The 184.5 mile C&O Canal, with its 74 lift locks, was in service from 1828-1924 and was a main transportation route to haul coal from Cumberland, Maryland to the port of Georgetown in DC.  The families that operated the boats lived in the 12 x 12 cabins at one end and worked long, hard days making a living on the canal.  Now the canal is a national historic park.   Rangers and volunteers in period garb reenact family life on the boats, allowing history buffs a look into the past of life on the canal.  The tow path, that runs all the way to Cumberland, is not just for the mules that pull the boats; it is a beautiful, level trail for bicycle riders and hikers.

Just as families made their own music in the canal's heyday, many of the modern reenactors play instruments as well -- banjo, guitar, harmonica.  Ranger Barbara joined us for awhile on banjo and, between opening the locks for the boat tours, Ranger Tommy joined us on guitar.

Pat's husband, Bill, is a ranger and a reenactor at the park.  Dressed as  Ernest W. Brown, the first MPDC officer to rise through the ranks to become superintendent of the DC Police Department in 1932, he walks the beat where Ernest began his career as a patrolman in Georgetown in 1896.  The walking tour called "Scandals, Scoundrels, and Scallywags: The Seamier Side of Georgetown" details some of the less known stories of the nightlife, crime and social disorder in 19th century.

We had a wonderful day playing together on the canal.  Donna's friend, Debbie, brought her fiddle, Bob came with his family, Joey and Linda. Rosemarie brought husband Dan and son Danny.  Barbara, Leslie, Ruth, Donna and Jane also came.  Many folks stopped to listen and many smiles were seen.  Folks just seem to like the look and plunky sound of an old time banjo.  A few FOB'rs enjoyed riding the canal boat (especially riding up and down in the lock) and played banjo for the tourists on the boat.  And finally, as is usual with FOB events there was food.  FOB is getting famous for its yummy potlucks and this day was no exception.

One of the highlights of the day was meeting and playing with new friends.  Carl and Judy, visiting DC from Massachusetts, stopped to listen awhile during their stroll along the canal.  Carl mentioned he played clawhammer banjo and he jumped right in to play when Donna handed him her banjo.  New Jerseyites Ukulele Lloyd and his wife, Elaine, noticed us playing, too, so Lloyd went back to his hotel room to grab his mandolin and came pack to pick with us awhile.

 In the 19th century, mules pulled the 220-ton canal boats.  Many boat families treated their mules as companions and pets.  The children of the family were often the mule drivers.  Today the park cares for the 7 mules that pull the (much lighter) canal boats full of tourists interested in life along the canal.  Leslie and Ruth (see below) got their pictures snapped with Lil the mule.  We also met Ada.  Ruth supported the fundraising effort to purchase Lil and was happy to finally make her acquaintance.