Day 7

Harpers Ferry, as seen from the Towpath.

 

 

Spiral stairs up to the bridge,

on the side of the RR bridge.

Our bikes are locked below.

Pedestrian walkway beside the railroad,

going across the Potomac River,

to Harpers Ferry.

Jan, Bob and Jenny.

 

"Flat Stanley" visits Harpers Ferry.

 

John Brown's "fort"

(the fire engine house).

 

Monoacy Aqueduct, the longest aqueduct on the C&O.

   

The General Jubal Early (the ferry boat at Whites Ferry.

It is the last operating ferry on the Potomac River.

 

Carol, with the bike trailer and a load of people.

 

Gary's new bike (with a kick stand).

(He doesn't like kickstands).

 

 

            You may not think of bicycling as a “team” sport but our trip surely is a team effort. Some of the group has had concerns about whether or not they could complete the trip. It is a long distance, the weather is hot, some could have used more training but didn’t have time, and have I said we are hot and tired every day? But when the “chips are down” the group will do whatever it takes, to make sure everyone will finish. If we have to stop more often so some can rest, they do it. If we are hot, tired and low on water. Carol shows up with a cooler full of cold water. But this morning, was the “kick when you are down”.

            Despite already having more than enough pain already, this morning I went out to the bike trailer with the bikes locked, to find two bikes stolen. Gary and Jan’s bikes were gone. They were locked together but not to the trailer, making them the easiest one to steal. They had removed some of the tarp straps we use to align the bikes, but the others were locked in larger groups or to the trailer. So we called the police and made a report.

            At supper yesterday, we had decided to get up early and drive several of the fellows thru the Antietam battlefield, since we were very near to it, before starting to bike. So that plan went out the window. We were carrying Carol’s bike as an extra, in case of trouble, and this was trouble. So I told Jan to take Carol’s and Gary to take mine. Gary would not hear of it. He would not accept riding if it meant I couldn’t. Next we considered renting him a bike for 2-3 days, but the local bike shop did not open till noon. Then we started thinking, where could we get a cheap bike? Pawn shop? Then we hit on Wal-Mart. So I drove Gary and Jan to Wal-Mart to look at bikes. They had some that were “returned” and had to be sold as “used” (35% off). So he found a “no-name” mountain bike that fit him and bought it. By 9:30 AM we were ready to drive down to the parking lot where had quit the day before, only to find that Dean had another flat tire. So we took a load down to the parking lot and repaired the flat, while Carol brought the second load of people and luggage. There was never any question of Gary and Jan NOT riding with us; we all did whatever needed to be done, to make the ride together, so ALL could reach their goal of completing the ride.

We started at 10 AM but we were all soaked with sweat before we left the parking lot, just from unloading the bikes, loading the luggage and putting in Dean’s new tube (it was the yesterday patch that was leaking).

            We arrived at Harpers Ferry and locked all the bikes up on the Maryland side (of the river) and walked across the river to see the town (West Virginia side). We decided to eat lunch first, as it was noon. Then we spent 45 minutes to an hour seeing part of the history displays. For those who don’t remember their history, John Brown, with 20 others, tried to raid the Federal arsenal (where the army’s guns were made and stored) to have guns to help the slaves overthrow their owners. He was captured and “hung” a month later for treason.

            It was so hot that walking around Harpers Ferry was more work than riding bicycles under the trees (as most of the towpath is). Carol met us at Brunswick with a cooler full of cold water, which couldn’t have been more welcome. She then drove to the hotel and unloaded all the luggage before driving out to Whites Ferry to shuttle us (2 trips in rush hour traffic) the 7 miles to the hotel in Leesburg, VA, the only town where lodging is available between Brunswick and DC.

            Gary’s bike is not great, as the shifting is pretty rough (probably why it was returned) but it will get him to Washington. We walked to a Mexican restaurant for supper. We are all expecting to lose a few pounds this week, despite eating a lot, just because we are exercising so much (riding all day long). Tomorrow is our last day of riding and while it has been hot and hard, I think people are “savoring” the possibility of completing their goal. Yes, the bikes are all safe in our rooms tonight.