Date: 2006-06-03
From: Harpers Ferry Hostel

To: Dahlgren Back Pack Campground
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: 0

Cell good.Well I'm at a campground that is for Backpackers only. That's what the name says, but I see a cooler and Coleman stove on one of the table - that isn't a good sign. This place has running water, hot showers, and real toilets. In the past I've seen cold spring fed showers, and solar heated showers, but this one is gas heated. A group just came in and they seem to be loud. I hope it's just their energy of just getting here. There are flat areas with picnic tables to eat at and a lot of grass to set up tents on. Today's hike was a section Sue and I had done in 2003, except in reverse. We hiked it southbound - I'm going northbound. The hills seem to have shrunk a little...they aren't as difficult as I remembered them. It might also be I've hiked more difficult ones during this hike, and these are mild compared to them.I slept quite well last night at the hostel. It was nice to have a real mattress for support and a real pillow. I slept in my silk liner bag with a hostel blanket over it. I didn't sleep too well the night before, so I guess I was making up for that, too.I plan on being in Maryland tomorrow night, and then I hit Pennsylvania. When I get there, the trail changes from the {Appa latch in} Trail to the {Appa lay chian} Trail. We yankees have a different way of saying it. It feels good to be getting closer to home. I don't have a schedule beyond this week, but I wouldn't be surprised to be in New York by early July. No promises of that, but as it gets closer I'll let you know.Oh yes, I've been meaning to write about the I/Me factor. It seems that while hiking I spend so much time concentrating on where will I hike to today, what will I eat, when will I eat, where will I be in two or three days, etc. I've been concentrating on my needs, and I tend to forget the feeling of others. I'm so focused on what impact each event will have on me and my hike. I'm sorry if I've come across that way to anyone, I just wasn't thinking. I am particularly sorry for making plans last weekend and making an assumption that badly hurt Sue. I assumed she wouldn't want to drive down to Virginia again. I was WRONG and I'm sorry. I told her too late to change her plans so it didn't happen. It would have been great to have spent that time with her, and I regret my mistake.The lesson I need to take from this is to remember that although I'm in the woods alone hiking, I'm not hiking alone. I'm part of a team and I should never lose focus of that.As I'm typing, this place is starting to fill up. There are tents going up all over the grassy area. I hope it gets quiet early and we all can get a good nights sleep.P.S. - I guess this is another selfish I factor item. The cooler and coleman stove ended up being the tip of the iceburg. A local bug collecting 4H group showed up with probably 30 people. There were so many tents set up the grassy area was full. The people were a quiet group, and they offered their excess food to everyone last night. I guess I'm being selfish, as I thought I was at a special place for backpackers, and it ended up like I was in a state park. The state of Maryland provided a treat by having the camp; the people of Maryland ruined my experience by having their outing there.Old Goat