Towpath Repair Fund Approaches Goal

From the C&O Canal Trust

Shortly after the rains of Tropical Storm Hanna tore a massive breach in the towpath near Old Angler's Inn, the C&O Canal Trust established the Towpath Repair Fund to raise $100,000 in private funds to match $101,000 of National Park Service money. Thanks to the incredible generosity of dozens of people and organizations that depend on and love the canal, we have now raised over $79,000 toward our goal!

Just this week a local family foundation made a $10,000 challenge grant to help us reach our goal by September 30th. Now, every dollar you donate to the Towpath Repair Fund will be doubled as part of this challenge!

The funds raised to date have helped to build a safe detour and will soon allow us to begin removing downed trees that block the canal just upstream of the breach. In addition, the funding will allow the park to launch the engineering and design work so the project will be ready to go when funding for the full repair—estimated at about $2.7 million—can be secured.

There is no better way to demonstrate your desire to see this invaluable park properly maintained than by making a donation today. Remember, you can double your money by making a gift to the Towpath Repair Fund now!

If you would like to make a donation to the Towpath Repair Fund and see your donation doubled, please visit the Trust's secure donation page. Thank you!

And on the subject of the canal and fundraising, Fred Hedt, the pastor of Ascension Lutheran School in Landover Hills rode the entire 185 mile long C&O Canal in 21 hours straight (well, 19 hours on bike) to raise scholarship money for the school.

He trained by biking 200 miles a week for four months in areas such as Lake Artemesia in Berwyn Heights and around his Landover Hills neighborhood. He has biked the canal from Cumberland to Georgetown each summer for more than a decade to celebrate his birthday. He also bikes for fun with his wife, Alice.

Hedt said the trail is "one of the most beautiful places on Earth" and has a bevy of wildlife, such as herons, deer and the occasional bald eagle.

"It gets you away from work," he said. "It's almost like meditation. Obviously, you're burning up negative energy. You're releasing stress."

Does anyone know what the record is for riding the whole canal? Is this it?

Comments

[JeffB]

The record according to BikeWashington:

One Day "Nightmare" Option
Believe it or not, there is actually a fair amount of interest in this option. I don't know about you, but 184 unpaved miles severely exceeds my pain threshold !

However, for all you "X-People" out there, the current record (totally unofficial) is 11 hours and 41 minutes held by Paul Gruenberger and Ralph Olinger set October 1994. This was a supported ride starting from Cumberland. Paul Gruenberger also claims the unsupported record time of 12 hours and 36 minutes set in September 1991.

[Froggie]

Not that I expect to do it in such short of a time, but I have a goal to bike the entire C&O before I transfer. And if I have to do it in sections, I will...