Chicago to NYC – Day 17

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Start: Cumberland, Maryland
End: Hancock, Maryland
Mileage/cumulative: 60 / 866
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 128′ / 17,195′
Weather: Cloudy, 42º at start; cloudy, 59º at finish;Winds: none
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 5

This was the one day on the itinerary that the entire group worried about. With the Great Allegheny Passage in the rear view mirror, the route for Day 17 would begin with 48 miles on the C&O (Chesapeake & Ohio) Canal Towpath, a dirt and stone path that runs along the C&O Canal from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington D.C. The towpath was originally built for the mules to walk beside the canal as they “towed” the boats through the waterway. Though construction began in 1828, the canal wasn’t completed until 1850, several years after the B&O Railroad had already reached Cumberland. The canal couldn’t compete with rail in terms of speed or capacity, and so it was nearly obsolete from the time of its opening, although it was operational until floods irreparably damaged it in 1924. What was once an active transportation link between the coalfields of the Allegheny Mountains and the urban markets at the upper reaches of the Chesapeake Bay is now a rugged path used by cyclists and hikers.

The path itself looks just like it must have nearly 200 years ago except that all of that dirt has been compressed over those years. At best, we knew it would be bumpy with rocks, roots, and muddy in spots. Leading up to this day, everyone was concerned about their tires. Did we have the proper width? Sufficient tread? What’s the ideal tire pressure for the terrain? Should we have the local bike shop mount different tires on our bikes? 

There are no apps that tell riders about the condition of the towpath, so the only way to get information was the same as they did in the 1800s – we asked everyone who had ridden on the towpath in the prior few days. What tire size did you run? How did it feel? What would you recommend? How were the conditions in each section? We gathered information from riders and recommendations from the local bike shop. Finally, it was decided. We would all ride the towpath with the tires that had gotten us this far. It would be rough but doable.

As it turned out, our 28cm “slick” tires did okay and we got through it without mechanical problems, but it sure beat the heck out of us. We had lots of mud, holes full of water, rocks, and roots to navigate – it was like mountain biking for 48 miles but on much thinner tires and without the benefit of full suspension. Most of the path between Cumberland and Hancock consists of two narrow tracks (one for each direction), each less than a foot wide. For those considering riding the C&O, definitely go with wider tires! I should also mention that it was cold and it rained for most of the day, which only motivated us to go harder and get the day done.

One of the highlights of the path is the Paw Paw Tunnel. Although construction of the canal began in earnest in 1832, a significant obstacle came in the form of a difficult traverse at the Paw Paw Bend section of the Potomac River. After weighing options, it was decided in 1836 to build a one-mile tunnel. It was a major engineering feat that required 12 years to complete. The tunnel is almost exactly 6/10ths of a mile long and is constructed of almost 6 million bricks. 172 years later, the tunnel remains intact and passable. We turned on our front lights and headed into the pitch dark, careful to avoid falling 20 feet down into the canal.

Everyone in the group finished the day with no flat tires, no mechanical problems, and, most importantly, no injuries on the towpath. The sun finally broke through as we all sat at the hotel’s picnic tables, sharing stories about the day and drinking rye whiskey. Bev has decided that every ride should end that way.