At Lander, looking at the river before we set out on the trail.
It has been over 9 months since my teenager and I have been on the C&O Canal trail. Last summer, we completed a 30+-mile multi-day backpacking trip. Ever since, we (and by "we," I mostly mean my teenager) have been too busy to fit in even a day hike. Also, a lot has happened in the past nine months.
This spring day was no exception. It was Good Friday-- the day, as it happened, between NBC News' report that the U.S. was threatening a preemptive strike on North Korea, and the Day of the Sun, the Saturday when North Korea was expected to display the kind of provocation that could lead to that preemptive strike. So I was walking with that "this could be our last hike before World War III starts" feeling.
It was a beautiful day. It was sunny, the temperature in the 60s (the teenager took off their sweater and hat just after the above photo was taken), and spring wildflowers were everywhere. The trees were leafing out and still that intense yellow-green. Animals were sort of scarce, with the exception of birds and bugs-- no turtles this time-- but the flowers made up for it. We talked a lot, about big stuff, but only a little bit about the potential end of the world.
This spring day was no exception. It was Good Friday-- the day, as it happened, between NBC News' report that the U.S. was threatening a preemptive strike on North Korea, and the Day of the Sun, the Saturday when North Korea was expected to display the kind of provocation that could lead to that preemptive strike. So I was walking with that "this could be our last hike before World War III starts" feeling.
It was a beautiful day. It was sunny, the temperature in the 60s (the teenager took off their sweater and hat just after the above photo was taken), and spring wildflowers were everywhere. The trees were leafing out and still that intense yellow-green. Animals were sort of scarce, with the exception of birds and bugs-- no turtles this time-- but the flowers made up for it. We talked a lot, about big stuff, but only a little bit about the potential end of the world.
This stretch of the trail first crossed the restored Catoctin Aqueduct, then took us down 2-3 miles of pleasant, unassuming, flowery woodland path, before arriving unceremoniously at a 200-unit RV-friendly campground. This campground, where we ate our lunch because we were hungry, also seemed to be undergoing serious construction, with ongoing loud machinery noises, trucks lumbering back and forth, and even a giant crane taking down tree limbs. There were also Bobcats scooting ponderously about. It was not even remotely peaceful, and I felt sorry for the people who were staying there anyway.
Unpeaceful camping.
After lunch, we walked one more mile down a wide gravel road to reach the town of Brunswick. This was not the nicest part of the walk. There were cars. Brunswick looked as though it might be worth exploring, but we did not explore it. We just turned around and went back down the gravel road.
I would be remiss at this point if I did not include this photo which my child insisted I take. This architectural detail is part of a water treatment plant along the road just shy of Brunswick. My child was greatly amused by the "doors-to-nowhere" effect. Water treatment plant workers: be careful! There were also some random wooden barn-door things (not shown) stuck on the sides of the building, again apparently just because they looked rustic, not for any actual purpose.
I would be remiss at this point if I did not include this photo which my child insisted I take. This architectural detail is part of a water treatment plant along the road just shy of Brunswick. My child was greatly amused by the "doors-to-nowhere" effect. Water treatment plant workers: be careful! There were also some random wooden barn-door things (not shown) stuck on the sides of the building, again apparently just because they looked rustic, not for any actual purpose.
It was actually kind of an attractive building for a treatment plant... as long as you didn't look too closely and start asking questions.
So, anyway, back to the pleasant flowery path. It looked like this and was, in the quiet parts, entirely lovely.
We saw a pair of wood ducks, which hid
behind a tree after they noticed us noticing them. As always on the canal towpath, we heard a ton of woodpeckers but could not see them. And we got some photos of this egret:
There was also this, sticking out of a crevice in a tree, so high up neither of us could have reached it. A very tall man might have been able to (and indeed must have?). It was a very long, thin jawbone of something, with teeth, along with some other assorted sticks and stuff. Very Blair Witch Project.
behind a tree after they noticed us noticing them. As always on the canal towpath, we heard a ton of woodpeckers but could not see them. And we got some photos of this egret:
There was also this, sticking out of a crevice in a tree, so high up neither of us could have reached it. A very tall man might have been able to (and indeed must have?). It was a very long, thin jawbone of something, with teeth, along with some other assorted sticks and stuff. Very Blair Witch Project.
????????????????
We weren't scared, though.
Extra credit participation: what kind of animal is this??
Extra credit participation: what kind of animal is this??
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