Bicycling from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, DC

We’re back in the saddle again….Jordan and I are about to tackle another new challenge together.  Along with Mr. Right, we left yesterday from Pittsburgh, PA and are bicycling to Washington, DC on the Allegheny Trail and then the C & O Trail.  If have been around The 2 Seasons for a while, you might know that we are quite the bicycling family.  Jordan has pedaled across the USA three times, and I did it once.  I have also cycled in many countries on different continents, and she and I rode together in the Netherlands.  Our BIGGEST adventure together ever was a trip we took together from Spain (she actually left from the Eiffel Tower and met me in Spain) through Morocco, Western Sahara, and Mauritania through the Sahara dessert to Dakar, Senegal.  That one almost did me in.  There was no Mr. Right along with us to keep us safe.  This will be the fourth year in a row Mr. Right and I have done this six-day trip to DC, and we decided to invite Jordan to join us.

 

We will average 60 miles a day for six days and stay at bed and breakfasts along the trail each night except one when we will be in a hotel.

 

This was the site as we were riding out of Pittsburgh yesterday.  For the first three days we will be on what is known as the Allegheny Trail.  This was once a railroad track but has been converted into a bicycle trail that goes from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD.

 

We will do a lot of cycling along a river in a beautiful wooded area surrounded by mountains.

 

 

We will also see a lot of farm land.  For the entire trip, we will be carrying our overnight bags and be riding our hybrid bikes rather than our road bikes.  We need to have our bikes that are a little more rugged for the trail, which is packed with tiny gravel.  The trail is very remote, and we might pedal an entire day without seeing another person.  We will picnic in the woods on some of the days when there aren’t any restaurants nearby.

 

 

 

Once we get to Cumberland, MD tomorrow night, we will then switch to the C & O Canal Trail for the last three days.  This is the tow path that the mules once used to pull the boats along a small canal.  This photo shows one of the many locks we will pedal past.  The trail is just beautiful and very historic.  We will spend one night in Harpers Ferry, WV which you probably read about in your history books.

On Saturday we will arrive at the end of the trail in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC.  It is located in a very busy area that is centrally located.  We will be down-right exhausted because each day is kind of like an eight-hour long spinning class.  Since the trail is fairly flat, there is no way to rest our legs and coast along.  We have to keep pedaling to keep going.

We hope to check in periodically if we have computer access at night, but you can keep up with us by following us on Instagram.  We will let you know how we are doing.  Wish us luck!!!

 

Take care.