Date: 2012-06-03
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Annapolis Rocks Campsite
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

What a great sleep last night. My hammock is so worth all the hassle in getting it. I'm going to have to play around with how I sleep now as the heatwave has passed and my pad which was wide enough for floor sleeping doesn't curl around me quite enough to keep two inches on the sides from being pressed right against the hammock sides. those parts were a little chilly but nothing too bad, especially as I only have my lightweight summer quilt and liner anymore. Think I might get another wallie world pad and tape them together. Well once again my hoarder instinct strikes and I am carrying way too much food. About 3 more days than I need really. So of course I'm going a little slower but hey, I'll take walking like a pesant for a few days if it means I can eat like a king. I am loving MAryland I have to say. not so much because of the trail since it is still the rather generic, occaisonally rocky trail I've been on, but because the hiking facilities are so well planned and laid out. The shelters are all close together with parks (running water people, flush toilets) occaisonally springing up. and then at one point is a campground with real hot water showers. I wish I was more dirty that I wanted to use it, but didn't feel the need. still i took a few hours here to charge up my phone again (outlets!) and eat lunch. New food special! tortilla rolls, pepperoni slices, cheese and sundried tomados. who says I can't have pizza anytime? I'm hoping to catch Huff and Pff tomorrow but know that with my full pack I'm not feeling the 25 miles it would take to do that today. There was a great old abandoned stone church we walked by today, great architecture. Then there was more easy wood walking until I got to the original Washington Monument which was the first every erected to him. It's basically a giant stone beehive with step spiraling up it's center to a lookout tower. Happy I took the time to come see it. From there it was some ups and downs in the woods until I walked out of the trail into a residential area and followed whiteblazes through a side yard, a sharp turn to follow along their backyard and then down through some poison ivy covered steps to a pedestrian footbridge. Just a few more miles to my choice of a shelter or two campsites spread out over a 6 miles stretch. I ended up eventually staying at Annapolis cliffs after racing a white sky as a storm was moving in blowing the trees around like mad. Branches were falling everywhere. But once I got to the camping area, the sky cleared up briefly. I'm the only one here besides blissful, the caretaker whose hiked the trail a bunch of times. this is a really neat place to stay and so close to a fantastic view of the valley. hammock and tarp were set up in no time with the tarp staked out for a storm onslot, basically ropes everywhere. When I went to get water, I took the trail by the cliffs and was awed by the sights there. It was just the begining of sunset and the sky directly across from me was a soft orange/pink. but the actual sun was hidden by the encroaching storm clouds so only shafts of light wuld shine out own onto the valley. the coulds that were not part of the storm yet were outlined in golden light while to slowly coming storm ones where a very rich shade of blue and grey. It was an amazing moment and I was here at just the right time. unfotunatly by the time I made it back with my camera the moment had passed, still pretty with the sun setting but that particular visual I want to keep fresh as long as I can. Just stunning.I'm still picturing it in my head a I rock slowly in my tent listening to the big fat drops of rain starting to come down on my tarp. We'll put it through it's paces tonight.