I had this same question a couple of years ago and asked the builder, Bruce Gordon (RIP) and he was against the idea, firmly against. He claimed a stick will eventually get caught. I have a little toe overlap on the bike anyway, so, with laziness to help out, his advice prevailed. On the Erie Canal Towpath, and the GAP/C&O the mud was manageable. Actually, the panniers got dirtier from dust on dry days than the mud in a thunderstorm on the Erie and on the C&O the day after a heavy rain, the Potomac came up 11'. Of course, in the back of my mind I do think he was in California, then again, he started out in Eugene, Oregon.