My 11 y.o. daughter came home from school this week with homework about the C&O Canal, and got excited to read about cycling the length of the canal, so now she's all fired up to do this (see? And people say kids don't learn anything practical in school these days.). And I'm excited to do it with her--she'd be the perfect trail companion. She's not chatty (I generally prefer to ride alone!) and while she gets whiny when minorly inconvenienced, she's absolutely stoic in the face of major discomfort.

I don't know if we're going to be able to do it this year since DH just started a new job and can't get the time off to take care of our other child, although we might be able to swing some respite care for him. At the very least we'll spend this summer getting my DD physically ready--she likes riding her bike, but like most kids pretty much uses it as a toy to ride around the neighborhood and the schoolyard.

Any tips for preparation, specifically about getting an 11 y.o. in shape for this kind of riding? Everything I've found online about kids and cycle touring seems to involve dragging them in a trailer or taking them on a tandem. I know kids do this trip all the time, and I've read some of the trip reports from these people but they seem to start at the start of the trail. I want to know what they were doing the two months before that! How about packing for two (including camping equipment) on one bike? I don't think my DD's bike will be able to hold much of anything. I have a touring bike so I can load it down, but I might do better with a BOB type trailer. Would a trailer do all right along the canal, or would it get bogged down in the mud and ruts? Having never cycled on the towpath OR with a trailer, I'm not sure how this would do, but it seems like the simplest solution.

Thanks!

Sarah