Have you been thinking about doing that bike trail to Washington, D.C., but find the idea of riding 335 miles daunting?
My wife and I discovered it isn’t that bad when you do it by car. Not the trail itself, of course. Too many cyclists clogging the way.
We were backup for my daughter Jane and her husband Dien, who came from Boston for the big challenge last month. They asked if we’d drive along with their gear and meet them each night at a bed-and-breakfast.
Why not? It was an opportunity to hang out with them for a week and get in some miles here and there with our bikes. As a bonus, we got to see America off the beaten path, so to speak. (You should see Paw Paw, W.Va., at rush hour.) And the natural beauty, encounters with history and the B&Bs were memorable.
Our first stop was Meyersdale, Somerset County, and the Levi Deal Mansion, named for the coal and timber baron who had it built in 1900. After near demolition, the turreted, 15-room grand dame was magnificently restored as a B&B with high-quality amenities. Its third-floor ballroom was transformed into the owners’ spacious apartment, a dazzling model of one-level living with wonderful views in every direction.
Before driving off the next day, we biked across the nearby Salisbury Viaduct, an old railroad bridge 101 feet high. (Yes, there are sturdy railings.) Stretching a third of a mile over the Casselman River valley, the viaduct offers a glorious panorama of the farmland below and the gigantic wind turbines in the distance.
Cumberland, Md., was a surprise, with its dramatic hills. We met Jane and Dien at the must-stop Queen City Creamery, which offers sample ice cream cones with lunch, bless it. We then settled in at the Bruce House Inn (1840), perched on a steep hill with expansive views.
We walked the cobblestone streets before dinner, taking in other handsome examples of Victorian architecture, and hung out on the inn’s front steps while engaging friendly locals walking their dogs on a gorgeous summer evening.
At our next stop, Paw Paw, the cyclists had to endure a killer half-mile-long tunnel with no lights (what?), meaning it’s highly recommended you walk your bike through.
There was room at the inn there for only the cyclists, so the support team drove to Berkeley Springs, W.Va., for the night. Great move. While Jane and Dien were eating vegetarian lasagna in Paw Paw, we stumbled upon the deceptively named Lot 12 Public House and enjoyed gourmet dining on a lovely wraparound porch with a view.
On to Williamsport, Md., near Hagerstown. After doing a few miles on the trail, we drove into the country toward our next B&B. (I’d rather not mention that I got us hopelessly lost using my wing-it navigation system.)
Finally arriving at Elmwood Farms, we were greeted by an intimidating gang of 12 cats and our host, Selena. She and her husband have lovingly restored and updated the pre-Civil War family homestead, mostly with their own hands. A prized possession is a rifle left behind by Robert E. Lee’s troops after the battle at nearby Antietam.
After a sobering stop at Antietam, it was on to Harpers Ferry, rich in Civil War history and stunning vistas. It’s on both the Appalachian Trail and the bike trail. Good thing most visitors are in shape for the walk from the historic district to the Econo Lodge; as my wife noted, it’s the equivalent of climbing five Negley Hills in Squirrel Hill.
Unlike the crushed gravel part of the trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, known as the Great Allegheny Passage, the C&O towpath that meanders along the Potomac River can be muddy. It was, after all, built for mules towing canal barges.
So Jane and Dien arrived at Harpers Ferry with bikes encased in mud. Same thing on the last leg to D.C. They emerged a bit shell-shocked, but after showering, they said they would eagerly do the trail again. So would I.
My pal Michael Murphy of Munhall and his wife have the right idea. They’re doing the bike trail ... over several years. They do a 10-to-20-mile stretch, then return to the car and head home. Next time out, they pick up where they left off. They have about 100 miles to go. I think we’ll try that.
Peter Leo of Squirrel Hill, a former Post-Gazette columnist and occasional Portfolio contributor, can be reached at peterleo11@comcast.net.
First Published: August 9, 2015, 4:00 a.m.