Shenandoah University Explores the C&O Canal on Bikes

On Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19, 2025, eleven goonies from Shenandoah University set out very early in the morning to begin a grand adventure. The students had a nice chat on the van ride. We arrived at the Cumberland, Maryland, tourist center, geared up, and began our bike ride through the beautiful Maryland wetlands, following along the train tracks. We took several small breaks along the way to take in the scenery and give our butts a rest.

We met the student director of our school’s outdoor recreation department after ten miles for rest, snacks, and water. From there, we continued on to the next stretch, and the road was lined with blooming bluebells. After another five miles, we stopped again for lunch, which was an assortment of deli meats where participants could make their own sandwiches. Continuing, we embarked on our longest stretch of the trail yet, biking another fifteen miles to get to our campsite. After setting up camp, we enjoyed a warm, leisurely afternoon at Paw Paw campground.

The next day, we continued the bike ride, pushing through some soreness, and walked our bikes through the highlight of our excursion, the three-thousand-foot Paw Paw canal tunnel. Carter Sand, the SGA president at Shenandoah University, documented the whole experience of the sixty-mile trip and posted it as a blog for the student body to see. From there, the bike ride continued for another fifteen miles. At our final stop, a few exhausted but happy participants opted to finish the journey from the van, while a group of six brave bikers completed the remainder of the sixty miles. The group reconvened for a vibrant lunch at Buddy Lou’s restaurant in Hancock, Maryland, before returning home feeling very fulfilled.