2010 BIKE: MARYLAND

MARYLAND
Boys & Girls Ages 12-17
5:1 Ratio
Week 6: 7/11-16
Sun-Fri
$895/week

About Bike CLS: If you live in this area, then you owe it to yourself to make a trip down the C&O Canal. We will be leading a 6 day self support adventure down the C&O canal from Cumberland to our base at Riley's Lock. Although the majority of activities will be biking, the C&O is a tremendous resource and we will be taking advantage of caving and tubing along the way! This week will go at the pace of the group and stop to explore whatever feature or hidden treasure that lies on the banks of the Potomac River. As we pass Civil War battlefields, engineering feats such as Paw Paw, trade routes, and the significant natural history that leant itself to one of Washington's greatest parks; campers will gain an appreciation to what is essentially our back yard.

About the C&O: "The Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal is one of the most intact and impressive survivals of the American canal- building era. The C&O Canal is unique in that it remains virtually unbroken and without substantial modification affecting its original character for its entire length of 185 miles.

2010 MARYLAND ITINERARY:

  • Sunday: Meet at Karen’s house at 10am. Bikes should be pre-checked and mounted w/ front (if possible) and rear panniers & packed w/ minimal personal gear one 1 side w/ room for group gear on the other side. We will take a Calleva bus to drop off in Cumberland MD at the Western MD visitor center mile marker 184.5.  We will ride only about 10 miles this first afternoon and stop around Spring Gap or Pigmans Ferry.  (10miles)
  • Monday: Today we’ll head thru the Paw Paw tunnel!  Our second night camp will be around Indigo Neck. (35-40 miles) 
  • Tuesday: We’ll pass an old cement industry ruins today.  We can check out where the limestone was mines if we hop up onto theWestern Maryland Rail trail for a 12 miles detour.  This takes us thru Hancock, MD and on to the French Indian Fort Frederick.  Our aim will be to make it to Jordan Junction or even beyond. (35-40 miles)
  • Wednesday: Williamsport is just above the Midpoint of the C&O and below mile marker 100—great little museum here for a quick morning visit. We’ll have to deal w/ a road detour at McManns Mill around miles 88-84—and possibly to the north as well.   We can opt to ride into Shepherdstown or over to Antietam National Battlefield—this would be an all afternoon adventure.  Get back on the trail for a late arrival at Huckleberry Hill above Harper’s Ferry by Lock 35- 36. (~40+ miles)
  • Thursday: Pack up and prep for a morning of tubing and playing in Harper’s Ferry!
    Get back on the trail and have a late afternoon break in Brunswick before heading south to Chisel Branch.      (~35 miles)
  • Friday: We’ll ride thru Calleva at Riley’s lock at mile marker 22.8 in time to greet campers arriving for morning counsel.  Head on down for our last day through Great Falls, Carderock and finally into Georgetown for a celebratory luncheon!  Parents can meet us in Georgetown or back at Riley’s Lock. (afternoon arrival- specific time to be given via cell phone call day of!)  (~30 miles)

    Note: If we are moving at a fast pace and it is the choice of the group, we can camp at Swains Lock campground at mile marker 16.6 on Day 4 and bike to mile marker 0.0 in Georgetown, turn around and head home to Riley's Lock finishing at Camp office for afternoon counsel or a later pickup by parents, Friday early evening at Riley's Lock.