Today’s Date: July 28, 2024

Today’s Start Point: Hancock, Maryland

Today’s End Point: Ashburn, Virginia

Today’s Miles: 99.93 Miles

Cumulative Miles: 4,324.02 Miles

From the title of today’s post and in order to eliminate any suspense, the surprise guest is the one and only Leslie Landenberger. Our schedules finally aligned and she flew to Washington DC and we are spending the night at her cousin Kristin’s house.

In order to make the planets align, I knew we had a small window from July 28-30. A decided a few days ago that for us to meet up in DC, I would have to put in some big miles to get there.

I was able to do so because of the brilliant cycling infrastructure in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. For today, I planned a 100 mile day (ok, I was .07 miles short). I left my hotel in Hancock 45 minutes before the sun came up and hopped back on the C&O Canal Trail.

The surface of the trail got better and better as I headed south. The trail was much like yesterday, located between the remnants of the canal and the Potomac River. I passed by and through multiple locks again and since much of what I saw on the C&O Canal today was similar to yesterday, I will only talk about a couple of striking engineering marvels that I saw today.

First is the Conococheague Aqueduct located at Williamsport, Maryland. Yesterday, I was amazed that they built a tunnel for the canal to flow through. Today it was an aqueduct over a river with one “lane” for the canal to go over and a towpath. It’s interesting to see the ingenious methods they used to get by these natural obstacles.

Second is the Big Slackwater Restoration located by Cedar Grove, Maryland. The towpath sits between the Potomac River and a sheer wall of rock. The river makes a tight loop, and you can look across and see the continuation of the path. Much of the towpath was destroyed by flooding, but a restoration project completed in 2012 rebuilt the lost sections using concrete and stone walls. It reminded me of walking along a parapet of a castle. I apologize for the pictures, I don’t think they do it justice.

I took the C&O Canal Trail for 60 miles, at which point I had to cross the Potomac River into Virginia. It was back to hilly roads through horse country. Outside of the protection of the trees on the canal path, it started to get hot.

The roads I were on for the next 10 miles were a mixture of turnpikes with heavy traffic, country roads with minimal traffic and gravel roads with no traffic.

For much of the final 20 miles, I was on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Path. Another wonderful path-asphalt surface with yellow lane designation lines. I took this path to Ashburn, Virginia where Leslie’ cousin Kristin, her husband John and their son Truman and daughter Morgan live.

I can’t tell you how great it was to see Leslie. This is the longest we have been apart since we were married. We both talked about it and in some ways it’s seems like I have been gone for a long time and sometimes it feels like I just left. I felt bad since I think the dirt from half the trail was sticking to me.

It has been a couple of months since I sat around a family room sipping wine and acting like a normal person. No post-ride rituals today.

We had a wonderful meal on their outside deck and just relaxed. Truman starts college in the fall and Morgan made some delightful and healthy chocolate dessert bars.

Tomorrow I am riding to Alexandria, Virginia. Kristin gave me some directional assistance, suggesting a bicycle path route into DC and then into Alexandria.

I would like to thank Kristin, John, Truman and Morgan for the kind hospitality tonight.

I would also like to thank Leslie for always being there for me, and putting up with me partaking in this adventure. Love you always.