A Close Country Ramble to Harpers Ferry

We may have finished our cross country road trip, but I decided that doesn't mean I can't add a few closer countryside rambles to my blog every now and then.  Yesterday I felt the need to escape from the tragic news of the horrible shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas and the inability to understand why anyone should be able to buy an automatic weapon.

So, for some calming scenery and autumn color, Doug and I headed along the C&O Canal Path and across the Potomac River footbridge to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

We've been here many times over the years, but autumn is definitely the most beautiful season.

We climbed these steps carved into rock...

...and passed two friendly hens, who are quite adept at camouflage.

 Can you find the hen in this photo?

The view from Jefferson's rock...

Notice all the arches in this photo, including the train tunnel in the distance across the river.

As we walked back across the bridge, a CSX train was traveling the opposite direction.

This time we noticed a number of padlocks on the bridge--something I had missed the first time.  When I stopped to ask this young woman why she was trying to remove them, she told me about "Love Locks" (also known as Love Padlocks).

"A love lock or love padlock is a padlock which sweethearts lock to a bridge, fence, gate, monument or similar public fixture to symbolize their love.  Typically the sweethearts' names or initials are inscribed on the padlock, and its key is thrown away to symbolize unbreakable love." (From Wikipedia)

The young woman in the photo above told me she removes the padlocks once the initials are washed off the locks because they become eyesores and can actually damage the bridges if too many are attached.

How did I miss all the padlocks on my first trip across the bridge?  I suddenly began noticing them everywhere, including this cluster of padlocks, hooked together--which begs the question: If one of the relationships represented by a padlock breaks up, does that mean all the other relationships hooked to that "love lock" will break up, as well? I think I may have a short story brewing...

                                                                                                                                                                                     When we reached the end of the bridge, we passed a troop of Boy Scouts who had just completed a 12-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail.

And here we're back on the Maryland side of the Potomac just at the spot where two railroads tracks enter the same tunnel.