October 7, sumthin new, a canal......

We started out the day in Cumberland MD to start our new adventure along the C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) towpath.  This canal was originally intended to cross the Allegheny's and they even lobbied for it after the railroads were established.  The trail was rougher, but not too bad.  Some soft areas exist that were a little squirrely.  I could see it being more of a mtn bike ride after prolonged wet weather.  What I kept saying to myself as we wandered down the Potomac was "these views doesn't come to mind when I think of Maryland!"

We got to go over aqueducts where the canal crossed creeks, a tunnel that they dug for the canal and everything! So enjoy the pics

sorry didn't get a good side view of the canal boat on display, but you get the drift.

and the canal starts (obviously not used)

better view of what it looked like, but probably  not green

the river out to the side all along

an aquaduct

notice how much lower the river is than the path

And LOCKS!!!!!

Overflow channel if more water is coming down than the locks let out

Oh yea, met some one to ride with on the trail

rock cuts

a lock house

there she is again

another aqueduct

Wild life, a TURTLE

railroad wall just above the canal.  they say the competing railroads would blow their horns to startle the mules pulling the canal boats

AND...

THE TUNNEL!!!!!!!

Path was rough, walked our bikes.  let us take pics though these are all with camera flash and a little bit of headlights

check the reflection.....

Made it through, downstream endffffff

looked like a face....just use your imagination

More wildlife (not turtle)

started to rain, so no pics.  stayed at B&B in Little Orleans...another story, maybe..