Walking to Cumberland
A few weeks ago I started to walk the C&O Canal towpath with a friend. We began at mile marker 0.00 where Rock Creek enters the Potomac and are working our way up river toward Cumberland , MD. (184 miles, so far we've walked 40) It's a great adventure and my leg muscles are sore. So after this maybe the AT?. There's nothing quite like a walk in the woods.
BJ
Gardening, cooking and woodworking in South'n Murlyn'
Gardening, cooking and woodworking in South'n Murlyn'
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(post #11526, reply #1 of 13)
Beej, when the doctor tells you to walk 2 miles a day, they mean roundtrip. Before long, you're not even going to be able to find your way home.
Jeana
Never try to baptize a cat.
(post #11526, reply #3 of 13)
By the time I've walked so far that I can't find my way home I'll prolly be in Franklin, Tenn. Then you'l really be introuble. If I don't talk you to death, John can.
BTW, my Doc is on vacation for a year. I'll hafta ask her if walking is OK when she gets back.
BJ
Edited 6/24/2009 11:33 pm ET by BeeJay
(post #11526, reply #4 of 13)
Oh dear, an enthusiastic, gardening, all-around handyman showing up at my door. Please don't throw me in that briar patch!
Jeana
Never try to baptize a cat.
(post #11526, reply #2 of 13)
Oh, you are so lucky, what a great adventure and challenge. Be sure to eat enough, and carry liquids too.
New Mexico home organic gardener
Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience. Emerson
(post #11526, reply #5 of 13)
Sounds fabulous; any photos?
(post #11526, reply #6 of 13)
Walked another 9 miles today. That takes us 50 miles so far. I've been too lazy to carry the camera with me. Today we had left our bikes at Point Of Rocks and driven to Dickerson. Our plan was to bike back to our car after we did the walk. We met a lady from Isreal and a gent from Japan who were biking together. They offered to drive us back to our car. Did we accept? You betcha! So we still don't know whether we can walk the path and then retrace our walk on bikes to get back to the car.
BJ
(post #11526, reply #7 of 13)
Sounds like a nice walk. I'm assuming you have good walking shoes? I'm a big believer in wearing good shoes. Has the weather been favorable? Walking is such a pleasant way to spend time.
(post #11526, reply #8 of 13)
Good walking shoes? Yep. It's not worth the walk if the shoes are no good. Most days have been very pleasant. The tow path is mostly in the shade because the NPS doesn't cut trees in the National Parks. Once we had three downpours during a 11 mile walk. Umbrellas kept us fairly dry but the towpath was muddy and hard on the feet.
BJ
(post #11526, reply #9 of 13)
BeeJay, that's fantastic. And what a coincidence. I just completed a two-week hike of the Appalachian Train in Pennsylvania, from Delaware Water Gap at the NJ/PA border to Duncannon, on the Susquehanna River. So next year's jaunt might very well bring me into your neck of the woods. The trail passes through northwestern Maryland and into Harper's Ferry before entering Virginia. It crosses the C&O canal trail. Will you be posting photos at some point?
www.vegetablegardener.com
(post #11526, reply #10 of 13)
We ended Mondays walk right at the AT marker. It follows the towpath for a few miles until it crosses the the river at Harpers Ferry. We hven't done any real hiking. Just day trips, but as we get farther up the river it is taking longer to drive. Monday we took bikes, left the car at the finish point of our walk and biked to the starting point where we locked the bikes to be picked up that evening. This was not a good plan because I've not biked in years. Sure and I was disthroyed at the end of the bike ride, but by the time we had walked our ten miles I was recovered. I'd like to hear more about your AT travel. I would think that Duncannon was at least the half way mark for the Pennsylvania traverse. Four weeks to cross PA? Thats almost as bad as two weeks in Philly. To bad it doesn't go throught Picksburg so you could stop and get a cold "Arn City".
BJ
(post #11526, reply #11 of 13)
My hike was 146 miles (or so), and from Duncannon to Pen-Mar is about 80. So I'm thinking that the next chunk might be Duncannon to Front Royal, Va. The Pennsylvania rocks are dreaded by AT hikers. There are large boulder fields (slippery when wet), sometimes snake infested and sometimes offering views; medium-sized rocks, some rolling, some with their jagged edges protruding at an angle; and small rocks, just big enough to trip you up if your attention wanders. All this is very hard on the hiking boots, of course, and hikers say "Pennsylvania is where old boots go to die."
The AT passes through or near several towns, where the people are incredibly friendly and helpful to hikers. You can get a cold beer pretty much any time and anywhere (no residual Blue Laws there), and we did.
I'm not the fastest hiker on two feet, but I'm persistent, and I did manage a 13-mile day or two.
www.vegetablegardener.com
(post #11526, reply #12 of 13)
I can't stop chuckling over this topic. I keep thinking about that old joke:
When my grandmother was 65, she started walking 5 miles a day. She's 89 now and we don't know where the hell she is.
Jeana
Never try to baptize a cat.
(post #11526, reply #13 of 13)
Jeana, reportedly the oldest female to hike the Appalachian Trail was Grandma Gatewood. She was quite a character, and apparently she frequently wandered off the trail. Hiking may be just the perfect activity for someone with "wandering behavior."
You meet quite a lot of people aged 65+ on long-distance hikes. Most of the ones I've encountered are smart, strong, and fascinating to talk to.
www.vegetablegardener.com