One of our (really my) life list items is to bicycle as many of the 32 Rails-to-Trails Rail-Trail Hall of Fame trails as health and age permit. We cycled the Katy Trail in Missouri in 2016; that leaves 31! The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) IS NEXT ON OUR LIST. The Honda Pilot was packed on Monday evening with bicycle clothing and gear, casual clothing, and various cameras, electronic devices, and charging cables, and the bicycles were stowed in their carrier on back; we were ready.

The first part of the trip was from Hot Springs Village to Brentwood, Tennessee, to visit sister-in-law Betty Dunn and niece Julie and family. We had a delightful visit, wit lots of laughter and stories about my late brother and Betty’s late husband, Ronnie. He is really missed and leaves a big hole in our hearts, but the intimate stories helped soothe our long-held sorrows.

Mile “0” of the Great Allegheny Passage, Cumberland, MD

A 9:00 AM o’clock departure on Wednesday morning brought us to Morgantown, WV, by early evening, having traveled through middle Tennessee, eastern Kentucky, and a good portion of West Virginia. Thursday was another big travel day, exiting West Virginia, into Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. A brief stop in Cumberland, Maryland, was made to see the terminus of our upcoming bicycle trip, Mile “0” of the GAP, as well as the beginning of the C&O Towpath Trail from Cumberland to Washington, D.C. (not on our list). Following the stop, the drive took us to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where we overnighted.

Replica of the C&O Canal

The Potomac River in Cumberland, MD