Day 67 - Cumberland to Hancock MD

Monday April 29, Biked 62 miles. Total mileage by end of day: 3924.

Cool, cloudy, then sunny.

My host last evening had this hanging in his kitchen. This picture is for my wife Patty. I love you!

My ride started with a steep descent on a brick road.

Then onto a short segment of the GAP trail...

...to reach the C&O Canal Trail.

Here is a reproduction of one of the canal boats.

A final departing view of Cumberland.

Then down the trail.

Over an aquaduct.

Mike is a trail neighbor who was working to clear a few fallen trees from the trail when I rode up. He used his chain saw and I moved wood. I forgot to take a before picture.

But here is the cleared trail after we finished.

Then on I went and encountered some single track. 

After slip sliding through some muddy stretches, I detoured onto a road.

Some had good wide shoulders, most I had to take the lane.

This house had too many confederate flags. I now view these as a sign of racism and someone who no longer believes in good American values.

I stopped in PawPaw for lunch with..

...Daniel Ciccarelli, brother of my friend John Ciccarelli.

Then back onto the C&O Canal trail.

Where I met Pierre, a frenchman headed biking to San Francisco.

A little while later I came to the PawPaw tunnerl.

The ride through the tunnel was very challenging. The following video does not really show how rough it was but the soundtrack does (plus all the dust my tires kicked up).

Out of the tunnel at last. It was 3118 ft long.

Nate, Brenda, Mike walked just ahead of me for the last part of the tunnel. I was glad I walked this last part instead of trying to ride it. Nate and Brenda are from Ithaca NY. Mike is from West Virginia.

Then on I went.

I saw many butterflies - Zebra Swallowtails, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Cabbage Whites, Yellow Sulfurs, and Painted Lady butterflies. Hard to take pictures of them with my iPhone, but I was able to take this one.

Glad this tree left a gap.

Lots of wildflowers.

I passed many free places to camp and reminders that this is a trash free park -- pack it in and pack it out.

Not a fan of iodized water however.

Under railroad bridges.

Over and past old canal locks.

What is left of an old stone building.

Here is one of the canal trail mile markers.

Many trees have fallen into the canal.

The canal travels down one side of the Potomac River.

An old aqueduct that now is part of the trail.

David & David are biking from Cumberland to DC.

The Western Maryland Rail Trail provided a much smoother path that paralleled the canal tow path.

As a transportation cyclist, I really like smooth asphalt.

More flowers.

After a metric century ride, I reached the Hancock Motel, my accommodations for the evening.