The group has settled into the routine. The morning starts at 7:45 AM at the van with an overview of the ride and safety precautions. Bikes are ready to go and we are off to start the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal trail. We back track a little to go the archway and the medallion in the ground marking where the GAP ended and C&O begins.

We are told that this trail is muddy and has gravel as it follows along the remainder of the C&O Canal and the Potomac River on the other side. The weather is perfect.

This picture is the start of the trail and later on the trail. Rough trail – kind of like a flat mountain biking trail – roots, ruts with mud and rocks.

Enough about that! We enjoy the ride stopping to take pictures of the canal. There are a number of lock houses remaining and some locks. Ruins of other structures that existed along the trail. Turtles, ducks, geese and song birds are numerous. The C&O Canal is a National Historic Park. It is 184.5 miles long from Cumberland to Washington D.C. The Towpath is now the bike trail.

Just before our snack stop, there is an amazing rock wall made of shale and still crumbling. How did they ever build this canal through here?

Our snack stop is in Old Town right near one of the lock houses. We get to compare our muddy legs!

Off we go through more of the muddy trail to our lunch stop. This stop is where we ride to a tunnel that is closed. Bikers must carry their bikes over the mountain that the tunnel is built through to the other side to re-join the trail. Since we are all riding E-bikes, the bikes are way to heavy to do this type of hike. Four of our group of road bikers decide to take on the challenge. The rest of us, have lunch and then ride in the van to the next stop where we will re-join the trail. This is at a camp ground on the Potomac called Fifteen Mile Creek.

The last segment of the ride is much easier on the body – not much more rocks, ruts and roots – only 3 miles and then we join the Western Maryland Rail Trail – paved, yet still a few obstacles. Some bumps from tree roots that are buckling the pavement. I have to say it was a wonderful way to end a very rough trail ride – more like our home trails.

We ride in to Hancock where we meet up with the van next to a bicycle store. Lots of gear and t-shirts to tempt everyone.

Everyone loads up in to the van to head to the hotel. Another historic hotel – Country Inn of Berkeley Springs, WV. Check-in, clean-up the mud, down for drinks and dinner. A very fun day!

And why is The Country Inn so historic? It is known as the “Country’s First Spa.” In 1747, it was first known as Medicine Springs on a map drawn by Thomas Jefferson. But really the most famous – in 1748, George Washington first visited the springs and continued to visit through the 1760’s. So guess what – a historic site – George Washington’s bathtub – LOL