Date: 2007-07-06
From: Crampton Gap Shelter

To: The Free State
Miles today: 20.5

July 6, "Here, have a cookie."Started around 7:45 a.m. today. The night in the shelter was humid and we were sort of cramped but it was cozy.Woke up to lots of drama. A woman we shared the shelter with berated us for hanging our food bags on the same line as her pack. Said she didn't want our "skank" on her pack. Caused quite a stir and even prompted the ridgerunner we stayed with to write a sacarcastic entry from Wingfoot in the register. Quite funny, really.So far, I am loving Maryland. The trail is beautiful and is, in most places, about four feet wide. Amazing. We started the day with a seven mile stretch to Dahlgren Back Pack Campground where we took a break with Cobweb and Mayo for a bit before they started their day. It was a nice little place.After that, we headed to Washington Monument State Park. We feasted on Japanese wine berries on the way. Enjoyed cold beverages and lunch with Mayo and Cobweb. We sat there for a while and then headed to see the Washington Monument. This was the first monument ever completed to honor George Washington. Neat.We had a short stretch after that to one of my most exciting moments on the trail - the crossing of I-70! For the last few years, on any given drive to Washington, DC or Maryland, I've seen the overpass for the AT and gotten all fired up. I've looked for hikers but have never seen one. I've wondered what the trail looked like in the area surrounding the highway. And now, there I was and I was finally the hiker - not the person whizzing by in a car. I was genuinely excited about this moment. It felt like a milestone and I took photos accordingly. We got a few honks and waves as we passed too. Just before that, we were greeted by a puppy and snacks in between some homes. There was also a trail register.We then headed to Pogo Memorial Campsite for another break and then on to another exciting moment for me - a stay at The Free State. On the way, I was hiking with Melk for a bit and she declared how much she loved Maryland. She said that it was speaking to us, saying, "welcome to Maryland. Here, have a cookie" because the terrain has been so nice. Loved it. Anyway, The Free State is a new hostel opened this year by Bone Pac, an '06 hiker. I followed his journal last year and during the creation of the hostel. I've looked forward to stopping there to support such a great idea but it was one of those things that I just wasn't sure would ever happen but I sure am glad it did. Felt like another milestone. Anyway, The Free State is amazing. There's a bunk room, a room with a fridge, laundry, and a computer, and a room with tables, air hockey and games. Outstanding. The place is so clean and even smells good still - hard to come by when inviting hikers. It was great to meet Ken and his wife, Jennel. To any future hikers, go there. The road down requires some amount of bravery but it's well worth it. It feels like your very own college apartment.   We spent much of the night playing Trivial Pursuit - tiring. Looking forward to sleep.- Sound of snoring, fidgeting.Post Trail Thoughts:I really could not have been more excited about crossing I-70! I would finally know what everything would look like up there. It was a pretty exciting day for me, mentally, with that and getting to The Free State. I'm so glad I was able to stop there. Cobweb and Mayo had planned for a longer day but pulled up with Bone Pac that evening - how exciting. The game night was tiring but a blast!