Video

Entire route downloadable GPX at ridewithgps.com/routes/46371730.

@@AdventuresWithPaul , thanks!

My primary tool to find bike paths is Google Map's bike layer. They show up in green and I look to see where they are, how far they run, and what the route may look like. I actually plan my route in RideWithGPS which I then download to my GPS head unit on the bike and then follow that. I think I'll create a video about how I plan because similar to you, people are interested in how I plan these things :-) Cheers!

Rented car one way Atlanta to buffalo airport. Drove into the rental return, pulled the bike and gear out of the car, and rode out of the airport. Good times!

No worries- they’ll still be there if you decide to do it again. I sort-of have my packing list down to a science but that’s cultivated after many touring adventures. Take everything you e learned from this trip and apply it to the next one. Each trip is a learning experience so you’ll get to a a point where you can pack in about an hour.

Oh, yes, the heat. I did it mid-June and had an unscheduled heat wave. Yes, it gets hot. I would suggest looking at historical highs at that time of year and make the decision then. I've ridden the GAP/C&O twice in September, and temps (and the changing leaves) are awesome that time of year. Cumberland to Pittsburgh (assume you meant Pittsburgh) you'll have a 22-mile 2-2.5% climb, and then you have the 80 miles or so downhill into Connellsville. You either take 2-3 hours for a steeper climb and have a longer less strenuous downhill, or the easier, longer climb going southbound. Your choice. Here's my schedule for the southbound ride: 00:00 Day 7: 80.6 miles to Connellsville PA 08:41 Day 8: 76.1 miles to Frostburg MD 14:49 Day 9: 92.3 miles to North Mountain campsite MD 18:46 Day 10: 76.3 miles to Turtle Run campsite MD 23:30 Day 11: 39.5 miles to Washington DC

Thx for the tips. Sept seems like a better time to do the trip, however I'll be in Germany. What grade is Connellsville to Pittsburgh?

Connellsville to Pittsburgh basically flat

Thx....Curious what you use for filming & getting good audio? I use a GoPro

GoPro for the win! I’ve had multiple people ask about gear so maybe I’ll do a gear video now that I’m home for a month

Logistics for the ride: Drive one-way rental from Atlanta area to Cincinatti. Drop off at airport, ride to hotel at departure point. Ride 783 miles over 11 days to Union Station in DC. Board Amtrak Crescent departing 6:30p for Atlanta, arriving next morning. I have a sleeper car, and it's $20 for the bike to go as baggage. Easy-peasy :-). There are probably shuttles you can use to go one-way, Amtrak can transport you (just get a reserved spot for the bike - details on Amtrak.com, or rent car for a few hours one-way.

Appreciate you taking the time to let me know. It takes time to put these together but I really like the concept of making them as I feel like I have someone along sharing the journey. And it's fun interacting with viewers once it's posted. And they make great videos to watch when it's cold outside in January.

Thanks - I had a great time. Heat, humidity and trail dust were temporary - the experience of riding the trail lasts forever. Cheers!

For that trip, I had my Niner RLT9 I converted to a flat bar with aero-bar extensions, 1x11 drivetrain, and my beloved Brook leather seat. I can ride that for miles on end (or in this case, 326 miles end to end :-)). I found the rings in a park in Xenia OH. I thought, "That would be fun to ride through those." So I did. Cheers!

@@AdventuresWithPaul Thank you. I was just in Xenia a couple weeks ago at the brand new state park. Didn’t have my bike though.

Yeah - I wish I knew more about the cat's story, but alas, I do not. It passed by me so it didn't seem to approach me wanting/needing anything so I assume it was just announcing its presence in the morning.

Sure do. This is the route I planned, along with points of interest on the map. I'm a planner so I go into the ride with this laid-out. ridewithgps.com/routes/46371730. Problem is, when a heat wave hits it changes the plan. I adjusted to hotels instead of the planned camping spots. It sure was nice having A/C in the hotel room at night instead of sweating on a camping mat.

@@AdventuresWithPaul Thanks for the route. I do the same thing, I like camping but not when it is sweltering hot.

I only had three hotels booked. I booked same day when I was re-routing due to Steubenville bridge closure and finding a new route and looking for A/C at the end of the day's ride. It's not like me to be that loose in the planning but this trip required it :-)

The Wellsburg bridge is nice - great cycling infrastructure on the bridge. On the WV side there's the Pioneer trail which runs south to Wheeling so opposite direction of connection to the GAP. The panhandle trail goes just shy of Steubenville which is why it was a great option. From the bridge, I rode along Rt. 2 into Wellsburg, and then east towards Rockdale, and connected with the panhandle in Colliers. On the Ohio side, there's really nothing. You'll have to make a generally point WNW to hit the Connotton creek trail north of Cadiz OH. Full route at ridewithgps.com/routes/46371730

Combining a Brooks leather saddle and using chamois cream really helps the long days in the saddle. First thru-ride in 2015 I had a Terry seat and I felt the same way you did when I reached DC. Glad you were able to ride the GAP/C&O - were you there last week during the heat wave?

@@AdventuresWithPaul no, thank goodness. I rode May 29-June 3, weather was ideal!

Welcome to Specialized, eh?

If you make it to Bolivar, definitely stop at Tim's Café (the church café). Really, really good. And keep riding, my friend - good to see you on CZcams.

At this point I'm only retired for about six weeks. I still feel like I have to cram adventures in because I'm going to have to return to work. That, and I tend to forget what day of the week it is because there's no regimen. If you want to do something like this - totally do it. Bike adventures (even with this heat) are just so much fun. Literally everything you NEED is right there with you on the bike. Just you, the bike, a smalll amount of stuff. You'll find you enjoy the adventure as the adventure becomes not just the destination but getting there as well.

I gave myself a challenge with the miles but then the heat wave just added on top of that. I did have to stop most days for Gatorade because (a) it was cold (b) electrolytes and (c) carbohydrates. My personal favorite flavor is the white "frost" because after two colonoscopies, I just can't drink lemon-lime Gatorade any longer. And as tough as these days were, I'm posting part 2 when I go from the OTET through OH and WV to connect with the GAP/C&O in PA. That's when the climbing REALLY started. Over 8000' of climbing in about 118 miles over two days.

I actually use those Nuun tablets instead of Gatorade mainly cause they are super portable! A friend and I just did the GAP and C&O two weeks ago and the weather was perfect and so was the entire trail! Totally lucked out! Wishing you happy miles brother!

Yeah - that was a serendipitous trip. We originally rented a canal boat for the week but UK canals closed the canal we planned to navigate, and this bike tour was a better option than just sitting in a canal boat in port for a week doing nothing :-) Turned out to be one of the highlights of our two weeks in the UK.

It's a good network of trails. You'll have good sights either way, but I think I would rather end in Cleveland.

You made my day - you totally got the SCTV Bob 'n' Doug MacKenzie reference. The Great White NORTH-ern most part of the tour. I'm still laughing at it, but then I am my own target audience.

GIT-R-DUN!!

That's a good guess - it might be. Maybe it's just a decorative piece. I really tried to think of it from a purpose-based approach and I couldn't come up with anything. Thanks for the thought because that may lead to others chiming in.

It was a hot trip for sure. My tailwind are somewhat unique because I was an early investor when they were starting out and they are different then today's production version. I don't have a top rack, and at the time, there was only the pannier and not lightweight vs non-lightweight. If I compare to today, I would say they certainly hold 22 liters, and each pannier empty weighs about 1.4 lbs. that's the bag, frame, attachments, etc. I've gone full circle with this system compared to a seabag, seat post rack with dry bag, and returned to the carrying capacity and simplicity of this system. So, yeah, unless I'm planning an FKT ride on a route (which is highly unlikely) the Tailfins will accompany me on my future trips.

Ha! Looks like Follow Thomas is going to Follow Paul for this trip 😂. Have fun on the trail- the network is really nice. If I had to choose an eatery along the entire trip I'd say stop into the Broken Ground coffee shop in Millersburg - great place and greater people. If you like Kolacheez, the Kolacheez coffee shop in Centerburg is a fun option, too. I did Cleveland to Cincinnati last year and posted that video separately. This part is the first 4 days of an 11-day trip and I'll post the next 2 and then 4.5 on the GAP in separate videos.

@@AdventuresWithPaul looking forward following your adventure more closely 👍

Hi! Good question, because 50% of us were :-). I took my 2017-era Nine RLT9 which is an "acoustic" bike (which is Paul-powered, fueled by cheeseburgers and French fries) and Kath was riding her Specialized Turbo Vado SL which is an eBike. I love it for the ability it gives her to be able to enjoy a tour without suffering.

@@AdventuresWithPaul I agree my wife will not be able or even enjoy riding long distances unless she has her ebike.

Ha! You caught me online mixing my recent video from Cincinatti to Washington DC (Look for part 1 in the next few days) that's why I'm responding so quickly. For gearing, I have a 30T chainring with an 11-42T cog in the rear. That gives me about a low of 19.8 gear inches. The only gear lower than that (and I MAY have used it at times :-D) is walking the bike up the hills.

@@AdventuresWithPaul Thx for the reply. My rule is that I have to walk….that means I’ve earned a beer or 2 at the end of the day. Will look forward to the next episode. I appreciate you sharing the experiences. 👍

You can do it! I stumbled into this network looking at google maps bicycle layer. I like trying to link bike trails together and make my own networked route. Just so happens many of these trails were already a network. Appreciate the complement on the video - I feel like I have all you along as I’m riding and gives me someone to talk with.

Agreed. This year, shot video walking in to show how dark it became so quickly. You look into the tunnel and see the light at the other end and think “that’s not too bad” not realizing it’s something like 3300’ through darkness. I plan to post this years trip on the C&O through the heat wave when I get home and download all the vid clips

Agreed on the beauty of the trail. There's a certain "zen-like" aspect of pedaling through miles of a tree tunnel sometimes. You get lost in the moment. Combining the GAP and C&O makes such a great time - I'm returning for a fourth through-ride this year.

No relation I know of. There have been several people who have made the connection between us Mulveys and asked about the connection. My local Firestone shop has me confused with another Scott Mulvey and I continually get service notifications for his 2015 Silverado :-)

Yeah - I also consider it interesting. There are history sites, beaches, an old-school village, and some good places to eat. Definitely different than places like Myrtle Beach or Daytona Beach.

You got that right!

You're too kind - glad you liked this one. It's a bit different than my long-tour video format, but shows off the unique charms that is St Simons Island

I think "pretty chill" sums up the ride. It gives you a good sense of the island, and trying to speed through it all means you miss what the trail is trying to give you - a unique experience. With the expansion of the bike path, I think the only road section was riding from the campground to the fishing pier, maybe .5 miles. St Simons tour video coming in the next few days :-)

@@AdventuresWithPaul I'll be looking forward to the St. Simons video. I've only ridden there once, so I'm sure I missed a lot.

Good to hear from you - I'm happy you came along on the ride! Cheers!

I was out there early May 2023 as well - maybe we passed on another! And yeah, that section on the road is completely exposed. It's a well-planned route but there's not a lot of refuge from the sun if it's really hot out.

Agreed. The monastery in Atlanta suburbs seems really out of place, but very cool. Maybe next trip I'll try to hit every trail in the park as a challenge - that would be a fun video. I wonder how much elevation that would be?

Thanks for the compliment! You CAN do this - starts with one pedal stroke and continues with a few more, and more, and more. While I chose a stealth/wild/unimproved campsite one night, you could choose hotels/motels/airbnb if you wanted. There's no one, correct way to tour - this was just my adventure and I'm glad you (virtually) joined me on the journey. I'm planning on documenting how to plan a tour so if that interests you, subscribe so you can see that aspect of tour planning. Cheers!

@@AdventuresWithPaul Thank you so much I'm from Pittsburgh appreciate the advice 🔥🔥🔥👑

My friend, go for it! Other cyclists will look out for you. I had the pleasure of meeting a young black gal on the C&O. Riding from state of Washington to Washington DC--- solo!,! You can do it.

It IS a lot of fun. I hadn't been there in a while so it was good to be back. And the location winding through the forests and granite monadnacks is really peaceful.

Appreciate the feedback. I hadn't posted one of my trips for a while so it was time to do a day trip. Stay tuned for adventures through the summer and fall!

@@AdventuresWithPaul Welcome to another biking season. 🚲🚲🚲🚲

Haha - I only had the GoPro. I'll have to order a SmellPro if I'm going to start that kind of channel :-)

just some buildings smoking BBQ next to a place called Taqueria July alongside Browns Mill Rd. I'll have to make a stop next time I roll past.

Sounds good!

Thanks. Let me know if you get a chance to get out and ride the trail.

It WAS a good ride. I'm going to return in June 2024 to ride from Cincinatti to Massillon, and then head East to Pittsburgh. Riding in the opposite direction will give me a different viewpoint on the trail. Plus, I'll get to see some of the sights south of Xenia which I rode in the dark last thru-ride.

Right on! I plan to ride from Cincinatti - Massillon in June, and then head east to Pittsburgh to ride to Washington DC. So if the dates coincide, I may see you this summer!

Yeah - we tend to think of old bikes as penny-farthings or something, and this rider over 100 years ago was riding something very similar with what we're riding today. Maybe time travel IS a reality? :-) Stay tuned to the channel - I have more adventures coming up this year, including a ride from Cincinatti to DC and Empire trail from BUF to ALB to NYC

haha - when I passed the corn I thought "now there's a proper use of the word 'bodacious' but I hadn't seen the use of that adjective since the 80's." Fun stuff to see on any bike tour, but the really good stuff ends up in the video.

I think it's going to depend on you and what you're comfortable with. My road bike is a 24-year-old Merlin and the largest tires I can put on that are 700x25. Would I do the GAP on that? Yes, if I were trying to do it in one day (which is something I may do). I did the GAP on a Nova Randonee with 700x28 and that worked OK - the C&O has rougher patches and I would probably want 700x30 for that. The packed dirt is doable on 28's or 30's (again, that's my opinion with my bike handling confidence) but larger sizes will make the ride more comfortable. On this last tour in the video I rode 38's for the entire ride and I was completely fine. Hope that gives you enough information to go on and stay in touch and let me know how the ride goes!

@AdventuresWithPaul Thank you for responding so soon, Paul. Much appreciated. I have a Fuji Roubaix, and I'm not sure of the tire size. The bike is in the shop for a chain replacement and tune-up. I'll be picking it up on Tuesday AM; I will know the tire size when I pick it up. I understand that overnight accommodations along the GAP are plentiful and not so much along the C&O. ¿Is this true? If so, I may just bike from Pittsburgh to Cumberland and then turn around for the return trip to the Steel City. ¿Have you ever biked Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park?

Yeah, C&O you have to do a bit more planning if you're not camping. If you hit Cumberland, then Hancock, then Brunswick, then DC, you're doing around 60 mile days. That could be doable or not for you - don't know. If you out-and-back the GAP, try to mix up the days, so on the way back you're staying in different towns than the way down. That way it will feel new to you. Cheers!

@AdventuresWithPaul Thank you for your time Paul. Have a great day. Dave