Jamie and I leave tomorrow morning (5/25/2013) on our bicycle trip to Washington, DC. This trip has been in the works since we moved here–approaching 3 years ago! With the craziness of buying a house last year behind us, and finally being both of us gainfully employed, we decided to make the trip happen this year. There is a nearly contiguous rail-trail from Pittsburgh to DC, with a few detours throughout, making the 335 mile bike ride nearly car-free. From Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD we will ride the Great Allegheny Passage, then from Cumberland to DC is the C&O Canal Trail.
As this is our first trip of the sort, and given the unpredictable spring weather, and my grouchy distaste of being wet and cold, and that this is a vacation, we will be staying in hotels and b&bs along the way. Perhaps we will do another section of the trail with camping in the future.
We plan to leave the house at 8am (hah!) and cycle along the [the newly fully-linked] Great Allegheny Passage to Connellsville, PA. From there, our bikes will take us past Ohiopyle, up, up, up to Meyersdale, PA, near the Continental Divide. The next day, our short day of 32 miles or so, will take us downhill to Cumberland, MD. From there, with little in between, we will arrive in Hancock, WV. From Hancock we journey to Harpers (no apostrophe) Ferry, WV. Then to Washington, DC!
We will spend 3 nights in DC, enjoying the hospitality of one of Jamie’s friends from Hometown, TX, then back to Pgh on the train! Back to work and our disgruntled pup, that is.
The weather appears promising. Wish us luck!
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