Monday 4/5
Some roadtrips can be planned around just a few hours drive time per day. But, sometimes there just isn’t enough time and one day becomes a drive day. That was today.
There’s no easy way to get to Leesburg, Virginia. Even if you strictly use the interstate, it’s still pretty round about. So, I chose to do an hour or scenic driving, then just slog it out.
Just a few exits from the motel, how can you pass up a sign like this...
It’s named after cave in a local nature preserve. The main chamber inside is three hundred feet long and home of the endangered species of bat. There was a time the preserve offered guided tours. But, the threat of White Nose Syndrome ended that a few years ago.
I’ve been through this part of the state before, having spent a half day in Chimney Rock State Park, so I just drove through. Long story short, I did eventually work my way out to I-81 for the long drive north.
Some words of wisdom from random church signs “Jesus is fulfilling. It’s better than candy.” And a personal favorite, “Silly Rabbit, Easter is for Jesus.”
About the time I started thinking about food, I passed a sign for the Devils Backbone Brewing Company and stopped in. Good food, a solid stout and great staff! Whenever a customer left, they wiped down the table and chairs, then left a sign saying the table had been sanitized.
My home for the night was the Clarion Inn in Leesburg, Virginia. It’s hard to judge the place. The entire lower level seemed under renovation. Upstairs was nice and clean, but obviously second for the renovation work.
As I was chilling out in the room typing up the day’s notes, I heard faint music from outside and thought nothing of it. Shortly before midnight, I was still hearing the faint music. Down below, alongside the building materials, there’s a barbecue. Two guys were down there cooking up something or other.
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Years ago, I left Mom’s and headed west to explore a little more of Maryland. Along the way, I passed a sign for Point of Rocks. The sign intrigued me. I’ve passed it a couple of times since, but didn’t have the time for the detour. Today, all that changed. I stayed in Leesburg for two nights, just so I could do Point of Rocks right. It's one of those roadtrip itches I had to scratch.
Point of Rocks is just over the Hwy 15 bridge into Maryland. I ditched the car for the day in a convenient municipal parking lot. It's right long the railroad tracks, and by an easy access point to the C&O Canal Towpath trail.
Never gets old...
The name Point of Rocks comes from a large outcrop of rocks overlooking a crook in the Potomac River. It was used as a landmark well before European settlers started coming through.
Next to the parking lot is what looks like a monolith. It's actually a marker, showing the high water marks for the many floods over the years. The highest flood level was forty-one feet, back in 1936.
There’s an unofficial overlook above downtown. There are two access points, one of them legal. You can walk along the railroad tracks, ignoring the no trespassing signs, or walk across a very busy Hwy 15.
Once you cross the highway, walk towards the bridge, hop the guard rail and pick the clear, but unmarked trail up.
It’s pretty steep, but short and well worth the effort.
The view from above...
Back at the parking lot, you can either leave your car in the municipal lot and walk across the railroad tracks, or drive over to a National Parks Service lot. That's where you can access the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath Trail. It snakes 184 and a half miles along the old canal. The trail is continuous from Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland. It's well maintained, flat and there are a whole lot of places you can access the trail.
Construction began on the canal in 1828, and was completed as far as Cumberland in 1850. The plan to continue the canal west to Pittsburg was dropped. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was already operating in the Cumberland area. On the towpath, I chose to walk north for reasons that will soon be obvious. It turned out to be a fortuitous choice. Three miles up the canal, I witnessed something I never expected to see.
Walking under the Hwy 15 bridge...
Some random graffiti... Just north of the bridge is where you'll encounter the Chain of Rocks Tunnel... The original tunnel was built here by the B&O Railroad to give a little space between the tracks and the canal. Construction began in 1866, with the tunnel being partially rebuilt in 1902. With canal traffic waning, a second set of tracks was added outside the tunnel. It's still in use today, though none of the freight trains I saw used it. Considering the amount of rail traffic, I wasn't about to dash inside. Thought I did think about it. Speaking of trains...
Some sections of the C&O Canal still have flowing water. This section was mostly dry, with a few sections of standing water. When I passed this section covered in green algae, I had to go back. There was just something interesting about it.
Just up the path is Lock #28. Across from the lock is the Locktender's home. These homes were proved in exchange for the tender's work on the canal. The Canal Quarters Trust maintains a few of these and rents them out on a nightly basis. The one at Lock#28 will run you $110 and sleeps up to eight. The thing is, there are NO amenities. There's no water or power and the bathroom is a portable outside. Anything you bring in, you have to carry from the parking lot a half mile away. You can read more about it here.
Yes, this does come back in the narrative...
Spring along the towpath...
Over a snack, I paused to take a couple of shots of the Potomac River...
Drinking some water in the picnic area, I saw something out in the river. It was too big to be ducks. I grabbed the zoom lens and went to investigate. I’ve seen plenty of animals swimming. I’ve even seen bison swim. But, this is the first time I’ve seen a deer swim across a river.
Back on the towpath, I walked on, passing Lock #29.
On the walk back, I was surprised to see a car parked across from the Locktender’s House. There was a guy from the C&O Canal Trust carrying some things inside and around the back. I pulled out a mask and asked if I could possibly go inside. He said sure. He also told me a group was expected in about a half hour who had rented the building for the night.
The front sitting room...
You're only source of light...
The kitchen... The two bedrooms upstairs...
He told me his favorite time of the year is mid September. That’s when the Pawpaw Trees bear fruit. Their the size of small zucchini, but have a flavor somewhere between a mango and a banana. Both the deer and the black bears love them.
Feeling pretty lucky about this chance encounter, it was time to head back to the car. I had sent the swimming deer shot to a few people. My friend Madeline agreed, it was quite unexpected. Then she gave me a challenge, to find something else unexpected. It didn't take very long. When I crossed back over the railroad tracks, there was a big pile of old spikes and screws.
The rail lines through Point of Rocks serve not only the freight lines, but also Amtrak and local commuter rail. The original station was built in 1873 and is now just office space and storage for the CSX Railroad.
Passing a vehicle milestone... Not bad for a year and a half, eh. There are numerous breweries in Leesburg, Virginia. Since I was driving right past it, I chose Vanish Farmwoods Brewing Company. Good food and a really nice IPA just fit the day. Back at the Clarion, I made one more walk around the property, for sunset...
