 |
| GAP trestle |
Judging from the few hundred miles I did of the 2,512-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route this summer, I believe I will be able to finish it next year.
But it’s harder than any other bike touring route I’ve done, and not likely to be a good fit for everyone. The good news is that GDMBR is not the only gravel ride around.
Other easier off-road routes are readily available—including Missouri’s 240-mile Katy trail and South Dakota’s 109-mile George S.Mickelson trail. There bike-packers can test their gear and mettle, and train for harder rides. Some of these routes are of scenic and historic interest, and well worth doing on their own merits.
One of my favorite easier off-road routes is the 335-mile Great Allegheny Passage/C&O Canal towpath linkup. It’s easily accessible from Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh, PA, its end points, and other towns served by Amtrak’s Capitol Limited train.
I’ve ridden the entire length of the trail twice, and have ridden long laps over sections of the trail on two other occasions, for a total of more than 1,300 miles. I think that this a trail that could easily be on most bucket lists.
It’s a great venue for an introductory multi-day bike tour, because it’s gently graded or virtually flat, offers easy access to lodging and camping facilities, and is never too far away from civilization, for if and when riders encounter issues they can’t readily resolve on their own.
Great places to start planning a tour on the trail are gaptrail.org and nps.gov/choh.
If you prefer to leave the planning to others, several organizations, including the Adventure Cycling Association, offer guided group bike tours of the C&O Canal and GAP trails.
To find rails-to-trails paths in other areas, check TrailLink.com.
 |
| C&O Canal campsite |
 |
| Canal towpath trail |
 |
| Eastern continental divide on GAP trail |
 |
| Where C&O links with the GAP in Cumberland MD |
No comments:
Post a Comment