Date: 2005-06-26
From: Ed Garvey

To: Annapolis Creek
Miles today: 18.2

I left camp pretty early, and within an hour arrived at Gathland State Park. There was a cooler on the trail as I headed in, left by Popsicle. I ripped it open and began to weep. What a cruel joke! It contained empty Pepsi cans. The trail magic had been consumed.I entered the park and headed for a coke machine I saw across the park. Coke would have to suffice, but it certainly was not Pepsi. There were some hikers down at the pavillion, but I just relaxed on a bench and enjoyed my soda as I watched the other hikers head out. I can't drink my sodas around other hikers. They may want me to share, damit! :-)I left shortly, and caught up with Troll, Oblivious, and Anchor. They are a couple with their 10 year old son doing a thru-hike. I passed them, and Oblivious (son) followed behind me chattering with me about snakes, with Troll (father) right behind him. Anchor (mother) was a ways back.As we passed a large stump, Oblivious let out a blood curling shriek, and I about fainted! I turned around to see him wailing and holding his face. A bee had stung him and he was wailing in pain. His dad ran up and told him to stop screaming as he pulled the little boy to his chest and held him. Poor Oblivious just leaned against his father crying "It hurts so bad" as he held his cheek. I felt so badly for him. Then his Dad leaped forward as a bee stung him on the ankle. I guessed they were coming from the big stump and told them we needed to move up the hill.We hiked about fifty feet, and turned to see Anchor coming up the hill. I yelled at her to run past the stump, and watched as she jumped sideways. The bee had bit her on the leg. Anchor arrived and immediately began applying bee sting solution to her guys. Oblivious was no longer crying, but he still looked miserable.I headed on and as I headed through the next gap, I saw another cooler left by Popsicle. This one was filled with cold Pepsis. I only drank one, and boy was it hard not to grab another.I headed for the next campground that had free hot showers. I arrived, showered, washed some clothes, and sat and chatted with Blotter who was attempting the four state challenge. He had gotten lost for three hours though, so he was probably going to be cutting it close.While we sat there, a man walked up and asked if we were thru-hikers. I said "yep." He said to walk a quarter mile further and he had donuts and hotdogs. I gathered my things and walked up to have a donut. Hopper was there and I chatted with her for a minute while I ate my donut and packed up.I headed on until Washington Monument park where I saw another soda machine and got two. What a grand soda day! I sat on a picnic table and chatted with Hopper, Spike, and Africa as they came wandering up.I finally moved on another 3.5 miles where I saw a note stating there had been an unprovoked racoon attack at Pine Knob shelter. I later learned from the ridge runner that as Sleeveless put her pack down on the picnic table, a racoon had jumped on her and bit her on the arm several times. Yikes.I'm camped at Annapolis rocks tonight in a nice campsite. I probably would have gone on today if there had not been numerous opportunities for breaks. I can of course, never pass up a cold soda.Oh yeah......between the midges, blackflies, mosquitoes, and poison ivy, I ITCH LIKE HELL!Night night.....