วีดีโอ

You've discovered my secret :-D While I wish I had a film crew following me around, that's not the case. It's the old "start shooting with the camera on the tripod, ride past, and then go back for the camera" trick. You definitely don't want to leave a camera lying around. Oh, and don't break the tripod on a subsequent ride like I did last year :-)

Yep - it's a good plan, allowing many more to navigate to the trail and ride all the way out to Alabama (or to Rockmart if you're like me and had to turn around because of saddle sores)

Thanks for checking in! Yeah, the weather was just HOT all week. Finally got down to the 80's overnight during the last two nights so I was able to stay in the tent those nights. Definitely do the OTET - it's a good network of trails crossing the state. Going south to north I think it gets a bit more scenic, first third to Columbus is pretty remote, then it goes through farmland the next third, and finally through Cuyahoga Park the last third into Cleveland. Let me know how it goes

I have a GoPro grip that converts into a tripod. So hold it in grip mode while I take "selfie" shots, and set it up in tripod mode for 3rd person shots :-)

@@AdventuresWithPaul I have a GoPro and I'm trying to figure how you do this? You put the GoPro on the tripod, set it on the ground, and turn on video. Then you get on your bike, ride away from the camera, turn around and ride back past the recording camera, then stop and ride back to retrieve the camera. Those shots are really great but seem really hard to do?

@ you got it! And then it’s all mixed together in post production. You cut out the footage where you ride away and then turn around to pick up the ca,era. You only use the footage you want in the video. It’s all part of telling the story.

I use RideWithGPS to plan my routes so I have it listed here --> ridewithgps.com/routes/46371730. I planned out all my overnight spots and points of interest on the map, because, well, I like to plan :-) I did deviate from my original plan in that I stayed in hotels more than I planned because of the heat wave. By the time I made it to the C&O last two nights, the temps went into the 80's at night so I figured that was low enough to camp. I made a note to put all the resources (route, gear, etc) into the description from now on because I've had multiple people ask me for the routes. I think I'll start making some videos on some routes and just putting them out there, although I do like riding them myself. BTW - if you found this useful, subscribe, and let me know if you have any other Q's on the route.

@@AdventuresWithPaul I appreciate your response and sharing the route. As I looked at your route, a few other questions came up...I'm assuming some of the roads you took after Massillon were country roads - rollers with little traffic, correct? When you get into West Virginia (from Ohio), I believe Route 2 is a highway. Were you actually on Route 2, or was there a trail that runs parallel to it? From what I remember, Route 2 was a busy route for cars. I'm just trying to figure out how many roads vs paths are along this part of the route. Also, I noticed that you were using Tailfin bags. I'm curious to hear what you think about what you used. I've ordered their Pannier rack system, AP Rack Top Bag, and a few other bags, and I would love to hear your thoughts. Again, I appreciate your insights.

Video for the route from Massillon to Pittsburgh is at th-cam.com/video/isY9koGon_U/w-d-xo.html so you can judge for yourself. The route used some paths out of Massillon towards Bolivar, and then some more from Bolivar towards Cadiz. Also, there are some gravel roads, and a long stretch running down the hill to the river which is gravel and remote (but a good quiet ride). When I crossed over the river into WV, it put me on a trail that should have taken me all the way into Wellsburg, but it was closed about a mile into my ride; I had to backtrack and ride on Rt 2. Rt 2 does have a wide shoulder (you can view on Google street view) so I had no problem. There is a ~1 mile stretch on Rt 2 where you HAVE to ride on the road before turning East on Cross Creek Rd. Again, wide shoulder. Once onto Cross Creek, there are some steep hills, and even though there were no shoulders on some roads I still had to push-bike to the top as it was over 10% grade. Very low vehicle traffic and any vehicles I encountered gave me plenty of space. Tailfin products are phenomenal. I bought into their original offering on Kickstarter when their rack didn't have the top bag offering. I find the rack and pannier situation is so versatile and I can use it on bike after bike after bike. I've had it so long that only recently I've bought the thru-axle mount. When I purchased mine they only had QR axle mounts and I had to use pins in the braze-ons. But LOVE the product.

@@AdventuresWithPaul Very insightful information. Thank you so much!

YW. Let me know how it goes after your ride :-)

Yeah, I kind-of cruised through Georgetown to the marker as I knew where it was. I researched it for my first visit in 2015 so I knew where to go. If you haven't been there, you'll have to ride past the boathouse, but here's the Google Maps link of the location. www.google.com/maps/place/C%26O+Canal,+Mile+0/@38.9003239,-77.05778,354m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x89b7b64b514adbc5:0x28748cc4e62f23d2!8m2!3d38.8999182!4d-77.0575965!16s%2Fg%2F11c5scmk31!5m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTEyNC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Originally I planned to take the Allegheny trail through Parker, Kittanning, Tarentum, but that climb out of Emlenton to the campground had me rethinking day 3's plans. So I let RWGPS make a route straight through and it was up and down and up and down and a lot of push bike. No worries from my end - I still made it under my power so never consider that "cheating". If you're looking at other routes (and assuming you live in the general region of this trail), look at Ohio to Erie trail (OTET) and the PANTS route (PA North To South). Ohio to Erie is well-routed and many people have done that one. th-cam.com/video/_SLUw0a2XGg/w-d-xo.html

@AdventuresWithPaul yeah I'm from around Pittsburgh. I'm looking for a bunch more route to ride. I've had Ohio to Erie on my radar, as well as the Pittsburgh to Philadelphia route.

Not too difficult of a route, and it links together the 20-some miles on the Big Creek Greenway with the 60+ on the Silver Comet/Chief Ladiga. There are some road sections but nothing without bike lanes or at a minimum, a sidewalk (especially the Johnson Ferry section). And I found out my Brooks Cambium works very well for about 50 miles and then it starts getting uncomfortable (for me at least) whereas I can sit on my leather Brooks all day long. Hope you're able to get out and do some miles over the winter and into the new year. Cheers!

My brother lives over near Columbus Georgia but don't think there's bike routes over there, although haven't researched it

Can you provide the routes to the Chattahoochee from Alpharetta?

Resources Gear list: th-cam.com/video/2O4ahSeFE-E/w-d-xo.html Downloadable GPX route: ridewithgps.com/routes/48864721

@@AdventuresWithPaul thanks, been trying to sew that northern passage together for a couple of years.

Sure do. This is the route for the full ride from Cincinnati to DC. If you're specifically interested in only riding the GAP/C&O portion, you can start the route anywhere along the way. ridewithgps.com/routes/46371730. The route crosses the Ohio at Wellsburg because the Steubenville bridge was closed. I've seen further videos with riders going around the barriers and using that bridge, so maybe the Steubenville option is available. If you find these resources helpful, please like and subscribe! Cheers!

Here's the route including stops and sights I had in the description. ridewithgps.com/routes/46371730. The section between Pittsburgh and the state line is mostly trails, and is mostly downhill to the river. Once you cross the river into OH, you'll be on an up-and-down roller coaster of hills. If you have the time, stop in to Zoar to see what it's all about. It was all closed when I rolled through early in the morning. AND, let me know how it goes!

Appreciate the kudos - wait until you see the puns I make staying at the Amsterdam castle in part 2 of the trip :-). I chose to drive to Buffalo from Atlanta because it was far more convenient to get Kath's eBike to the starting point. There are restrictions with the eBike battery when flying. I can ship the bike domestically via Ground but can't fly with it. Coming back on the train we don't have those restrictions. When shipping, I've used Bikeflights successfully in the past. I have several routes planned for 2025 so maybe I'll end up shipping the bike for one of them at least. Cheers!

@@AdventuresWithPaul absolutely.

True. I should have belted out a show tune!

Electric power plant stacks...

Ah, that was it. I can always count on the distributed knowledge of the internets to come up with the answer. Thanks.

It looked completely dead, and the trail routed around it. What you said makes sense as the parking lot was completely overgrown. Even their website says visits are by appointment only. I was going to get closer to see if any life was there, but there were people hanging around a picnic table near a RV travel trailer. Maybe seasonal workers, maybe caravaners. But I decided to keep my distance to avoid trespassing.

Nice. Growing up in upper NY state must have been unique. Small town living

That’s some pretty cool history you have with the town. It’s interesting because you don’t expect something large like that in a small (ish) town like Canajoharie.

Thanks a bunch. It was a great trail to ride. Got to see some new sections this time around.

That was an inn-to-inn tour. Specifics - Cleveland - Renaissance downtown; Akron - Blu-tique; Millersburg - Millersburg Hotel; Mt Vernon - Comfort Inn; Columbus - Courtyard downtown; Xenia - Deerfield Inn (not recommended)

Glad to see you honor the time-worn practice of calling "COW!" We caught the train in Albany after passing over the Hudson (I had to research that detour as it seemed to be somewhat confusing). We took the train to Croton-Harmon station, and then rode 22 miles to Yonkers, overnighted in hotel, and then 23 miles into Manhattan the next day. I think I'll make a video about touring with Kath's eBike because there are some nuances around the adventure, most likely around trying to find electric outlets and range.

@@AdventuresWithPaul Well to bore you with another Canjo memory, that was also where our local creamery was located. I remember making the trip daily with my Dad or brother in the old pickup truck, filled with cans of milk in the back, delivering to the creamery for processing. I was probably 5 or 6 at the time. I doubt that creamery is there anymore.

@@BobInVT Very cool. Thankfully there are still those of us who remember things like that and can pass those down to younger generations....

I would suggest starting off with a formal bike fit at a shop. And make sure you let them know what you're looking for out of the fit - comfort, racing, time trial, etc. When I had my fit, I found out my saddle was about 1.5" too high. My saddle of choice is a Brooks - takes some time to break in but I can ride on that for hours. I use chamois cream at home, and when I'm adventuring, Body Glide (it packs better and far easier to manage the application of the product if you know what I mean). Enjoy the channel and adventures and let me know if you venture off to new places! Cheers!

Nice video Paul, alway enjoy and look forward to the rest of your trip. I did 2 days on the Erie, Newark to Brockport and back next day. Next year perhaps the entire Erie Canal Trail? I live the other end of Seneca Lake. Lot of people say the trail is hard to follow in places? What say you?

@@thegreatexaggerator9077 There were some detours that didn't agree with the route I planned via GPS and it took me a few wrong turns to get through, especially around Buffalo. Getting out of the canal side area there must have been a sign/map missing since it took me an awhile to find the path. I also researched the detour over the Hudson going out of Albany because I heard that was confusing. The detour sign seems to point in the wrong direction so I looked up the path on the Albany bike advocacy site and found how to navigate the crossing. Other than that, I went with a GPS route and followed the line across the state. Cheers!

Ah, thanks...I'm good at riding bikes and making videos; not so good at identifying fauna from far away. Or even up close. I see a red bird and I'm like "Cardinal" thinking cardinals are the only red birds. Cheers!

Ah, my friend @FollowThomas - good to see you here. Glad you were able to catch the Buffalo section, albeit virtually through this video. Stay tuned for part 2 as we take the trail to Albany, and then catch a train to Westchester to ride 50 miles into NYC and the Moynihan train hall.

@@AdventuresWithPaul looking forward! 😄

I really liked it there. Great overnight stop. You have the railroad museum, the hotel (and the shirt factory eatery), AND a great spot for breakfast in the morning! Love that place!

It really is. NY has done a good job of linking the route together using the old Erie Canal, rail trails, and I found a lot of new sections since my last ride in 2017.

Luckeeeee! It was such fun returning to the area after more than a decade and riding the trail through the scenery. I enjoyed it so much I rode it again after hiking a peak the next day. Enjoy the new section - there was a "trail closed" sign I probably could have gone around but chose to make my turnaround on the second day at that sign. Let me know if you post a video on the newly opened section.

A bikepacking journey in a heat wave is better than an air-conditioned workday any day :-D

After thousands of miles touring I think it pretty-much suits my lifestyle. Minimal but comfortable (at least for me) :-). Cheers!

Hey - thanks for watching! I rode my Niner RLT 9 that trip. The bike comes in a drop bar configuration but I converted it into a flat bar as I was looking to try out different bike positions. It’s a great-riding bike although I do tend to to use my newer (drop-bar) bike these days. Didn’t really have any areas that I felt unsafe, although I did want to get out of the Deerfield inn in Xenia as soon as I could - not the best hotel IMO

Thanks for that. Your video has inspired me to ride this same ride. Just looks great to me - the riding surfaces, the country surroundings, not a lot of people and the smaller towns. Will be getting a new bike this fall and am planning on doing this ride next year. ps I live on the east side of Cleveland and did not know of these trails in the greater Cleveland area. Most awesome! Thanks again and be safe out there.

That is awesome, amigo! LOVE that it gets you out there to do the route. Make the trip yours and make memories on the way! Thanks for letting me know as I LOVE the feedback that in some small way I had something to do with your inspiration to get out there and enjoy the adventure.

Headwinds are like the phantom menace. They can be brutal and you can't really see it so you just dig in and go. I'm detouring through center of Rochester so we can pass High Falls and the sunken garden at Warner Castle. I was also going to get a garbage plate at Nick Tahou's but residents I spoke with said it's not worth it. And yes, squirrels are unpredictable and will dart out with no regard for their (or your) safety - that's why none of them has ever gotten a driver's license.

One of my favorite stores, REI. I've had this one for years and a quick search at Sea to Summit shows you can get one, too. seatosummit.com/products/ultra-sil-day-pack?variant=42126722400429

You'll find as you start on the trips each trip you'll need less and less. But then I'm a minimalist by nature. After each trip, figure out what you needed that you didn't have, and what you packed that you didn't use. By doing so you figure out what your core list is. Cheers!

100% on the money - when they get wet, it takes time for them to dry. I tried cycling in lightweight trail runners. They dried quicker but weren't as "solid" on the pedals. When the sole pair of shoes (get it? "sole" pair?) gets wet, I'll stuff them with towels in the hotel room and set them over the A/C or heating unit. That tends to dry them about 80%. Then, I find they dry the next day just from wearing them. The smart wool socks keep my feet warm even if the shoes are wet. Now, if it's 45 degrees out and starts raining THEN I have other things to worry about :-)

@AdventuresWithPaul Keene sandals work for me, very open and dry easier. Not the hight of fashion though.

Ha- I've never been one to be the essence of fashion either.

50 points, eh? That puts me solidly in 3rd place :-D. What's funny about pop culture references is they have an expiration date, and you have to understand WHY it's a joke, or why it's funny. The crazy thing is, when talking about shoes, she was the first reference to come to mind.

I'll put it this way - it's more of a passive suspension that an active suspension like a thud buster or a lot of other suspensions that use a spring or a elastomer. To be fair I haven't used an active suspension seatpost so my thoughts on this one are purely related to what came with the bike. When I purchased this one over the less expensive model, the seat post and future shock 2.0 were part of the package, so I paid more for the bike because, hey, this seat post was $250 itself alone. More on the seatpost at www.specialized.com/us/en/roval-terra-seatpost/p/187099

@@AdventuresWithPaulthanks. I appreciate the info.

Wonder what you do when your one pair of shoes gets soaked,I've found them hard things to dry in wet conditions.

Good to hear from you! MO was a good trip. We're heading off in a week to ride from Buffalo to Albany, and then catch the train to NYC where we'll ride it home in the sleeper car back to Atlanta. Now that I followed Kath into retirement, there's nothing stopping us from being fully adventurous. If you subscribe to the channel, you'll see the video(s) for the upcoming trips. I'm so excited!

I'd so mostly crushed limestone from Lake Placid, turning into asphalt as you get into the village of Saranac Lake. Kath's bike has 700x35 and they were fine. Don't know if you plan on riding smaller than that. Heck, my road bike has 700x25 and I'd still give it a go. I'd probably be more concerned with all the dust kicked up into the drivetrain than anything else :-)

The only paved part is in the village. 90% is hard pack but is good for skinny tires. It will be finished all the way to Tupper Lake next fall.

It's a great trail network to ride if you ever decide to do it. Just don't choose 5 days within a heat wave :-)

I just saw something come across my FB feed that it's completed the next 10 or so miles, so you can continue riding west from Saranac Lake. If you check it out let me know what it's like - cheers!

@@AdventuresWithPaul will do

The route is really good - you'll love it.

Well, rats! Those pesky mispronunciations. Just wait until you watch how I butcher Bolivar and Cadiz in my 2024 video - th-cam.com/video/isY9koGon_U/w-d-xo.html. But, to be fair, a bartender in Cincinnati gave me the pronunciation guide so maybe she was just putting one over on me :-)

@@AdventuresWithPaul ha, nice plug. I have been enjoying watching your adventures.

Sure can. It's listed publicly at ridewithgps.com/routes/33830022. I called it "backyard" because I took this tour during COVID in my backyard - the area where I live in GA.

@@AdventuresWithPaul ha! its also my backyard, Im in Woodstock. I was so curious where you were riding, because I assumed it was all busy roads.

Sure did! I figured that would be more of an adventure than the bridge at Crown point.

Cool! Gives me a reason to return to the area. I hadn't been in LKP for about 14 years after we sold our house there. So this was quite the surprise seeing the old ADK scenic railroad converted into the rail trail.

Agreed. Last time I was on the trail it was 2017 and I finished my ride from Buffalo to Albany by riding up through VT specifically to ride this trail. Loved it then, and now in retirement I have the time to return with my wife. It was a good day trip, albeit a long drive from GA.

One of my most favorite towns in the great USA! Will you get to ride on the Missisquoi or Lamoille Valley Rail Trails? Both nice rides but some flooding problems along the Lamoille and a couple of closed sections. Always enjoy your content! Enjoy Vermont!

I'm going to have to put those on the list - I didn't know the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail was 93 miles in length. That's a good several-day trip. It's going to be a while before I return to New England, but maybe it can be a side trip next year when Nova Scotia is on the planning calendar.

Glad you enjoyed it. If you've ridden the trail, you know how much fun it is. If you haven't, it's definitely an experience to remember.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm always looking to try new approaches. I ditched the music a while back because I didn't feel it added to the "you are there" experience. I now try to make them as if you're riding and talking with me.

Appreciate it! That was such a good trip and a good route. The New England coast is so nice