Date: 2006-10-11
From: Blackburn Training Ctr, App Trail Rd

To: Chestnut Hill rd, Va 32
Miles today: 10.7

Blackburn Training Ctr, App Trail Rd to Chestnut Hill rd, Va 32N 10.7 MilesToday is Wednesday October eleventh. And we spent the last night at the Budget Inn Ranson, West Virginia. And David was out in the parking lot in the Sprinter. we got up this morning and David went to Wal-Mart, we went to McDonald's and got the senior coffee, and then we met David at Wal-Mart. Then we drove on out to Va 32 , near Harpers Ferry, Chestnut Hill Road. And left David's van there and then we drove on up to Blackburn Trail Center. And it was kind of foggy and misty, and very breezy at first. And we finally got going at 8:50, and then in five minutes were up on top at the Appalachian Trail again. The trail was fantastic, it was Level, gently going down an old road. And then we started on the few spots of bad boulders, and finally they got you out on a narrow ridge. It was just nothing but boulder hopping and very slow going. Let's see, we got down to the David Lester memorial shelter and it was 10:50. A very nice shelter, a nice deck. A nice seat and has a separate pavilion, it has a porch swing on it. We decide to have lunch, spent twenty five minutes for lunch. we left there at 11:15 and David , kind of got into a routine, where he would take off. He says," I will walk for an hour and wait for you", and that worked out good . We were on an old road quite a bit, it was really pretty nice. We got to Keys Gap and we got there around one o'clock and left there at 1:15. Decided it wasn't the best place to rest, there were lot of bugs, a lot of traffic and stuff. But right before we got there, we are coming down the trail and just hear all the shooting, like pistol shooting, just like pop pop after another pop pop pop. Very unnerving, because you don't know where they're shooting, at what direction or anything. But it turned out we got through there OK. Made me walk faster, and my feet were hurting then already. And while we rested I called dad. Got back on a trail and still nice and gentle and nice woods, and then again gets out on a ridge, boulder hopping. It really wasn't that noticeable a Hill because you went up pretty easy, but after about an hour my feet just really started killing me again. And finally the last hour, trying to get down to the car at the road, I mean I was hurting. The last time we met up with David he says he will head for the car. So Terry and I were slow going, and then we finally get to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park and there's like an old Depression, really deep. Terry read it was a soldier's trench. We got down to the Chestnut Hill road at 3:45. I sat there and Terry walked up about a quarter mile to where David had his van, and they came by to pick me up. And then we drove on back up to get our car, and then David said "I got to get gas, my light just came on". So instead of going back towards Harpers Ferry, which wasn¢t any further, David headed south towards the middle of nowhere and we went into Harpers Ferry. Got back in Harpers Ferry and started checking motels. And we finally lucked out the Hilltop House; it's an old stone hotel. Reminds me a lot of the old Lake Yellowstone hotel. But they had hiker rates, so we got a room with a double and a twin bed for forty dollars. And for five dollars more, David Could take come in take a shower, sleep here or whatever. Came to forty nine o five. So we all cleaned up went down the street to Kings Italian pizza place, had pizza and had Tiramisu. Italian coffee dessert. We just really enjoyed our food. Then we drove on up the hill, out of town because nobody's phones work, and got up somewhere where my phone would work. And we finally came back to Hilltop House and now we're going to see what tomorrow brings.