Woo-hoo!! 200 miles on a bike!

[owlice]

As I'd mentioned earlier this summer on another thread, I was planning to ride the 184-mile C&O Canal Towpath. So I did, last week! This is an unpaved trail which starts in DC and goes to Cumberland, MD. I started in Cumberland, and ended in DC.

I had fun!

This trail is a good one to ride; safe, flat, with food and lodging along the way, and free campsites, too, if one prefers camping to hot showers and a real bed. A lot of people bike the trail in three days; some crazy people do it in one. I'm not crazy -- so far as I know, anyway -- and took my time, so I had five riding days. Am posting a trip report in case anyone's interested.

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THE STATS
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Total mileage: 200.1

Day 1 mileage: 48.19
To/from: Cumberland to Little Orleans, with side trips into Oldtown, MD, and Paw Paw, WV.

Day 2 mileage: 42.9
To/from: Little Orleans to Williamsport, MD.

Day 3 mileage: 43.58
To/from: Williamsport, MD to Harper's Ferry, WV

Day 4 mileage: 0.
Sick; no riding. Boy, was I annoyed!!!

Day 5 mileage: 27.43
To/from: Harper's Ferry, WV to White's Ferry, MD

Day 6 mileage: 37.59
To/from: White's Ferry, MD to Georgetown, Washington, DC

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DAILY DETAILS
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DAY 0
Drove to Cumberland in my car with two friends. Checked into the Fairfield Inn and Suites and then had lunch with my friends at The Crabby Pig. After that, we had frozen custard, walked around a little bit, and then they drove off in my car and left me there. I had no choice then: I had to bike back home. Good thing that was the plan!

DAY 1
Had a good breakfast at the hotel, a waffle and a hard-boiled egg. It was sprinkling when I left the hotel for my ride. I first went to the last mile marker, marker 184.5, and then was off.



A flock of goldfishes goldfinches rose up from the vegetation near the start of my ride, which I took as an auspicious sign. When it started to rain a bit later, I was already under the canopy of trees.

Trail mostly deserted, except at Paw Paw Tunnel. Lots of people were going through the tunnel, through which I had to walk my bike. Rain had stopped before I got to the tunnel and the rest of the day was mostly cloudy and not hot, so good for riding.

The School House Kitchen in Oldtown was closed for Labor Day, as was Grandma's Kitchen in Paw Paw; I got a steak and cheese sub and lemonade at the place across the street from Grandma's for my late lunch.

Stayed at Little Orleans Lodge, at which I was the only guest for the night.

DAY 2
After a fabulous breakfast and interesting conversation with Steve, the owner of the Lodge, I left in a heavy drizzle and rode on the towpath as far as Lock 55, and then picked up the Western Maryland Railway Trail for a little variety. I rode that as far as Hancock, arriving at Weaver's Restaurant in time for their opening at 11 AM. I had lunch (chicken Caesar salad and three lemonades), and ordered a slice of chocolate cream pie, which I was too full to finish. (Weaver's is known for its pies; their chocolate chip cookies are excellent, too!)

Back on the C&O from there; met up with another biker at mile marker 109, and we rode together until Williamsport, stopping occasionally to look at things such as Dam 5 and wild turkeys.



At Williamsport, we visited the Visitor's Center, then loaded our bikes into my riding buddy's van and went to the post office so I could get postcard stamps, after which we parked downtown to eat at the Desert Rose Cafe. Tiny place, excellent food, highly recommended. We also stopped into the bike shop across the street, which was invaded by a group of road bikers who needed directions to Baltimore; they had started biking in Michigan, were covering over 100 miles/day, and were ending their biking in Baltimore.

My biking friend gave me a lift to the Red Roof Inn, for which I was, and am, very grateful, because I would NOT have liked the ride up to it! The road bikers who'd been in the bike store were also staying at the Red Roof, so I heard more about their ride when sharing the laundry room with one of them.

DAY 3
Had a couple of doughnuts and coffee at the Red Roof the next morning, but knew I needed some protein in me before riding, so packed up, checked out, and rode to the Desert Rose Cafe. Got cheese on bread there along with decaf, and had a sandwich packed for lunch on the trail.

Got back on the trail; took about 6 miles for riding to start feeling good to me, which is pretty normal. Came to the detour (around flood damage to the towpath), which was variety, but not much fun (or any fun!) to do.



Don't like hills, didn't like this, but did it all on my bike, no walking. (That would not have been the case going the other way, I'm certain.)

Made pretty good time after lunch; slowed way down after Antietam, as the Potomac River is visible from the towpath and is really beautiful in that area. The water is very musical as it goes over the many rocks in the river, and at one part, there was a deep sound which reminded me of drumming coming from the water's flow over rocks.

Had to climb these steps up to the bridge across the river.



Talked with people on the bridge, a German couple and an American woman who was with them; the gentleman helped me up the last steps by picking up the back of my (getting heavier by the moment) bike, which I appreciated! Looked like rain, so they were heading back across the bridge to Harper's Ferry, rather than exploring the Maryland side of the Potomac right then.

Rode to the Comfort Inn for the night; the heavens opened up and dumped rain almost the second after I got to the hotel. Room was on the second floor -- none were available on the first -- so had to schlep my fully-loaded bike up even more steps. Hadn't finished my lunch sandwich or brownie, so had those and trail mix for dinner, which was enough.

DAY 4
Woke up with very bad vertigo, which I've had before and which is really awful. I'll spare you the details, except to say that I did see a doctor, got medication, and stayed put for the day.

DAY 5
I got a very late start (11 AM), but as this was my shortest day of riding (~ 25 miles), the late start was okay. Missed the rain-free window of opportunity, alas; it was raining again when I left.

It was very beautiful with the clouds obscuring the tops of the mountain around Harpers Ferry.



Riding was hard for the first six miles, even just going downhill from the hotel to the river; I had to pedal much harder than I expected for such a downward slope, and even then, I felt as though I was barely moving. Riding went better after mile six or so, and my average speed gradually moved up the longer I biked.

My bike and I were filthy by the time I got to White's Ferry. I called the Best Western for a pickup -- the hotel will send a van to pick up bikers at the ferry upon request -- and wiped some of the muck off my bike while waiting for the ferry across the river. Also wiped some of the muck off myself.

After taking the ferry across, I rode down the road a ways and then waited for the van. Left my bike outside while I checked in, asked for some paper towels and a freebie toothbrush, and cleaned my bike before bringing it into the hotel. Cleaning it included unpacking it and upending it so I could get to some of the filth more easily. Also oiled the chain.

Did laundry, and then ate dinner at Xian Saigon, which is near the hotel, and walked over to CVS for Epsom salts to soak in. I was physically tired; my muscles hurt, which is unusual for me. (Knees and butt always hurt after riding, but my muscles were sore after the second day and stayed sore.)

DAY 6
Had a good breakfast (waffle, hard-boiled egg, mini muffin) at the hotel, then packed up and checked out. Got a ride to White's Ferry, crossed the river, realized my panniers were on the wrong sides, so fixed that once I was off the ferry, and then started out for my last day on the C&O towpath.

After so many days of riding in solitude, scarcely ever seeing anyone along the way, it was almost weird to see so many people out enjoying the trail. Got a view of Great Falls I think I haven't had before; stunningly beautiful! Soon the number of people on the trail dropped again until I got well into DC.

Getting to mile marker 0 was anticlimactic! I was riding along on the towpath through Georgetown, and suddenly, there is no more towpath... it plows right into a building! I went around the building, thinking I could pick up the towpath on the other side, but NO! Now the towpath is on the other side of the canal! So I rode over a bridge and found steps going down to the towpath-on-the-other-side-of-the-canal, and rode back UP the towpath to the point at which I apparently should have crossed over, then turned around and rode back down....

... and then the towpath just stops at Rock Creek. I didn't even see mile marker 1! I rode down to Thompson Boathouse, as that is where my best friend is waiting for me. It also happens that mile marker 0 is down there, right where Rock Creek flows into the Potomac. Lock 1 is there, and I took pictures of it, the anticlimactic mile marker 0, and then suggested we get cheeseburgers.

So we did.

Thus endeth my first-ever tour.


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ANIMALS I SAW ALONG THE WAY
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This is not an exhaustive list; I left off some things because they are so common (cardinals and geese, for example). These are in no particular order.

Deer
Black vultures
Green heron
Snowy egret
Muskrat
Great Blue Herons
Goldfinches
Box turtle
Belted Kingfisher
Red-eared sliders
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Wood ducks
Turkeys
Several birds of prey I couldn't identify
Hawks
UBBs and CFWs (unidentified brown birds and confusing fall warblers)
Nuthatch

Heard but didn't see Barred Owls and Peewees.

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I've never done anything like this before -- bike touring -- and am glad I finally have!

I have another longish bike ride coming up, a cancer fundraiser for which I'm going to try to ride at least 100 miles in 24 hours. I'll need to figure out what comes after that!

[springrite]

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ANIMALS I SAW ALONG THE WAY
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This is not an exhaustive list; I left off some things because they are so common (cardinals and geese, for example). These are in no particular order.

Deer
Black vultures
Green heron
Snowy egret
Muskrat
Great Blue Herons
Goldfinches
Box turtle
Belted Kingfisher
Red-eared sliders
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Wood ducks
Turkeys
Several birds of prey I couldn't identify
Hawks
UBBs and CFWs (unidentified brown birds and confusing fall warblers)
Nuthatch

Heard but didn't see Barred Owls and Peewees.

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Now, I am afraid you are not being completely honest here. 

[Valentino]

Must have been a nice trip!
I once did 540km in 15 hrs 5 min. Was off the bike twice for a pee and once for sandwiches. Cannot recollect any wildlife sightings unless dangerous camper vans count.

[Tomo]

Fantastic, Owlice.

I love cycling and used to be avid until a series of injuries took me off the saddle for the last couple of years.  Now, all healed, planning on taking it up again this upcoming spring. 

Your trip sounds wonderful and, yes, it's a thrill to see all the wildlife.

[MN Dave]

Impressive.

[owlice]

Wow, Valentino, that's some fast riding you were doing!!  I'm pretty slow, and even slower on unpaved surfaces such as the C&O.

Tomo, I'm glad you've healed and can start riding again!

MN Dave, heh! Not in comparison to those road bikers I met, it wasn't! Man, I felt so strong and athletic, and then those guys came in with their 100+ miles a day.... put me to shame, they did!!! (Darn them!!  )

springrite, yes, I was, I was!!! I have pictures to prove it!

[greg]

That sounds like so much fun. My dad would love this thread.
What type of bike did you have, btw?

[springrite]

springrite, yes, I was, I was!!! I have pictures to prove it!

Alright, but do include the photos of hunky "animals" that you failed to mention but you glued your eyes on as well.

[owlice]

springrite, I didn't take pictures of them!! (Or not any that I could share, anyway! )

Greg, I have a Giant Sedona. I've spent more on the bike maintenance and accessories this summer than I spent on the bike itself, but you know how it is: once you have Barbie, you need the Malibu beach house, the convertible, the outfits, Ken and Skippy... well, maybe you don't know how THAT is, but the principle is the same, whether bikes or Barbies!!



That's lunch on the saddle.

[Cato]

Heard but didn't see Barred Owls and Peewees.

Is there more than one?   

And I thought he was in jail!   

Yay team!  Modern American Woman!  Get out of the way and stop holding up progress!   0:)

[greg]

Oh, wow. Looks tough going that far with a bike like that- then again, that's nothing compared to some mountain bikes. 

This is the type of bike my dad has, but it's silver and has different pedals, etc.

[owlice]

Cato, there may be one PeeWee, but there are many peewees, and I heard a lot of 'em!

Heard only one pair of owls, though, the entire trip.

Greg, nice bike; I'm envious!

I like my bike; I suspect the geometry is all wrong for me and the saddle is awful and I think the handlebars are not at the right height, but I'm used to it so I'm not changing anything until my long rides this fall are over!

My next longish ride is next weekend; I'm riding in a fundraiser for cancer charities. (If anyone is interested in the details, PM me.) I've stated on my fundraising page that I will try to ride 100 miles in the 24 hours of the ride; what made me say that, I have no idea! But I think it's doable (maybe, possibly); the event starts at 4 PM next Saturday and ends at 4 PM the next day, so I can ride 50 miles starting at 4 PM (which may take me until midnight, at my riding speed!), sleep some, and then ride the other 50 on Sunday. (I hope!)

I'm part of a team for this event; I don't know anyone on the team, and will likely be embarrassed as heck (and embarrass my teammates) riding as slowly as I do! One of my teammates has pledged to ride 200 miles during the 24 hours.

I'm doomed!!

[Tomo]

As one who has ridden many long rides, I say, if possible, just go your own pace. 

I remember I once organized a fund raising bike ride for a high school student who, tragically, became a quadraplegic following an automobile accident.  The family needed a special van and to do things like build a ramp for wheel chair access to their home.

So, I organized two events to help out:  the bike ride and a basketball game.

Anyway, this one kid, who was totally out of shape, kept on begging and begging to participate.  I wasn't sure as the other riders were pretty much all dreaming of going pro some day.  Then, his parents called me asking that I not allow him to come.  They explained that his brother had died when the two were riding bikes on a nearby rural road a couple of years back.  Well, Daryl still kept begging every day and, the day before, his parents finally gave in.  Since the accident with his brother, his bike had lain in the back yard getting rusty.  He spray painted it red the night before our 100 K ride.

I drove him to the meeting spot the next day, bikes loaded into the back of my wife's SUV type vehicle.  Well, the other kids were arrogant as hell.  They were mocking Daryl behind his back (they didn't know the story of his brother) and took off at a speed of 22-25 miles an hour, leaving him in the dust.  I went with them, but, after about 10-12 miles, we pulled over at a bridge to wait...really never expecting him to make it.  We were about to leave thinking he had quit, when a spot appeared on the distance riding a red bike.  Here came Daryl huffing and puffing.  All of a sudden, the other kids were practically chanting encouragement.  I was worried that the chain was going to fall off Daryl's bike given its condition and his brakes hardly had any impact on his stopping.  His face was beet red by this point.  I asked if he wanted to continue and offered to stay behind with him while the others finished.  He said he was doing this for Lisa, the injured girl, and his brother.  He said he was going to go all the way.

Well, the same scenario played out over and over that day.  The pack would stop, wait, and cheer Daryl on, but he kept coming, red faced, drenched with sweat, and having taken a spill on one of the curves. 

Slowly, the other cyclists dropped out for one reason or another.  MOSTLY, it was from not paced themselves enough in the beginning for a longer ride than they were used to.  Finally, it was JUST Daryl and me.  The last few miles are one long uphill grind to Folsom Dam in the Sacramento area.  Now, I was worried, but could see how much this meant to Daryl, so we continued on until the end.  On the way down, we walked due to his brake problems.  But, the rest of the way, Daryl was gleaming.  He had done it for Lisa...and mostly as a tribute to his brother.  We rode at Daryl's pace, but his energy never waned. 

Can't say either of us smelled too good on the way back, but I knew Daryl had become my hero that day, as well the hero of the kids who initially mocked him.  He taught us all a lesson in determination.

I don't even know why I'm rambling on, but it's just a special memory that was triggered by my thinking of pacing for your upcoming ride and my illustration about the importance of going your own pace. 

I was about to delete this, but decided it would be my special tribute to the great Daryl.

By the way, if you have a paypal account, I'll help sponsor you. Least I can do for having indulged me.

[secondwind]

Nice story.

[Valentino]

Thanks, Tomo.

[owlice]

Tomo, I'm so very glad you didn't delete your post; it is lovely and I have tears in my eyes from reading it. Thank you.

On going my own pace, I have no choice, really -- I can't go anyone else's!