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Bette Lou sent this letter about her hike along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canl in Maryland in August, 2016

Dear Belinda & Mike,

I'm sorry I wasn't able to join you at Harper's Ferry as you were making your AT hike. I haven't been there in a long time and it would have been fun. I went to Maryland to visit Sean and Holly. We had good time and I wanted to share our Saturday Hiking Adventure with you.

We took off after brunch and headed to Georgetown where we walked around the town and down the Potomac to the Watergate and back. It was very hot -- about 90 degrees and there wasn't much shade on the river walk. As you know, I'm not that much younger than Grandma Gatewood was on her first walk (and I definitely didn't grow up on a farm or walking everywhere my whole life). Sean is VERY tall with really long legs. Though Holly is a bit shorter than I, she can really move (probably in self-defense as she tries to keep up with Sean). Both are younger than me and in VERY good shape -- they do a lot of hiking/running, etc. To put it mildly, the "walking around Georgetown" was at a pretty rapid pace for me. (Did I mention it was 90 degrees?)

Anyway, after that hike, we headed to The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal park to see the Great Falls. Now mind you, I had no idea where I was, where the park was, where the falls were in relation to the parking lot or anything. We have no water or supplies of any kind. They're in shorts and real "hiking" tennis shoes and I'm in light weight slacks and blouse with plain canvas tennis shoes. It's 90 degrees.

We get onto the towpath (which, luckily, is pretty well shaded) and I look out on a beautiful view but one that did not give any indication of there being any falls anywhere nearby. Sean and Holly take off (literally) and I start ambling along admiring the scenery and taking pictures.

When they notice I'm too far behind, the two speed demons stop to wait for me to catch up. Fairly early on I ask how far it is to the falls and Holly says "It's about a mile." (A subsequent check on a map indicates it's closer to a two mile trek -- one way. Did I mention it was 90 degrees?)

Now ordinarily, a mile is nothing to me but I've got two young and fit speed demons leading the way in extremely hot weather. We press on. I'm getting slower and slower (partly from heat and partly cuz the view is gorgeous and I'm taking pictures). Soon I see another canal lock up ahead. "Are we there, yet?" I ask hopefully. "It's just past there", says Holly. We push on. (Did I mention it was 90 degrees?)

We get past the lock and there's still no falls. As I stop to admire a blue Heron who's graciously posing on the opposite bank for me, Holly and Sean take off. Eventually I catch up to them at a sign area off by the entrance to the woods. It's a map. Sean points to where we are and where the falls are (which are a fairly long distance away from that spot on a very crooked trail) and he says it's up to me whether or not we continue. Now it's about 4:45 p.m. and we've already been hiking for approximately 35 minutes. And of course, if we continue to the Falls, we have to come BACK. So I say "Let's go back." But Sean suggests we take this short path into the woods where there should be a lookout where I can see the falls even if we don't go all the way. It sounds reasonable, so I agree and we head into the woods.

The path quickly turns into rugged, rocky outcroppings. Large rocks are all over the place. Immediately I think -- a "baby Mahoosuc Notch"! But I'm beat (did I mention it was 90 degrees?) and I'm thinking I'm not gonna make it when Sean stops and points. I look out over THE most spectacular view of the Potomac. It takes my breath away (not that I had all that much of it at that point, but if I did -- it would have taken that, too!). I take some pictures and we head back out. I imagine that, just like a lot of other difficult places along the Appalachian Trail, it was worth the effort for that view! Spectacular!!!

As the young and fit take off, I have to admit I couldn't stop thinking about Grandma Gatewood. By this time, I was really struggling with the heat. (Did I mention it was 90 degrees?) The fact that we hiked all over Georgetown right before didn't really help the situation.

Just like on Mt. Katahdin -- getting back "down" was a killer. My legs were done for and I admit that I wondered if I'd really make it. But I kept telling myself that I wasn't QUITE as old as Grandma Gatewood yet, so I just kept walking. (Did I mention it was 90 degrees?) It was definitely interesting to feel so in-tune with Emma and the couple of short hikes (and I use the term loosely) I've had on the AT were definitely on flat, easy ground!

As we approached the parking lot with my legs feeling like lead, I see Sean and Holly go PAST the car! For a minute, I'm panicky -- I can't go much farther. It's taking all the effort I have to get to the car. Then I notice, they're heading for the Old Angler's Inn across the street -- Legs keep walkin'! We get across the street where we sit down -- Finally! (Did I mention it was 90 degrees?) I get a large lemonade -- which I inhale and all's right with the world.

Here's to you, Grandma Gatewood. You're a better woman than I!

Always,
Bette Lou

P.S.: I'm sending you a few of my favorite pictures from the adventure. Enjoy!

Belinda says, "Mike & I sure wish we had witnessed THAT trek! If we had known you were going to be there, we would have tried to meet you and Sean and Holly for the fun!"

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal	Lock House on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
	Canal Overlook of the Great Falls

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