Great Falls

Instead of being at home getting huge amounts of stuff done this Memorial Day, we opted for a day out at Great Falls National Park, which is part of the C&O (Chessapeake and Ohio) Canal that appears to run from Georgetown to Cumberland. Great Falls is in the Potomac river beside the canal, where there is a 40ft waterfall. So big contrast between the tranquil canal path and going on the bridges over the rushing water! First bit of bushwalking (hiking) with the three year old not in a back pack. He is not such a good walker, but easily distracted, so he walked a fair bit more than he wanted to (but we gave a lot of piggy backs too, for both the kids)!
My overwhelming impressions, apart from the beautiful scenery, is of exercise clothing, because there were huge amounts of locals there jogging, riding bikes, kayaking and walking the dog. Even the kids were wearing exercise logos.
And if you weren't wearing exercise clothing, you needed to be wearing a shirt with a logo that indicated you had taken part in a run/paddle/cycle recently. There didn't seem to be many people in between the super fit and the completely unprepared for the terrain (you know, the ones with chunky good shoes, no water, no hats, no sleeves, and possibly jeans on an 82F day?)
Hoping to return here, and maybe take a canal boat ride.
First photo is of the lock keepers house, enlarged twice to make a hotel (before it became National Park), and second photo is of the top of Great Falls, looking across to Virginia. Yes, there were kayaks going down that whitewater.