We began our adventure to Paw Paw Tunnel by stopping at one of our favorite stores to pick up a couple more flashlights.It was frustrating to find that in this store as in another one, it is cheaper to buy a brand new big flashlight which includes a large square battery than it is to just buy the battery to put into the identical flashlight we already own!
We met our group at a local landmark and caravanned about 45 minutes along curvy, winding roads to Paw Paw, WV to see a "tunnel" which I had never heard of until recently.Everyone had their flashlights and we were ready for exploring !
Our party included six boys, all approximately the same size! They wanted to run ahead of us as usual. I can't quite figure out how much of this is acceptable or not. It's great to see them stretching their legs as long as they don't get out of sight. It's no fun for them to plod along with us older moms.
Here is our first glimpse of the tunnel. This is a part of the C&O Canal.It was dug out using picks, shovels, dangerously unstable black powder and back-breaking labor. Begun in 1836 and completed in 1850, it took 15 years to build. Its purpose was to save the barges pulled along by mules from going six miles along six curves of the Potomac River.It goes under a small mountain and is 3100 feet long (3/5ths of a mile).
Unfortunately, it was much more complicated to build than they had predicted and cost 5 times more than estimated. There was loss of life in this dangerous undertaking and ethnic fighting among the different groups of immigrant labor.It was completed in 1850. It was amazing to see!
The walkway is elevated and to the right of the canal which was only about a foot or two deep.This may have a lot to do with our dry summer.
The flashlights were very helpful and I wouldn't want to go through it without one
This young man went for the "miner's" experience.
Our party consisted of three brothers, two brothers and Evan. Evan was the common denominator in this group and was surrounded by his closest friends.
This is a glimpse of the tunnel looking backwards.
This is the light at the end of tunnel!
These young ladies have known each other for many years.
Each of their little sisters are BFF's ( Best Friends Forever, of course!).
We took a few minutes to pose in this rocky spot!
We had heard that you could hike back over top of the mountain but one of the moms was concerned about snakes as we had already seen one by then. We also thought that we might lose our boys who were jockeying for position as Leaders' of the pack! So, instead we walked further along the tow path and were treated to some interesting sights.
Doesn't this spider web look like it has a zipper in it? It must be some kind of repair that the spider made.
This turtle was slightly larger than the box turtles we see in the yard and was seen in the water.
This is the caterpillar that turns into a Luna Moth. It was about 4 inches long!
It is easy to see the mountain rock on each side that had to be blasted out to make the tunnel.
We walked for a distance and then headed back through the tunnel. I enjoyed the return trip even more than the first because we strolled in a leisurely manner and chatted along the way.
Then we enjoyed a picnic lunch in a large park area. I never "got " picnics before but I am seeing that everything tastes better out of doors, even peanut butter and jelly with water to drink!
Our group consisted of two homeschooling moms and two schoolteachers! We had plenty to talk about on this beautiful day.
This is the Potomac River further upstream than where we saw it last week at Harper's Ferry.
It was great to see this amazing tunnel and to enjoy the great outdoors with some old and new friends!
