The End of an Era...

... but the beginning of a much grander era.

My time at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical park has come to an end.  I already expressed my disbelief in last weeks post, and I guess after a few days of leaving Maryland it is sinking in.

Fittingly, the Visitor and Resource Protection Division bookended my first Proranger summer internship.  Compared to the first week in the park this one was pretty uneventful for law enforcement.  Ranger Greene and I went on some vehicle and foot patrols.  We stopped a few vehicles for some minor infractions, entering a parking lot through the exit and speeding.  Warnings were given out on both occasions.

Wednesday was the second end of the summer youth summit.  It was hosted here at the C&O Canal at Carderock.  The event was pretty relaxed, as you could choose which activities you wanted to do at your leisure.  There was s'more roasting, a drawing station, rock climbing, loaner bikes, an informational station about the upcoming eclipse on the 21st, and as you might have seen in one of my recent posts, yoga.  After picking up my eclipse viewing glasses, eating a few s'mores, getting zen, and a drawing a stranded polar bear, it was time for the contest.  At the first youth summit event the various parks of the National Capital Region were asked to create a poster or video advertisement to go along with the "Your Park, Your Future" campaign.  There were some pretty creative and artistic entries, one Back to the Future themed (greatest trilogy of all time), and one that rick rolled us.  I did not stay to see which winners the judges picked, as it was a long drive back to Williamsport and Ferry Hill, but the good folks at the canal entered in some pretty stunning posters, so I hope they came away with a Mather or two (newly proposed NPS award, like an Oscar).

When I was not on patrol or at the youth summit, I was catching up on the last few items in my task book and saying my goodbyes.  Everyone at the park showed me such kindness and treated me like I was a longtime member of the team.  Much information and wisdom was imparted to me and I am that much more prepared for a career in National Park Service.  I know the agency is a pretty tight knit family, so I hope to see many of the people I met here somewhere on down the line.

And with all that regular business and sappy stuff out of the way, here are a few pictures of some of what its really all about, from my last excursion of the internship.

Seneca Rocks, West Virginia 

Once again I met up with my West Virginia dwelling cousin Leslie, this time in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area.  This was the first National Recreation Area in a National Forest, The Monongahela National Forest, so it is administered by the Forest Service rather than the NPS.

The top of Seneca Rocks

Seneca Rocks is a popular spot for rock climbers.  I think maybe the next leadership camp, especially the SAR and rock climbing portion, should take place out here.

Blackwater Falls, West Virginia

 After the rocks we ventured to the falls, this time in a state park, which were gushing at full force after some heavy rains.

Shoutout to Temple for providing me with this opportunity

I was really psyched because Blackwater Falls looked like rootbeer. 

Flora of the C&O Canal

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal contains many miles of riparian area and one of the sites of greatest biodiversity in the country, particularly diversity of plants.  Unfortunately, I do not know that much about plants.  But here are a few I learned about this summer and some others I have attempted to identify, but I wouldn't necessarily take my word for all of them.

Ailanthus 

This invasive kind of smells like burnt peanut butter if you break off a branch.  Ailanthus means "tree of heaven."

Queen Anne's Lace

Sycamore

Tell tale bark shedding of the Sycamore

Paw Paw

Unbeknownst to most people I have met (including myself until about two years ago) not from Appalachia, the Paw Paw tree and the fruit it bears, also called Paw Paws, are things that exist.  Paw Paws are the largest native fruit in the Unites States.

Paw Paw

Japanese Stiltgrass

Another asian invasive, like the Ailanthus

Maple, probably Silver

Maple, probably Sugar

White Pine

Possibly an American Hornbeam 

Possibly a Tulip Poplar

Tulip Poplar?

Black Walnut 

Also a Black Walnut

Fauna of the C&O Canal

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, extending through many different ecosystems, is home to a great variety of animals.  Here are some that I was able to snap pictures of.

This is a spider

Newborn white tail deer faun

Older than newborn faun

Same buck still in velvet

White tail deer Buck in velvet

Black Rat Snake

Groundhog

Groundhog on a pedestal 

Groundhogs are rad

Cardinal

Black Vulture

Canada Goose

Beats me but it looks cool

Some kind of turtle

Black Widow found in my car

Stink bug in my lamp

Grasshopper 

Tiny frog of some kind

I think this is some kind of beetle

Butterfly, possibly a Black Swallowtail 

Hard to see but right next to the stick is a crayfish

I don't know what this thing is

Spider in a cave but not a cave spider 

Salamander, potentially a newt like the red eft

Possibly a Yellow Banded Millipede

I don't know what kind of spider this is but it was really fast

One with oneself, one with one's park

I made the other post where you could read my Proranger shirt too soon

National Capital Region Youth Summit hosted by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

View From My Park Housing

I haven't shared the view from my park housing until now because this parking lot here is the view from my front door, complete with porta potty, not too exciting.

But there are some pretty nice spots on the Ferry Hill Plantation, where I have been living these past two months.  This is the view from my kitchen window.

This is the view from my kitchen window at another angle.

Here is a shot of the grounds.

This is the Ferry Hill mansion, mere yards from my apartment atop the ranger station.

And this is the view across the Potomac into Shepherdstown, West Virginia, featuring the James Rumsey Bridge.