C & O canal

I rode the bike up toward Bethesda Md today along side of the old C & O canal. George Washington had the original idea to improve the Potomac to make it passable for boats. It wasn’t until 1831 though, that the first part of the canal opened for business. Over the next 19 years they continued to build it up into the Allegany mountains trying to create a water route from the Chesapeake to the Ohio river. They almost made it to their goal but in the end, the railroad beat them to it and the canal company went into decline. The C & O Railroad bought the bankrupt company (to prevent competition) and in the 1938 the US Government bought the canal and now 22 miles of the original 184 miles have been restored. It made for a nice ride on a crisp fall day.