Originally Posted by
tarwheel
I rode the GAP-C&O trails the week of June 9-15 with friends, our third time doing the route. It was much more difficult and less enjoyable than our previous trips, primarily due to on-going rains and the aftermath of flooding. We had to skip a section of the GAP due to a mudslide, requiring a difficult detour on hilly roads. That was nothing compared to the mud and downed trees we encountered on the C&O. We ended up hiring shuttles to carry us around two sections that were impassable or close to it. Even so, we encountered extensive sections with tree barriers and thick slimy mud, forcing us to stop numerous times to carry bikes over trees and clean out mud trapped between our wheels and fenders. The worst section was between Williamsport and Harpers Ferry, which included a fairly long road detour in addition to the mud and trees. When we reached our lodgings in HF, we spent 30 minutes hosing the mud off our bikes, but the wheels clogged right up again when we encountered more mud the next day. If I ever attempt to ride the C&O again, I will do a better job monitoring weather/trail reports and will cancel the trip if it’s rainy or muddy. There is nothing fun about riding in mud.
Really sorry you had such a tough time. You guys are a great group. Don't beat yourself up on weather decisions. Once you cross the divide, all bets are off. That is an extremely difficult area to predict weather and it gets worse as you near the bay. My charter company manager. in Annapolis, would tell us all the time very time we picked wrong and wondered about the weather. He said it was something about the huge body of water, watersheds and the nearby mountains that throw a monkey wrench into weather reports.
On the other hand this side to the divide is a bit more predictable. Just that we have been getting a very unusual. Amount of rain lately. On my trip, I just happened to talk to a cop in Chicago that was from Pittsburgh (originally).. He said the south hills got flooded out here in Pittsburgh. From the sounds of it this is the second time for those poor people. Once before I left once while I was gone.
In your defense, those are some super steep hills I don't blame you for hiring a shuttle.
I did not get a drop of rain but the reason I was in Chicago was that Amtrak missed my Pittsburgh train. Had to stay over night. It was on them thankfully. Bad news I had to comeback coach when I had a room the night before.
I survived (barely
). Delta messed up my connection on the outbound too!
Crap happens. So your trip didn't go as planned. You got to spend time with a group of friends. And you will have a story to talk about for years!
For me, part of the train delay was in the Rockies. Hard to pick a more beautiful stop to be stranded. The corn field just outside of Chicago, that was the final nail in the coffin, is another matter.