Party in Paw Paw

February 14, 2015

Paw Paw, West Virginia - you just gotta love the name! And in fact, the name is the reason I chose Paw Paw for my weekend running adventure on Valentine's Day. Such a funny name, I just had to check it out.

Paw Paw is a tiny town - population 500ish - and is named for the pawpaw fruit trees that grow along the Potomac River. It's also located on the C&O Canal towpath and is "famous" for the Paw Paw Tunnel, which was built in the 1800's to create a shortcut across a 6 mile switch-backing stretch of the river.

I booked a room at a B&B and got there early to beat the icy-snow nightmare that was predicted for later in the day, then hit the towpath for a 10 mile run. The plan was to run through the tunnel and keep going for 5  miles or so, then turn around and come back. 

Buuut... the thing about the Paw Paw Tunnel is -- look how frickin' scary it looks! All boarded up with a single door--pitch black darkness for half a mile. I hadn't thought about being scared when I planned this adventure, and one look at the tunnel made me shudder. God only knows who could be in there waiting for someone to come along so they can pounce! Ay-yi-yi, this is how my mind works! Too many years covering crime in local TV news. 

But seriously, look at it. It was 20 degrees or so in mid-February and I seemed to be all alone on this path. So, what to do?

There was only one other way to get to the towpath on the other side of the Paw Paw Tunnel, and that was up and over it on the Tunnel Hill Trail. It just so happens that Tunnel Hill is the name of the 50 miler STUR and I are running in November, so I took that as a good sign.

It was a pretty scenic detour that added an extra 2 miles to my run. And while it was labeled steep and strenuous, it wasn't that bad.

About half way up  the hill I came across this helpful sign that explained it all --the name of the town, the fruit trees, the need for the tunnel... This was turning out to be an educational detour!

 That's the Potomac River below.

 The trail kept going up until finally, I could see the top. 

From there it was downhill switchbacks all the way to the towpath, where large sections were iced over. Well, it was February. What did I expect?

I ran in the grass on the side of the towpath until I found some clear dirt for running. 

My runner's high kicked in: I had this place all to myself! So quiet and peaceful and I embraced the solitude. The frozen C&O Canal looked like a river of milk.

After 10 miles it was decision time. The only way back to my car was either through the scary Paw Paw Tunnel or up the trail and over it again.

My thinking went like this:   You would be insane to go through that tunnel! WTH, Sally? It's pitch black in there! You're out here running all alone --what were you thinking, anyway? You're an idiot. Take the long way home. Your little can of pepper spray isn't going to protect you from everything. 

But then the other side of me said:  Suck it up, Sally. So, you're scared. Get over it. You can't live your life in fear. This is ridiculous! You're in a national park. Quit being so dramatic. You live in a strange world of your own creation. Face your fear and go through the damn tunnel! It's getting late, snow is on the way, and you don't have time to take the long way home.

So onward toward the tunnel I ran. The scenery leading up to it was very cool. This part of the towpath was lined on one side with huge water-runoff waterfalls! I would've missed this had I taken the trail back. I had made a good decision.

Made it to the tunnel and from this side, it didn't look quite as scary.

But at the tunnel's entrance, I waffled.  No matter how much happy talk I forced into my brain, I was scared. Shaking, shivering scared, in fact.  Hadn't been this scared in a long time. UGH.

Just hold a nice brisk pace and get through it. It's only half a mile. I stepped inside. It was even colder than outside. I kept glancing back over my shoulder, watching the light get smaller as I ran deeper into the blackness.

Half way through the cold, damp darkness, I saw a small light moving up ahead. Looked like a flashlight, someone walking toward me. It was impossible to make out what they looked like--hiker, park ranger, serial killer? Couldn't tell. Panic set in.

Gripping my pepper spray in one hand and cell phone light in the other, I pressed forward and prepared myself. It's all a mental game, Sally. Get your act together!  Fear is just an emotion. You're choosing to be afraid. Make a different choice. 

I decided to be angry instead. Angry that we live in a world where a single female has to feel scared running alone. Pissed at all the times I've had to modify my plans in the interest of safety. I was going to conquer my fear in this stupid tunnel.  

The light got closer and I could hear the shuffling footsteps of the approaching stranger. I moved as close to the railing as I could get. Heck, if I have to, I can jump in the canal and swim for it!  

But a dramatic getaway wasn't needed. The stranger shuffled past without uttering a word. I said nothing, either. Just picked up my pace and ran toward the light at the end of the tunnel, glancing over my shoulder just in case.

It feels silly, as I write this, to think of how scared I was.

The snowfall the night before made for an icy drive home.  On the way, I made a side trip for a quick run on the towpath in Hancock. With a wind chill of minus 8, it turned out to be a very quick run!

The Potomac River and the canal were mostly frozen.

Not wanting my adventure to end, I made another side trip to check out the towpath at Point of Rocks and found a river of ice! Pretty dramatic stuff.

One day I'll be back to run a longer section of the C&O Canal towpath as I train for Tunnel Hill. You can bet I'll be carrying my pepper spray and watching for strangers, but I'm not going to let fear alter my route.