I don’t remember how many of those New Frontiersman actually hot-footed up the Canal in the spring of 1963, but I do remember a lot of Americans embraced physical fitness at the urging of their energetic Chief Executive. I was determined to hike the C&O canal myself with a group from my hometown, but was talked out of it by my parents who prevailed with a “wait until next year.”
Sadly, there was no next year for President Kennedy. The 50 mile hike does have an interesting legacy in Maryland, though. Every November, there is a 50 mile ultra-marathon, covering parts of the C&O Canal and Appalachian Trail. Hannah Byron’s husband participates almost every year in the JFK Memorial, considered one of the elite ultra-marathon challenges in the country.
However, I never made it to the C&O canal (frat parties at Shepherd don’t count) until last weekend. Instead of 50 miles (we have to make some concessions to age, after all) I settled for 10K. And in the absence of the New Frontier, I went with the Annapolis Amblers, an amiable group of Volksmarchers who were probably in junior high when I was.
This particular volksmarch, organized by the Freestate Happy Wanderers, took us to Seneca. The Wanders charted 5K, 10K and 15K courses. My fellow amblers opted for the 10K, so we set out from Seneca Park to Riley’s Lock. It was a beautiful day, so the trail and park (which included a boat launch on Seneca Creek) were alive with activity. Motorboats, kayaks, canoes and jetskies were on the creek leading to the Potomac. As we reached the lock, we encountered fishermen who cast from the rocks and the aqueduct. Evidently, the mouth of Seneca Creek is a good place to fish since there were boaters with lines as well. Angus Phillips occasionally writes about fishing on the Potomac in the Post, so I’ll have to check this out.
The beauty of volksmarching is the comradery (we assembled as a group and pretty much stayed together in little clusters) and the interest in the route. This particular one incorporated a lot of history (our Civil War buff was delighted to learn JEB Stuart ran his cavalry through Riley’s Lock, burned some barges and drained the canal in 1863) and natural beauty. The canal was full along this particular part of the trail, and we saw turtles floating in the marshes. The Potomac was visible on the other side of the towpath, and we could see fishermen stationed on the rocks not far from the bank. As a part of the National Park Service, the canal is preserved and protected (thanks, Justice Douglas) and, from what I observed after 5K, very well appreciated. Like the Torrey Brown, the towpath has a crushed stone surface that accommodates joggers, cyclists, equestrians, and strollers (we passed them all between the two locks.) Also like the Torrey Brown, it appeals to families and teams in training. We saw quite a few of them as well.
The second part of our hike took us into the woods. The Seneca Creek watershed we followed is part of a “greenbelt” made up of federal, state, county and WSSC properties. A large turnaround pond (the mules didn’t have a reverse) took us off the canal and into the woods. We passed an old processing plant where the stone for the Smithsonian castle was quarried more than 100 years ago. Some of the dark red stones are still in the woods. Before tackling the rugged part of the trail, we stopped at Poole’s General Store. It’s hard to believe that in Montgomery County, just outside Potomac, there’s a 1901 country store that sells hardware, groceries, bedding plants and animal food. It even has a hitching post for customers who ride horses to the market. (Yes, they do. I saw other evidence of their visits.)
From there, it was over the creek (the Seneca seems to be everywhere) and into the state forest. This provided the real adventure (and exercise) of the day. No nice, level, stone surface here. Instead a narrow footpath up and down steep slopes took us through an old growth forest. My cell still had bars, but otherwise, it was a scene straight out of “Last of the Mohicans”. Can’t believe there’s anything that remote in Montgomery County. Thanks to DNR and WSSC, the protected watershed is likely to stay that way.
When we finally returned (amazingly, the Amblers reunited as a group coming into the home stretch) everyone stopped to get “stamped” by the organizing committee. This is part of the culture of volksmarching. Time is not a factor. Getting marked at various pit stops is. Volksmarchers have something like passports, chronicling where they went and how far they hiked.
Another tradition is swapping stories after the hike. A deli in Cabin John was a particular favorite of this group. (After a cholesterol-free “Clara Barton” wrap, I understand why.) Everyone shared their experiences and thoughts, discussed upcoming adventures and compared bumps and bruises.
(There is always someone armed with band-aids, Tylenol and NeoSporum. Likewise, there is always someone who needs them. Remarkably, it wasn’t me this week.)
It was a wonderful experience all around. Volksmarching is an excellent way to incorporate a regular fitness regimen and a congenial support group into a healthy lifestyle. It’s also a means to discover the beauty and history of the C&O Canal, 10K at a time. Thanks for the inspiration, President Kennedy. Sorry it took so long to get there.
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