Washington DC | Frederick Douglass' House | Harper's Ferry
Antietam Battlefield | Fort Necessity | Stone House
Gettysburg

Itinerary

Day One:
We are busing to Gettysburg then cycling around an historical route. This is the first opportunity for students to see and experience history by bike. Students will start to learn what the Civil War was all about. We finish with a bus ride into D.C., where we are staying at an international youth hostel.

Day Two:
Washington, D.C.
We are touring D.C. by bike, foot and tour vehicle and visiting sites relevant to the Civil War and the Underground Railroad as well as monuments and memorials. We are staying at a youth hostel tonight.

Day Three:
Washington, D.C. to Chisel Branch Campsite 30.5 miles
This is the first day of C&O Canal riding. We are leaving Georgetown at 9am and riding towards Great Falls where we get our first historical/interpretive talks about the making of the falls and the Potomac River and a lock demonstration. We are camping at a remote site along the banks of the Potomac River.

Day Four:
Chisel Branch to Harper's Ferry 29 miles
This is an easy riding day along the canal with great photographic opportunities. We are arriving at historical Harper's Ferry early in the afternoon and setting up for two days of historical rides and learning. We are staying at a youth hostel.

Day Five:
Harper's Ferry about 20 miles
We are staying in Harper's Ferry for historical tours significant to the start of the Civil War, including John Brown's Raid, The Niagra Movement (pre-NAACP) and battle sites. We are also visiting the National Park Service map and guide making center. Staying at a youth hostel.

Day Six:
Harper's Ferry to Cumberland Valley Campsite 35 miles + tour
We are leaving Harper's Ferry and riding to Antietam just off of the canal. This battlefield was the bloodiest of the war and rich in history. We will be riding into the area, doing a bike tour of the battlefield thn riding back to the trail and onto our remote campsite.

Day 7:
Cumberland Valley to Little Orleans 45.8 miles
This scenic day will be spent entirely along the C&O Canal, our longest trail mileage of the trip. There is lots of photographic beauty with lock development, bridges, aqueducts and small, sometimes abandoned towns. We are camping at Little Orleans.

Day 8:
Little Orleans to Cumberland 43.5 miles
We are riding through the Paw Paw Tunnel, visiting a canal boat and riding into Cumberland during a huge international bicycle party. This is our last day on the C&O Canal. 184.5 miles down. We are setting up a Riding Through History booth at the festival where students will be able to tell their stories so far and see some of their work displayed for everyone to see. We are staying at a hotel with hot showers and beds!!

Day 9:
Cumberland to Meyersdale 25 miles
We start off with historical tours of Cumberland and local area then bus to the starting point on the Rails to Trails path just past the Mason-Dixon line. We then ride a beautiful but unmaintained dirt road into Meyersdale and camp just outside of town.

Day 10:
Meyersdale to Ohiopyle 30 miles
We ride along the well maintained and beautiful trails following the Casselman River. We will cross numerous aqueducts and bridges that offer great views and long stretches of rural countryside. We finish up in Ohiopyle at a hostel.

Day 11:
Ohiopyle no ride
No organized rides planned. We will be visiting Fort Necessity and possibly Frank Loyd Wright's Falling Water house and playing some games and taking a break.

Day 12:
Ohiopyle to West Newton 35 miles
We are riding along good trails along side the Youghiogheny River and starting to see more towns, old factories and mills. We will do a slow historical float trip into Dawson and hear about the local history. We are camping at West Newton.

Day 13:
West Newton to Pittsburgh 35 miles
We are sleeping in and starting the ride back home. There is an historic talk at a remote site after which we are riding into McKeesport to meet a police escort into Pittsburgh. We leave McKeesport at 3:30 and ride along roads to the head of the Eliza Furnace Trail where we hope everyone can join us at 4:15 to ride the final few miles into town and to Manchester Craftsmen's Guild with Mayor Murphy. There is a welcoming party and celebration at the Guild.