Walking the C&O Canal and Great Falls Maryland

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Walking with the Walrus

C AND O CANAL - GREAT FALLS MD USA VOLKSMARCH
SATURDAY MAY 17, 1997
A regular feature by Kevin Shaw
Photos © Kevin Shaw, licensed to About.com

In the second of a series of 16 walks on the entire 180 mile length of the C and O canal (from Georgetown DC to Cumberland MD) the Maryland Volkssport Association along with Walking Magazine, Clairol and First USA Bank sponsored the walk today. The 5 and 10 km walks started out at the Great Falls MD visitors center, and the 20 km trail went from Riley's Lock to Great Falls. My friend Marty and I opted for the 10 km out and back trail. Peaches and India came along of course, as the canal towpath is one of their most favorable paths to walk.
Since the start point was on National Park property, fees technically could not be collected there, but we casually slipped the fee into an envelope when no one was looking and gave it to the registrar at the end of the walk, along with our start card. We were walkers 60 and 61 for the day, but we started about 9:20 AM. With the walk start window being 8-12, I figure a few hundred probably did the 5 or 10 km walk, with probably another few hundred doing the long 20 km option. We saw a steady stream of volksmarchers on the trail the entire time, but especially on the way out, since most of the 20 km walkers were coming towards us. It was great to see some faces I had not seen in a while, including our regional director Diane Evans and our friends Ann Hawthorne and Jeff Goller.
The easy, flat hard-packed dirt trail lends itself well to a more social type walk, since you don't really have to pay attention to a lot of directional signs and looking down to watch where you are going. The canal widens out on occasion and the Potomac River also gets very close in other spots. Basically a woodland environment, these changes in the waterway give you enough change to keep things interesting. Nice and peaceful too! We saw several bird species, including a brilliant red and black tanager. Peaches and India cooled their feet off on occasion in the canal. Cloudy, cool conditions at the start yielded a gentle light rain for a good part of the walk. No one really got soaked, and it kept everyone refreshed. India and Peaches splash

After about 3.7 km, we hit a checkpoint at Swains Lock, with the usual water and candy, plus a snack bar staffed by the Park Service. Another 1.3 km and we hit the turnaround point at our local power company's (PEPCO) pumping station, where they had a nice outdoor display explaining all about the Potomac River and its drainage basin. A part of the Potomac River roared by us right behind the display. The checkpoint here was just a hole punch on a sign you did yourself.
Bruce Hollenbaugh joined us for a part of the walk out, but he kept going at the turnaround since he was doing the 20 km walk. He was going in the opposite direction from many of the 20 km walkers, as the shuttles actually brought walkers to both end points.
Our friend Dan Hanson joined us on the trail within a few hundred yards of the turnaround point on the way back. He caught up to us by running. He had only checked his email this morning about starting an hour earlier than planned earlier in the week. He called me on his car phone (to my cell phone) to tell me he was still coming but he would be running late. All worked out, and we walked together for the last almost 5 km.
On the way back, almost back to the finish, a replica of an old canal boat, complete with real horse-drawn power, was cruising in the canal with a boatload of passengers. Back in the early 1800s, that was the way goods were transported. By that time the rain stopped, and the sun was starting to come out.
We got our books stamped, and turned in our envelopes/start cards. This relaxing, scenic walk behind us, we can't wait for the third walk in the series, which I believe is sometime in July. I am sure it will be hotter at that time, but with the good shade on most of this trail, it should still be pleasant and enjoyable. Thanks to the Maryland Volkssport Association and the other sponsors for putting on this outstanding event.

MT AIRY MARYLAND USA VOLKSMARCH
SUNDAY MAY 18, 1997

On this warm, sunny Sunday, I planned to head up north to Mt Airy Maryland to do the Piedmont Pacers' 10 km walk around this picturesque, hilly town. However, my walking buddy for today, my daughter Robin, had gone on a school trip to an amusement park on Saturday, and had sore feet and did not want to do 10 km. I had to compromise and we did the 5 km option. So nice to have that choice, otherwise I might not have gone at all. There were a total of about 300 walkers for the 2 day event, with about 60 choosing the 5 km trail.
We easily found the start point at Mt Airy Middle School on Waterville Road, and the more than adequately staffed start/finish team got all our paperwork finished quickly and efficiently so we could get out on the trail. We picked up a set of trail directions, but yellow trail markers were on the trail at all the necessary points, so between both types of guides, we negotiated the trail with its numerous turns and twists with ease. We started out going through on a newly paved sidewalk through this field on the outskirts of Watkins Park, seeing numerous 10km walkers coming back on their trail. We then entered into town streets, and would find ourselves on these for the most part for the rest of the walk, except for one part where we walked through a small town park on a curvy sidewalk.
The older town of Mt Airy has plenty of neat houses and historic buildings. We passed by numerous churches, including one built in 1846 that is still operational today. The checkpoint was the Firehouse Pub and Restaurant, a converted old firehouse into a brewpub eating establishment. Steve Deux was there on their outside porch doing the checkpoint activities out in the glorious sun. Many walkers stopped there for lunch while on their walk, or like us, went back after completing the walk to enjoy their refreshments and good food. The owner came around and made sure we were all getting what we wanted, and knew he had a good deal going with all the volksmarchers coming in and significantly increasing his Sunday afternoon business.
A couple of significant hills made me glad in the long run that we only did the 5 km trail. I got more than enough exercise, and saw all of the historic downtown section. Many thanks to the Piedmont Pacers Volksmarch Club for hosting this interesting walk through this quaint town.

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