Breakfast at the hotel with an early departure – 7 AM. Load up the van and drive back to the where we left the path yesterday at Monocacy Aqueduct. This is Day 6 and the last day of our biking adventure. Everyone is excited to complete this major ride – the Greater Allegheny Path and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath – Total 312.7 miles!

Our guide Jim reviews the day’s ride with us, safety tips and photo op stops. He will ride ‘sweep’ today. Anna will drive the van today and meet us at the end with lunch. These two guides have done an outstanding job of supporting us these past 6 days. Tire changes, seat issues, bike adjustments, swapping out bikes, keeping us on time and feeding us! All helping to make our bike adventure the best!

The trail starts off on gravel and is quite rough. The canal has water it in again with the green algae. I see a heron on the side looking for breakfast.

Not very far down the trail, we come across a huge tree that has come down directly on the towpath. We must stop and have our bikes lifted over the obstacle. Special thanks go to Geoff and Jim for helping get all our bikes over and moving again!

Our stop at White’s Ferry allows us to see this historic place. Unfortunately, the owners on both sides of the river are involved in a property and price dispute which has resulted in the ferry no longer running after so many years.

This stop is also the opportunity before the next segment to fill up our water bottles, grab some snacks and make a ‘pit’ stop at the porta-potty.

The path is rough and the temperatures are climbing so the tree lined sections are very welcome. Even after all this time on the C&O Canal Path, there is always something interesting to see and has me stopping to take more photos.

Just past mile 21, we meet up with major work going on the towpath, trucks carrying gravel and dirt. We have to wait for them to pull off to the side before we can all pass. Then, a short distance from there, we see a crew working to remove large logs from the canal. I ask one of the workman what are they doing. He tells me that they are going to remove as a much of the trees as they can to then allow the river to flow into this part of the canal again. The National Park Service is working to keep this history available to anyone who wants to see and understand how this canal worked and benefited the people at the time.

A lovely visitor center and stop is at Great Falls. This area is where the Potomac River drops 41 feet and required six locks to allow boats to continue. The Great Falls Hotel and Tavern was a destination in the 1870’s and now is a National Park visitor center. This is also where mules are available (led by a National Park ranger) to let you meet the hard working mules of the C&O. A canal boat sits up in ‘dry dock’ to provide an opportunity to understand what the mules had to pull on the canal.

Next stop is the Great Falls. The river is wide here and so there are several falls sections. With our bikes parked, we walk the boardwalk to see the falls. There are two smaller falls and then you reach the larger falls.

I am certain July has far less water flowing than in the springtime!

While we don’t see anymore workers on the towpath, the surface is still gravel and rock strewn. A few more locks and lock houses to enjoy. Many more people on this last day. Walkers, runners, bike riders and people just stopping to talk – like the ladies in front of the path to the lock house. This lock house is one of those that you can actually spend the night. The covered bridge appeared – a first – right near the Billy Goat Trail.

At Fletcher’s Cove, a pretty view of a bridge and tow house.

Now we join a paved trail – Capital Crescent Trail – for the final 3 miles to Washington DC.

The group rides together to Mile 0. Everyone in our group made it safely, sweating and smiling and excited to plan another trip!

To describe this trip will be different for everyone. For me, it was life affirming and enhancing, mentally and physically challenging, exciting at times and exhausting. While I didn’t ride the entire 312.7 miles, I did complete 288.7 and feel quite happy with this result – a personal best! I definitely want to continue to be able to do a bicycling trips as a vacation for as long as I can. Does it need to be this many miles…..not really. Just being in the outdoors, pedaling along and enjoying life is an incredible experience. Thanks to everyone following along!