By Scott Offord
I have been cycling joyously since 1960. However, not until I proved to my father that I could ride by learning on Jackie Faulconer’s Schwinn that he bought me a slightly too large (he will grow into it) sturdy one speed that had been refurbished by a couple of college boys in their garage.
In 2023, I embarked upon a new to me adventure: Amtrak plus bicycle to ride two trails that intrigued me: The Allegheny GAP from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland, and the connecting Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal towpath from Cumberland to Washington, DC. I rode in late October and early November 2023 with hopes of seeing fall colors.
I have traveled by plane with bicycles domestically before, and the experiences have been less than satisfying. Amtrak caters to cyclists and the railroad stations are often in the historic part of town.
Forums recommend phoning for reservations as the Amtrak online service can be balky when adding a bicycle. I reserved a coach seat from Chicago to Pittsburgh with a live person who could confirm that there was room for my bicycle and me in both directions. The cost to add a bicycle to my trip was less than $25 in each direction.
I arrived at beautiful Union Station in Chicago after taking my bicycle and gear on a non-rush Metra commuter railroad from Woodstock Illinois (where the movie Groundhog Day was filmed in 1992) to the downtown Chicago Commuter station (Ogilvie Station).
I grabbed my loaded bike and walked it two blocks to Union Station. I checked in early at the passenger desk where I received a claim check to attach to the bicycle stem. I walked the bicycle through the station to the announced track and right up to the baggage car. I handed the bicycle to the trainman and walked back to board my car. In Pittsburgh I waited for a brief moment at the baggage car and claimed my steed: an aluminum hybrid Kona with front and rear racks that I purchased secondhand. I did not pack camping gear for this particular trip. I did find that I overpacked, and in the future will be more minimalist.
The Allegheny GAP trail is an easy few blocks in downtown Pittsburgh from the Amtrak station. The trail is well known and loved for its facilities and history. Built on an abandoned railroad line, the route is rural and relatively flat with a gradual rise to the continental divide before descending into Maryland.
At the terminus of the GAP trail in Cumberland, Maryland is the connection to the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The towpath of the canal can be ridden on wide tired bicycles (35-45 mm wide tires recommended) as the path is less well maintained for much of its length than the state parks maintained GAP trail.
The history of the area is rich, and many canal buildings and structures remain and have been restored. Some lock keeper’s residences can be rented for a taste of what life was like in the 1840s, no running water, baths or electricity.
I was fortunate that the fall weather was quite nice, with chilly nights. I was able to book B&B’s, motels near the trail, and in one case, my first experience with a hostel (at age 70!).
After a couple of experiences in the past where I booked a place early that made for too long a day I began waiting until midday to check the app on my phone for places to stay. Despite warnings on the forums, I had no trouble finding a place every night despite the fact that I was riding during peak color season. GPS on my phone along with paper maps to refer to were adequate. I do bring tools and used them a couple of times to fix assorted issues.
My final day on the C&O canal was the longest, and I ended up after dark in downtown DC. I encountered no sketchy situations, as a matter of fact, there were a number of international groups walking around the historic parts of DC as I passed.
One exception to my booking rooms daily was that I made certain I had a place within a reasonable bicycling distance of the Washington, DC Amtrak station. I found a very modern Euro concept hotel that was only 14 minutes away so I booked it for the last two nights.
I spent a very pleasant two days touring the sites of our nation’s capital, jumping on Amtrak for the 23 hour trip back to the Chicago Union Station. I arrived in Chicago at 7:30 AM and rode the Metra line back to Woodstock, Illinois.
Would I do anything differently? I had not ridden on Amtrak in several decades, and the standard passenger accommodations were more spacious and comfortable than any airline seat in my traveling experience. In the future, I might consider getting a sleeping berth in part to spare my fellow passengers the torture of listening to me snore. Amtrak does not allow passengers to bring their own alcohol onto the train but the dining car had a nice selection of wine, beer (including a Colorado IPA) and prepackaged meals that were quite tolerable and reasonably priced. I was able to find strong enough cellular signals to use my personal electronic device for most of the ride back. My train did not offer Wi-Fi although it is available on some Amtrak routes.
Will I do this again? Indeed, I plan another trip, possibly in the summer of 2024 to ride the Erie Canal trail from Buffalo to Albany. Both towns offer Amtrak service. I consider myself a practical bicyclist, riding my bicycle on as many trips as I can in my daily schedule. I do have a car and a pickup truck, but I am able to preserve them for necessary use and extend their life by doing so. I am retired now, and no longer feel the need to rush from one destination to another. Train travel serves my needs well. I am working hard to live in the moment, and I find that much of the pleasure is in the journey.