Day 034 - Hagerstown to Hancock - Two Far 2023 - Oranges to Apples

May 19, 2023

Day 034 - Hagerstown to Hancock

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It was a fun day. The first 10 miles were spent on nice roads and the remainder was spent on the C&O Canal Trail, the Western Maryland Rail Trail and then back on the C&O. In between the C&O and the WMRT, I met Jeanna at Fort Frederick for a picnic lunch and tour of the fort. I also met (finally) some touring cyclists and to put a cherry on top, I met a fellow cyclist that knew of us and had read our journals!

I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Could you ever be happy if you lived here???

Even though it had a funky name, there were some nice old buildings in the town.

The road between Funkstown and Williamsport was almost like a paved trail.

Just before I got on the C&O, I stopped at the C&O Visitors Center. I also had to get directions on how to get on the trail. It was one of those "I see it, but how do I get to it?" situations.

To get to the C&O canal trail, you had to go down the other side of the canal on an old railroad line. The geese weren't scared of me at all, and even the goslings would not get off the trail for me.

Crossing over a lock to get to the canal trail.

Information panels at the trail entrance.

This may have been the lock tenders' home, but I'm not sure.

I took some videos as soon as I got on the trail.

The

Meeting the first touring cyclists of this trip. Caitlin, Brad and Anna started in Pittsburgh, and were headed to D.C. (I hope I got their names right, because I lost the slip of paper that I had written their names on)

One of a series of pillars from an old railroad crossing over the river.

The canal lock in the foreground, the Potomac in the background.

The lock numbers increase as you head to Cumberland.

At one time there was a road that crossed over lock 46.

Locks 47 thru 50 were in quick succession and raised the canal 33 feet.

A pool below lock 47. This is where barges would wait their turn.

A small shed at the upstream end of the lock.

Eric, a Park Ranger at Fort Frederick. When we went to pay the entrance fee, he told us it was on the house. THANK YOU, ERIC!!

Information panels outside the entrance to the Fort Frederick Visitors Center.

The Fort Frederick's Visitors Center had a nice historical timeline of the fort, as well as several artifacts from the fort.

Pretty nice digs for the 1750's! The captain had a 2nd room (not shown) that was used as an office / dining room.

The junior officers had to sleep and eat in the same room.

The enlisted quarters didn't look so bad, until we learned that 2 men slept in each bed. Twelve men would have slept in the 3 bunk beds shown here.

I had started the day planning on riding the C&O the entire way to Hancock. However, at lunch, I decided I would like a little asphalt, and loaded up the route I had created for the WMRT, which starts just a short distance from Fort Frederick.

Big Pool is the beginning (or end) of the Western Maryland Rail Trail.

Even though the WMRT is paved and a much smoother ride than the C&O, when I saw the chance to get back on the canal trail, I took it. I did, however, walk down to the bottom first to get an idea if I really wanted to take the bike down.

The steps were not steep, and then I noticed the dirt track beside the steps that I could roll the bike down. That made it much easier - me on the steps, the bike on the incline.

Although a rougher ride, the scenery is much nicer on the C&O.

The deer posed for me for a long time before finally moving on.

My detour on the WMRT didn't cause me to miss a single lock! It's about 14 miles between locks 50 & 51.

At lock 51, I met Will and Keith Adams. Keith is a fellow Cycleblazer, and had read some of our journals. He even remembered that we were going to my H.S. reunion last year! Small world!!!

Tomorrow's ride (61 miles) is much longer than today's and will take me to Cumberland. For the 1st 12 miles, I can take either the WMRT or the C&O. I have yet to decide, but if it's raining as predicted, I'll definitely go with the WMRT and pavement - 49 miles of mud will be enough!

Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 1,571 miles (2,528 km)

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John PaskalidesTwo men in one bed. DeSantis would never let that happen in Florida. I am writing this from Corfu. Cool island off the west coast of Greece n the Ionian Sea. We start the bike and sail on saturday June 3. The C&O looks nice.
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1 year ago

Jeanna & Kerry SmithTo John PaskalidesGood to hear from you. We're enjoying the pictures from Greece that Aline is posting. Have a great time on your bike and sail.
And, yes, the C&O was nice - particularly with no mud!
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1 year ago