and carried bikes down the stairs. Did I mention carrying bikes sucks? Luckily I had a good PIC (partner in crime) who helped a lot.
Was sore as always, but after a few minutes muscles start working better. Passed our first MM, 61. First stop was Brunswick MM 55 which looked like a cute little town but too early to really stop for food. Saw a lot more people walking and biking the trail which was great.

Then we went on to Point of Rocks MM 47 and couldn't easily find a place to eat so we stopped for a big snack: beef jerky and left over oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from the Angler's Inn with soda. I was pretty worried because the guides do not show many places to eat for the rest of the trail.

Onward with the hope of eating in White's Ferry MM 36. The snack shop is closed!!! Noooo! was getting worried because we were down to our last 3 or so protein bar/energy snacks. Not good. This was also a test of will as there was a ferry across the Potomac River to Leesburg which was so close to home! (Looks like Hurricane Sandy had flooded the store and they lost power). Defeated, we ate more beef jerky and went onward. This was around 2pm and I was very worried about the food situation.

Grinded for 20 miles to Potomac/Great Falls MM 14. Goal was to get there before darkness, and it was one of the goals we actually made. Around 5pm arrived near the parking lot of the Great Falls park. Again it was nice to see people along the way especially other bikers. But I heard some clunking, more than usual and my pannier is falling off! Turns out a screw on my rack came off at some point and the rack was barely hanging on. Luckily bike parts are compatible and with quick thinking we took a screw from extra slot of bottle holder and screwed in the rack and things are saved. Called dad for the pick up in D.C. The end is near!

The 5 or so miles through Great Falls is pretty good terrain, this crushed limestone (I think). For the most part the last day had fairly good terrain except some muddy parts (but short) and some rocky/bumpy parts (about a mile or so). We did fairly good time, and overall it was downhill especially near the end having dips after each lock. Of course many times we just felt like we were going uphill.

Starting around milemarker 10 I started to get really sad and nostalgic. Is it really going to be over? Since the beginning I was worried about not finishing, giving up, or just simply falling down and curling into a fetus having someone rescue me. But now we were near the end and there would be no more biking and I was sad! I actually felt like going slower to savor it. Weird. I guess that's why I keep going on these adventures. Maybe it is like childbirth, painful but once you see the product you forget all of that.

The last miles into Georgetown we see a good amount of bikers for pitch dark, all going really fast in comparison to us. People seem less friendly. We see signs of the city. We actually drive past cars in traffic (score!). We see the Washington Monument in the distance. Home! We pass MM 1 and am happy! We go to near the end of the trail (there was another foot bridge to carry bikes over about 0.5 miles so we just stopped...but we came back and walked it the next day to say we did it) and luckily dad is nearby. Was somewhat anti-climatic because all the people we see are just city people who are probably thinking we are freaks and keeping to themselves. In my head I was dreaming of a cheering section and more high-fives. Oh well.

We did it.

The last day was one of our best riding. Maybe driven by adrenaline? Maybe the downhills finally kicked in? I know it was very hard for my muscles to work after each little break. I feel like if it was an "Alive" moment and someone took out my muscles for some food it would already be like human jerky. Really reaching for the reserves.

Post-ride meal: Five Guys Burgers and Fries. So good to eat someone warm, sitting in a warm room. Strangely we were shivering walking even though we biked in colder weather.

NB: Did not actually go to the beginning of the C&O, maybe a half mile off, because it involved going up another set of stairs and crossing the canal which we just couldn't do anymore. The next day we actually drove back here and walked all the way to the end. It would have been bad to even attempt that night, crossing bridge and some poor city terrain. Crazy enough I actually thought about renting one of the DC city bikes and taking it for a spin. WHY??

Angler's Inn:
http://www.theanglersinn.com/

C&O Canal:
http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm

Georgetown:
http://www.thewashcycle.com/2012/06/walk-bike-on-the-georgetown-waterfront.html
http://dc.about.com/od/nationalparks/a/GTWaterfrontPk.htm

Five Guys:
http://www.fiveguys.com/locations.aspx?fAddress=georgetown%2C+dc&radius=5&units=mi

Great Falls:
http://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm

White's Ferry:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Whites-Ferry/79695133660

Point of Rocks:
http://www.pointofrocks.org/

Post-trip

Will post backwards chronologically for the most part.

Am sore every where. Waking up sore was constant after the first day of biking. Knees/thighs are the worse, and next is hands. Butt also sore. Every joint from the waist down aches especially. Sucks, but I know I won't have to ride today. In fact during the last few days I wanted to take another "bike vacation" but this time a vacation from biking. But as I wake up I strangely miss it! How rude! I also had a dream I was biking the C&O and lost.

Some lessons learned:
You cannot have enough food, scrounge it wherever you can. I felt like begging people I saw for any extra food but did not.
Layer
Have tools, will use them
Bring plenty of ibuprofen or pain pill of your choice
Have a good riding partner, someone who you are comfortable cursing in front of, complaining, farting and peeing in the company with
Wet wipes - one of the most used items.

Will have a list of all the things we had later and what was essential, semi-essential, and not used (but still glad we brought), and those we really wish we had.

creation

I am creating this blog after a week long adventure biking the GAP and C&O Canal. Even though I thought we planned the trip fairly well there were things I would do differently so I wanted to create a blog or website as a cautionary tale for others. Then I realized I go on, and hope to continue to go on adventures that may be difficult or mundane but usually ends up with me saying, "Why me!" So "Why Adventures," as in "why me?" "why am I doing this?" or if it was totally awesome "Why, this is awesome!" is born.