Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Little Orleans MD


We went camping and kayaking in Little Orleans, MD, our new favorite place. It is smack dab on the Potomac River and the C & O Canal towpath. Also in the middle of nowhere. There is a campground, actually two, a lodge, and Bill's. Okay, this is the old Bill's, the new bills is just across the street, while looking a bit better, is really not. It calls itself a grocery, bar, restaurant. I don't know if I would ever eat there, although last year I was dying to say we spent our 20th anniversary at Bill's. It's smokey, has a small selection of grocery type foods, maybe one shelf worth, and beer, lot's of beer. There are dollar bills plastered along the ceiling with messages and locations of patrons that have come through on the towpath. A little scary, but not really. Mom got lost on her way to the lodge, stopped at Bill's, stated she was lost, they said "No, you're not, you are in downtown Little Orleans!" then directed her the 1/2 mile to her location. Bill's also rents canoes, beat up, metal canoes. It's a great place, seriously.

The Little Orleans Lodge is a simple place. We stayed there last year on our anniversary. The owner's, Steve and Mary, and the nicest people you could ever meet. We reacquainted ourselves with them, especially Sunday morning when we discovered we did not have our percolater and we NEEDED coffee. They had dinner with us then invited us for breakfast the next morning. Mom was staying with them and thoroughly enjoyed herself. It's an old one room schoolhouse that they have added on, and added on, making rooms for those coming off the towpath. They have great stories and I think, truly enjoy almost everyone that comes through. If ever in the area, stay with them.

Backtrack a bit: We arrived late Saturday, waiting for the rain to let up and me to feel better. I was not about to camp in the cold and rain, with a head cold! By the time we got there, the sky was clear. We set up camp in the primitive camp area, walking distance to the lodge, Bill's and the water and canal towpath at Fifteen Mile creek. The shower and flush toilet were driving distance. It's funny how we traveled a couple hours just to meet up with our neighbors, literally. We met the couple that lives 3 doors down! Never seen them before in my life! But they said, "Hey, don't you live on Deep Run?" Our camping neighbors were from Westminster. Geez, it's a small world.

We went to dinner at Tari's in Berkeley Springs, another repeat from last year's anniversary trip. We met up with a friend of My Handsome Prince, and his wife. A really nice, easy going couple. He's a photographer, not sure what she does. Our conversations revolved around camping, kayaking, nature, and big mistakes we've made (loosing all your money on the way to your honeymoon - OMG, I'm surprised we've made it 21 years!). I really enjoyed meeting them and we all hope to get together again this fall.

Sunday, more friends arrived, we found our way to Bond's landing, driving along roads that were more like paths, hoping we did not meet another car going the other way. Got in the water and spent the next 3 hours just floating.

Mom picked up a woman at the lodge and invited her to eat with us. It was the 3 of us, Mom, Steve, Mary and Theresa. She was doing the entire canal on bike by herself. She was in remission from Lyme Disease and just wanted to do something for herself. A pleasant dinner.

It was a grand weekend! Audrey was the best! This was not her thing, dinner out with 2 couples and her Grandma, not interested in floating down the river, stayed back with Grandma, they played games, looked at photos, read, and had a quiet afternoon. Being the only kid around has changed things. That will be covered in another post. Anyway, we left early Monday, she'd had enough of the primitive, solitary child, life.

BTW, Blogger or my computer has been giving me fits and had to post photos another way. I tried all afternoon! *$%*#@!

1 comment:

weirdbunny said...

I had to put my tent up in the rain last week. It was either that or sit in the van till the morning!!