August 21, 2005
C & O and Festus
The day broke in a fog. Two margaritas with dinner will do that to a newly minted 50 year old. But it really was foggy; the windows were steamed up. Loading my bike outdoors took all of 15 minutes. When I was finished, I was soaked in sweat.
After eating breakfast, I waited for my wife and kids to wake up to say goodbye. And off I rode.
I followed the Mount Vernon Trail (my commuting route) to DC and headed for the C&O canal.
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After riding some cobblestones near the Lincoln Memorial, my fairing hardware started coming loose. 16 miles and I'm already doing repairs!
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It took all of a couple of minutes (and nearly all my mechanical skill) to snug up the fairing mount. Job finished, I headed to the Capital Crescent Trail. Since it had not rained in a few days the adjacent C&O towpath was dry so I decided to follow the C&O all the way west.
A slight headwind and canopy of trees disguised the searing heat and humidity of the day. I cruised along between 9 and 11 mph dodging the occasional muddy spot. Some parts of the towpath retain water rather efficiently. I uncharacteristically took my time, stopping frequently. I missed a sign indicating a long standing detour near Great Falls, a sure sign that the heat was already messing with my head. I came to a barrier marking the towpath's closure and turned around. After a ten minute detour I was back on the towpath weaving in and out of the tourists in Great Falls Park.
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The approach to the towpath closure includes one of the prettiest stretches on the canal, called Widewater.
Lunch at Great Falls was a hot dog and soft pretzel washed down with a coke. It tasted dreadful, but I had to eat something. A few miles later at Swain's Lock I bought a Gatorade and an ice cream on a stick. Much better.
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Back on the towpath, I rode on and on taking frequent breaks listening to the cicadas sing and spotting a white tailed deer, a great blue heron, and (I think) a bald eagle.
I reached Whites' Ferry surprisingly fast. I thought it was 10 miles farther on. The ferry company runs a store with eatery along the roadside. Cars have to wait fifteen minutes or so for the ferry. So the eatery is a part of a good business plan. I ate a ham and cheese sandwich and learned from the eatery staff that the Park Service had turned off many of the water pumps along the C&O due to contaminated water. I hope the water I drank from a pump ten miles before was okay.
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Approaching Point of Rocks I encountered an Appalachian Trail hiker who talked a blue streak. He had a long beard and a floppy hat. The previous night he had tried to bandit camp off the side of the towpath but a mean Park Ranger rousted him. So he stayed at a hostel in Sandy Hook MD. He gave it a very strong recommendation. He was taking the C&O to DC after hiking 1000 miles of the AT. After about 30 mnutes of chatting I gave him some clean water and said good bye. He was off to see his brother "on the wall" (the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial), then he planned to fly home to Alaska. My hiker friend had an odd accent that sounded like Festus on Gunsmoke. I half expected him to call me "Mattheuw". I later learned that AT hikers have a tradition of adopting a nickname. His was Leprechaun.
I stopped in Point of Rocks for water and food then headed for the hostel. After a couple of missed turns and one hellacious hill I found it. A bed, AC and a shower for $20. Good deal.
Time for some z's....
Today's ride: 78 miles (126 km)
Total: 78 miles (126 km)
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I've been reading your Western Express tour. I'd love to be able to ride it - but I just don't think I have the legs. Good job!
2 years ago
I fell in love with the ride quality of Big Nellie and rode it almost exclusively for five or six years. Then I started getting nerve problems in my feet when I rode it and had to switch back.
Now the nerve problems are all but gone and I can ride Big Nellie comfortably. Mostly I ride it in the summer months and dry weather. The front wheel has a disturbing tendency to slide out on slick pavement, wet leaves and such. Also, I had to replace the fork last summer (my fork broke! while riding). I learned that some of the parts (fork, handlebars, seat components) are very hard to find. Hopefully somebody will buy the company and solve this issue.
That said Big Nellie has well over 40,000 miles on its odometer.
There are a couple of drawbacks to touring with Big Nellie. The sheer size makes it a logistical headache. (How will I ship it home?) In order to climb big hills I have to be in super aerobic shape. As you know, it's all about spinning. I met a guy this summer who did the TransAm E to W on a Tour Easy. He walked a lot. When he got to McKenzie Pass he actually took an $300 Uber over Santiam instead of climbing to McKenzie. He missed the best thing on the TransAm and a very forgiving climb. I'd give good money to ride a faired Tour Easy down from up there. It was an absolute blast on The Mule. (Journal forthcoming, BTW).
The Western Express is very hard. I was very fortunate to not have to deal with extreme heat. I also did that ride with chronic pain in my left knee and hip. One good leg is not enough. I had never climbed above 6,000 feet before so I wasn't ready for all those big climbs. It doesn't much matter which direction you take. From the east you hit a 6,000 foot 9% grade near Wetmore CO followed by a brutal climb up to 9,000 feet on Hardscrabble Mountain. From the west you have to go from sea level to Carson Pass at over 8,000 feet. So right out of the gate you are put to the test.
2 years ago