C&O Canal Hike

“You can, but you won't.

You should see someone about those masochistic tendencies regardless. ;)”

“I am... I have a call into a couple sadists as we type..

'32oz”

“Spindle, according to this, I am young, foolish, and testosterone laden... hmmmm...

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=31582”

“Official results are posted... Looks like I finished 26th,,, The 32 minute stop at mile 42 nursing my cramps didn't help.. Nor did the fact that the last 7.3 miles took me 2 hours and 5o minutes..(good grief)... Overall though I guess I can't complain,

http://www.onedayhike.org/pubs/Results/2009.xls

PS HM just discovered an inaugural 5k 10k half marathon, marathon run in and around Harper's Ferry, C&O Canal, Antietam Battlefield that I will be posting when I get more info...

'32oz”

“Bravo! 26 is not at all shabby.

And yeah, you're still a teenager in attitude.

;)”

“even if my body is 25 years older...lol

'32oz”

“Every year in celbration of the One Day Hike, the Siera Club holds the One Day Hike Picnic to thank the volunteers and let the hikers reunite..

Since HM had plans on Saturday, we decided to drive up Saturday night and join the festivities on Sunday. On the way up to Maryland we took a slight detour to the Potomac Point Winery.. Now I'm not much of a wine conneseur (I can't even spell the word), and when I do drink wine it's Barefoot, but I gotta admit, this stuff was kind of cool.. Of course what made the place even better, is that while we were doing the wine test, they were pumping Ozzy, Boston, Styx and a bunch of other classics into the room. Our favorites were the Cabernet Franc served with chocolate (you reading this Spindle and Creek ancer?), as well as their Abbinato (we bought a bottle), and their Viognier 2007 reserve.

From the winery, we got back on I 95 and headed to Prince William Forest National Park near the Quantico Marine Corps Reservation. We figured with all of the talk about State Parks etc on TT, we would help support our National Parks. $15 got us a decent camp site, and we set up camp and enjoyed a couple more glasses of wine (Red Wine is good for you, right?)..

On Sundat we drove up to Carderrock Park along the C&O Canal. The plan was to meet there at 9:00 and hike up to The Great Falls. Round Trip would have been 10 miles.

HighMaintenance and I decided that instead of taking the C&O Canal up to the Great Falls we would taked the Billy Goat Trail. The Billy Goat Trail is what its name suggests.. A rock climb. It is divided into 3 sections that intertwine with the C&O Canal. HM and I did section B. WE couldn't believe how high the Potomac was. At some points the lower trail was under water, and we had to take the high water trail. At other points we were hoping on rocks just above the water. Part A is supposed to be an amazing 1.6 miles. It is supposed to be very strenuous. Unfortunately (as seen in the pictures) the trail was unpassible. The NPS had actually closed it.

HM and I continued on the C&O Canal to The Great Falls. It was amazing how high and fast the water was.

We then returned to Carderock Via the C&O Canal Tow Path, ate lunch and headed back to Richmond.

For you Kayakers out there, may I recommend the Potomac...

pix

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/572890949Brnkaw?start=0

'32oz”