Virtual walk. Because I’m lazy.

Today I just did not feel like going on a walk when I got home. I tried to force myself, but I refused to listen. I could tell that my heart wasn’t in it, so I gave myself a break. Besides, it was cold (I told myself). And the sun had already gone down and it will only get colder.

Whine.

And before I knew it, I had on my warm socks and sheep slippers. And believe me, there is no walking once the sheep slippers make an appearance.

So I figured I’d do a virtual walk. And hey, I could take you on it as well. I’d forgotten that I had only shared a small handful of photos of our day trip a couple of weekends ago when we drove out to Harper’s Ferry.

We’re walking along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. It runs along the Potomac River from Washington DC to Cumberland and passes through Harper’s Ferry, about the half-way point on the 185-mile long canal trail.

We saw a lot of old ruins along the way. Buildings lie along the remnants of the canal and were built to service the scores of boaters who used this as their main transportation in the 1800’s to the early 1900’s. I have no idea what this building could have been used for, although I don’t think it was the home of one of the lock-keepers.

An old wooden house sits on this hill. The view must have been incredible when this dwelling was inhabited. and it’s wisely built above the flood line.

This lift-lock was filled in. The river is just to the right through the trees.

Here’s the other side of the lock-lift that was filled in. We guessed it was because when this became a National Park, they were filled in for safety purposes. Some of them are so deep that they’d pose a danger to the public who was wandering about.

Boats used to pass through a series of seventy four lift locks that raised and lowered water levels adjusting the ride like a staircase to adjust for the 605-foot difference in elevation between Georgetown and Cumberland.

 

 

Here are some archival photos taken in the 1800’s. NPS photos. These were the dwellings that the lock keepers lived in while tending to the travelers.

Thanks for all the encouragement on becoming an affiliate with B&H Photo & Video. I do hope you don’t think I’ve gone all commercial. All I ask is that if you’re looking for photography or video equipment (or any kind of media equipment) to please link through one of the B&H ads or links on my site.

 

Love,