C&O Canal Adventures Walking, riding, and cleaning up the C&O Canal

Hancock Visitor Center

The Hancock Visitor Center is located in the old Bowles House, and since the center’s relocation from the ugly block building on the main drag,  it has been hailed as the “new” visitor center.  However, the fact is that there is nothing new about it.  The house was built in the 1780s and is much older than the canal itself.  In fact, in the 1830s the residents of the house sold goods to the boat captain and aided in their passage through nearby Lock 52 and the Tonoloway Creek Aqueduct.

Lush & Green

The view from the footbridge over the lock reveals a rare scene.  Notice that the grass  is lush, green, and mowed, and the canal isn’t filled with trees of all shapes and sizes.  In fact, this is one of the better-manicured stretches of the western end of the park, which is fitting because the visitor center is nothing short of a showcase.

When you gotta go, you gotta go!

However, beauty is often in the eye of the beholder, and Candee and I both love this picture.  I’m not sure about the age of the outhouse, and I wasn’t about to get close enough to find out.  Perhaps the NPS uses this as a site for Port-a-John Appreciation 101.  I know I won’t be complaining about the facilities at the hiker/biker campsites for a long time!

In all, the Hancock Visitor Center is a great place to stop on the C&O Canal.  It‘s open from Memorial Day until late October and has a wide variety of books and souvenirs for park visitors of all ages.  Likewise, it sits between the towpath and the nearby Western Maryland Rail Trail, which allows bikers to enjoy both the C&O and its sister trail.  I’ve always said that Hancock is a great place to ride a bike, and a trip to the Bowles House only makes it better.

View of the Lock

View from the boat ramp

The Fifteen Mile Creek Aqueduct is located near mile marker 141.  It’s a single-arch structure with the upstream wall missing, which is typical of most of the smaller aqueducts along the C&O Canal.  However, for thirsty cyclists and hikers, it’s a sure sign that Bill’s Place is a few turns of the pedals away.  The creek flows through the western end of the Fifteen Mile Creek Campground and has a boat ramp near its mouth on the Potomac River.  The aqueduct also marks the end of our volunteer area in the park, so I’m not sure why it took us so long to take a picture.

You 'Gotta' Try It!

I’ve always said that the food selection in Hancock is broad enough to keep most hikers and bikers happy, and now you can add another restaurant to the repertoire.  On March 1st, the Potomac River Grill opened near the Rt. 522 bridge over the river (former home of the long defunct Bridge Restaurant), so today we decided to to give it a try.

On past through rides we’ve stayed at the America’s Best Value Inn, which is across the road from the restaurant, and people touring both the C&O Canal and Western Maryland Rail Trail now have the option of heading to their lodgings before taking a short walk to a really good meal.

As the word grill implies, the options include beef brisket, pulled pork, chicken, ribs, burgers, and a number of side and dessert items.  Platters are $10 and include either a pile of pork or brisket or a half-chicken, plus fries, a side, and a piece of cornbread.  The sandwiches (pork or beef) and burger are $7 each, and ribs range from $11 (half-rack) to $21 (full-rack).

I'm up for a Blake Burger at an outside table next time!

The list of sides includes potato salad, fries, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, lima beans, and applesauce.  Dessert items range from $2 to $4 dollars and include pineapple upside-down cake, key lime pie, brownies, and fruit cobbler.  What we had today (chicken and pork platters) was very good, and I wouldn’t hesitate to come back and explore the rest of the menu.

For now, the hours are 11 am to 9 pm, and I’m sure there are plenty of bikers out there wondering about breakfast.  Our waitress told us that will be coming soon, and there should be plenty of good offerings.  Anyone traveling the C&O who is interested should head past the bike shop on Pennsylvania Avenue to the main drag, take a left, and continue to the video store.  There is a dirt road beyond the video store’s parking lot that leads to the back of the restaurant.  Bon appetite!

Culvert 96...A Hidden Treasure

First of all, I would like to thank Steve Dean for identifying the culvert and the stream flowing through it.  Hey, I ride a bike on the towpath for the most part and have little to offer regarding the historical structures of the C&O Canal.  However, I can say that many of the culverts literally border on the river itself, and for obvious reasons they can be very difficult to photograph.  For starters, when the Potomac is running high, this arch is literally under water.  Also, even in low water, a close up often requires the photographer to be wearing a pair of waders.  Some things are best left to the professionals!  I’m sure everybody has heard the phrase “they don’t build ‘em like that anymore,” and this piece of handiwork fits the bill.  It has survived roughly 180 years of flooding and frost heave, and it looks little the worse for wear.  I just turned 49 and wish I could say the same for myself!

High Water at Dam 5

Lately, I’ve been told that my titles for these posts are pretty boring.  With that in mind, I’ve borrowed a line from Foreigner’s “Double Vision”–one that seems to fit the situation.  After a couple of days of relatively heavy rain, the Potomac is high, muddy, and looking pretty agitated below Dam 5.  When the river is running low-to-normal, fishermen boulder hop about halfway across and fish in a small hole just below the dam.  If they were fishing there today, I’m guessing that they would be waste deep in fast moving, dangerous water.  Today’s level is pretty typical of the Potomac after a spring rain.  In fact, the drop at the dam can all but disappear during flooding, leaving only a wave of turbulence that stretches across the river.  All things considered, today was pretty mild, but it is a subtle reminder that the flood season is upon us.

That's me on the right. (Photo taken by Steve Dean)