Riding the Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal (Part 4 of 7)

If you’ve ever wondered how far that bike path goes, last year, Cincinnati Cyclists Marty Sanders and Aaron Kent (AK) set out to cover 700 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal by bike.  Over the past few years, Marty has become a veteran of these rails to trails trips while Aaron, even though a long time cyclist, was new to the idea of a week-long self-supported adventure.  The story is presented in seven parts.

By Marty Sanders

(Read Part 1 Here) (Read Part 2 Here) (Read Part 3 Here)

Part 4 of Seven-Day 4 Harpers Ferry to Bethesda/D.C.

The alarm went off at 5am.  I laid for an hour before getting up.  The Econolodge breakfast was typical: biscuits and gravy, waffles, sausage and eggs.  I snuck some bagels and cream cheese in my bag for a late morning snack. 

By 9am we were back to that bridge and the steps.  At the bottom, a train screamed by and was swallowed up by the mountain.  As the the final car entered the Harper’s Ferry tunnel, the noise almost instantly disappeared.

The day was going to be a long one, 120 miles to D.C.  Like the days before, we continued using the markers as reference points to stop and refuel, every 15 or so.

About 45 miles in, we decided to break out the bagels. This was AK's first meal, as his stomach had been upset after eating Econo-sausage.  

The closer we got to D.C. the more picturesque the Potomac River grew, with large rocks and rapids.  The animal life was abundant, and we were literally surrounded by beauty.

Maybe it was the waffles.  It felt as if we were fueled on adrenalin all day.  We made it to the outskirts of D.C. in no time.  With 25 miles to go, we stopped for water at a campground.  While filling our bottles, a hiker strolled in.  He said he met a group touring that had shared their whiskey with him, then passed out during a rainstorm and got soaked through.  It showed in his water logged pack.  We wished him best and moved on.

I mentioned to AK that I wanted to stop at Great Falls along the way. I’d been to Great Falls many times as a teenager, but never on the Maryland side. As we got closer to the Falls, it brought back memories of climbing the rocks and going for hikes.  The area gets a lot of tourists as the locks were very well kept.  A few have been restored and were offering boat rides. The employees wear historic attire and use a large mule to pull the boat.  At Great Falls overlook, you can see the VA on the other side.  I smiled.  With abounding vistas, it was a great part of the trail to ride. 

5 miles from the White House, we rolled into Bethesda at about 4 p.m and stopped at a bridge crossing the trail.  AK made contact with his sister whom was going to put us up for the night.  We were trying to put together the last piece of the trail to connect to her neighborhood. This is where it got fun.  We should have just rolled down to marker 1 where the Capital Crescent Trail intersects the C&O (I did not know this at the time). AK and I both thought she lived off the C&O trail.

We asked a few people for directions.  Only a few miles from her home, but it didn’t seem simple.  We spoke to a young lady who said that the bridge behind us went up into Bethesda.  With a ridiculous slope, the bridge offered a plank to roll your bicycle up.  I struggled.  It was so archaic, but considering bridges I’ve ridden in the past with missing planks or lengthwise cracks, it could’ve been worse.

After the bridge, we hit a dirt trail cut into the hillside, with switchbacks. More hike-a -bike.  We asked a guy on the climb for directions who obviously wasn’t the right guy to ask for directions.  He said to follow this path to a spiral of concrete going up to a bridge that crossed George Washington Parkway, turn right at a road, ride to a stop sign and turn left, look for a gap in the trees and you should see the Capital Crescent trail below. 

Figures he was right.  Once on the Capital trail, we rolled into the heart of Bethesda. The place had grown a bit since I'd been there last.

We rolled into AK’s sister’s driveway. It was good timing as the family rolled up behind us.  This was my first time meeting his sister Rachael, Sean, her husband and his two nieces: Claire, and Ila. They also had a newborn Patrick.  Almost immediately I picked up on Uncle Aaron's very fitting nickname: Inappropriate Uncle Aaron.  Sean offered me a beer from his beer of the month club.  I said yes and he produced two bottles of beer that had little round skulls on it.  It was very tasty!

As I cleaned the bikes, Inappropriate Uncle Aaron had a soccer match going with his niece Claire.  I went to the fridge for a 2^nd beer and realized Sean had set out six beers, all different.  Fat Tire Amber would be next. As I closed the fridge, I began to read a set of House Rules they had hand written and all signed, sort of a Washington D.C. household constitution.  

At dinner, Sean and Rachael fixed little calzones. Each was filled with different things and had three different dipping sauces.  We helped clean up after dinner and went to bed.  We're halfway there.

(to be continued)

A Slow Leak -The J-Pow CX Clinic Syllabus

Jeremy Powers demonstrates CX Technique at Clinic

Walking through the pits at the Cincy3 CX Festival a few years ago, I caught a glimpse of Mark Legg, aka Mr. Katie F’n Compton, putting a teensy line of chain lube on the cleat contact points of Katie’s pedals.  I’ve added that to my pre-race ritual ever since.  It’s a good way to keep you clipping in the first time-every time.  According to the history of cantilever brakes stored in various plastic totes in my home workshop, I’ve been racing cyclocross for over ten years.  Averaging 15 races a year and $30 per race, I estimate I’ve spent a barf inducing $4000+ in entry fees acquiring tiny bits-o-genius from other riders.  I almost choked when clinic organizer Chris Mayhew emailed me the comprehensive syllabus for the Jeremy Powers Cyclocross clinic in Cincinnati on September 2nd.  Compared to wallowing through a decade and four grand’s worth of cyclocross trial and error, $160 for a full day of pro instruction is a bargain. 

Multiple Choice Question #1: The rider leading through this point in the race usually wins:

A: The line of the Port-a-Poddy.

B: The barriers.

C: Through the sand.

D: Coming out of the last corner.

Becoming a better cyclocrosser is more than doing intervals.  It’s more than learning skill and technique.  It’s more than becoming a better home mechanic.  It’s also about being smart on the bike.  You’ll learn all of that in this one clinic hosted by the reigning US National Cyclocross Champion Jeremy Powers, Fulcrum Coaching’s Dan Tille and Rusty Williford, and Chris Mayhew and Eric Lundgren of JBV Coaching. 

Click Here for Event Flyer/Website

Hup Hup and At ‘Em

The morning of the clinic starts with mechanical assistance.  If you get there a half hour early (and you should), you can inquire about bike set-up and fit.  Chris and Eric will be on hand to make mechanical adjustments and offer guidance on some little tweaks that may positively impact they way your bike performs.  Just over the weekend, I learned that by slightly moving my hoods outboard a millimeter or two, it can make the handlebars feel a bit wider allowing for better control over bumpy terrain.  Ask questions.  Put your bike next to J-Pow’s and look for differences in set up.  Are your hoods too low and/or saddle too high?

J-Pow Puts on a Barrier Clinic at Cincy3

9am Get Schooled By J-Pow

The clinic begins with a bit of classroom instruction where they’ll likely cover basic topics like “shifting-ahead,” a technique where you anticipate what gear you’ll need on the exit of an obstacle and shift into that gear before the obstacle.  I’d recommending bringing a pen and notebook along with your bike.  The rest of the morning will be spent in small groups split up by level of expertise on dismount and remount drills.  Beginner riders will learn the basic step off.  Intermediate and Advanced riders will cover the correct technique for the step around and the step through.  From there, riders will learn the proper suitcase and shoulder carry techniques and what situation to use each in. 

Multiple Choice Question #2: How do you route your arm when shouldering your bike?

A: Through the main triangle and under the down tube, ending with your hand on handle bar drop.

B: Through the main triangle and in front of the head tube, ending with hand on handle bar drop.

C: Whatever way keeps my fingers out of the spokes.

D: Depends on the size of the bike and type of brakes.

He's gotta use teeth whitener.

Lunch with J-Pow

At noon it’s a catered lunch with J-Pow.  It’ll be opportunity to cut loose and ask J-Pow candid questions. Do you use a teeth whitener?  How do you read your competition during a race?  When do you decide to bunny hop the barriers as opposed to running them?  Is Trebon too tall to even see around? 

The Whole Shot

The afternoon starts with a classroom discussion of tires, brakes and equipment where you’ll learn the best tires to use for the races you plan on doing.  I’m sure there’ll be a great discussion about tire pressure.  Another good reason to take notes.  At 1 p.m. you’ll hit the barriers, followed by practicing starts.  Mid afternoon, the attention turns to learning how to properly evaluate a cyclocross race course, off-camber riding, bike exchanges, pitting and mini races.  Lastly, the clinic ends with a round table question and answer period.

The Bell Lap

Take it from a guy who’s spent ten years racing but never won a cyclocross race.  Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or budding advanced rider…the $160 you spend on this clinic is worth a decade of racing experience.  Click here to register or for more information.

Quiz Answers:

#1: Based on my experience, the rider leading out of the last corner usually wins the race or the sprint of the group they are with.  Becoming that rider is something you can learn at the clinic. 

#2: How you route your arm depends on the size of the bike and whether your front brake will dig into your arm or not.  Some junior’s bikes and bodies are so small that one technique may lend itself better than the other.  For me, with the new mini-v brakes, I now route my arm under the down tube as opposed to in front of the head tube to avoid the abrasive metal of the cable-noodle from biting into my arm.