True Test

September 24  Leesburg, VA to Shepherdstown, WV.  What a beautiful day!  Began with a solid breakfast at the hotel.  Then hotel staff transported us, two other cyclists (Jan and Juanita from Toronto) and all our bikes to the historic White Ferry (one of the last cable-pulled ferries in the U.S.). After a 5 minute ferry ride across the Potomac River we all rolled up to the C&O Canal Tow Rad.   Since Jan and Juanita  were biking the GAP from Pittsburg, and C&O into D.C., we wished each other well and went in opposite directions.
 
   Like George Washington we cross the Potomac to conquer ...... the  C&O Trail!
 

The day’s ride was just short of forty miles, all gravel, upriver, but surprisingly easy and fast.  The weather was perfect and we were in the shade most of time. The Potomac was on our left, but not always visible.  The canal was on our right, sometimes dry and sometimes filled with thick algae-covered water. 

We were told to expect to see turtles, but instead we saw deer, squirrel,  geese, and a steady-as-a-stone blue heron. 

   















Given the deciduous primordial nature of the C&O trail, it is reasonably well-maintained with small campgrounds (and the customary port-a-potty) every 10 miles or so along the length of the Trail. Trail riders include both distance riders and day trippers.  

How to make 9 miles an hour on gravel look fast!
 

Once our day on the trail was done we had to ascend a steep set of asphalt switchbacks to mount the bridge that crossed the Potomac into Shepherdstown.  We walked the bikes up to the bridge and rode a very wide sidewalk into town, since there were no bike lanes.  Once across the bridge, the wide sidewalk ended, and there were still no bike lanes, so we walked two tenths of mile into town (yes Diane's odometer works even at "zero miles per hour"), where we had a good Mexican meal, followed by a some more bike walking and a quick jaunt on a highway bike lane into our hotel! Then it was shower, check over the bikes, do email and go to the store to buy Fritos and Polar Ginger Ale time. 

Shepherdstown, WV has a fairly picturesque down town. Their downtown library is a good example.






















Ok, here is your botany lesson for the trip.  This a Paw Paw..... look it up.