Tim Herbert
Tech industry research geek by day, wanderlust by night. I'll be cycling
from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, DC in the inaugural Tour de Tech.
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Finished / Thanks / Few More Photos
Finished. I arrived at the U.S. Capitol building at about 3:30pm on Friday, logging a total of about 340 miles over 5.5 days. It was a great trip, which I hope to repeat someday.
Thanks to everyone that followed my trip from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC. It was fun to have everyone along in spirit. Thanks also to my wife Kari for her love and SAG wagon (supplies & gear) assistance along the way.
Thanks to everyone that donated to the Creating IT Futures Foundation. In these difficult economic times the Foundation is doing important work to improve the lives of those in need.
Signing off until the next adventure.
A Few Notes for Bikers Planning or Considering the Trip
The cool thing about the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and C&O Canal trails is the countless options for doing the trip. You can ride it end-to-end or ride just a few sections; you can ride at a brisk pace and cover many miles per day, or take a slower, more leisurely pace; you can camp along the way or stay in hotels/B&Bs (credit card touring); you can use the most basic biking gear or go with more sophisticated options; you can go low-tech or high-tech; you can get in-depth history lessons along the way or simply focus on the natural beauty of the scenery. Options, options, options.
If you want to test the waters, I recommend starting with the Great Allegheny Passage, or sections of it. This portion of the route is more scenic, the trail is far smoother and won't muddy during rain like the C&O, and there are plenty of interesting little towns and sights along the way. A good starter route would be West Newton to Confluence or Cumberland.
The majority of riders I passed were heading west - DC to Pittsburgh. Personally, I liked starting in Pittsburgh with the GAP trail and then progressing to the more challenging C&O trail. Note: in drier condition the C&O would have been more enjoyable. After 4 days of rain though, it was a mess.
In my gear section, you'll notice a pretty extensive list of stuff. There is no definitive list of what you should or should not use/bring. On the trail you'll find a huge variety of riders in terms of bikes and gear. It's really a function of the amount of time you have, whether you are camping or lodging, and a few basic preferences. If you're riding lower daily miles (say around 30), a more comfort-oriented bike may be your preference. You may also find it fine to wear regular shoes and go with non-cycling specific clothing. If you're riding higher daily miles (say 60+), it may make more sense to go with a bike, such as a cyclocross or touring hybrid, designed with a degree of speed in mind. Additionally, at that mileage, investing in cycling shoes, cycling shorts and cycling jerseys will save some wear and tear on the body and make the trip more enjoyable.
- I averaged about 60 miles per day, with average speeds of about 12 mph - faster in some of the smoother sections (15-17 mph) and slower speeds in the muddier/rockier sections. This gave me plenty of time to take photos/video along the way (some sections were so scenic I was stopping every 5 minutes). I typically stopped every 20 miles or so for a quick bite to eat to refuel (even if I wasn't hungry).
- I started each day at 9:30am and typically finished between 3-4pm. Note: parts of the trail are very shaded from the sun, so it will appear darker than the time would suggest - it's not ideal to still be riding on the trail in the early evening as it gets dark.
Lodging and Dining:
I booked all of our accommodations ahead of time. During the fall months, many places fill up on weekends with travelers out for tours of the fall foliage, so you could find yourself out of luck without a reservation.
- Confluence - The Parker House
- Our favorite lodging option - well located, nice B&B that is biker friendly. The B&B was simple and tasteful (none of the tacky nick-nacks that plague many B&Bs). Additionally, the manager, Larry, was extremely gracious and helpful. When there was an issue with the WiFi, he took me up to his neighbor's house to use his. At first we felt like we were imposing, but Bill Metzger the neighbor was extremely welcoming and entertaining. It turns out he is somewhat of a legend on the Great Allegheny Passage trail - he wrote a guide book and did the design work for the route map found at many of the stops. Confluence, like a lot of the small towns along the way, has limited dining options and limited hours. We went to the only place open on a Monday night, which was Riverside Pizza - turned out to be a great option. They make their own crust (Riverside owns the bakery next door) and it really hit the spot.
- Cumberland - Fairfield Inn, Marriott
- Well situated hotel that sits literally about 10 feet from the trail. Cumberland is one of the larger "small" towns along the route. It has the widest restaurant options and has done quite a bit to make itself biker and tourist friendly. We ate at the Crabby Pig just down the street - overall, pretty good grub (plus they carry Fat Tire beer).
- Hancock - 1828 Trail Inn
- The best lodging option in town - it's an interesting old home, which means it comes with lots of interesting noises (not the quietest stay we experienced along the way). The 1828 did offer a locked shed for bikes, laundry facilities and a decent breakfast. We took the recommendation of the guide books and Yelp and dined at Weavers on main street. This place is a total throwback - not uncommon to see older patrons order a cup of hot Joe along with a turkey on white bread with gravy dinner (aka the school cafeteria special). A few doors up from Weavers is the Hancock Tavern and a gift shop - both have confederate flags hanging. While these flags may appeal to a few local rednecks (which probably don't have much money), they are offensive to just about every outsider (the people who have money to spend). Hancock needs to get its act together and move out of the dark ages.
- Harpers Ferry - Anglers Inn
- The Anglers Inn was okay, but not the best option for bikers slogging through mud. Our room did not have a normal shower (only a tub), which is not ideal after a long ride. For dinner, we checked Yelp again and settled on the Canal House Cafe. This casual and somewhat quirky restaurant focuses on local ingredients. There is typically only two entre options. The food was good and we definitely would return. Note: they don't serve, so bring your own wine/beer if that's your drink of choice.
Other Random Notes:
- While riding, my standard rations were: peanut butter crackers, a PowerBar, Clif Shot Bloks (gummy chews), Ahi tuna jerky, water and Accelerade. Along the GAP trail, there are plenty of towns to stop for food along the way; along the C&O, not as much. I typically carried 3 water bottles - during a 60 mile ride I would consume nearly all 3.
- Cell phone reception was spotty in some sections and non-existent in others. Just something to keep in mind if you're relying on a cycling app, Google maps or planning to check-in with your significant other or SAG support.
- The trail is very well marked so you shouldn't have any trouble following it. Surprisingly, the trailhead in Pittsburgh is one of the most confusing sections. There really is no sign - I parked at an old pump house that was formerly part of U.S. Steel (the address: 880 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120). The last 3 mile section from the pump station to downtown Pittsburgh is in the works and should be finished by early 2012.
- There are three sections where you ride on the road. The first two sections are McKeesport and Connellsville, PA - both are only for a few blocks and there are signs to follow. The last section occurs between Hancock and Harpers Ferry - it is a 6 mile detour on very hilly country roads. The signage is good thankfully, because it would be difficult to find the route otherwise. Otherwise, the rest of the trip is on non-vehicle trails.
- There are bike shops in just about every town along the way should you need repairs or gear. Keep in mind though, sections of the trail are very isolated without access to a road or town. If you have a flat or breakdown in one of these sections there is no easy way out - you're either going to need to make the repair yourself or you'll be walking.
- During my ride of the last month September, the mosquitos were bad. In some sections I kept moving to avoid stopping and making myself a meal.
- As one of the guide books states "if it rains, you get wet." It's tough to keep yourself dry, but you can certainly keep your gear and supplies dry with the right panniers. I used the Ortlieb Backroller Classic Panniers and they worked very well over 4 days of rain. I did not have fenders for my bike; that is the one piece of equipment I would consider for a future trip.
- It's a good idea to bring a bike light. The Big Savage and Paw Paw tunnels are very long and very dark. It's also a good idea to bring a cable for times when you need to stop. For night stops I used a U-lock and a heavier cable (better to be safe than sorry).
- The C&O ends in Georgetown, however, I think it's a nice touch to ride all the way into the Capitol. The best way to do this is to cross the Key Bridge in Georgetown and then pick up the Mount Vernon Trail (on the left just on the other side of the bridge). This trail hugs the Potomac river and is easier going than the Rockcreek trail. Cross at the 14th street bridge, head up a few blocks and then head right towards the U.S. Capitol building. It adds about 6.5 miles to the trip.
Economic Impact of the Trip
Significant funds (both public and private) were invested in developing and connecting the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal trails. Was this a good investment? In the current heated political environment, in certain quarters, the default position is that all public investment is questionable or flat out wrong (these individuals typically lack an understanding of data or lack an understanding of the economics of public works). Of course, some public investments are questionable, but many others deliver substantial positive ROI.
In direct expenditures related to the trip, Kari and I spent over $1,200. Without the bike trails, we would not have visited the towns of West Newton, Confluence, Cumberland, Hancock and Harpers Ferry. The absence of the trails would translate to a direct reduction in expenditures at B&Bs/hotels, restaurants, gas stations, bike shops and gift shops in these towns (some of them offer few reasons to visit). The approximate trip breakdown:
- 4 nights of lodging at an average cost of about $125/night.
- 4 days of dinner/lunch at an average cost of about $45/day.
- Supplies, gas, and other random expenditures at an average of about $65/day.
- Bike gear, bike tune-ups/repairs and guide books directly related to the trip at a total of around $300 (I already owned a lot of biking and tech gear so did not need to buy much for the trip).
- Note: if you camped along the way and did not have a driver accompanying you, your trip cost would be much lower.
In addition to the direct economic benefits, there are also a number of indirect benefits. Consider:
- The trails provide bikers, hikers and walkers and ideal environment for exercise. Healthy people produce more and cost less in terms of healthcare costs.
- The trails preserve some amazing stretches of forests and rivers, allowing people to appreciate and enjoy a number of different ecosystems in a low impact way. It's just not the same driving through these environments in a car.
- The trails provide a trip through American history, allowing an up-close look at where we came from and how we got here.
- The trails provide an opportunity for adventure. Let's face it, most individuals work fairly tame jobs that require sitting in front of a screen for long stretches. As a society, we have removed or minimized just about all the risk out of life. A little adventure now and then is good for the spirit.
With basic maintenance, the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal trails could last another 100 years. Over that time, hundreds of thousands of bikers may make the trip, benefiting themselves and benefiting the towns along the way. In my estimation, a great investment.
Harpers Ferry, WV to Washington, DC Ride Map
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