Date: 2016-07-10
From: David Lesser Memorial Shelter

To: Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: overcast clouds

On July 7th, I left Front Royal, VA, and began the last 53 miles of my southern swing into Harper's Ferry, WV. I recap those last four days here.With the weather now considerably warmer than it had been over the past few weeks, I left Front Royal after a nice stay at the Quality Inn and hit the trail. I was mucho enthusiastic to be beginning the final stretch of the AT in Virginia. Crossing the border into West Virginia and finishing up in Harper's Ferry would mean that I would soon be home with Alison, and that I would soon be in Maine, ready to start the New England portion of my AT adventure. Planning out my (short) week, I expected to hike 20 miles on the first of the four days, and then 13.5, 11.2 and 8.7 miles to finish up. On Day 2, I would pass the 1,000 mile mark, and, on Day 4, leave Virginia, both significant milestones. And, for the last two days, I would be hiking with my childhood friend, Rich, who lives in Baltimore, and who would be taking me to the airport after we arrived in Harper's Ferry.Leaving Front Royal early in the morning, it was already hot, and I was soon glad to be under tree cover. The temperature in Front Royal that day was expected to hit 95 degrees, but it would be fortunately cooler on the trail. It felt great to be walking again and I made good time climbing out of town. I had hoped to camp near Ashby Gap, twenty miles from Front Royal, where several streams crossed the trail. As I neared the gap, however, I was treated to US 50, a major road crossing, and plenty of traffic noise. Not wanting to listen to that all night, I decided to push on, despite having put in a fairly long day already. Rod Hollow Shelter sat 3.6 miles farther on, and I set my sights on it. This first day out of Front Royal, then, would become my longest on the trail, a total of 23.6 miles, definitely more than I had planned, but appropriate given what I had found as I approached Ashby Gap.The second day, then, I had just 9.9 miles to hike before arriving at Bears Den Hostel, owned by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. A wonderful hostel, I made it there by 12:00, and was reading a James Michener novel when a drenching thunderstorm blew through at 1:00. Very happy to be off the trail and under a porch reading, I reflected on the fact that had I walked just twenty miles the day before, I'd still be on the trail at 1:00, getting wet.The next morning, I had a quick 1/2 mile walk down hill to Snickers Gap, where I met Rich. He and I have known each other since we were twelve years old, and it was wonderful having him by my side as I marched the last nineteen miles over two days to Harper's Ferry. Rich had brought with him turkey sandwiches for lunch, complete with fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and it felt like heaven when we sat down at noon to inhale them. Then, at dinner, he broke out homemade lasagna, which, despite being cold, was the best trail dinner I had had in all of my eighty days on the trail thus far.Our final day into Harper's Ferry was uneventful and went quickly. With his pack considerably lighter without the sandwiches and lasagna, Rich began to get his trail legs and we finished the final 8.7 miles by 11:00 am. When we arrived at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's office in Harper's Ferry, we were greeted enthusiastically by the staff, and there were a number of other hikers there, celebrating their arrival at the psychological halfway point of the AT. (The ATC lies at Mile 1,022, and the true halfway point is 73 miles further north.) I congratulated thru-hikers Sprinter, Zing, Twinkletoes and Deets on their accomplishment, and shared a laugh with Meg, who I had seen at the shelter the night before. I had my photo taken to commemorate my arrival, and Rich and I posed together for posterity's sake (above). After a quick shower at Harper's Ferry Hostel, we were off to the airport, where I grabbed my flight to Rhode Island.Alison was waiting for me as I arrived, and our reunion was too welcome for words. It feels somewhat surreal to be back home and, knowing that I return to the trail in a few short days, it all feels like a movie set, very temporary in nature. While I have a lot to do in the upcoming days, Alison and I will do our best to slow down the time and catch up. We have a long drive ahead of us to Katahdin, but already I am vibrating with excitement. Despite all the time I have spent in Maine, I have never climbed Katahdin (or Mt. Washington!), and I am really looking forward to being back in New England and continuing my journey.With my new phone(!) now under a waterproof case, thanks to the thoughtfulness of my friend, McLane, I am ready to tackle the second half of the AT.