Laundry

I know, this should not be something that anyone worries about...but it when one is splattered with mud, it is good to know what is available. First, before you leave home, be sure to pick up some all-in-one laundry sheets. These are dryer sheets infused with detergent. Pack a few in a ziplock bag and they lie flat taking up little room in a pannier. But they aren't easy to find, not every grocery carries them and you need to look very high or very low on the shelf to spot them. (The ones I use are from Purex.) This will save $$ on the trail because not every laundry room even has a vending machine. In Williamsport, some folks had to buy (and then abandon) a whole bottle of detergent at a convenience store.

The nicest place we ever did laundry was at the Yough Plaza in Ohiopyle. It has FOUR of each machine, plus two nice folding tables, comfortable chairs to sit, and a nice selection of reading material while you wait. It was open from 9-9ish and anyone can use it, you don't have to be a hotel guest--it is on the side of the building facing the trail.

I didn't mind waiting to do laundry at the 1-offs that were available other places, because the people using the machines ahead of me were riding the trail the opposite direction and we could talk...but one night it did delay me getting to bed on time. So the Ohiopyle set-up was a pleasure.

Another thing we learned about laundry was that laundering can take the waterproofing out of garments. Our jackets said, "powdered detergents only," and that's all we used...but it still ruined the waterproofing of one of them. Instead, one should use a special "Techwash" product made just for waterproof clothing, available from a sporting goods shop. Also, there are products to restore the waterproofing, and we picked some up at the bike store in Cumberland.

I hiked the C+O in 2011 and did laundry in 3 places. First was a Laundromat in Hancock, up the hill in a shopping center. Second place was at the Red Roof Inn in Williamsport, they had coin operated machines. And the third was at the hotel in Cumberland, the one right by the trail. And I didn't carry any laundry soap, it was available in all 3 places.

Good to know about the laundramat in Hancock.

It was the Red Roof Inn in Williamsport in fall 2013 that did not have the soap dispenser and only had one each of washer and dryer. Had some great conversations waiting, but it definitely took all night.

My wife, son and I ride from Pittsburgh to DC every year. I usually bring 1 pair of casual shorts - I can wear them around town, biking in the evening, swimming, etc., and two sets of riding clothes i.e. jersey, shorts, socks. We do laundry every other night and have generally found detergent-dispensing vending machines in each Laundromat. There's a Laundromat in Hancock, Harper's Ferry, and we used the one in our Georgetown hotel (free! ya!).