Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Cumberland, MD to Daleville, VA
Highlights: The West Virginia side of the Potomac and Harpers Ferry
On the final fun day of our trip, we made one last stop in Maryland at a scenic overlook before crossing the Potomac river into West Virginia and winding our way east. We drove as far as Harpers Ferry before turning south toward Tennessee. Last night we wished for one more good view of Cumberland before leaving town, and this morning we realized the view was right outside our fourth-floor hotel window.
Cumberland from our hotel room
When we rode by on the C&O a week ago, we were within a quarter mile of Point Lookout in Little Orleans, but we couldn't get there by bike, so we came back today in our truck. It was a multi-mile drive on a bad gravel road to get to the overlook, high clearance required - worth it in the SUV, but I wouldn't want to do it in my car!
Little Orleans, Maryland
The Potomac from Point Lookout
We drove on through Little Orleans and Hancock, Maryland, then across the Highway 522 bridge over the Potomac to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, part of Tom's old stomping grounds when he lived nearby two and a half decades ago. He drove us by privately-owned Berkeley Castle and then on to Hedgesville, where he'd once rented a trailer. We think we found the lot, but the trailer is long gone.
A private home in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
After a pizza picnic outside Martinsburg, we did a quick drive through Shepherdstown before stopping at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. A few days earlier, we'd walked across the pedestrian bridge from the Maryland side of the river but didn't have time to look around, so today we returned.
Harpers Ferry was the site of John Brown's failed 1859 abolitionist uprising and capture of the federal armory. Just before he was hanged, Brown presciently predicted a civil war. Located at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, Harpers Ferry was on the boundary of the Union and Confederate conflict, and the town changed hands eight times during the course of the war.
Confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers
Pretty Potomac
John Brown's Fort
We spent an hour and a half in Harpers Ferry, walking around the historic Lower Town and hiking on Virginius Island. Parking is a problem here, but there was hardly anyone around this afternoon, so today it wasn't an issue. It would be a hassle to visit when it's busy. We drove through the area in September 2001, and it was so crowded we didn't stop. Lots of photo ops and history here. I'm glad we finally got a chance to explore.
St. Peter's Catholic Church
Historic Harpers Ferry
Lodging: Super 8, Daleville, VA, a little north of Roanoke. Surprisingly nice and very cheap. We were halfway home.
On Wednesday we drove the last four and a half hours back to our home in Clinton, Tennessee, stopping briefly outside Pulaski, Virginia, at New River Trail State Park, to check out another bike trail we might want to ride in the near future...
THE END
Tom
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