October 9, on to Harpers ferry

Well we got up early enough to catch a picture of K2 (Kevin and Katie).  They were going to have a long ride, about 60 miles today.  We wished them luck, 60 is a long ride on dirt trails.  They informed us that they were going to the Desert Rose Café for breakfast, then head out.  At least they look happy at the beginning of the day :>)

When we ourselves got to the Desert Rose, the cook ran out as we were parking our bikes and asked if we were Chuck and Barb.  He had a gift from K2.  They had bought us turtle gummy bears and told the cook what we (mostly Barb) looked like.   The turtles were colorful as seen below, and tasty.  The only question is.....did they give us turtles because we had been seeing and taking pictures of turtles.....OR was it because we are so slow getting started in the morning....The things I had to ponder during the ride today....life changing.....

oh look another lock.  There is actually 75 in all, well actually 74.  They had numbered them at the beginning of the construction and during construction, they eliminated one of the locks.  So, to make it work, numbering wise, they named one lock 61-1/3 and 62-2/3 and not 63, or something like that...

 lots of civil war history plaques

The Potomac

 

Barb was pining for being able to mow a lawn...not

 Have I mentioned a trail?

 For a long stretch, the rock cliffs came to the edge of the water, so the river was the canal, and they only built a tow path.  this meant the boats had to deal with currents, and debris.

this is and area that was rebuilt with concrete panels and concrete deck for the trail

retaining walls Virginia style (steel containers with manholes on top)

 Then they constructed a dam to supply water where they restarted the canal

This is a gate house that regulated water into the canal.  they closed it during flood stage

Antietam aqueduct

 Then the river was filled with rock and brush.  Really different environment

As I was looking at this cool tunnel fed by two bridges....it became apparent that we needed to get up to this elevation, and there were only stairs.....Oh NO!!!!  I took the BOB off, but carried the bike with the panniers as my rear panniers are a pain (yes play on words) to get on and off. 

 Regroup above, stairs below

They were nice enough to schedule a few trains through while we were there.

The Potomac actually flows off the photo to the left.  you are looking upstream at the Shenandoah River as it flows into the Potomac.

And as we enter Harpers ferry.

 

 

As all things must come to an end, so must this trip.  We have decided to finish in DC with Barbs brother coming to pick us up and drive back to Greensboro.  We are taking a day off in Harpers Ferry as there looked like a bunch of history to be seen there.  Of course this means tomorrow we start in the rain, but the afternoon is slated to be nice.  hopefully we will have pics of Harpers ferry for tomorrow.  It will be a 60 mile day, so it will be a long one.  Maybe we will  try some of the turtles to see if they get us going earlier, never know.