C&O Canal - November 2021

 

 

 

Last week I started riding my bike on the C&O Canal tow path. Naturally it occurred to me that I should try to ride the whole 184.5 mile length. After four rides I've done about 27 miles (from mile 0 to Lock 23).

I've been doing out and back rides so I'm covering twice the distance in actual biking.

I have been surprised to find that there don't seem to be many guide books, at least not many still in print or available. In my research did find a book called Get Up and Ride by Jim Shea that is his narrative of doing this trail. I plan to read it soon.

While researching the C&O Canal I did learn of another related trail, the Great Allegheny Passage. That may be the next goal when this one is done.

The bike I'm using is a Montague Crosstown, a casual hybrid bike that folds for easy transportation.

Paddling Book

Back in 2004 my good friend and paddling buddy Josh suggested we write a paddling guide of our favorite spots to canoe and kayak in Massachusetts. We never finished our book, but I recently stumbled across the old pages we had written. Hopefully these will help someone find some great places to paddle.

• Charles River south to South End Pond
• Sudbury River to the headwaters at Cedar Swamp Pond
• Sudbury River oxbow to Route 20

There were also two incomplete pages we'd started, but never finished.

• Charles River in Waltham
• Ipswich River near Bradley Palmer State Park

Here's Josh!

I think this was taken in the Sudbury River on the way to Cedar Swamp Pond

Taking a dip in the Ipswich River

My old truck loaded for maximum paddling

(parked at the Charles River)

Backpacking in the Whites - October 2004

Just a backpacking trip into the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the fall with Mark, Drew, Ed and Melissa. I really don't remember exactly where this was.