Bridging the GAP

In the last five days, Connor and I have toured Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, completed The Great Allegheny Passage, crossed over the Eastern Continental Divide, set foot on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, and put our reservation in for a 10ft U-Haul box truck.

We were absolutely thrilled to arrive in Pittsburgh. Although we had enjoyed our time in the back country, walking around a larger city felt good on the soul. As we approached the city, we were greeted by mass crowds of people tailgating before a college football game in the stadium downtown. It was such a rush to bike through police escorted intersections and people running amok with excitement. With a Warmshowers host planned for the evening, we were thrilled to get settled and meet some locals. For those of you who aren't familiar with Warmshowers, it is a hospitality organization that allows hosts and bicycle tourists to connect for free accommodation, local insight and new friendship. After introductions with our host, Patrick, we grabbed an overdue shower and headed out for a tour of the historic Strip. Patrick treated us to a unique experience: a driving tour through town, an evening stop at a skyline viewing area, and homemade pizza on the grill. We planned on staying in Pittsburgh for one night before jumping on the Great Allegheny Passage, also known as the GAP, but upon a groovy breakfast experience at Pamela's Diner, we reconsidered and splurged on a hotel for the evening. After our decision to stay was finalized, we cozied into our room, took a shower and headed out for a date on the town. We walked through the Cultural District for hours admiring the architecture and life of the area with Starbucks in hand and Chipotle on the horizon. As our date night drew to a close, we walked happily back to our fantastically located hotel, did a couple necessary loads of laundry, played online, and hopped into our king size bed. Ahhh.

After a delicious continental breakfast, we said our goodbyes to Pittsburgh and set out for the famous Great Allegheny Passage. The passage runs 150 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cumberland, Maryland and is notorious for its rich history, quaint towns, indescribable beauty, and unfortunate lack of cell connection . Along the trail, we stayed two nights at free primitive camping sights: one at a cemetery and one under the comforts of an Adirondack Shelter.

For our final day on the Great Allegheny Passage, we pushed for 70 miles to reach Cumberland, Maryland, the terminus of the passage which also marks the beginning of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath. We peddled strongly through small towns and miles of gradual, winding uphill to be treated to breathtaking views of endless trees completely consumed by their fall colors. When we reached the highest elevation point on the entire trail, we crossed the Eastern Continental Divide at just under 2400ft above sea level. Following this incredible accomplishment, we rode merely two miles to reach the Mason-Dixon Line where I stood in two places at once for the first time in my life. What a wildly great moment. Overwhelmed by our recent achievements and experiences, we cycled like the wind for the next twenty miles to reach our final destination: Cumberland, Maryland. Cheers to a new state, a safe, two-night accommodation, and awesome memories!

Upon catching word through the grapevine, we learned of the Federal Government Shutdown. This information changed our plans as the second leg of trail to Washington, DC is now closed for the duration of the shutdown. Considering we have worked our way East before West specifically for a DC visit, this effects us in a pretty unfortunate way. Due to the shutdown, we are now unable to cross into the canal to finish the historic ride to Washington. Being our optimistic selves, we were convinced there was an alternative route into DC. As we researched for plan b, our enthusiasm was derailed by lack of legal cycling routes. The C&O Canal was literally our only option to bicycle from Cumberland to Washington. Mega bummer. We looked into hopping the Amtrak or Greyhound but were denied due to weight limit and luggage restrictions. After pondering every possible option, we have decided to rent a 10ft U-Haul box truck to transport our bikes and bodies to DC tomorrow afternoon. It's humorous how plans change, huh?