The morning times., 1896-04-26
The Old National Pike.

To one seeking health and strength and
recreation there is no better plan than
mounting a wheel and take a week off
for spin over country roads. The
territory for miles around Washington is
well adapted for such outings. Particu,
Larry is this true Of that section west
OF the Blue Ridge Mountains, which is
known as the sister valleys-the Cumber'
land, in Maryland. from Pen Mar TO Harpcr's
Ferry, and the :: enanGoah in Virginia,
from Harper's Ferry south.
Two Washington who elmen, who visited
these sections last spring and extended the
trip further west, over the AlleGhenies,
can attest TO that fact. The trip was
fun OF intt resting incidents, and while
the roads We're not so good IN the western
counties OF Maryland as in the valleys of
the BIue Ridge, they were rideable all
the way; and where heavy grades were
encountered, sometimes being steady
pulls for two or three miles, they were
always repaid, on reaching the summit, 10y
O coast OF the same distance, down the
other side.
Their route from Washington led out
the Seventh street road 10 Frederick city,
Maryland, 10y way Of Ridgeville. At
this latter point the National Pike from
Baltimore 10 the Ohio river was taken,
and its smooth macadam surface, well kept
and hard, was followed over tie Blue
Ridge Mountains 10 Boonsboio and Hagers.
town
TWO days were spent in the enchanting
hundred and fifty mile stretch from the
Pennsylva MIA line at Pen Mar to the
cagens of Luray in Virginia, visiting
the many points of interest, of which
this section is prolific. 1t was in these
valleys that much OF the marching and
fighting WAS done during those four years
Of civil war.
Battles Ragged Fere.
Two of the bloodiest battles of that
desperate struggle took place here-tbe
battles OF Gettysburg and Antietam And
the mere mention of South Mountain,
sharpsburg, Harper's Ferry, Front Royal
and warrenton recalls 10 ones mind visions
OF warfare
Hagerstnwn, The central point in the
Cumberland valley, is an easy two days
journey fiom Washington. From here
the National Pike leads through Il rough
country TO Cumberland, and in anticipation
ofhard riding the two, instead OF following
that route, wheeled southward on the
Wiiliamsport pike to the Chesapeake and
ONO canal, where they took the tow
path for that city.
InlS proved TO De one or The most
enjoyable trips. The distance from
WiIliamsport is eighty odd miles, and the
variety of landscapes, from quiet farm
scenes to rugged mountain stretches, cannot
be surpassed anywhere in the same
distance. The towpath is necessarily
level, and its being packed and hardened
by the constant tramping OF hoofS, made
IL an easy days journey from Ha agerstown,
the miles covered being about eighty.
eight, which made Cumberland a journey
Of three days from Washington
This city was The great halfway station
between the East and the West in pre-
railroad days, when the stage coach was
the only public conveyance between those
points; ard. although it is a busy little
manufa curing city today. il lacks the
enterprise and business which character
fZed the old town half a century ago.
Then ii was the most important town
between the Chesapeake and the Ohio, a nd
distances were measured 10 the east and
west from il. The national pike proper
begins here. 1t is merely a continuation
Of the Old stage road, which certain COR
porations of the State built from Baltimore