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<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\nHe had done it five times in the past but said it was too tough this year.\u00a0 He also said someone he met had turned back because the water was up to the bike’s bottom bracket, which is where the pedals connect to the frame.\u00a0 Jan was an old guy and clearly a story teller so I didn’t believe it.\u00a0 I do now.\u00a0 I went through at least one puddle that was so deep my bottom bracket was in the water and quite a few other very deep puddles.<\/p>\n
Why was the path in such bad shape?\u00a0 Part was due to the rain.\u00a0 But another part is that the C&O Canal Bike Path is maintained by the National Park Service.\u00a0 The Park Service is a wonderful, but woefully underfunded organization.\u00a0 One result of the under-funding is that my miles today were in conditions designed for mountain bikers, even though there wasn’t a hill or mountain on the trail. \u00a0 Unfortunately, I wasn’t riding a mountain bike.<\/p>\n
What was it like to ride?\u00a0 It was muddy, slippery and tree roots crossed the road.\u00a0 Around 10:30 AM I used a spoon to scrape the mud off my chain, frame and brakes.\u00a0 The storms also had dropped trees across the trail.\u00a0 We met up with a three man crew cleaning up downed trees and limbs, twice during the morning.<\/p>\n
Plus, to add extra misery you could not stop.\u00a0 The C&O Canal is a giant stagnant pool of water that breeds mosquitoes.\u00a0 Stopping resulted in large numbers coming over to feast on my body.<\/p>\n
The result was that I didn’t pedal down the trail.\u00a0 Instead, I lurched, slid, bounced and prayed that I wouldn’t crash for 50 miles.\u00a0 At the 50 mile mark the state of Maryland had pity on the bikers who pedal down the C&O Canal Trail.\u00a0 The state has built a 23 miles long paved bike trail.\u00a0 It is literally 100 feet away from the C&O trail but because the state built it, the trail is maintained and in very good shape.<\/p>\n
After 23 wonderfully easy miles, Maryland’s trail ended and we switched back to the C&O.\u00a0 Luckily, for me and Greg who is still pedaling with me the last 18 miles on the C&O were much less muddy.\u00a0 Part of this was due to the sun baking off the water all day.\u00a0 Part seemed to be that this section of the trail was in slightly better shape.\u00a0 Whatever the reason, after 89 miles I made it to the hotel I booked in Williamsport, Maryland.\u00a0 My bike, gear and I were so muddy the hotel owner told me not to bring the bike or bags into the hotel’s lobby.\u00a0 Luckily, he let me come in so that I could check into the room and pay.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow there is just 90 miles left to pedal in the whole trip.\u00a0 Most of it is back on the C&O Canal path.\u00a0 It does not look like an easy ride, but to give up on the last day is foolishness.\u00a0 My guess is that adrenaline will ensure I make all the way to Washington D.C.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I just wanted to give up this morning and go home.\u00a0 This might sound strange given how close I am to the end. I was biking alongside the Potomac River.\u00a0 The mileage markers started at 188 and were counting down to zero.\u00a0 Zero is Washington D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood.\u00a0 I have pedaled a huge distance in … Continue reading Day 42: Cumberland to Williamsport, Maryland<\/span>