I started thinking about this when we visited my cousin in Washington DC a couple of years ago. They treated us to a swell trip on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, and while we were riding on it, I noticed a nice path that seemed to parallel the train tracks along the route. I mentioned to my cousin that it looked like a nice path to ride a bike on, and she said it was part of a bike trail from Pittsburgh to Wash DC.
A year or so later, another cousin rode this trail with his fiancée, and at that point I decided that if I got the chance, I would like to also ride it. Now I have the chance!
The first part of the trail I'll be on is called the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), which is a rails-to-trails path. I wish the tracks were still there and the trains still running, but this is the next best thing, I suppose. The second half is the Chesapeake and Ohio tow path. Such trails have gentle slopes with no steep hills, which suits me. The route will climb for the first half, and then descend for the second half, which also suits me.
I decided to rent a bike from an outfit in Pittsburgh. They will have the bike and equipment ready for me to pick up, and I can return it to their Wash DC location. They will also arrange to transport the suitcase I'll have on the plane to the drop-off location. Their website has a lot of information about the GAP: Golden Triangle Bikes
Here is a photo of the setup I'll be expecting from them (from their website):
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