October 8, Nice sunny day and off to Williamsport

Beautiful sunrise at the Top of the Hill B&B.  Territorial view overlooking the Hudson River valley.  I tried to get sunrise shots, but hard to get.  I think you will get the jest of it though.

The Inn.  Served quite the fancy breakfast too.

more sunrise shots

Can't remember if I told you,  but the B&B was at the top of a hill and the owners came down and got us and our gear and took us to the top of the hill to stay.  NICE Place.  The trail is nice, but it is rough and soft in places.  The B&B owner offered to take us a little bit further down the trail and drop us off on the railroad grade which is near the canal towpath but it is paved.....we went with paved.  So we got 20 smooth miles today.  Another benefit is we had read about the rivalry between the railroad and the canal, and much of the train path we took today was looking down on the canal.  I could only think of the train whistles spooking the mules. 

 

Before I go any further I need to mention  Katie and Kevin.  We met them the night we got into Cumberland.  We were walking from the hotel to the canal visitor center.  they had just finished a 60 sum mile day.  We chatted briefly.  Then we saw them at dinner, then later in the hot tub, then we competed for laundry facilities later.  Met again at breakfast.  They were the ones that told us about the Top of the Hill B&B.  They are brother and sister doing the trail from Pittsburgh to DC.  They flew out and rented bikes to do the trail.    They carry much less stuff than us so they tend to leave earlier and probably travel faster.  However we seem to catch up by the end of the day.  We have enjoyed visiting with them and comparing notes of the days outing.  We went out to dinner with them tonight.  They are leaving early tomorrow as they have a schedule to meet.  Barb and I are still trying to find our schedule.....damn, put it somewhere. just where??????  So we won't see them again unless their schedule has problems.  they are going to do 60 miles tomorrow, while we want to do 40 and hang out in Harpers Ferry.  So best wishes to them and thanks for the visits, we enjoyed them.  Unfortunately no pics  :>(

So to start with, pics of the railroad right of way.....paved I might add...

Trying to get a shot looking down on the canal showing the elevation differences

rock cut :>)

Canal, towpath and Potomac River

and more trail

more locks

This is an old picture of an aqueduct.  note how much leakage occurred. 

the side creek as it flows into the Potomac

Repairs completed to save the remnants of the aqueduct.

The grassy area to the left is the canal.  the left canal wall fell off.

Fort Hendricks.  Revolution age fort

Another turtle

Fort Hendricks, a revolutionary age fort

 

 

 An area where the rock impeded canal construction so they cut a towpath in and used the river for the canal

This is a dam built in the mid 1800"s to feed a section of the canal.  General Stonewall Jackson from the Confederacy tried a couple of times to destroy the dam in an attempt to slow industrial supplies to the north.  never succeeded.  

where the river water flowed in

 Made it to Williamsport, our destination for the day.  This is a three arch aqueduct.  Later you will see photos of the canal boat that took out the side of the aqueduct and pretty much stopped the use of the canal,

The Confederates crossed the Potomac a couple of times at Williamsport.  Once, I believe on the way to Gettysburg.

 Also, Washington considered Williamsport as the location of our nations capitol.....well it said so on a sign....

 A vertical lift drawspan for the railroad crossing the canal.  I would guess there was some right of way disputes over this one.

 The canal boat after it took out the side of the 3 arch aqueduct.

 

That's it for now, good night.