Atlantic Coast Route

[olfuddud@gmail.com]

Planning a Fall 2018 trip on the Atlantic Coast route.  I can go either direction, but would prefer north to south, but would like to choose the direction with the least headwinds, if there is such a thing.  Opinions? Experience?

[indyfabz]

In the northeast and New England, it will depend on the particular weather pattern you encounter, so there is no way to predict what you will face. I just did the portion between Canaan, CT and Conshohocken, PA in September. Warm, humid system from the south produced headwinds for several days. (I actually started in Brattleboro, VT and had headwinds both days to CT, too.) That cleared out and I had a great tailwind through the Delaware Water Gap N.R.A. and down the river to Milford, NJ. I would be more concerned with the hills. I remember thinking that I was glad I was descending into the Hudson River Valley heading south rather than climbing north/east out of it. You will have hills in both directions, but I just remember that stretch feeling like a long way down.

[olfuddud@gmail.com]

Thanks.  I was hoping there was some sort of prevailing pattern so I could pick a direction.  None of the websites I've accessed have provided one, and your comments validate.  I guess it will be deciding where to start and dealing with it.  Thanks again.

[DanE]

Riding north to south on the North Carolina Outer Banks is generally with the wind.

[olfuddud@gmail.com]

Thank you.  Appreciate your response.

[indyfabz]

Thanks.

BTW...When in the fall? New England and even northern NJ can have some cold nights starting pretty early. I have done the Black Bear Century a couple of times. It's held in mid October and uses part of the Atlantic Coast route in NJ and PA. One year it was sub-freezing at registration in Delaware Water Gap, PA.

Also, try to stay at Worthington State Forest on Old Mine Rd. in NJ. It's a gem. The place can fill up even on fall weekends, and to make "official" weekend reservations you need to book both Saturday and Sunday. However, if you call the campground directly you can reserve a space for people arriving by foot, bike or paddling, or so the super there told me. if you can snag a regular site, Nos. 12 and 11 are great. Near the bathrooms, showers and camp sink and direct water access. Downside is that you will need to store your food, etc., in one of the bathrooms as the only bear boxes are in the group sites. (Yes. There are bears in that part of the world.)

[olfuddud@gmail.com]

Good tips. Probably will start in Aug or Sep.  Anticipate starting in the north, and don't want to get to the south when it's still blazing hot.  Have enough of that heat every day here in Missouri. Thanks.

[indyfabz]

I'd wait until after Labor Day. Camping is scarcer in the northeast. You will have less competition after the holiday. I started my trip from Brattleboro the Saturday after Labor Day. Seemed like the perfect time weather and crowd-wise, and there was still plenty of day light.

[Westinghouse]

Back in 1990 I started north from SE coastal FL on May 1st and reached Bangor, Maine May 22nd. I took two days off the road due to rain. The prevailing wind then was south to north. I do not think I could make it in that time again. I can feel the age.

[olfuddud@gmail.com]

Hoping to do it next year at 71 years of age.  Just reduce daily mileage and keep plugging is what we do.  Thanks for your response.