RANDY L. PHELPS

This is the C&O Canal Bike Trip Page for July, 2006.

In July of 2006 I set out to conquer the 184.5 mile Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal towpath bike trail. I rented an SUV from Hertz (you can rent one-way to Cumberland, MD and drop it off at Wayne's Citgo station!)), packed my bike and drove from Washington, DC to Cumberland, where I spent the night at the Holiday Inn hotel before beginning the solo ride the next day (the end point of the C&O Canal at mile post "184.5").  Over the next 3 days (14-16 July 2006) I rode the mud-covered trail, through rain and hot, humid middle-Atlantic July weather, averaging 60-70 miles per day (61.70 miles, 70.43 miles and 63.39 miles), with additional travel due to overnight stops in Hancock, Maryland and Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.  Mile post "0", in Washington, DC (Georgetown) was the end of my journey (although there was the final short bike ride home after a celebratory drink on the Georgetown waterfront!).  Here is my trip in pictures...

Day 0

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Cumberland, Maryland

Day 1

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          Me, my transportation (not the canal boat!), mile post "184.5" and the way to mile post "0" at Georgetown...

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Whoo hoo!  One-half mile down, 184 to go!

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Sights along the canal outside of Cumberland, including the first canal house...

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Near "Oldtown", at mile 166.7

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The Paw Paw Tunnel (mile 155.8 to mile 155.2)

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A canal house, and a view of the Potomac River

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Resting at the Roundtop Cement Mill (mile 127.4)

Day 2

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Licking Creek Aqueduct (mile 116.0) and Fort Frederick (mile 112.4)

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Four Locks (mile 108.6) and yet another canal house...

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Dam 5 (mile 106.6), Conococheague Aqueduct (mile 99.5) and lunch at Williamsport, MD (mile 99.4)

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Whoo hoo!  Half way there at mile 92...

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Harper's Ferry (mile 60.7)

Day 3

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Lock 31 and the Catoctin Creek Aqueduct area (mile 51.5)

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Monocacy Aqueduct (mile 42.1)

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A canal lockhouse, the last in unseen territory since...

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A milestone at mile 25.0...I had been this far before, coming up from Georgetown!  But onward...

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Seneca Creek Aqueduct (mile 22.8)

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Views along the Potomac...

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Great Falls and Great Falls Tavern (mile 14.3)

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Lock 8, Lock 7 and Lock 6

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Soon I will be relaxing too!

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Ah, Georgetown!

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And finally, after 184.5 miles, the end of the towpath at mile "0"!  To the waterfront for a cocktail....

Day 4

For a final celebration I ate dinner along the canal at "Sea Catch" restaurant.  I recommend it...

    

Last Updated 26 December 2006.