John W. from Pittsburgh, PA on 4/1/2016 7:51:33 PM:
Some of my favorite things are:
--When going PGH to DC, ending at Mile 0 in Georgetown and then heading over to the Reflecting Pool for some celebratory pictures. It's always buzzing with people so it has a great vibe to wrap up your trip and reflect on your accomplishment.
--Along the Youghiogheny River and hearing the the white water rafters howling with delight. I also like the sounds the trains make blowing their horns far off in the distance (but I hate them when I camped in Rockwood...the campground is right across the river from where the trains cross at grade and they have to lay on their horns all night by law. Horrible!).
--All of the small towns that you can stop in to grab supplies or a bite to eat. Shepherdstown took me by surprise at how nice it was.
--The "Chicken Coop" bunks in the back of C&O Bicycle shop in Hancock, MD. Caged in, open air sleeping accommodations with bunks and showers right along the C&O and Western Maryland Rail Trail. I always lock my bike up inside and head into town knowing everything is safe.
--Sheetz Made to Order! If stopping in a town with one of these, I usually grab a sub sandwich and pack it in some grocery bags with some ice I gathered from the soda machine so I can woof it down at camp. Awesome.
--The ample free campgrounds along the C&O Canal every 5-10 miles. Just a great resource to have. Pump water, port-a-john, table. All Hiker/Biker sites are free.
--I usually always see a huge Blue Heron at some point along the C&O.
--I kind of like the all of the noise and buzz of the trail from Point State Park to about Homestead. Since the majority of the trail is pretty quiet, this is a stark contrast to the rest of the trail and makes for a nice change. Hot Metal Bridge is a beautiful bridge to cross.
--Western Maryland Rail Trail. 22 miles that parallel the C&O before and after Hancock, MD. Did I mention it's paved asphalt? :-) It's a nice break from the tree roots and rocks the C&O dishes out. It's nice to just pedal and daydream and not worry about hitting a big bump.