I am very behind in my blogging, so things are a bit out of order. I'll try and catch up, starting with Ken's fun bike trip. Ken & I worked together writing this post:
The last week of May, Ken went on his dream vacation (he won't say that it was his dream since I wasn't there and he doesn't want to hurt my feelings, but in my heart of hearts, I know it was his ultimate vacation.) He and a childhood friend, Greg Last, who is now a doctor practicing in Hurricane, cooked up this plan about a year ago to ride the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail in Maryland. So they've been planning and arranging and preparing since. They gathered a group of eight people and hired an outfitter who did a great job at arranging for their bikes and equipment, charted their course, and arranged for their motels. They started in Cumberland, Maryland, and in five days rode about 200 miles to Washington DC. down the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Tow Path Trail that winds through hardwood forests, mostly along a canal. They enjoyed gorgeous scenery, many Civil and Revolutionary War sites, birding and other wildlife, good exercise, and good company.
Ken flew into Baltimore airport where Brian picked him up late on Saturday night. He went to church with Brian and Michelle on Sunday. They fed him a nice meal, then Brian drove him up to Cumberland- about a 2 1/2 hour drive ( in pouring rain, I might add. You're a good guy, Brian.) to meet the group and start on Monday morning. That first day they traveled on their bikes 61 miles.
 |
| Ken and his good buddy, Greg, ready to begin their adventure. That's salutatorian and valedictorian of Hurricane High School Class of 1972 you see there! |
 |
| The rest of the group from L to R: Jeff & Dorina Adamson, Greg Last, McKenzie & her mom, Ginette McDonald, Paula Last, and Alex Last (Greg's son). (Ginette & Paula are Greg's sisters) |
 |
| Paw Paw Tunnel |
 |
Out on the trail. Our first excursion in West Virginia
|
 |
| With the huge rainstorm the day before, they got pretty muddy. |
 |
| They spent the first night in Hancock, Maryland. |
 |
| Part of the trail was asphalt, as seen above,but most was gravel. |
 |
| On the second day, they stopped at Fort Frederick. This is the gift shop there. |
 |
Fort Frederick, which saw action in the
French and Indian, Revolutionary and Civil Wars |
 |
| Ready for Day 3. |
 |
| This kind lady helped them wash their bikes after a particularly muddy section of trail. |
 |
| At a cemetery north of Antietam Battlefield |
 |
| And church yard. This is a famous old church. |
 |
| Abraham Lincoln stood on these steps. |
 |
| Antietam Battlefield. |
 |
| Looking north at "The Cornfield", the site of the first skirmish at Antietam. |
 |
| Picnic lunch at Antietam, near the visitor's center. |
 |
| Looking east down the famous "Sunken Road" skirmish site at Antietam. |
 |
| A west-looking view of the "Sunken Road" battlefield from the top of the tower. |
 |
| The famous "Burnside Bridge", the final major skirmish site at Antietam. The Sycamore tree (on the left side of the bridge) was there when the civil war was fought. |
 |
| Southern entry to Harper's Ferry, where many say the Civil War started. This section of the trail was also part of the Appalachian Trail--I finally got to experience a part of it!! |
 |
| Monocacy Aqueduct, the largest one on the C and O Canal. |
 |
| Ferry across the Potomac to Leesburg, West Virginia |
 |
| Ready to start my fifth (and last) day of the trip. |
 |
| This picture shows a working lock on the canal, with its associated lock-house. |
 |
| The group watching a reenactment of how they powered and used the Canal Boats on the C and O Canal. The horses towed the boats with ropes--thus the canal's side is called a towpath. |
 |
| Visitors Center at Great Falls on the Potomac. |
 |
| Greg and his son, Alex at Great Falls |
 |
| I love this picture of Ken at Great Falls. |
 |
| Great shot of the Potomac River's Great Falls |
 |
| A Great Blue Heron at Great Falls. We saw 12 of these birds from this one vantage point! |
 |
| One of the many, many terrapins we saw all along the canal. |
 |
| The group celebrating arriving at the end of the trail: Washington DC. |
 |
| One last stop--the Iwojima Monument in Washington DC. |
4 comments:
Sounds like a wonderful trip and if it is all relatively flat and downhill, I would have LOVED it and learning about all the history. Lucky Ken! I have to say that Ken looks quite a bit younger than his buddy, Greg. I hope Greg doesn't read this.
Wow!!What a trip! Having been to Harper's Ferry for a little weekend getaway in the fall, I can attest it is totally beautiful country. Lucky guy!
Ken is amazing! I admire him for choosing such a rigorous adventure as a dream vacation. I, too, would love the history and the scenery part of it. Fun to read about it!
WOW! What a wonderful trip. Dad got to see so many awesome historical parts of our country. The lock in the canal looks really interesting. And how cool he saw some fun wildlife too. He did a great job taking so many pictures too; impressive. Way to go Dad!!!
Post a Comment