C&O Canal Tow Path

After living in Western Maryland for nearly six years now, and being forced by a knee injury to abandon running and adopt biking as my exercise of choice, I was recently persuaded to explore the 'tow path'. A converted relic of a pre-industrial time, the tow path was used to haul water borne cargo where it was impractical or impossible to do so by land. Horses were used tethered to ropes and the barge and towed along the river. Like their cousins, the defunct railroad paths turned paved asphalt biking and walking trails, the towpath through DC and Maryland provides a natural escape perfect for biking, hiking, camping and strolling.

Our first ride on the towpath was out of a picture book. The weather was cool and crisp, sunny and not overly humid. We loaded up our neglected bicycles and hoped there wouldn't be too much complaining about how much further we were going from our daughters. We were surprised and entirely impressed by ease with which we all enjoyed the ride. The crushed gravel made it a gentle ride and the over arching branches kept it cool. Because of the proximate river, the towpath has only gradual and unnoticeable family friendly grades. Everyone enjoyed the ride and my oldest insisted on making an even ten miles out of it, pushing herself beyond the point of comfort to achieve it.

We were out for nearly two hours which for all involved seemed like half that. An extremely pleasant way to spend a weekend morning. As we walked back to the car, my instinct to test myself to the extreme was piqued by the map of the entire trail. Apparently this combined man-made and natural jewel stretches 180 miles from Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland with campsites, points of interest, food and other lodging options along the way.

I was in awe of this asset that had been overlooked by us for so long and only minutes away from our house. Already though I was planning on how to acquire land immediately on the towpath and more immediately, excursions involving long days of riding and nights of camping.