Picking up the Trans America from DC

[Jt]

What is the best route to take to catch the trans America from DC?  We are thinking to start on the C&O canal to GAP / OLIPHYLE then west to zanesville to UGRR South. 

Are there better alternatives with less traffic?

[Johnny10000]

Many lately have been picking up Adventure Cycling’s New York to Chicago route from Pittsburgh then getting on the new Eastern Express somewhere near Indianapolis.  You could take the EE all the way to Walden, CO and connect to the TA if you wanted or you could get off the EE at Booneville, MO and head southwest to catch the TA in Eureka, KS.  This would give you more TA trail.

The EE is a brand new route and you may not see as many cyclists as you would on other established Adventure Cycling routes, especially the TA.

John

[Westinghouse]

Here is an unlikely possibility. Great American rail trial from DC to Pittsburg into Ohio.  Locate the bike trails and go south.  You will have to ride the roads south to the Katy trail and follow it till it ends. You can catch the Transamerica route south and west from there.

[DanE]

I would suggest taking the W&OD rail trail to Purcellville, Virginia. From Purcellville it is about a thirty-five mile distance to Front Royal, VA, the northern end of the Skyline Drive. You would need to come up with your own route between Purcellville and Front Royal, but there are plenty of tracks on sights such as Ride With GPS where people have ridden between the two.

In Front Royal you can take the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, a distance of 105 miles. The southern end of the Skyline Drives is the northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Trans-America trail intersects the Blue Ridge Parkway there at Afton, Va.

[Pat Lamb]

I would suggest taking the W&OD rail trail to Purcellville, Virginia. From Purcellville it is about a thirty-five mile distance to Front Royal, VA, the northern end of the Skyline Drive. You would need to come up with your own route between Purcellville and Front Royal, but there are plenty of tracks on sights such as Ride With GPS where people have ridden between the two.

In Front Royal you can take the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, a distance of 105 miles. The southern end of the Skyline Drives is the northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Trans-America trail intersects the Blue Ridge Parkway there at Afton, Va.

This is the route I would take, but it seems like O.P. is trying to avoid the Appalachians.  Having grown up as a young boy in southwest Virginia, I can't figure out why anyone would do that.   

[rwinot25]

follow the Atlantic coast route # 3 south from D.C to the intersection of the Trans Am outside of Richmond VA.