Date: 2003-06-22
From: Loudon Heights (VA-WV border)

To: Mason Dixon Line, Pen Mar Rd., PA
Miles today: 43.2

   After the evening at Blue Moon's house, I took a ZERO in Harper's Ferry. It's a nice town to hang out in. I hung out at Blue Moon's house, the AT conf, The outfitter's, downtown, and at the Hiltop motel in the room of the Quintessential Philly 3 (and Sundance). I got Teddy to write with sharpy on my chest, "HAPPY HIKE NAKED DAY 2003" and "FLASH" on my left arm and "4-state challenge" on my right arm. After pizza, I headed back up to Loudon Heights, back into VA where I crashed right on the trail.    I woke up at 3:30, ate a bit of Blue Moon's bannana bread, and packed up. It was CHILLY but I couldn't wear clothes because I was too stoked about hike naked day. It wasn't the temperature itself that was making it cold, but there was a mist, an almost drizzle that REALLY cooled things off. I walked down the mountain, crossed the bridge (Shenendoah), and went through town covered partially by the kilt. I had it ready. I crossed the footbridge over the Potomac and started walking along the C&O canal towpath. It was just getting light and I hadn't seen a blaze for a while and I took a left on a trail that looked well trodden and ended up at the Sandy Hook Grocery. I had definitely lost the trail. After about an hour's worth of wandering, including a trip up to the hostel where I woke up In and Mem to ask them where the trail was to no avail, I went back to the unmarked road. It ended up that that unmarked road WAS the AT and so I was off. When I decided that I was on the trail again, the kilt went into the pack and I was officially naked. I carried a dozen and a half oranges and passed them out to folks along the way and said, "It's a lot better when you take the peel off" or, "The good stuff is UNDER the peel." There were quite a few folks on the trail too.    The challenge WAS challenging. All morning and afternoon, the sun stayed hidden. It was a tittie bit nipply all day but, because of the shade, the morning and afternoon were the breast whether I could have asked for for such a long day. When I had 25 miles down, 18 to go, I started to get worn down. Just as I was really getting tired, a storm rolled in and out came my umbrella. The storm lasted until about 6 miles shy of the border and at about 7:30, the sun came out and started to warm things up. That gave me a sort of second wind. I don't know what it was, but when the sun came up, I was a new man (it might also have had something to do with the clif bar that I ate that had a shot of caffine in it). It went from SUPER ROCKY to an easy grade as well for the last 3 miles. When I finally made it to Pen Mar park, there was a Westerly Facing grassy hill and the setting sun behind the storm clouds was BEAUTIFUL! Unsure of the camping situation for the night and how much farther passed the state line itself I'd have to go to find a place to set up my tarp, I moved on and left the warm beautiful grassy paradise for the final 5-10 minutes of the LONG day. I came up on the signs. I took pictures of the Mason Dixon Line sign and the PA sign.    When I got to Pen Mar Rd, Spiff, the only other person who I'd heard of hiking naked and also the only other one to do the 4-state challenge was waiting in the parking lot for his brother. I had seen him the night before on my way up to Loudon Heights--he started at 8 PM and caught a 5 hour nap at a shelter on the way but in the past 4 hours, we'd both come from VA. He invited me to come with him to his hometown of reading and so I did. Here I am in his house. We just got back from church. His church has an amazing music ministry. The choir was awesome and there was a violin soloist accompanied by a piano for the prelude. I thoroughly enjoyed the good music. Spiff (Chris) and his folks are taking me back to the trail in a bit so I can get a move on. I'm REALLY looking forward to the YOUNG FAMILY REUNION and I'm looking forward to hiking through this state which lots of folks consider to be one of the hardest. ROCKS?! BRING 'EM ON!!!That's all I know.BIGGEST TRAIL FEAT YET: 4-state challenge--NAKED!