Driving to Lander, Listening to Neil

Good traveling music, Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall 1971 which was released a few years ago. Although he was about 26 when he wrote these songs and gave this concert, it's funny how often the word "old" appears in the lyrics, not just when he means someone else, an "old man", but even when he's talking about himself: "Now I'm getting old..." If you thought that at 26, Neil, now that you're almost 65, what do you think?

To me, Neil Young's lyrics are like Bob Dylan's. Sometimes they miss and sound silly, but when they're on target, and more often both are, they get under my skin in a way I find hard to express. At those times, their words haunt me.

Unlike Brunswick, a few miles up the Potomac, and Point of Rocks, a few miles downriver, only fishermen mention Lander, Maryland which is little more than a few houses and a railroad crossing near the river. Lander is also the site of a C & O canal lock, number 29.

It was a beautiful day with blue skies, the temperature in the 80's, the humidity low, and, most importantly, the smallmouth bass and bluegills co-operative. Most fish were caught on a surface slider, but the best bass came on a B & B. All the bass were caught above the first ledge.

Water level .79 at Point of Rocks and 2.37 at Little Falls.