The GAP and C&O- PLACES to STAY, and MANY sights to see!!!

Planning to ride the GAP and C&O trails from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C.?? THIS is the video to watch! Check out my amazing adventure with my dad, as we rode from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. in May of 2024. I mention all the fantastic places to stay in this video, so this will help your itinerary planning! We stop in West Newton, Ohiopyle, Myersdale, Old Town, Hancock, Williamsport, Brunswick, and we even stay in one of the old historic lock houses right along the towpath before riding through the National Mall and checking out the Lincoln Memorial, Reflecting Pool, World War II Memorial, Washington Monument, the south lawn of the White House, the Capital Building, all before ending up at Union Station! We are both riding our Surly Long Haul Truckers and are using Ortlieb panniers!

[@ulrichhuhnerwerfer109]

What a blessing it is to have a nice dad like yours and experience great tours together. You are so lucky! I wish both of you all the best.

[@aspenswanderings]

I’m definitely pretty lucky! Thank you!

[@keithschreppel479]

Hello, this is Keith, along with my wife Cathy. You were so kind to post the picture of the four of us! Yep. LOL. We made it to Pittsburgh and then back to Cumberland via Amtrak. I have your video on pause while I'm typing. The video is great and has me thinking of doing the entire trail next year. I sent the video link to about 7 of my friends and family! Take care...Keith

[@aspenswanderings]

Haha!!! I was waiting for your comment!! You guys really made my day! You should totally do the whole trail. A lot of people worry about the C&O being rough, but they have resurfaced a LOT of it and some of it is even smoother than the GAP. Hopefully they will have it all resurfaced in the next couple of years. Thanks again for watching and I loved meeting you and Cathy! I’m giving you a follow!!

[@loydwest4225]

I enjoyed your video! I rode the route "up hill" in June. I like the fact that you took it slowly and got to see so many things, and that you put much effort into this video.

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you!

[@hdtravel1]

That bike path is one of the best rides in America - on my bucket list

[@aspenswanderings]

I totally agree!!

[@Tangocita444]

We love you and especially we love your videos with your dad. ❤ Thank you for sharing.

[@aspenswanderings]

Awww thank you so much!!!

[@bicyclerider8218]

Thank you for sharing this magnificent video of your ride with your dad. I enjoyed living vicariously through your great videos.

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you so much for watching!!

[@user-wx7wg5cn1m]

Oh you two get along so well together and really did this trip together in such a nice way. The activities of biking are what makes my world go around- thanks for wonderful inspiration! Stay blessed you two! 🚴🏼‍♂️🌱🌿🧘🏼🙏

[@aspenswanderings]

Yes- I love biking! Thank you so much for watching!

[@timothysmith6389]

Those ramps detour the WMRT around a tunnel that is closed to the public.

[@justincapek1132]

Great video, once again! So cool that you get to ride and make memories with your father. Priceless. Thanks for sharing!

[@aspenswanderings]

Definitely priceless! Thanks for watching!! :)

[@brianferguson6278]

So Nice to see you and your Father out for another Cycling Adventure! I do not know how your Dad was able to ride without a Helmet, I feel naked without mine,. With over five decades and tens of thousands of miles of cycling touring under my butt, I can say the three times I have fallen I was traveling about three miles per hour and loose sand and wet clay allowed my front wheel to slip out. Each time I saw stars after my head hit the hard ground and was glad I had the Helmet on.

[@aspenswanderings]

Yeah- he is pretty stubborn about it. I’m glad you are ok after your three falls. I always try to wear mine, but sometimes on rail trails I might take it off for a bit, even though I need to wear it 100% of the time. Thank you for watching!!!

[@SandyLabradoru812]

I would be more concerned with being struck by a driver on a damn cell phone, while daily riding. I’m old school, ridden C&O and AP. many times. A helmet is okay, if so inclined. However, it’s really just more indoctrination from the nanny state that we have become.

[@PauloMendes-y2s]

Great! Nice video & images & humor! Thanks.

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you!!

[@wanderbybike]

More great memories with your dad! I have so many great memories of the C&O and GAP trails. Two of my favs! We’re taking the van on its maiden voyage next Wednesday back to Pennsylvania, my home state! (I’ll have 2 bikes with me😊) We’ll bounce around for about a month before returning to CO. Thanks for sharing your journey!

[@aspenswanderings]

So exciting about your van!!! I can’t wait to see more pictures of it!!

[@JPBVideo]

"We made it to the Super 8 in Hancock" Yes, that too was about the best thing we could say about the Super 8 in Hancock when we stayed there last week.😂 We did love the Bright Morning in West Newton and Market Inn in Ohiopyle. We just finished up our ride Sunday and I can't wait to go again.

[@aspenswanderings]

Hahaha!! Yeeeeah.🤣🤣 lots of good places to stay, a few not-so-good. I will say, I’d stay in that Super 8 10x over staying another night in the Donges Drive In place…….😬😬hahaha!!

[@gee2874]

Great to see you both back 😊🇬🇧

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you for watching!! :)

[@rgill6893]

Can’t believe the geese were that nice to y’all! We got “attacked” at Big Slackwater in April😮. Nice video!

[@aspenswanderings]

Hahaha oh dear!!! I’m honestly surprised we didn’t get attacked, too!

[@princepage632]

awesome video! love your vids!! that was an awesome ride. please make more videos.

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you! Planning on more!! Thanks for always watching!!

[@coreyweitzel]

Congratulations!! I did both trails last year after a fail attempt the year before. They are so beautiful and very different. I can’t wait to do them again.

[@aspenswanderings]

They really are great. I’m already wanting to ride them again in the next couple of years!!

[@92sgreenlee]

Great video and pointers I'll take into consideration for my planned trip next summer. What is your handlebar bag??

[@aspenswanderings]

Glad to be able to help!! It’s by Ortlieb. I can’t remember the exact size, but it’s one of their smaller ones.

[@nemurenaitokyo]

Great video, thanks for taking the time to film, edit to share it :)

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you for watching!! :)

[@FollowThomas]

I rode the GAP trail last year and C&O this year again but want to ride GAP again so badly especially after watching your video. Thanks 😊

[@aspenswanderings]

I love the GAP! I started planning my next GAP ride while I was riding it! Haha!

[@FollowThomas]

@@aspenswanderings Sounds like me!! 👍

[@ethanpolicastro7419]

I love watching your videos, my mom and I did our first tour last year and we started on the GAP, at 2:13 the baseball field we actually took cover in the dugouts after a tornado warning and wind/rain was insane! So we stayed in that town, the hill going up into the town was insane and my poor mother way crying the entire way 😂. Then the next morning we had one of the best Omelettes we’ve ever had (perogi omelette, mashed potato/cheddar cheese inside, with kielbasa on the side).

[@aspenswanderings]

Oh my!!! What an experience that would be! That’s crazy! I’m laughing about your mom crying going up the hill hahahaha. It’s a bad hill. lol! Nothing like a good breakfast while on a bike trip!! Thanks so much for always watching!!

[@HikingWithShawn]

That looks super fun! The biggest city I've ever rode in is Paducah, Kentucky LOL Great video - always enjoy your content!

[@aspenswanderings]

Hahaha Paducah totally counts!!!

[@RandyMiller-oo5tq]

Thank you for another great video!!

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you!! :)

[@brianloughnane781]

Very good video. You are talented. My wife and I are going to bike the GAP up by Rockwood this weekend. 👍

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you!! Enjoy your ride! Fantastic trail system!!

[@wvmontani]

Those ramps on the Western Maryland Rail Trail are to bypass a tunnel that is closed to the public.

[@aspenswanderings]

Yeah- I saw that tunnel! I wonder why they didn’t use the tunnel- maybe too much $ to fix?

[@wvmontani]

@@aspenswanderings It's called the Indigo Tunnel. Supposedly several colonies of endangered bats live in the tunnel so it's closed to protect them. I took a ride on the Western Maryland Rail Trail back in April. Here's the video. I have a section where I talk about the tunnel. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXW6ep2Hfa2Gb68

[@DanaSpencerFLA]

Awesome ride. I envy you your youth and ability and desire to just GO. I can’t understand why you have only 27 followers. Maybe you need to take some more adventures. Best wishes to you in your future endeavors. I pray you share them with us. 😊

[@aspenswanderings]

Haha I’ve got 3,000 subscribers, so it’s climbing. Not a lot, but I’ll take it! Be sure to check out my other videos if you haven’t already! Thanks so much for your kind comment and for watching!! :)

[@frankrounding9905]

Very nice video of that trail, and nice voice and accent.

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you!! :)

[@mikeclassing5263]

This was so cool thanks for taking us along it brought back memories of basiclly growing up in Brunswick at the campground about every weekend , as a kid I rode many a miles in that hilly town on my bike . I would so love to be able to take a trip like this I have two bikes , a Giant Sedona and a Giant Cypress , the Sedona has 26x2.1 tires so it would be my bike of choice the Cypress has 700c tires . I tow my dog behind the Sedona in his little pet trailer so finding places that alow pets overnight would be my issue and I would be doing it by myself so that wouldnt be as much fun either , anyhow thanks again this was so enjoyable .

[@aspenswanderings]

Oh, I bet that would be a fun trip with your dog! I’d love to take mine. Several of the places allow dogs, but you could definitely camp with your dog. That Brunswick campground looked nice! And holy smokes- Brunswick is soooo hilly! Haha!!

[@JONO5K1]

Really nice video 😊

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you for watching!!!

[@drummergirl9481]

Where are you from originally? Love your accent! We’re from NC and have a pretty Southern accent too. Our trails here are much shorter. 😢 NC really needs to get up to speed for bike lanes and trails. We do have mountain bike trails but long trails and greenways are almost non existent. Most are about three miles long.

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you!! I am from KY. :) KY is the same, as far as bike infrastructure. It’s basically nonexistent. We have some local mountain bike trails, but I get tired of riding the same ones all the time. We surprisingly have a few bike paths within an hour or so of where I live- two are relatively short and one is 50 miles, so it’s definitely better than some places, but I get tired of riding the same things all the time.

[@olioliver9396]

Thank you very much for this great video and the interesting and wonderful impressions you saw and experienced on your tour. The landscape looks really fantastic. You must have enjoyed every kilometer of your tour. Bikepacking is a great thing, because you get to experience and see so much that you wouldn't otherwise see. RAGBRAI would be a great tour for you and your father. I'm sure there are lots of interesting and entertaining videos. I would also like to do a bike tour in the USA one day. Otherwise, I can recommend our continent of Europe. There are many wonderful cycle tours here. My favorite would be KATTEGATTLEDEN in Sweden Thank you very much and best wishes from Switzerland

[@aspenswanderings]

Thank you so much! RAGBRAI is definitely on my list! If you do a USA tour, I highly recommend the TransAmerica route and the Pacific Coast route- they are fantastic!! Bike touring in Europe seems a little out of my comfort zone, as I’ve only been once, and it was about 17 years ago, but I think it would be amazing!

[@nickl.1930]

Hi! My wife and I really enjoy your videos. I’ve always wondered what the inside of a gate house looks like. That was special. Question: i noticed you and your dad use 2 different types of mirrors. We want to try them out. Would you share what brands they are. I’m guessing yours are quite sturdy….which would be one of my goals too. THANK YOU.

[@Titus1nine]

I loved doing those trails! I hope you didn't miss the Great Falls in MD. There's a short path off the trail. It was my favorite part. I have some clips of the falls in my C&O video.

[@aspenswanderings]

They’re pretty great! We actually did miss Great Falls. There was a severe thunderstorm headed our way so we had to skedaddle…but we saw it last time we rode it a few years ago! I’ll have to check out your video!! Thanks for watching!

[@belarusian8380]

Superb video! Did the same(but DC to PIT) in May 2017….the week before Memorial Day weekend is an excellent time to ride it.

[@aspenswanderings]

Yes!! I think it might be the perfect time. Last time we rode in July and it was miserably hot. I bet mid to late October would be great too!

[@Peter-rp3zs]

Nice! Do you know if D.C. to Pittsburg on the trail is very slightly uphill? Or do the elevation changes east to west versus west to east even out, to make riding either way about equal? Just curious. I rode Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta trail a few years ago, both ways, over one weekend, and was surprised to note how the gradual elevation increase one of the ways almost did me in after already riding for 25 or 30 miles before I hit the trail.....

[@birdunyabisiklet3312]

👍

[@JeffRevell]

Congrats on finding the zero mile marker for the C&O. It can be pretty tricky to locate and it would be nice if there was signage from the traditional path along the canal to the marker. I live in Northern VA so this spot usually signifies the end of the ride for me. I have never done the credit card tour along this route as I just really prefer to camp whenever possible. I also haven't been back to the trail since they re-opened the Pawpaw tunnel. I had to hike-a-bike over the mountain detour on my last trip, which was zero fun with a fully loaded bike. The ride down the backside was pretty fun though. I look forward to watching you next adventure.

[@aspenswanderings]

Yes- that Paw Paw detour was what kept me from riding it again over them past few years. This was actually my first credit card tour! Honestly, I’ve always kind of turned up my nose to it, but it was actually really fun and I didn’t feel like it was any less of an “adventure”. Definitely more expensive, though. Dad had heart surgery in October, so we decided to take it easy on this trip. Thanks for watching!!!!

[@thomasstackhouse8778]

Well done. My wife and I rode from Pittsburgh to Cumberland last May. Did the fire siren still wail at night in West Newton?

[@aspenswanderings]

Haha, it actually didn’t, but there was a sign in the room warning us that it might and to not be alarmed. Haha!!

[@dealingwithmygrief344]

Quick question... what bikes are you guys riding? Thanks for the videos!

[@aspenswanderings]

We are both on Surly Long Haul Truckers!

[@chrislang7146]

There’s a walking/bike path that goes up to the hotel in Brunswick.

[@aspenswanderings]

Haha oh, I’m sure there was. I’m so done with Google Maps! LOL

[@bffaris]

You rode West to East. After your ride, which direction to you think is best to ride. I am planning this ride this fall and wasn’t sure I would want to end in DC. Thanks for the video.

[@aspenswanderings]

I definitely prefer west to east. I really enjoyed the 20 miles or so of downhill into Cumberland compared to riding it in the opposite direction. I honestly found ending in D.C. easier than finding my way around Pittsburgh. The trail isn’t signed very well when you get closer to Pittsburgh when heading east to west. And the C&O rolls really well riding west to east, as you’re losing elevation. It’s very slight, but makes a big difference.

[@bffaris]

Thank you for that information, it makes sense. I think I will follow your recommendation.

[@Muggs828]

Hello, love your videos. I am building my first touring bike using a Surly Disc Trucker frame. Could you please tell me what handlebars your father is using? They are exactly what I am looking for.

[@aspenswanderings]

Sure! They are the Surly Moloko handlebars, and Surly makes a little handlebar bag that fits them!

[@Muggs828]

@@aspenswanderings Thanks so much. I will def look into them!

[@bolleolympus]

👍👍❤❤👌👌🌹🌹

[@aspenswanderings]

Thanks!!!

[@bolleolympus]

@@aspenswanderings 🌹🌹❤❤🌹🌹

[@JohnGoing]

What bike is your father using and is he happy with it?;

[@aspenswanderings]

He is riding a Surly Long Haul Trucker. It’s the same as mine, but with the Surly Moloko flat handlebars. He loves it!

[@princepage632]

hey, ya'll be staying in comfort!! we call that credit card touring. When i do it, i'll be camping every night. hard coring it!!

[@aspenswanderings]

Haha yes! This was my first time crediting card touring! My dad had a quadruple bypass in October, so this was our first trip since then and decided to take it easy. I was worried it would feel like less of an “adventure” but it was really fun and I stayed clean! Haha!!

[@dealingwithmygrief344]

@@aspenswanderings Gives me inspiration... I had double bypass 2 yearsa ago and bought a bike as part of my rehab... looking to do some long rides soon.