Tourist in My Hometown: The C&O Canal

This past weekend, my parents and grandmother (yes, I am lucky to still have one!) came up to visit. We spent some Quality Time working on our new house, but took a break on Sunday for a boat trip on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

This is a great DC-area field trip if you have older folks visiting you, even on a hot day. It’s just a short walk to the boat, then a nice breezy ride on the canal, and another short walk over to the picnic grounds where there is a snack stand. (Not that my parents couldn’t handle some hiking, but my grandmother is just a little slower than she used to be!)

All aboard!
The 200-year old locks were quite impressive. Locks today use the same basic technology.
A sturdy wench pulling a canal boat. When the canal was active, most of the labor was actually performed by women and children. Families lived on the boats with their mules and everyone worked for a living.
Once the boat was underway, it was hooked up to a team of mules who didn’t even break a sweat. Most of the tour patter was about how wonderful mules are. I guess they are if you have a canal boat. This one is Emily.
There were beavers in evidence.
And (big surprise) deer.
My parents are cool. And they like hats.

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