Friday, September 18, 2020
Knoxville, MD, to Leesburg, VA
C&O Trail miles 58.0-35.5 (22.5 miles)
Highlights: Train stations, aqueducts, and White's Ferry
Inspecting my bike this morning, I noticed a bolt missing that connects the luggage rack to the frame. I was carrying a spare bolt, but the hole in the aluminum frame was stripped. I quickly rigged a fix with the spare bolt, a couple of zip-ties, and a strip of duct tape – easy peasy. After grabbing a couple of sausage biscuits from the nearby gas station, we rolled down the steep hill back to the towpath.
Unofficial detour
With a short day of riding, we had time for extra dawdling along the trail today, and dawdle we did, at train stations, aqueducts, along the Potomac river, and more. Nice!
First Baptist Church, Brunswick, MD
Brunswick train station
Catoctin Creek Aqueduct
Praying mantis
Point of Rocks Bridge, U.S. 15
We made a lengthy stop in Point of Rocks, Maryland, a community located at a narrow passage in the mountains where, after a long legal fight, the canal and railroad were forced to share a right-of-way. The lovely Victorian Train Station here is supposedly the most photographed train station in the U.S. We picked up subs at Deli on the Rocks and had a nice picnic lunch at the Community Commons Park across the street.
Point of Rocks train station
Another fancy lunch stop
The seven-arch, 560-foot Monocacy Aqueduct, restored to its original state in 2005, is the longest aqueduct on the canal. We hiked along both banks of the Monocacy River for the best view. Two artists were set up here with their easels, making it difficult to get all seven arches in a photo without getting a person in the picture.
Another beautiful spot along the C&O
Monocacy Aqueduct
White's Ferry is the last remaining of around 100 ferries that used to operate on the Potomac. We crossed the river here from Maryland to Virginia. Leesburg, VA, is five miles from the ferry landing along high-traffic roads not fit for biking, so we'd made a reservation at a hotel with shuttle service.
Ferry to Virginia, $2 per bike
Lodging: Comfort Suites, Leesburg, VA – very bike friendly. As part of their Ride & Stay package, I was able to call the hotel for a shuttle once we reached the Virginia side of the river, and they were there to pick us up in a van with a bike rack in only 20 minutes. The hotel had a conference room set aside for bike storage, if desired, but we rolled our bikes onto the elevator and right into our huge king room.
There are a few restaurants within walking distance of the hotel, and we chose Anita's New Mexico Style Bar & Grill. Yum! Then we picked up a bottle of wine at a 7-Eleven and retired to our room for the night. I'd packed light, but I did bring a corkscrew!
Tom
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