Teen Treks

We woke up today in our comfortable beds in the hostel in Harper’s Ferry with a great sense of excitement – D.C. was only about 60 miles away! Only two more days of riding left! After a pancake breakfast, we set off on our bikes, braving the heat and humidity for the rest of the day. At midday, we stopped at a local deli for some yummy sub sandwiches in Point of Rocks, MD, and then a few hours later, we took a sizable break under the shade of a tree at White’s Ferry. Refueled with Gatorade and ice cream, we continued on for about 10 more miles and set up camp at Horsepen Branch Campsite. We had plenty of hours of daylight left to enjoy, so we passed a soccer ball around, played a few rounds of cards, and walked along the Potomac before tucking in for a chicken dinner.  Early to bed was our plan, as we want to arrive in DC tomorrow as soon as possible, and an early wake-up time tomorrow can get us there. Can’t wait to finally arrive in our nation’s capital tomorrow after two weeks of riding!

Learn more about the Teen Treks Great Allegheny Passage Trek.

A nice rest day for the C&O Canal trekkers. After waking up to a delicious pancake breakfast in our hostel, we headed into the town of Harper’s Ferry for some historical sightseeing. We found a table set up with all sorts of games from the civil war era, and decided to play a game of croquet. Shaun took an early advantage, but Nielsen wound up victorious. We also played a game of Graces for an hour. We ate a delicious lunch at a local restaurant and walked around some museums and learned more about the towns history. There was even a candy store dedicated to candies as they were made in their original time periods, with some treats being hundreds of years old. We then returned to the hostel for a delicious chicken fajita dinner and the hostel staff made us a campfire and we made s’mores. We enjoyed hot showers and tomorrow we make more headway towards DC.

Learn more about the Teen Treks Great Allegheny Passage Trek.

We started our day in Big Woods Campground, situated right on the edge of the Potomac. Eager to make it to Harper’s Ferry in good time, we departed our campground quickly, but when Leader Anna had a mishap with her back wheel on the trail, it became clear that a visit to a bike shop was in order. What a blessing in disguise that was, for it led us to the charming and pretty college town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia! While bike issues were resolved at a very helpful local bike shop, the gang had an hour or two to explore the endearing downtown area and get lost in a local bookstore.

Once everyone was ready to ride again, we all headed toward a grocery store to pick up amenities before heading to the campus of Shepherd University to have a picnic lunch on the grass. We were all determined to get to our hostel across the river from Harper’s Ferry before the weather turned, and though we did catch the beginning of the storm before we got to our resting place for the night, getting soaked in the rain made the welcoming environment of the hostel with its warms beds and showers even more rewarding. Settling in nicely, we chatted up some Appalachian Trail hikers and indulged in a hearty pasta dinner that the hostel staff so graciously cooked for their guests before going to bed at a reasonable hour. We’re all very excited to spend our rest day exploring the historic town of Harper’s Ferry tomorrow!

Learn more about the Teen Treks Great Allegheny Passage Trek.

After waking up from a very restful sleep at the Super 8 Motel in Hancock, Maryland, we set out to procure groceries for the day before getting back on the Western Maryland Rail Trail! We were very grateful for the beautiful sunny weather and smooth asphalt to ride on for 10 miles, but as we reached the end of our portion of the WMRT, all of us started to feel the effects of the midday heat. Luckily for us, a conveniently located gas station five minutes from the trail allowed us to treat ourselves to some Gatorade, and after debating on some picnic benches which flavor of the iconic sports drink is superior, we were off once more! In order to rejoin the C&O Canal Path, we biked through Fort Frederick State Park and witnessed some historical reenactors, and once back on the trail, we were thrilled to find that this section of the trail was much drier and smoother than that of yesterday’s ride to Hancock.