The key to an enjoyable long distance cycling trip is planning. Even if you're planning-adverse, it still pays to have a general idea about your route, your destination, your travel time, and what provisions and amenities you'll need to make your trip successful. So before you get away from it all, check out these helpful hints, compliments of the Allegheny Trial Alliance members. They use the Trail, and they hope to see you there!

Overview of Information From ATATrail.org
Distance:
The big decision on daily distance and direction sets the preliminary itinerary. If you do not have enough days for the whole trip with your preferred daily distance, decide which part of the trip to ride and which part to leave for another time.

Accommodations:
The amount of luxury you or your group prefers determines which lodging choices are appropriate for the people in your party. Unless the trip is fully supported, your lodging must be within biking distance of the trail; this limits your choices (see trail maps for lodging information). Match these locations to your preliminary itinerary and revise as necessary.

• Deciding on Lodging
  Hotels, Motels, B&Bs, or Hostels
  If you are planning to stay in hotels, motels, B&Bs, or hostels, make reservations in advance. For lodging in smaller towns, make reservations far in advance. For example, Paw Paw West Virginia has one B&B; it’s very nice but small—we called in January to reserve all their space for a June trip.
  Camping
  If you are planning to sleep at campsites there are sites along the C&O Towpath and the Great Allegheny Passage. Reservations are not needed at the Hiker/Biker Campsites along the C&O canal. A listing of these campsites can be viewed at www.bikewashington.org. It is suggested that reservations are made for camping at the Yough Dam campground.
  
• Deciding on Food
  Most towns with lodging have restaurants. Lunch is not a problem, as you’ll pass a town with a restaurant or grocery store or at least a snack bar every day. The grocery stores often have a more limited selection than your local supermarket, so you may want to carry an extra day’s lunch. If you’re camping, decide whether you’ll cook as a group or individually so that you can shop appropriately.
  

Detours:
We recommend finding a way to drive or be driven around the few remaining gaps in the trail. To do this, decide how you’ll carry people, baggage and bikes. You might arrange to leave extra cars at the beginning of the gaps for this purpose, or you may be able to hire a local outfitter or transportation service to drive you. If you plan to ride the detours on bikes in spite of this advice, skip this item (and be careful riding on the roads).

Arriving and Departing the Trail:
It is suggested that family members drive riders to and from the trail. If this option is not available, local outfitters can provide shuttling services for vehicles and cars. The Amtrak allows bike transport to Pittsburgh and to Washington DC but not to cities in between.

Bicycles:
Most people will prefer to ride their own bikes. If rentals are needed, local vendors may be able to assist. We suggest that all bike riders wear helmets. Maryland law requires that children wear helmets at all times while biking. Maryland also requires bikes to have bells.