The last few Sundays have been less than optimal for cycling; cold, windy, wet. Not that we didn't ride or anything but we were only comfortable getting 100 miles or so.

Now that Spring is here we hoped for better weather. We got it, sort of.

It was going to be sunny with low winds but the forecasters seemed to take some pleasure in pointing out the Easter was going to be colder than Christmas was.

Good enough for us.

We were on our bikes in time to see the sunrise and were on our way out to Purcellville on the W&OD which was nicely empty this cold Easter morning.

From Purcellville we headed North to the river and Brunswick via lovely Lovettsville. Not much traffic at all.

At Brunswick we hopped on the C&O Canal Tow Path and headed home. The Potomac was just below flood stage but that far north the Canal isn't watered. That isn't to say that it is dry. Swampy really and full of trees.

Sure were a lot of downed trees.

Miss M seemed to feel that portaging bikes is what husbands are for. :eek:

After we had enough of that we got off the Tow Path at Monocacy and headed for the hills.

Up Big Woods to Poolesville. After the long flat miles on the Tow Path it was nice to stretch our legs (I suspect I enjoyed it a bit more than Miss M).

A quick bite to eat and it was back to the River and Tow Path for us. At Violettes Lock the Park Service waters the canal. Much prettier but not as wild as further north.

I do love the Tow Path. This time of year with all the bare trees the view of the river is great. In the Summer the leaves are so thick that often it is just like riding in a green tunnel-not today.

As we closed in on DC we started to see more and more people. We don't blame them for wanting to be out on such a beautiful day but it was a bit of a downer after seeing almost no one for so many miles.

At Great Falls we left the Tow Path for the last time and took the Macarthur bike lane home. With a brief stop for dinner.

We got home just before dark, glad to have the chance to ride all day.

Happy Easter.

What size and kind of tires are you guys riding.. Beautiful pic of the countryside..

i just did a small tour that included some of the c&o... i left march 14th, some days i'd ride for miles and miles and see absolutely no one -- and the weather was great, rained the first night but thats it.

its neat to see someone else do a similar route. the guy that ran pedalshop was pretty friendly, next time i need something on the w&od, i'll definitely go there. I also stopped in trails end cyclery in purceville (i think?), and the atmosphere was noticeably different, and arguably less pleasant.
great photos, as always

Another beautiful report, MB. One of these days I'll have to head to DC and ride that tow-path.

Sweet. Nice way to spend a chilly spring day.

By the way, the Potomac was nowhere near flood stage this weekend. It came close a couple weeks ago, but not this weekend.

Nice MB1!

12 hours in the saddle? And no food pics?!?!

...12 hours in the saddle? And no food pics?!?!

It was Easter Sunday and all of our favorite places were closed.

We ended up eating at a McDonalds and picking up snacks at a CVS. The sooner we forget about that part of the ride the better. Good thing we always carry food with us.

What size and kind of tires are you guys riding.. Beautiful pic of the countryside..

Nothing special. I have never felt that the Tow Path required anything but a normal road tire, I have ridden it on 22's and 32's without any problems. Way up north by Paw Paw it is a little rocky so you might want to run 28's or 32's and if you want to do the whole thing in a day 32's are a good idea just to cut down on the beating you are going to take.

The sections of the Tow Path we were on yesterday were more comfortable than some of the "paved" back roads we used earlier in the day.

But to specifically answer your question Miss M was running a Terry 650x28 on the rear and some kind of POS 650x23 on the front. I was running Panaracer 700x25 on the front and 700x28 on the rear. As soon as our front tires die I will gladly be replacing them with something wider but I am too cheap to get rid of a tire just because I don't like it.

Did that bridge have an elevated pedestrian walk, or was that dog balancing on the wall? He looks like he's ready to ambush Miss M.

Did that bridge have an elevated pedestrian walk, or was that dog balancing on the wall? He looks like he's ready to ambush Miss M.

I was wondering if anyone would notice that.

That is the Monocacy Aqueduct, the waterway has been converted to the bike and horse trail and the old mule path is now the pedesterian walkway-which is where the dog is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocacy_Aqueduct

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocacy_AqueductNeat story!

Out here in Oregon I hardly ever get to ride over bridges or aquaducts which the Confederacy had once tried to destroy.