A Dam Fine Day

September 25  Shepherdstown to Williamsport.  A light day of biking, thanks to Rob’s planning, and his good memory (knowing that the third day of any of our trips is often the most tiring— due to adjusting to back-to-back riding days, time zone changes, and the older muscles).  Plus it’s often laundry day. 

We slept in, had an ok hotel breakfast and were on the road (yes, “road” was intended) by 10:10.   Only 1.7 miles of city streets and over the bridge before we were again on the glorious C&O Canal Tow Path.  Another gorgeous day of cool temperatures and relatively easy riding.   A few slightly technical patches, but otherwise an easy 30 miles.  Two interesting features in today’s ride.  A wide concrete pathway of about 1.5 miles along the Big Slackwater portion of the Potomac.  The original towpath historically followed the bank of the Potomac, allowing boats to be towed along a quiet ("slack") part of the river.   But this area suffered damage from floods in 1972, 1985, and 1996, and was closed to the public for several years. Construction began in 2011 and was completed in 2012.  

The second interesting feature was Dam #4. As part of constructing the canal system, seven dams were built on the Potomac River to strategically divert water into the canal. Dam #4 (the first we have seen) provided water for the next 22 downstream miles of the canal. The water intake into the canal was regulated by a guard lock adjacent to Dam #4. The guard lock was regulated to maintain a constant level water traveling at two miles per hour.  Dam #4 began doing double duty in 1913 as a hydro-electric gravity dam (later updated in 1994).  For the last 100 years the dam has captured the power of the water and transformed into electricity via drive belt turbine system.   

The trail comes into Willliamsport at the C&O canal museum. We concluded  our day's ride with a museum visit and watched a 9 minute silent film short – vintage 1917 – about the canal. Then we walked our bikes up the street and had a good lunch at the Desert Rose Cafe. From there we rolled to our home for the night – the Red Roof Inn, where Rob did laundry (such is an exciting Friday night for old folks on gravel bikes).

One of 75 locks along the canal.

Dam #4.

Along this stretch the riding got down to single track. But the camera man failed to catch Diane zooming between large rocks and the water's edge.

A little over the shoulder photography capturing the rebuilt trail abutting the Potomac River.

                             

Then we cruised into Williamsport

Stopped in at the C&O Musuem for a movie.

And had a local brew (soda pop) with our late lunch.

 

So did you look up Paw Paw Fruit?