This posting is a day delayed: I authored the post on our train ride home, but the Jetpack app hung and I lost my work.
Knowing we had a longer day and a train to catch, we got moving at first light and began our journey by headlight at around 6:30. We decided that we wanted to arrive at the National Mall as early as possible for two reasons: first, I’d we had any mechanical issues we would have some buffer time, and second because we wanted to do a little touring of the monuments before leaving.
The weather was nearly epic. We started out in the mid 60s and had no rain. Blue skies kept us company all the way to the end. The only tiny subtraction of epic points was that the sun did get rather hot by the end of the day.
I have biked the C&O three times before this trip. On my previous rides, the surface has been quite bumpy and muddy. The towpath was mostly just two tracks of dirt with a strip of grass between, and puddles… lots of puddles. I was happy to see that large portions of the path are now a groomed surface similar to the GAP. We had a few more miles of the improved surface as we left Brunswick today.
During our previous days, JB would stop and read nearly every historical sign. Knowing we wanted to arrive in DC quickly, we only took 2 longer breaks and skipped most of the signs.
Our first break came at just about 1/3 of our total distance of 20 miles. We stopped at White’s Ferry for a snack break and a short rest. There is a small deli at the ferry dock, but it wasn’t open yet. I’m always taken by the flood markings on this building.
The ferry is supposed to carry cars (and bikes) across to Leesburg, Virginia as it has done for many years. Due to some dispute between the owner of the ferry and the Virginia side, the ferry has no longer been operating. This cuts off one of the only ways to get back and forth across the Potomac for many miles. It effectively eliminates the possibility of a cyclist being able to overnight in Leesburg as I did on a previous trip.
Continuing eastward, we made quick time as the miles counted down. There are mileposts on the C&O that count down to zero when you reach DC. We started making note of them to pace off our remaining distance.
Our second long stop of the day was at the Great Falls overlook, conveniently located about 2/3 of our distance. The Potomac changes from a calm looking river to a massive set of falls in this area. We parked our bikes and walked out the boardwalk to take a look. I haven’t walked all the way to the main falls before and, wow, just wow! It is not only powerful, but very beautiful.
The end was now only about 20 miles away, a relatively short ride. We didn’t stop too many more times along the way, passing more locks and lock houses, birds and bird watchers, deer, and turtles.
I took us onto the Capital Crescent path for the last 3-4 miles. It parallels the C&O but does not end in Georgetown. Instead, we went to the mile 0 marker by meandering along the Potomac and going through the Thompson Boat Center parking lot. (Hint: If you want to find mile 0, you have to go to the boat center and go around the east side of the building!)
After a few snapshots at mile 0, we made our way to the National Mall on the Rock Creek trail, passing the Watergate Hotel, the Kennedy Center, and then arriving at the Lincoln Memorial. We arrive with plenty of time to spare, so after a brief stop we went in search of food. Some local food trucks were up by the Washington Monument, so we stopped there.
After lunch, we made a big loop. First was the Vietnam War memorial, then the Korean War memorial, the World War II memorial, and finishing off with a lap around the Washington Monument. We cruised up the south side of the mall and past Capitol Hill before making our way to Union Station. Stopping at these memorials was more emotional than I expected. I especially recalled my uncle Bill who served in Korea and my Grandpap who served in WW II. Neither died in service, but I felt especially close to both of them as I went to these memorials.
We took turns going into the men’s room to change into our travel clothes before boarding our train. The last time I traveled this route by train, the baggage car for bikes was “walk on” level. This time, we had to hand our bikes up to a luggage carrier who put the bikes into the car for us. Not quite as easy, but not a big deal.
The ride back to Pittsburgh was largely easy and uneventful. Before the sun went down, we were able to see many of the same miles we had just rode on our bikes, often overlooking the trail just a few feet away. It served as a nice recap of the trip.
As I boarded the train, the young man sitting next to me was a refugee from the Middle East. He was on his way to Texas to live with a friend until he could find work. I can’t imagine the stress of moving to a new country, with minimal understanding of the language, and starting anew. He asked me many questions, just trying to understand this new country he’d moved to.
Upon arrival in Pittsburgh, we collected our things and bikes, and rode back to the parking lot to retrieve the car. We stayed at a hotel about 30 minutes south of the city to get a more affordable choice.
I arrived home today in the afternoon and was happy to be greeted by my daughter. I’ve already unpacked, washed my clothes, washed my bike, and put away all of my touring gear. The tour is over and it is time to get back to work!
Day 7 Stats: 62 miles, 0 flats, 0 mechanical issues, and a beautiful day!
Overall Stats: 373.2 miles, 4 tubes, 1 tire, 1 shoe cleat
I hope all of you have enjoyed the virtual travel-along with us. Thanks for tracking along.
Peace,
— Dcn. Matt