6/20/12

The high lights of yesterday's trek, more of the same.  I made it to Williamsport, MD, visited the information Center and got maps of both the C&O Canal towpath and the Allegheny Rails-to-Trails Passage.  The maps I download from the web before I left were terrible and weighed much more than these official maps.  I jettisoned  the old maps.
I ended up in Motel 6 in Hagertown even though it was 5 miles off course because it was $20 cheaper than anything in Williamsport and had a real grocery store.
  Tonight I am in the Paw Paw Tunnel Campground, right next to the towpath, about 25 mile east of Cumberland, MD and across the Potomac from Paw Paw, WV.  No civilization between here and the end? of the towpath in Cumberland.  I'll go to Frostburg,  MD tomorrow which is on the Allegheny Passage.

Now for a photo round up.
I took a couple more pictures of the lock gates that I believe are clearer.  The first is of a lower gate in the open position.  The second is the upper gate in the closed position holding back the up stream water.  According to one of the information placards, the lock operator opened and closed the gates by himself.  Notice that the closed gate doors are not parallel when fully closed making it easier to open.  The actuator beams are also much longer than the doors are wide giving a mechanical advantage.
The lock operator was on the job 24/7 and lived at the lock site in a house provided by the company.  See the 3rd photo of one of better preserved houses.  Most are just foundation rubble although a few of better preserved can actually be reserved and rent for a night.  They are maintained by volunteers and furnish with original furniture.
The next photo is of the acquiduct at Williamsport.  It is fairly typical of the condition of the acquducts that carried the Canal over large streams.  Notice that the up stream side has fallen away from age and floods.  The down stream side was also the towpath and wider.  All of them serviced.
Lastly a picture of a Potomac River dam.  This one has the unique name of "Dam 5".
P.S. No signal. Posting will be on 6/21/12