I've taken listeners on a bunch of rides on the C&O, but I've never really done the full guide to cycling it. In the second of two parts, we go section by section from DC to Cumberland. It's an audio guide to cycling the C&O Canal towpath whether you're a first timer of a full on expert.

Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath - Part 2 A few things to add based on feedback:  

• I didn't mention the parallel paved options available. Most notable is the Western MD Rail Trail which effectively goes from 11 miles downstream from Hancock to Little Orleans with a few on and off options (one forced) to the C&O. It's a common alternate for folks through-riding.
• One option that is less accessible for the moment is the Washington & Old Dominion Trail on the VA side of the river from Arlington to Purcellville. The upstream access is extremely limited since the closure of the cable ferry at White's Ferry. I hear there are shuttles from hotels and other providers that are bringing cyclists back and forth, so a hotel stay might be an efficient way to do over 30 miles of paved trail in lieu of the C&O (but you miss a lot and the W&OD is far less scenic).

C&O Towpath Sections C&O Guide Main Page Washington, DC – Capital Beltway (MM0 – MM9) Capital Beltway – Great Falls (MM9 – MM20) Great Falls – Edwards Ferry/Leesburg (MM20 – MM30) Edwards Ferry – Dickerson (MM30 – MM40) Dickerson – Point of Rocks (MM40-MM50) Point of Rocks – Harpers Ferry (MM50-MM60) Harpers Ferry – Antietam/Shepherdstown (MM60-MM70) Antietam/Shepherdstown – Taylors Landing (MM70-MM80) Taylors Landing – Opequon Junction (MM80 – MM90) Opequon Junction – Williamsport (MM90 – MM100) Williamsport – Ft. Frederick (MM100-MM110) Ft. Frederick – Little Pool (MM110-MM120) Little Pool – Hancock – Leopards Mill (MM120-MM130) Leopards Mill – Little Orleans (MM130-MM140) Little Orleans – Stickpile Hill (MM140-MM150) Stickpile Hill – Paw Paw – Town Creek (MM150-MM160) Town Creek – Pigmans Ferry (MM160-MM170) Pigmans Ferry – Cumberland (MM170-MM184.5)   Pedalshift Society

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer's upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there's one-shot and annual options if you're not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson Caleb Jenkinson Cameron Lien Andrew MacGregor Michael Hart Keith Nagel Brock Dittus Thomas Skadow Marco Lo Terrance Manson Harry Telgadas Chris Barron Mark Van Raam Brad Hipwell Mr. T Nathan Poulton Stephen Dickerson Vince LoGreco Cody Floerchinger Tom Benenati Greg Braithwaite Sandy Pizzio Jeff Muster Seth Pollack Joseph Quinn Drue Porter Byron Paterson Joachim Raber Ray Jackson Jeff Frey Kenny Mikey Lisa Hart John Denkler Steve Hankel Miguel Quinones Alejandro Avilés-Reyes Keith Spangler Greg Towner Dan Gebhart, RIP Jody Dzuranin Lucas Barwick Michael Baker Brian Bechtol Reinhart Bigl Greg Middlemis Connie Moore William Gothmann Brian Benton Joan Churchill Mike Bender Rick Weinberg Billy Crafton Gary Matushak Greg L’Etoile-Lopes James Sloan Jonathan Dillard John Funk Tom Bilcze Ronald Piroli Dave Roll Brian Hafner Misha LeBlanc Ari Messinger David Gratke Todd Groesbeck Wally Estrella Sue Reinert John Leko Stephen Granata Phillip Mueller Robert Lackey Dominic Carol Jacqi McCulloch John Hickman Carl Presseault David Neves Patty Louise Terry Fitzgerald Peter Steinmetz Timothy Fitzpatrick Michael Liszewski Hank O’Donnell David Zanoni David Weil Matthew Sponseller Chad Reno Spartan Dale Carolyn Ferguson Peggy Littlefield Lauren Allansmith Eric Burns Thomas Pearl Darrin McKibben Richard Stewart Dave Fletcher Jack Smith

Music

You've been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW,AND Jason has a new solo album coming soon, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!