Day 10 - to Ridge Rider Campground, Little Orleans MD - Flower city->Steel city->Capital city

October 8, 2022

Day 10 - to Ridge Rider Campground, Little Orleans MD

Miles: 43.3, no map today since I had trouble with my GPS

First day on the C&O canal trail. It is certainly rougher and muddier than the GAP trail. It is also more remote so I had no cell service until I arrived in Little Orleans, MD. I was hungry and hit the only bar/restaurant in town, Bill’s Place. It was cookin on a Saturday afternoon with well more than 100 people there listening to a bluegrass band and drinking cheap beer. I pulled up to the bar and proceeded to finish off a medium pizza and a Coke. I did purchase a bottle of beer to take to the campsite a few miles up the road. Spent 20 minutes opening that bottle with a nail file from my mini Swiss Army knife. Lots of effort but it sure tasted good.

The Paw Paw tunnel which I describe below is closed for maintenance. I had to push my bike up a steep hiking path and down the other side for the detour. Two miles pushing a 72 pound bike, it was strenuous

This marker in downtown Cumberland marks the end of the GAP trail for me and the beginning of the C&O canal trail. “By River, By Rail, By Road”

Met Bob as we were both about to start the ride. He is also riding a Trek 520 touring bike in grey instead of red

The C&O canal was started in 1828 and completed in 1850. It was obsolete by then since it could not complete with the newly completed rail line

One of 74 locks between Cumberland and DC

The Paw Paw tunnel which was built in 1850. This is a full 60 years before the tunnels were built on the GAP trail. Building methods were crude back then and a lot of this was dug by hand. It is 3,100 feet long

An old railroad bridge across the canal. A lot of the canal now has that green color

Arrived in Little Orleans, MD and rode right up to Bill’s place

This was the killer Bluegrass band at Bill’s Place. Banjo, fiddle, guitar, and standup bass. All excellent musicians. I struck up a conversation with the guy manning the merchandise table. His wife was the bass player and she grew up in Webster, NY. Yes, I purchased a CD

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Keith AdamsThere are also free camping spots for hikers and bikers right along the towpath itself. Each one has a porta-john and a hand-operated pump; a water filter can take out a lot of the iron and cloudiness-producing solids, but the water is potable as-is if you're not fussy.

The campsites are spaced about every 5-10 miles (roughly) and generally also include a fire ring and picnic table. They *can* be a bit on the muddy side if it's been we recently, and *will* be full of mosquitoes in warmer weather.

At that time of year, you're less likely to be called on to share a site but they are definitely large enough that more than one party can fit without being right on top of one another.
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