Day Four: Cumberland to Hancock

Long day today folks. We biked 63 miles along the C @ O Canal Path. It's a tree-shrouded path with an old canal on the left and the Potomac on the right. Much of the trail is under a thick canopy of trees, but every so often you break out into the sunlight for a stretch.

We made several stops at the old locks and lock stations along the way. It's rich in history.

The canal that runs alongside the trail is a thick, green soup that surely has some intresting ingredients. We saw many turtles sunning themselves on a log, a snake slithering through the weather, and several birds. If the Creature from the Black Lagoon had an address it would be this canal water. The green in the photos doesn't give you the true color.

On the right the Potomac runs along carrying rafters and kayakers along it's sometimes still, sometimes rapid water.

The highlight was the Paw Paw tunnel. This is a half mile long tunnel with a wooden platform that runs against the wall for the bikers. A railing separates you from the canal below. At first it's deceiving. You go in (have to walk your bike, not ride) and it doesn't seem that long. Then, at some point you turn around the and the opening is a small dot and the end is a smaller dot.
Total darkness so you hope you loaded new batteries into that flashlight.

A great attraction.

The rest of the day was very simple---pedal, dodge mud puddles or go through them, pedal, pedal.

The path is a bit rutted especially after a rain. You will get muddy so accept it and soon everyone has a "racing stripe" of mud up the back.

We pulled into Hancock around 6:30 which is a bit later than we expected. However, the one thing we've learned on this ride is that you can plan all you want from your home, but once you get there it's pretty much adapting to changes in plans.

The best thing to do is roll with it. Everyone on the team has this attitude which makes it so enjoyable.

We're all doing well except for minor scrapes, bumps and bruises.

The best part of the evening was sitting in the quiet of the laundrymat knowing there is clean clothes on the way.

We washed our Power Pedal shirts for the big ride into D.C. on Monday.

That's all, thanks for your support and remember, for every follower a donation is being made to the VF. Send the link to your friends.

Keep the rubber side down and out of the green canal water.

The VF Power Pedal Riders