Chris Forth Canal Story
Biking is one of the many activities my wife (Betsy) and I have enjoyed doing over our years together. We have been traveling out to bike the towpath along the C&O Canal for about 15 years. Many years ago, we began traveling to meet lifelong friends midway between us, which happened to be in western Maryland.
We met for a few days together during the fall and enjoyed the beautiful foliage. We came to realize that this was an excellent opportunity to add on a few days and enjoy one of our favorite activities and experience the beauty of autumn. So began a fall excursion that has brought us back each year, for the past 10, to the scenic areas along the C&O canal.
We mostly frequent the stretches from Hancock, Md., westward to the stretches near Big Pool, 15-mile creek, and Fort Frederick. We rent a cottage in a nearby town and spend our days riding different stretches of the towpath along the canal. These beautiful stretches, which are mostly flat with some occasional slight grade, enable us to complete a pleasant peddle and enjoy a good bit of scenery.
We typically spend a week biking and enjoying the lovely views and pleasant countryside along the way. We have met many other bikers and find everyone pleasant and respectful.
Since we are both over 70 years old, this delightful excursion has become an important component of our efforts to maintain our level of healthy physical activity. We look forward to continuing our annual fall junkets to get the exercise we need to keep going and enjoy the fall foliage.
Only through continued maintenance, upkeep, and trail improvement can we hope to safely enjoy this treasure that we have come to love for so many years. The continued resurfacing efforts play a crucial role in our ability to continue to enjoy this lovely and health-building experience for years to come.