C&O Canal Towpath

Seven OEBC members, and one person who rides with us occasionally, joined a large group of cyclists on the C&O Canal Towpath for a six day Fall tour of the Potomac River valley. The tour group is called Bike & the Like. They are based in Maryland and lead tours in many places.

We met the group in Potomac, Maryland, at the Great Falls Tavern State Park, to load bikes and luggage for the drive to Deal, PA. You may have trouble finding Deal on the map, but it’s next to the Great Allegheny Passage Rail Trail near the Eastern Continental Divide.

The first day we coasted downhill from Deal to Cumberland, Maryland. Yes, downhill! It’s 24 miles of downhill cycling on crushed gravel to the beginning of the C&O Canal. We stopped for lunch at Frostburg, Maryland, an old coal mining town that is perched on the side of a steep cliff above the trail. The ride up the switchbacks to the town was easier than finding the trail, as several OEBC members flew past the cutoff and had to pump uphill several miles to correct their error.

The second day was 43 miles on the towpath. When the Canal ceased operation, in the 1920’s, a scenic highway was proposed for the right of way. The canal would be filled and a Blue Ridge Parkway style road was planned. The canal towpath was saved by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas. Today it has 184 miles of nearly level unpaved surface for biking and hiking.

Day two ended at Little Orleans, Maryland, at an old hotel B&B atop Town Hill. The hotel is eight miles up a steep highway from the towpath exit at a quaint bar/store called Bill’s. Bill’s is the only business in Little Orleans, but it was a welcome sight. The ride up to the hotel was optional, but OEBC members, Julia Tingle, Ben Reese and Pat Thomaier made it almost all the way. None of the rest tried. The grade ranges from 7% at the bottom, plateaus for a couple of miles, then reaches up to 12% near the top.

Day three began with the biggest/best breakfast many of us had ever enjoyed. A recipe book made the trip back to NC, so ask about the unique French toast and the Alabama Tomato Pie. After breakfast we faced the downhill ride to the towpath (preceded by downhill cycling instructions from tour leader Suzie). At the end you knew whether your brakes were working! The rest of the ride on the towpath took us to Hancock, Maryland. The afternoon was spent in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia for the joys of massages and mineral baths.

Day four was an easy ride to Williamsport, Maryland with a stop at Fort Frederick State Park to visit the French & Indian War era fort built to protect the frontier settlers. We were treated to a very informative presentation by two guides dressed in period costumes. One demonstrated how a musket was loaded and fired.

Day five was off the towpath for most of the day. The route took us on country roads through beautiful rolling farm land to the the Antietam Battlefield. After touring the battlefield we cycled across the river to Sheperdstown, West Virginia for lunch at the Sweet Tooth Bakery (a big hit with our group!). The day ended at Harpers Ferry and a 3/4 mile uphill to the the hotel. Most of us pushed our bikes up the hill before riding the last mile.

The last day to Great Falls Tavern was all on the towpath (after you rode down the hill!) for 43 miles. We had stops at a 438 long aqueduct across the Monocacy River that was built in 1830 and the last remaining ferry across the Potomac.

This trip was fun and more challenging for some of us than we expected. The towpath is flat, but the surface makes cycling much more difficult than our Pamlico County roads. Add to that the “off path” hills and it was a real workout. The food was good and plentiful, but not the highlight of the trip (except for the breakfast at Town Hill). But most of all, we had fun and enjoyed a beautiful week of Fall weather on our bikes.

Notes from the Sag Wagon, by Pat Thomaier

A team of 15 brave souls, aged ten to “too old to be doing this” set out at 9 AM, Oriental time, on Oct 23 for the third annual OEBC multi-day ride, “Round the Sound”. Organizers Mary Ann Parham and Doug Sligh developed a tour plan that spared riders the grueling 98 mile Belhaven-Manteo stretch, and built in a day off in Ocracoke. So far, so good…

Day #1 – Wednesday

How could the wind shift against us at every turn? Even the best riders battled to maintain 13mph today, and lesser mortals hoped to break into double figures. Bread slices took flight as the SAG team battled to weigh them down with peanut butter. Up to the Aurora ferry, on to Belhaven: forty-two miles seemed like fifty-two – actually, for John Messer, who missed a turn, it WAS fifty-two. Finally, the whole group converged on the River Forest Inn, the grand dame of Belhaven. A faded beauty, the inn is more cherished now for her eccentricities than her beauty (or hot water). But evening and dinner at “Wine ‘n Words”, with plenty of both, put the riders back in good spirits and ready for Day #2.

Day #2. – Thursday

The dawn patrol, comprising seven speedsters, set out for a 30 mile ride to make the 9:30 Swan Quarter ferry. The train of yellow jackets (not those kind, Doug) took advantage of relatively calm air and arrived well ahead of schedule. More sensible folks caught a SAG ride for the first ten or so miles. Boarding the ferry, the OEBC commandeered the upper salon, feasting on pb&j, smoked salmon and assorted treats, carbo-loading for the one mile stretch to the Pony Island Motel.

Once on the island, R&R was the rule, with riders meandering through town, relaxing on the porch, or in a few cases, napping until dinner at Howard’s Pub. These “bikers” weren’t what the waitresses were expecting, but Cynthia regained some street cred for us. When a waitress placed a bottle of wine in front of her and asked, “How many glasses?” she replied, “ONE!” It was that kind of ride, so far.

Day #3

Yet another case of mistaken identity: the early rising fisherman saw Russ in lycra shorts and a yellow mesh vest: “Going golfing?” Russ, having won a “best legs” contest in college, was unfazed. Later that day, Diane had son Tristan buy a purse (one coupon per customer and Diane, having multiple coupons, was not about to pass up the bargain for lack of another ‘customer’)… not a good day for the men of clan Stewart!

Although it was windy, the day was pleasant, with many folks riding up to the Hatteras ferry and being blown back – nice to see 17+mph on your odometer. Two hard core riders decided to do a couples century: Tom and Cynthia each rode to the Hatteras Lighthouse and back, a 50 mile round trip. Showoffs!

Day #4 Saturday

As we rode back on the ferry, we watched the sky get darker. Could it really get any windier than it had been so far? Yes, it could, and wetter, too. This was the Alpe d’Huez of the trip, a test of mettle for each rider. Wind pushed bikes sideways, rain fell in faces, but the now deranged riders continued, taking a lift from the SAGs only under duress. A timely correction from Lesley kept John Messer from once again sneaking in more mileage. One team, not the slowest, clocked 4 1/2 hours for the 38 mile trip to the Carteret County Home B&B in Beaufort. Lesley and Donna pedaled from ferry to hotel on town bikes, a feat worthy of special mention. And note that they were smiling the whole way! Diane’s bike was probably the only one not being blown sideways- but how she pushed that tank forward we’ll never know. At the hotel, veteran cyclist Enrique pronounced this day one of his top ten all time worst rides. The only disagreement would have been from other riders who were convinced it was their absolute worst ride ever—and they would never try to top it! SAGs Ron and Pat were by now grateful to have a job to do that provided an excellent excuse to stay dry. Cozy lodging and hot showers were a welcome relief. Everybody ate well at Clawson‘s that night.

Day #5 Sunday

Sunshine! With breakfast delivered to our rooms, it was a slow start to the last day. (Once again, Lesley had to provide a gentle correction to a certain rider who ‘took a wrong turn’ into her room). We gave the B&B dogs a farewell belly rub, and set out for home. A perfect riding day! Newly energized, the group moved along smartly, and Donna, with David coaching (you can go faster, you can go faster) likely had a personal best time to catch the group so that we could take an earlier than planned ferry. PS, Donna was NOT smiling when she arrived.

For the most part, wind and rain were a memory, and happy riders made their way over Mt. Oriental, back to the house with the yellow shutters on Mildred.

Conclusion

What a great trip!! For those of us who had only spent a few hours riding with the group in Oriental, it was a chance to spend time with new friends. As after many journeys, life changing decisions were made: Lesley and Cynthia vowed that road bikes were in their futures. This was Kathryn and Enrique’s last ride before leaving on their grande voyage We had Doug and Mary Ann back, who had missed last years trip while cruising. Cynthia and Tom, newly arrived from Greece, saw the wonders of Eastern NC – if not exactly the Acropolis, at least the charms of Ocracoke. David and Donna came up from Lake Waccamaw and we can only hope they’ll spend more time with us in Oriental (Donna might just be thinking of a new bike too). And the Russ, Diane and Tristan brought the average age of the group down considerably – nice to see folks maintaining that much energy while the rest of us were wearing out. SAGs Ron and Pat didn’t even try to pretend to miss riding and were happy to stay dry and warm, and even happier that there were no true emergencies.

If you’re reading this and wondering about taking a bike trip, consider this: last year it was very hot, this year is was cold and windy…the 2009 trip should be just perfect!

For those who missed the OEBC Century this past Sunday, you missed a great ride through the beautiful NC countryside. The weather was absolutely perfect with just the right amount of sun and clouds. The wind kept us guessing but as expected was usually in our faces.


A HUGE thank you to the very special SAG Sisters for keeping us PB&J’d , banana’d and watered throughout the ride. We could not have completed the ride without them. The SAG Sisters were Chief Organizer Mary Ann, the very appreciated and omnipresent Tonya and photographers extraordinaire Cynthia and Barbara.

John is currently sorting through more than 200 photos, ah… digital is a wonderful thing. They will be posted in the near future.

The OEBC crew showed up in full force for the Croaker Festival Parade on July 5th. The theme was A Patriotic Croaker and the club was wearing the right colors!

The Oriental Express Bike Club was thrilled to share our part of the world with over 700 cyclists. It was an opportunity for many to learn what we already know – that this a great place to ride and reside!


The club suggested routes, organized a roadside clean up, and hosted a famous Tennessee Ronnie Pig Pickin. A cast of thousands (maybe less) did all the rest and did it well. Some of us were able to ride each day and enjoy seeing all that spandex on the roads we frequent.



As a portent of good weather to come, the sun finally broke out a few hours before registration opened on Thursday, a serious band of thunderstorms passed just inland of Oriental on Saturday and Sunday’s early morning showers quickly dissipated. The wind was an issue on Saturday’s rides, but around here we refer to headwinds as “the Hills of Pamlico County.”

In addition to great rides, cyclists were able to enjoy a friendly town, waterfront campsites, and numerous other activities. Based on the number of smiles observed, it appeared it was a successful weekend.



If you want to read another person’s opinion of cycling in Pamlico, check this out. And, here is the Cycle North Carolina website report.


This is part of the OEBC crew at the rest stop in Hobuken.