The Trip (an Overview)

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On April 23rd, 2007 I decided to ride my bike from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington D.C. - about a 300 mile trip. I am giving myself a week to prepare and get ready. My target date is the morning of April 29th, a Sunday.

It had been my goal to make this trip for sometime and this seemed like the perfect time. I am starting a new job, and had a few extra days to do something for myself. A few years back, I had completed the trip from Regnet Square in Pittsburgh to Ceder Creek Park (28miles in 3 hours). At another time, I had completed the trip from West Newton to Ohiopyle (30miles in 3 hours) - so I was familiar with those legs of the trail. The trail south of Ohiopyle is a complete mystery to me and is one of the motivators to make this trip. I have read the C&O leg of the trail is great. I am looking forward to it.

I am planning to go light. The bike I am going to use is a 2005 Trek 1000 road bike equipped with hybrid tires and rather small panniers - just large enough to hold a small mess kit with a stove, snacks and lightweight clothing. On my back will hold a one person tent, thermarest and some raingear - all very light.

I am planning on 60 miles a day at about 5-6 hours per day in the saddle.

The entire trip will be updated via this blog using a T-Mobile Dash Smartphone using a free program called Shozo

Here is a list of what I am taking:

    2 water bottles
    iodine tablets (for water treatment)
    1 person tent (2lb)
    north face 0 degree sleeping bag w/compression sack
    backpack (holds the sleeping bag, tent and some raingear)
    stove (MSR pocket rocket) - the smallest stove I have ever seen.
    two small butane canisters
    1 pot
    3 backpacking food packets (red pesto pasta, santa fe pasta, curry chicken)
    11 Emergen-c vitamin packets
    variety of nature bars (power bars, cliff, shot blocks)
    misc snacks (peanuts, cheese)
    extra tubes
    tire tools and patch kit
    pump (Co2 canister type)
    bunch of ziplock bags
    garbage bags (rain management)
    headlamp (water resistant)
    cell phone
    2-meter hand held ham radio ( call sign: KB3IFP)
    batteries
    digital camera
    lightweight bike clothes
    knife
    swiss army knife
    lighter
    emergency blanket
    extra rain poncho
    thermarest (sleep pad)
    chair conversion (for the thermarest)
    handle bar pack (w/map reader)