Was This Pond Name After Me? (I think they spelled it wrong on the sign.)
Tom recently took me on a bike ride on the Western Maryland Rail Trail (WMRT). The WMRT runs a total of 23 miles, beginning near Fort Frederick State Park and ending at Pearre Station. We started in Hancock, which is the midway point, and went to the end. The round trip was a little over 24 miles.
My favorite spot on this trip was Polly Pond. I watched a couple of turtles swimming in the pond, but I didn’t see any frogs. I wanted to go in for a swim, but Tom reminded me that I would get my t-shirt muddy.
There were lots of people on the trail. It’s rare to find such nice weather (about 70 degrees) in the middle of November! I’m really looking forward to going back to Polly Pond next summer. I like traveling with people, but it’s nice to have frog friends too.
After the ride, Tom and his friends stopped at Weaver’s Restaurant in Hancock. They told me the food was really good, but there wasn’t anything on the menu that an amphibian would like.
I highly recommend bike riding in Hancock. The rail trail is great, and the C&O Canal Towpath runs right beside it. I had a great ride on the C&O this past summer, and I can hardly wait to hit the road again!
Turtle Talk!
P.S. I almost forgot to tell you that we found this little guy rustling in the woods next to the bike path. He’s called a box turtle. He tucked into his shell because he was scared of us and really wanted us to go away.(I’m semi-fluent in turtle–that’s how I knew what he was talking about!)
Tags: Polly 5
November 17th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
I really like this turtle picture!
November 20th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
The rail trail is usually pretty crowded, but the stretch of the C&O that runs beside the trail doesn’t have hardly any traffic at all. I read all about your trip down the canal towpath this summer, and I agree with you about the Devil’s Eyebrow–it’s pretty creepy!
Have you ever ridden the rail trail from Hancock toward Fort Frederick? There’s an old graveyard beside the path, and the fort is only about a mile from the terminus. There’s lots to see heading in either direction, but I understand that a frog named Polly would enjoy hanging out at Polly Pond.
The C&O Bike Shop is one of my favorite spots in Hancock, and another one is Hepburn’s Orchard. Hepburn’s has the best pies in the area, but I’m not sure if frogs like fruit and chocolate cream and stuff like that.
Keep up the good work. I’m looking forward to hearing about your next excellent adventure!
December 13th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
How did you become semi-fluent in turtle? I’m always looking to learn a new language, and I was wondering what you speak in addition to frog and turtle. With all of your travels, I’m sure you know a few languages! Oh, I forgot. Obviously, you speak human (especially English) really well too.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Today, the snow is waist deep on the rail trail and blowing all over the place, and Polly Pond is frozen over. It is fun to check out the pictures and try to remember what it looks like. Thanks Polly!
April 16th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
AJody~I’m going to have to say yes. The WMRT is paved and is suitable for children on bikes (scooters, skates, walking…). There are some nice restaurants in Hancock (Weaver’s, Park-n-Dine, and the Lockhouse).
I prefer riding on the C&O, but it is kind of rough. I rarely see children on the towpath, but there are lots of kids on the rail trail when the weather warms up.
Here are a couple more ideas…
Fort Frederick is just a mile or so from the eastern terminus of the rail trail. It’s a large stone fort from the French and Indian era.
I’m not sure about the dates, but Hancock has a canal fest of sorts, and one of the activites is a boat race in the old canal.
In all, the rail trail is very user friendly, and most of the people I see are smiling! Thanks for the great question. I hope I don’t steer you wrong, but I’m pretty sure you’ll have a good time.
April 16th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
I found your article on google today and it’s not what I expected to find, but I must say that you got my attention. Do you think the trail is worth a 50 minute (approximate) drive to get there? Also, is there anything else in the area that is worth seeing? My kids are 2, 6, and 9.
Thanks