Bikepacking and Time-Tested Advice on the C&O Towpath

Рет қаралды 10,181

Күн бұрын

I've spent the past 12 years bikepacking, bike touring, and developing self-guided bike touring itineraries. This video offers some practical advice about bikes, gear, food, and nutrition for the average bikepacker. Ride along with me on the C&O Canal Towpath between Cumberland and Shepherdstown.
00:12 Welcome
01:43 Biking out of Cumberland
02:49 Paw Paw Tunnel detour
03:49 Biking toward Hancock
04:45 Advice on bikes and gear
08:20 Morning Day 2
09:26 Biking the C&O
10:42 Williamsport, Md.
12:42 Shepherdstown, Wv.
13:27 Food and water tips
Visit www.nobleinventionbiketouring... to see where we offer tours and blueprints for your next bike adventure.
C&O Towpath video full trail: • How to Bike the C&O Ca...
My Gear:
Niner RLT 9 Alloy
Tailfin Alloy Rack with pannier mounts
Blackburn Outpost Cargo Cage
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2
Links
**************************
C&O BIKE TOUR BLUEPRINT:www.nobleinventionbiketouring...
FACEBOOK: / bikethegap
KZfaq: bit.ly/2iLVu6v

Пікірлер: 23

@NobleInventionBikeTouring Жыл бұрын

What practical advice would you offer and what are some of the best tips you've received?

@MrRay645 10 ай бұрын

My number one tip for bike trip is do not over pack, doing the the GAP and C&O I bet I have seen bikes/bag combos that must be at or close to 85lbs. Second tip is two parts, buy decent bags/racks and regardless of how good or bad they are have a plan to keep them functional if/when they fail (bring zip ties, a decent length of gorilla tape wrapped around your pump, extra straps) Third, If you run tubes and get a flat, feel around/look in the tire really really well BEFORE slapping in the new tube, often the thing that popped you is lodged in the tire and you will just get another in a mile or so.

@mikeandrews1899 24 күн бұрын

Nice music! 👍🙂🎶

@marlinweekley51 Жыл бұрын

Your videos are very informative. I watched your CO canal videos several time before running it in 2022 in 63 hours self supported capturing the FKT (fastest known time). Staying on the correct course getting into DC would have been impossible without your video showing the way. 😀👍🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️ an amazing adventure. Hint: know there is no access to water the final 20-25 miles. There is a drinking fountain at the old tavern at falls of the Potomac and that’s it. I was dehydrated when I got to MM0.

@NobleInventionBikeTouring Жыл бұрын

Glad our video to Mile Marker 0 helped. Sounds like an amazing effort!

@jasonmarple5724 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing

@foreststewart1968 Жыл бұрын

Great! Interesting to get a glimpse at the detour also, such as it is. I'm glad that you included it!

@FollowThomas Жыл бұрын

I'm gonna be riding C&O again in July looking forward. Thanks for the video👍

@FletchinAdventures Жыл бұрын

Very helpful video! Plan on doing the C&O in a month or so.

@johnsimms9015 Жыл бұрын

Great advice. I just did my first overnight bikepacking trip with my son. We rode the W&OD to DC and picked up the C&O. Stayed at Horsepen campsite and then rode into Harper's Ferry the next day. That was a learning experience. Mostly about what not to pack. I plan to ride the C&O, GAP and continue on to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland as my first real segment ride across the US. Thanks for your videos!

@NobleInventionBikeTouring Жыл бұрын

Have a fantastic time, those are all great trails to tour!

@mountainmojo5 2 ай бұрын

Find the bike and gear that you are comfortable with / Every ounce counts like backpacking. I agree with over packing food. There are so many towns and if you time it right you don't have to carry a ton of water, just time it to fill up before you camp for the night. If you are unfamiliar with any trail then do as much research as possible and lay out a plan to leave with family and friends.

@willarn1 Жыл бұрын

Awesome!

@kennyness8881 10 ай бұрын

Nice video. In addition to some kind of food, I carry a water filter…always.

@backyardrailroader 6 ай бұрын

Just started biking after 50 years. I have hiked a few times along the C&O Canal Trail and wished I could have gone further every time I hiked. Just looking to do sectionsof the C&O Canal Trail along with the Western Maryland Trail and the Great Alleghany Passage Trail.

@craigscott3133 4 ай бұрын

You're right: Don't count on anything being open as a source of food. water or lodging. I learned my lesson in France years ago, when on a couple Sundays I rolled into a town to find everything closed, streets deserted and nothing available.

@tomrodgers6629 Жыл бұрын

I have been bike packing for years and one tip I would suggest is to stay with a 3x system if you have one. I have been running a 1x7 it's low and slow. My 3x8 was way better.

@marlinweekley51 Жыл бұрын

I noticed you ride past lockhouse 49. I stayed in that house the first night for a few hours to sleep. Riders should know they can rent some of the old tow houses for the night. I think TH25 is also rentable. 49 had electricity but no water. TH25 may not have either.