What yesterday proved was that this towpath is not nearly as arduous as I had been told. Today's ride will likely be the easiest of my three and one half days on it.

The purpose of this canal was to transport commerce from the east coast to the Ohio Valley and back. What I do not understand is how it got built. George Washington got the ball rolling in 1785, when he got a company to build a number of locks around previously unnavigable parts of the Potomac River. In 1828, the Chesapeake and Ohio Company decided to make a canal, connecting the locks, and adding some between Cumberland and Washington, DC.

The result is this absolutely amazing engineering feat, much of which still survives today. The canal is plenty wide, and, in places  wide enough for two or more rows of barges, some going east, some going west. It took 35,000 workers to build the canal. The locks, dams, spillways, and pumphouses are still there, in good shape, after nearly two centuries. Much of the canal still has water in it. It is just stunning to think of all the planning, logistics and labor that took place in the wilderness, all because George Washington had a vision of opening up trade to the frontier.

One spot, which I went through yesterday, was a 3,100 foot long tunnel, still with canal and towpath. It took 14 years and 6 million bricks to build. I stopped and walked the bike through, with my headlight and a head lamp on. 

As one rides the towpath, the canal is on the left (going east), and the Potomac River is on the right side. This is a far more beautiful path than I expected.

This morning, I was to ride the trail for five miles, then there would be a paved rail-trail trail paralleling the C&O for 22 miles. Before I pedaled the five miles, I counted 9 deer. The asphalt trail enabled an extra 4 miles per hour.

At the end of the paved rail trail was Fort Frederick, a relic from the French Indian war. It had thick masonry walls that were 12-14 feet high. The enclosed area was also quite large. Obviously, much of the stonework was re-constructed, but it was pretty cool.

I arrived, today, in Williamsport in mid-afternoon. Words cannot express how smelly my bicycling clothes and footwear are. The nice lady who runs this B&B is laundering them for me. I have also been able to dry out my panniers from yesterday's puddles.   All in all, I am feeling good, but the light daily mileage has helped.

Physical ailments are common, but rarely serious. I developed another chafing on a different part of the upper, inner thigh. A large bandage stopped it from getting worse. My wrenched knee is doing fine. My major concern is the swollen area around the Achilles tendon. It was very swollen two nights ago. I put a large bandage and a heavy mid-ankle wool sock over it yesterday morning. The bandage stayed in place, but it became tender late in the day, and slightly swollen. Today, I stopped in a pharmacy in the first small town I came  to, and purchased some moleskin, which seemed to do a good job. Any ailment that is affected by hours of repetitive motion has potentially bad consequences.

The Lord has been good to me, and more generous than I deserve. It is far easier to keep Him foremost in my thoughts and mind, when I am bicycling alone for hours. I hope I will be able continue when I get home.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.....