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Bike the Entire C&O Canal: One of America’s Most Distinctive National Parks |
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Program Number: |
18629RJ |
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| Start
and End Dates: |
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| Duration: |
5 nights |
| Location: |
Sharpsburg, Maryland
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| Price starting at: |
$968.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city |
| Program Type:
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Bicycling; National Parks
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Activity Level: |
n (see description) |
| Meals: |
15;
5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners |
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| Meal
Options: |
Low Fat; Vegetarian; Low Salt |
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Tackle all 185 miles of the C & O Canal Towpath, a route teeming with history as it makes its way along the Potomac River Basin from Washington, D.C. through Civil War sites and forgotten hamlets to Cumberland, Md., the first gateway to the West.
Highlights
• Delve into the history of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal as you ride along what remains of this engineering wonder.
• Enjoy a narrated canal boat ride that demonstrates the working of the locks and towing systems.
• Stop to explore on your own at Civil War crossing sites, Harpers Ferry and other small towns.
Activity Particulars
Biking 30-50 miles on generally flat towpaths; must be active cyclist. 21-speed hybrid bicycles provided; personal bicycles welcome. Optional hiking on nature trails.
Date Specific Information
4-7-2013
Meet the mules at Great Falls while the Canal Boat remains in dry dock.
6-23-2013, 9-22-2013
Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.
Itinerary Summary
Arrival Sharpsburg, 2 nights; bike to Hancock, 1 night; bike to Sharpsburg, 2 nights; departure.
Coordinated by Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center.
Hancock
Situated at the narrowest part of Maryland (Pennsylvania and West Virginia are less than two miles apart), Hancock is best known as home to a section of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and the Western Maryland Rail Trail, which connects the town to the Revolutionary War-era Fort Frederick State Park.
Sharpsburg
Sharpsburg lies east of the Potomac River near one of its tributaries, Antietam Creek, made famous by the pivotal Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War. Sharpsburg is part of Maryland’s Washington County, which attracts history fans with its numerous Civil War sites and nature buffs with its many national, state and local parks.
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Accommodations
Four nights in modern lodge adjacent to the C & O Canal Towpath. One night in newly remodeled motel near Hancock, Md.
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| Road Scholar Instructors | | These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur. | Paul McDermott
| | Paul McDermott has taught geography and cartography at schools including George Mason and the University of Maryland. His research interests include the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, on which he co-produced a four-map series. Paul was the academic consultant for two US Postal Service Stamps — The Louisana Purchase and the Earth Day 1972. He has been a visiting scholar to the Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, and is a consultant to the Lewis and Clark Rediscovery Project in Montana.
| | | | Karen Gray
| | Karen Gray worked for 20 years creating educational adventures for the Smithsonian in the mid-Atlantic region. In 2001, she moved Hagerstown because of her love for Western Maryland and Washington County's position midway along the C&O Canal's 184.5 miles. She took interest in the canal while hiking the towpath in 1977 and has been walking in the park and researching the history of the canal and the Potomac route west ever since. | | | | Randy Anderson
| | Randy Anderson has lived his entire life in or near Williamsport, Md., which is at roughly mile 100 of the 185-mile C&O Canal Towpath. A train enthusiast, he has photographed in the Williamsport area extensively, using the same angles as historical photos of trains and the C&O Canal. Randy's multi-screen presentation allows us to simultaneously see the historical and present-day sites. | | | |
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