C&O Canal, Mile 0 — Local services in Washington

The mile 0 marker is hugely unassuming and hidden at first sight. For those who simply walk by it's just a slab of stone with a number 0 on it. For those of us who biked from Cumberland it signifies the accomplishment of completing a 184.5 mile physical and mental journey through history and country thus making its value and appreciation exponentially bigger. That said. The site is not in a welcoming location nor is the area pleasing to the eyes. It's just a dock with overgrown grass, junk on the shore and litter surrounding it. I wish it was better displayed/cared for and wished it were more welcoming to those who grinded out the distance...

There was a bunch of homeless folks in tents that we had to step over to get to the historical marker. Speaking of historical markers, the sign called it the “Tidal Lock” and google maps calls it “Lock Zero, or Mile 0”. This of course sparked a heated debate among my group. Team zero and team tidal. We fairly quickly became divided. It’s crazy how we get when it becomes tribal about stuff that really doesn’t matter. It got downright nasty and violent.

Oh well. I’m in the market for a few new friends, one sister, and a fiancé. Freaking, buncha zeros wouldn’t listen to me about the Tidal lock. It’s what the forefathers intended for...

For those who have ridden bikes on the C and O canal for days, or for those who are trying to meet/ retrieve someone who has ridden for days, the “0” mile marker is not easy to find! It sits behind a boat shed on a patch of unkept overgrown property with no fanfare for sure!

Having 3 sons who are Eagle Scouts, we concluded it would make a wonderful project with better signage , some benches and maybe a salute to a “job well done C and O trail blazer!”

And a tip- it’s best not to complete the ride the morning that Georgetown University is having...