Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Point of Rocks

Jim and I decided to drag Gabby up to northwest Maryland to check out Harper's Ferry after hitting up Antietam the night before. Jim's boss bought him a Geology of DC, MD, and DE and I found a spot that just sounded super awesome "Point of Rocks", so using a map, we found ourselves at a northern part of the C&O canal (part of the trail we bike near us) and wandered over to an old train tunnel. A moment of courage overtook me and we all three walked into the dark tunnel, thankfully missing the dead animal toward the end. They both took some rock samples on the side of the highway and we proceeded up to Harper's Ferry, where I nerdily got some stamps in my national parks passport.

Point of Rocks
Point of Rocks from the other side of the Potomac River in Virginia
Point of Rocks
Point of Rocks Tunnel looking Northward
Point of Rocks
Deer skull outside the tunnel
Point of Rocks

Point of Rocks
Well it did get completely dark in the tunnel but this is toward the end with Jim and Gabby doing the Album cover photo
Point of Rocks
End of Tunnel looking south
Point of Rocks
Park of the canal that hasn't been dredged and fixed like the southern part

Point of Rocks
Jim and Gabby hanging out under bridges

Point of Rocks
Dudes stealing rocks

We strolled around historic Harper's Ferry, WV for a bit and then got some beers before heading back into DC. Harper's Ferry was the site of the John Brown raid, an abolitionist, who enlisted some men to take over the armory and begin an uprising against slavery. It is a considered a turning point for the case of slavery and possibly the start of the civil war. It occurred in 1859. He was executed for this act but said these last words
“I John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty, land: will never be purged away; but with Blood. I had as I now think: vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed; it might be done.”


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off the bus, this looks like a rock wall but yet like the surrounding bed rock
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historic Harper's Ferry, WV
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An old sign on the rocks on the Maryland side, across the Potomac river. Its known as Maryland Heights and has some civil war artifacts at the top. We plan on doing the 3-5 hour hike once the weather cools down again and the tourist leave
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You can say it" awwww". in the background is the confluence of the Shenandoah river (which flows north) and the Potomac river
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looking over the Potomac toward Maryland
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YES, so close to Georgia!!!!!
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John Browns Fort
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Since it was spring, I had to include the daffodil photo, they have such a short bloom period.

We enjoyed Harper's Ferry so much we ended up going back in a few weeks to meet with Jim's parents over his 30th birthday weekend.... yes there will be more photos!

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