Date: 2023-06-22
From: Mountain Home B&B, Front Royal, VA

To: Rocky Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 109.8

Google Photos Photo AlbumDay 8Mountain Home B&B to Whiskey Hollow ShelterAT miles 14.8Miles hiked 15.2Week number 2 begins. We woke up early-ish to the sound of rain on the roof of our cabin. It's gonna be another wet one. Everyone in the hostel was up trying to pack.  Part of the stay includes breakfast. Hikers are normally served on the patio outside the main house but with the weather we were allowed to eat inside. Breakfast was scrambled eggs with cheese and veggies, homemade apple cider, and fresh fruit were deliciously prepared by Lisa. Tuna Shorts, I, a couple from Holland on a motorcycle trip, along with Lisa, had a great breakfast conversation about travel and local history.We were kind of dragging our feet hoping for the weather to change but alas, this day we were destined to be wet. I finally got started around 1045. The wet weather was complemented by all the wet vegetation hanging over the trail. Despite the wet conditions it was mostly smooth going. Around noon, the sun came out and I was thinking the rain was finally over. Nope. By 1:00 it was raining again. I met a guy from Ohio at a road crossing who was finishing his hike in memory of a friend who died during COVID. They had started the hike in 2020 but had to get off the trail because of the pandemic. They had planned to finish the trail together at a later time but sadly the time never came.  I nearly had my first fall today while crossing Manassas Gap Brook on some wet rocks when my right foot slipped off a rock. Just before doing the splits in the creek I somehow got my left foot around to prevent that but my right foot went full in the drink with a splash to equal a cannonball. What wasn¢t already wet now was wet and what already wasn¢t soaked got soaked. At least I stayed vertical.I stopped for water at Manassas Gap shelter then continued on to Whiskey Gap shelter. In case you're wondering, shelters or huts are basically sheds minus one wall. Some are kinda not real great and others are pretty nice. This was a pretty nice shelter. There were 7 of us who stopped for the night, all happy to be out of the rain and somewhat dry. Although I¢ve not stayed in a shelter yet I¢m not eager to sleep in one. I don¢t like the thought of other people sleeping so close to me and then there¢s the mice.  I fixed a quick dinner of ramen, summer sausage, and cheese then went to bed before 8.Day 9Beginning of the Virginia Roller CoasterWhiskey Hollow Trail to Sam Moore ShelterAT miles 15.5Miles hiked 15.8Another rainy day. More hiking through overgrown vegetation. The trail passed through Sky Meadows State Park but there was really nothing to see but wet fields. The trail was a bit overgrown in places which continued the process of painting us with water.Once I left the shelter I didn't see any other hikers until the campsite before Buzzard Hill where I ran into splat who had just finished eating a snack and was packing up to leave. Splat was former Air Force and is hiking with two knee replacements, one of which had to be replaced again after a fall on the trail. Not long after passing her the fairly tolerable drizzle turned back into a downpour.  I arrived at the Sam Moore shelter with rain coming down so hard it was difficult to see. Originally vowing to not sleep in a shelter, the shelter was a welcome relief after being so wet and cold. This shelter looked like somebody's vacation home, minus the front door. I arrived at the shelter in a driving rain and was getting ready to set up my tent when all the hikers insisted I come in from the rain. CT and Merlin were there along with Coyote, Roadrunner, and Banana and some other hikers whose names I didn't catch. I gave in and must admit it was nice not being in the rain.  Splat showed up and they tried to get her to come in from the rain but she insisted on sleeping in her hammock. We ate dinner while being entertained by watching her struggle to set up her hammock. After more than 30 minutes she finally got it.  I woke in the middle of the night needing to go, if you get my drift. It was dark as if I were in a cave. I didn't want to wake the others so I rolled back over and tried to sleep.  As I was packing, I noticed some gross sticky stuff got on the bottom of my sleeping pad. Yuck. I packed up anyway, deciding to clean it when I got to the next camp. As we were packing we were asking if there were any mice the night before (shelters are known for their mice which is why I prefer to not sleep in them.) Everyone said no except for Squirrel. Mice had gotten into his M&Ms. One of the first rules of sleeping in a shelter is no food. At least his bad decision probably kept the mice too busy to bother us.Starting out in the rain was one thing. But then things got fun. The trail was again overgrown with weeds, bushes and trees. So, not only was I getting wet from the rain, the vegetation was doing its part to make me even wetter. Sort of like walking through a car wash. Finally, the rain stopped around 11:00 so I only had to deal with the wet brush.  I stopped for lunch and water at the Rod Hollow Shelter and made some chicken noodle soup and ate some chips. Back on the trail I soon arrived at the famous Virginia Roller Coaster. The roller coaster is about a 14 mile section of rocky, steep uphill followed by similar downhills. The downhills usually ended with a creek crossing a rocky trail. At least the brush wasn't so bad. The trail maintenance, though, left a lot to be desired. One thing I noticed is that those who started their hikes in Georgia are way stronger hikers than those of us who started further north. I got passed by scores of hikers like I was standing still. I came across an unlikely looking hiker with the unlikely name of High Speed while climbing one of the hills. He wasn't moving very fast and so we hiked together and talked for a while. He's from Canada and had badly sprained his ankle a few days prior. Since he is on a VISA his time here is limited he decided to continue hiking rather than sit around waiting for his ankle to heel. He was the first of many hikers I¢d meet along the way who pushed through injuries rather than get off the trail.My day ended at the Sam Moore Shelter. Merlin (the dog guy) and Wade (the dog), CT (Pennsylvania guy), and Saucy were at the shelter when I arrived. Wade is perhaps the smartest dog I¢ve ever seen. Merlin talks to him like a person and Wade responds like a person. CT, who I met in SNP is a Trauma Nurse. Saucy, from California, was a D1 soccer player turned teacher who was taking time off to hike the trail.There were a lot of nice tent sites so I set up the tent and cooked supper. Tonight's fare was chicken and rice burritos. CT shared some dark chocolate and peanuts with all of us for dessert.Some might be wondering, what's with these unusual names. Well, wonder no more. There is a hiking tradition where hikers have trail names. Some hikers choose their own names out of fear they'll get a terrible or embarrassing name. Thing is, you don't have to accept the name if you don't like it or you can change your name. I decided to take my chances and let the trail (other hikers) name me. Or, I'll just stick with Bob because hey, there's not many names cooler than Bob.We sat around talking until around 8:00 when everybody got ready to sleep.Day 10West Virginia State LineSam Moore Shelter to 4 Mile CampsiteAT miles 19.2Miles hiked 22.2It started raining again last night around midnight and rained steadily through the night. I woke about 5:00 hoping the sky would run out of water so I could pack up and get on the trail. Hiking in the rain isn't bad (minus hiking in wet weeds) but packing in the rain is not so fun. I rolled over and went back to sleep for a while but finally decided at around 6:30 to get going. Saucy had already left and CT and Merlin were up and getting ready to go. The benefit of staying in a shelter is that your stuff is dry (or mostly dry) when you pack up. I got under the picnic shelter there and let my stuff hang out to dry for a bit while fixing breakfast.FINALLY! The rain stopped about 8:00 and the sun came out about 8:30. It turned into an awesome day for hiking. I finished the roller coaster and was glad to be finished (for the time being) climbing on the wet rocks. I stopped at a view but didn't get to see much because a cub scout troop was climbing on rocks and yelling and screaming while the adults stood around talking. Couple that with the fat guy who had a big, high energy German Shepherd who was constantly barking and trying to get away from its "owner". Moving on.  A short time later I moved over to let a family pass by me. The dad stepped off the trail motioning me by. As I got next to him he asked if I were a thru hiker. He then offered some trail magic (2 Cliff bars!) and we had a brief conversation. As we started to go our separate ways he wished me luck and told me I was living his dream.  There were a lot of day hikers out today enjoying the nice weather for a change. I stopped at the next view for a snack and a break. Three guys about my age and a younger guy asked if they could join me on the overlook. We were all soon engaged in conversation and we found out we were all Hoosiers! They were from Kokomo here for a reunion.  We talked about sports, Boy Scouts, and living in the 70s. The younger guy said it sounds like he missed out on a good time to grow up. He certainly did.Back on the trail I soon needed water so waded through some black, mucky mud trying to keep my finally dry feet dry. It wasn't easy but I managed. As I was filtering water I was joined by Shaman, a hiker from Czechoslovakia. We too had a great conversation while filtering water. Back on the trail, he was headed south so we wished each other safer journeys and went on our ways.More hiking and I somehow missed the Virginia, West Virginia border. My first state line! Yay!I decided to eat lunch at a view around 2:00. It was sunny and I could lay some of my wet stuff out on the rocks to dry. I peeked under the rock I was going to use looking for snakes. Seeing none, I dropped my pack and started digging stuff out. I then heard chhht. Hmmm¢¦ I glanced down and less than a foot away was a big, fat, timber rattler. Holy Guacamole! How did I not see that? I stepped back, grabbed my backpack and beat a hasty retreat minus some of my gear. The snake didn't seem mad yet so I carefully retrieved the rest of my stuff. Intent on eating my snack I gave Mr. Snake a wide berth and sat on his overlook to enjoy my snack while he crawled around the rock to keep an eye on him keeping an eye on me. That seemed to be a good arrangement so I enjoyed my lunch and the nice day. Until I saw a second rattler under a bush about 3 feet away. OK, outta here. Not that hungry.CaptionAs I was repacking and getting ready to move to less a place less densely populated by snakes, High Speed, showed up at the view with the same plan as I ¢ until I told him about the snakes. Of course, pics were in order then we both left.I was feeling pretty strong today so planned to hike to a tent site about 5 miles from Harper's Ferry. About 2 miles before the tent site is a crazy road crossing with lots of fast moving traffic. There was a gas station about a 10 minute walk down the road so I walked up the road to buy a Mountain Dew, cheese curls and use an indoor, not stinky, bathroom. Ahhh! The Mountain Dew was so good I bought an extra for the trail along with a couple of Little Debbie snack cakes for desert.About 4 miles up the trail I found my spot with 2 deer grazing nearby. I set up camp, hung wet stuff out to dry, gave myself a sort of camp bath then walked up the trail a bit, ate my snack from the gas station then got myself into bed.Just as I was finishing my journal entry the nearby locals started shooting off fireworks. I love the peaceful sounds of nature.Day 11ATC thru hiker photoSam Moore Shelter to Crampton Gap CampsiteAT Mile 14.2Miles hiked 15.8Harper's Ferry and ATC HQ Day! For hikers starting at Springer, this is the psychological half-way point. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is also located here. The ATC keeps a yearbook of thru hikers where they take photos of hikers and include some basic info such as name, trail name, start date, and where you're from, and your hiker number. My hiker number was flip-flop hiker 295. A NOBO told me his number was 925. I think it's too early for SOBOs to be passing through.This is also one of four locations where hikers can earn their AT hang tags for their backpack by attending a Leave No Trace class and passing a test. Although this is something ingrained in me since my Boy Scout days, it struck me that every person desiring to enter a state or national park should have to take and pass. Just sayin¢. There¢s trash everywhere including wads of toilet paper that have been used for who knows what, poop bags full of dog poop (I hope) waiting for a ranger, trail maintainer, or good samaritan to pick up. People cutting corners on the trail instead of sticking to the path. People messing with the wildlife or getting too close to the animals. These are just the most common, obvious trail transgressions.  Later on in the day I had similar thoughts about requiring cyclists to take a trail etiquette test before allowing them to ride on multi-use trails.(Sir) Taps in front of ATC HQThe ATC has a hiker lounge in the back where hikers can leave their packs and charge devices while in town. If you've never been to Harper's Ferry (HF) you should put that on your list of places to go. Especially if you're interested at all in American history. I've been to HF several times since I used to frequently bike pack the C&O Canal trail to WV and back or rent a canoe from River Riders.I had four goals on this visit: get better shoes, get in the yearbook, get my hang tag, and eat in the caboose.The folks running the ATC were fantastic and very helpful to hikers. Next stop was the outfitters to see about shoes. Every day after about two hours of hiking, the bottoms of my feet started to "burn". I've never had this problem before ¢ even while wearing Uncle Sam's "every foot is the same shape", Army boots. The shoes I was currently wearing were shoes of last resort. I had a terrible time finding a shoe in my size that was suitable for hiking and that fit. My number one choice, the Altra Lone Peak was sold out everywhere I looked. The outfitters at HF had them in my size and they felt great. Not only that, they were at least $40 cheaper than anyplace else that sold them. Bonus! They donate used shoes to someplace that gives shoes to people in need. I happily made my contribution. With new shoes on my feet it was time to tackle that fourth goal.I always ate at this BBQ restaurant in a train caboose whenever I was in HF. The restaurant is still there, only now it's a pizza and sandwich place named Isabella's. Sticking with tradition, that's where I ate. The steak and cheese was very good and the fries were awesome.  Back UP to the ATC. Oh, there's the upper town and the lower town. If you ever go there it won't take long to figure out which is which. My charging block still needed some more time so I relaxed in the hiker lounge listening to other hikers talk about their hikes. CT and Merlin showed up and CT introduced me to his parents who were there to take him home to recover from some severe shin splints. I left at about 3:30 with 11 miles to go to my next camping spot.  It was a good thing I filled both water bottles at the ATC. It was a hot, humid hike with no water stops until the state park right before the camp site.  The first part of the hike outside of Harper's Ferry is a long, flat walk on the C&O Canal trail. The walking was pleasant save for the occasional cyclist or group of cyclists that weren't aware that pedestrians have the right-of-way and didn't appear to care at any rate and almost ran me over.  Once the trail left the towpath it was time to do some climbing. The trail passed Weverton Cliffs which offered spectacular views. I'm glad I didn't pass that side trail up. I continued on for several more miles planning to camp at a campsite just after Gathland State Park.I arrived at Gathland State Park right at dark and stopped in the bathroom to fill my bottles and of course, use the bathroom. I then had a heck of a time finding the trail in the dark. Finally getting back on trail, it was a steep climb out of the park. I finally got to the campsite. I think I was the only person there. I set up in the dark and decided to skip dinner and instead start counting sheep (or deer, or bears, or¢¦)Sometime before the park I had entered Maryland without realizing it. My third state!Wait, my feet. If it's possible, my feet felt better after hiking 11 miles than at any other time in this hike. For the first time I set up camp without gingerly hobbling around like an old man.Shortly after drifting off to sleep I was awakened by thunder and lightning. I let the flaps down on the tent right as the rain started. It didn't last long so I woke up long enough to roll the flaps back up.Day 12Crampton Gap Campsite to Pine Knob ShelterAT Miles 12.5Miles hiked 15.0Thankfully, last night's rain didn't amount to much so everything was dry when I woke up. I needed water so I had to hike more than a half mile back down to that state park to get some water. I decided since I was there I may as well see the sights so I took my camera and water bladder and headed out. There was some pretty fascinating history stuff there related to the Civil War along with a memorial to war correspondents. There was a large group of hikers in the park and when I passed them I said ¢Good Morning¢. They just looked at me like cows grazing in a pasture. Must be foreigners who don¢t speak English. I moved on and enjoyed the park, got my pics and water, then headed back up the trail to grab the rest of my stuff.  Today was a planned easy day, partly to help adjust to zero-drop shoes (the heel is not elevated) and also to rest my legs a bit.  The walking was mostly comfortable with few rocks and climbs. Also, about 6 miles down the trail awaited a free shower at the Dahlgren camp site. I arrived at Dahlgren about lunchtime so I feasted on beef sticks, chips, and lemonade. While I was eating, Pizza Handz and Saucy showed up. They grabbed quick showers, ate and were gone. I was not in such a rush. I cannot begin to describe how good the shower felt. There was even warm water. I also washed the clothes I was wearing and the amount of dirt I wrung out of them was incredible.I topped off my water and set out for the original Washington Monument located in Washington Monument State Park in Washington County Maryland. By the time I got there I was sweating buckets as the temp was 88. I also felt a little sick. I ate a protein bar and slugged back a liter of water and in about 10 minutes all systems were GO. I climbed inside the monument, which was really neat and provided impressive, though smoggy, views. I also saw a turkey who stuck around long enough for a photo op.Washington Monument, Washington Monument State ParkThe next leg of my journey took me over I-70 on a pedestrian bridge. I've seen the bridge many times while driving. It was surreal to actually be walking on that bridge. As I neared my destination for the day the air turned cool and there was the rumble of thunder off in the distance. I quickly set up my tent and got ready for the night/storm. Dinner was creamy chicken noodles, chicken, mashed potatoes, and lemonade. After the last 2 days it really hit the spot. The storm seemed to have passed by as the thunder receded in the distance and the sun came out. After finishing my camp chores I checked to see if I had a cell signal then got to bed.Tomorrow, if all goes well, Pennsylvania, otherwise known in AT thru hiker circles as Rocksylvania.Day 13Mason Dixon Line at the Maryland - Pennsylvania Border Pine Knob Shelter to Cross Creek CampsiteAT miles 18.8Miles hiked 20My feet were now pain free which was a blessed relief. Physically, it made the walking more pleasant. More importantly, psychologically, it meant the discomfort wasn¢t in my mind. My legs were feeling the effects of the ups and downs and the heat during the day.  I crossed a road and saw a school bus parked on the shoulder. I thought it was kind of odd for a school bus to be parked out here during the summer but, hey, what do I know. I was soon climbing a steep hill where the falcon rock was. There's usually a story behind every named place and as I struggled up a steep climb there were soon big rock formations, one of which clearly resembled a falcon head (think of the Atlanta Falcons logo and that's what this looked like). Occasionally I thought I heard little kids playing but dismissed this thought as I was pretty sure no little kids were going to climb up this mountain. My climbing discomfort was soon forgotten, however, as I neared the top and saw a group of 6 to 8 year old kids playing in a stream. They grow 'em tough around there.Near the top of the climb was a big roar of thunder followed immediately by rain. I had about .5 miles to a nearby shelter. I got there just as the sky opened up. A southbound hiker named Bulldog was napping in the shelter as I arrived. She got up and started asking questions about the trail up ahead when suddenly there was a group of Amish backpackers who seemed to appear out of nowhere, standing in the shelter. The head of the group sat and chatted with us while the girls started writing in journals and another male stood to the side and listened. Somewhat strange but pretty neat at the same time.After about an hour the rain stopped and the sun came out so it was time to be on my way. I said my goodbyes and headed out. Bulldog said to be careful on the rocks since they'll be wet. Ok, thanks. Little did I know. After walking downhill for around 15 minutes I saw this unusual rock formation and thought, "I feel like I've seen that before." But that would be impossible because I've never been here before. Or have I? Oops. Back up the trail I go. I passed the Amish girls and they looked at me kind of funny so I said I went the wrong way. To which one responded. "Oh no, now you have to climb back up this hill." Yeah. Then soon I passed the head Amish guy who smilingly said "you liked it so much the first time you had to go back." That's right. As shocking as it may seem, going the wrong way happens to most thru hikers. While emotionally I took solace in that, physically my legs were berating me telling me I'd pay for this later. What an understatement.As I was hiking I went through a somewhat rocky section and dutifully heeded Bulldog's warning to be careful. I had no idea. Presently, I came to a section called Two Mile Cliffs at the Maryland Pennsylvania border. There were some sketchy places with rocks and I thought, "Well, maybe this is what Bulldog was talking about." Then there it was. A rock covered side of the mountain with occasional trees and no dirt. Just rocks, rocks, and more rocks. The trail was a game of following random white blazes through the rocks. For a while, I was basically traversing the mountainside when the "trail" turned downhill. Good. I'm headed down out of this mess. Then there was a right turn followed by about a 20 foot traverse followed by another right and I was now headed back up. Soon, the trail made a left turn to put me at about the same level as before whatever this is turned downhill. Guess the trail marking guy got lost or made a wrong turn.  After what seemed like two eternities the madness finally ended and it was back to mostly normal hiking.I finally made it to PenMar Park about 6:30. Almost three hours later than originally planned. No resupply this day. The park was very nice. I made full use of the facilities then went over to the sunset viewing shelter to not watch the sunset but to instead watch the rain come in. After about 30 minutes I headed for the night's camping spot. I pitched my tent next to a creek, cooked the last meal I had with me and started trying to figure out how I would get into town the next day. There was another hiker already set up there. Turns out it was Pizza Handz.I slept like a rock.Day 14Tuna Shorts at the Quarry Gap ShelterCross Creek Campsite to Rocky Mountain SheltersAT Miles 14.4Miles hiked 15.0Resupply and re-fit Day in Waynesboro, PA. The major goal for today was to get to the Waynesboro Wal-Mart to get more food and to find a way to reduce my pack weight.I had a little more than a two mile hike to the road into Waynesboro and the whole time I was trying to figure out a way into town followed by a way back onto the trail. Hitching is a popular means for thru hikers but I wasn¢t keen on that. I¢d never hitched before and feeling like the parking lot might be in a remote area didn¢t expect to see anybody willing to drive me into town. Banking on the popular adage, "The trail provides," I hoped for the best. Soon enough I was at the trailhead parking lot where a guy driving a minivan asked if I were a thru hiker. Yeaaah? Then he asked if I needed a ride into town. Yes. He said he just dropped off Saucy and was on his way back into town. To Wal-Mart it was. He told me if it was his day off he'd be happy to wait around and take me to the post office and someplace to eat. Instead, he gave me his business card with his and his wife's cell numbers. He called his wife and let her know I might be calling for a ride later. First things first, there was a donut trailer outside the store that I couldn't pass up. Then it was shopping time. I got everything I needed and was soon spread out in front of the store packing things I didn't need on the trail to mail to Lynn, throwing away other stuff, and repackaging food so it took up less space. All told I downsized 5 to 7 pounds. As I was sorting things out, several people stopped to ask about my hike, wish me safe travels, and/or talk about their dream of someday hiking the AT. One guy who passed by asked if I needed a ride back to the trail. I told him I needed to go to the post office first thinking that would be a deal breaker. He said "No problem, I'll be about a half hour." Sweet! I finished my chores and ran into Subway and bought a sub. We threw my stuff in his truck and headed to the post office. I found out he fully retired in December and also that he had retired from the Army at Fort Lee three years after I retired from Fort Lee. Small world.Back on the trail my pack was SO much more comfortable. I planned to hike a couple miles to the next shelter to eat lunch before continuing on. About a half mile from the shelter there was a trail maintainer working on clearing a blow down from the trail. I offered to help and we made short work of his project. I told him of my lunch plans at the nearby shelter. He said that was where he was headed as well. When I got to the shelter, Coyote (South African guy), Banana (Switzerland girl), and Road Runner (Canada guy) were just finishing lunch. Coyote had just returned to the trail after spending a couple days touring D.C. He was pretty excited to share that experience. Then he showed me pics of the two Triumph Spitfires he was restoring as well as some knives he made in his blacksmith shop. Very interesting guy.While we were talking, the trail guy showed up and said, "I think I have something you may be interested in." Then he opened an insulated lunch box with some cold beers! Nice! So we all sat around and talked some more while drinking our welcome trail magic. Soon enough it was time to head back on the trail. Road Runner snapped a group pic, we bid Auggie (the trail maintainer) farewell and thanked him profusely for his kindness. Enjoying trail magic provided by Auggie. L-R: Roadrunner, Auggie, Banana, Coyote, BobI still had a long walk ahead of me to the next shelter. Part of the hike was through a pine forest. The first so far on the trip. For the most part the trail was easy going with only a couple of steep climbs and rocky sections. I took a side trip up to Chimney Rock and the views were breathtaking.I finally made it to camp about 8:00 and immediately sat down to finish off my sub. There was a noisy bunch of what looked to be high school or college kids down by the tent sites. Saucy said they were some kind of outdoor adventure group. I mentioned that I had said hi to them a couple of days earlier and they all looked at me and not a single one spoke. I said I assumed they must have been foreign and didn't speak English. High Speed busted out laughing and said they were probably the whitest white kids from America.After finishing my sandwich I put my food bag in the bear box and went down to set up my tent. By this time all the thru hikers were either in their tents or about to be in their tents. I found a spot to set up, next to Forrest and crawled into my tent by 8:45. Those Outdoor Adventure jerks were up ¢til about midnight laughing and talking loudly and walking around with flashlights on shining them in tents. More than once I stopped myself from going to the fearless leader and telling him to be more respectful.Hiking the Dream!Please email comments to:bobshike2023@gmail.com