Date: 2008-06-21
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Dahlgren Back Pack Campground
Miles today: 10.9

We got up and ready and as has become our routine, Brad left about 12 hour before me. He does this because 1) he is ready before me and 2) he makes a pit stop in the woods after walking for a mile or so. This allows us both a little alone time in the morning, which seems to be working out well. Brad usually waits for me after about an hour or two and from there we hike together, or relatively close together. We leave the shelter and have a quick 2.5 miles to Gathland State Park. There is an absolutely beautiful stone house that has been converted into a museum. This is a BIG Civil War history area. Actual battles were fought here and if I were more educated in American History I could tell you places, people, events¢¦unfortunately I am not. And so I read all the plaques hoping to remember to write it in my journal tonight. Alas, I don¢t remember a dang thing! There is a large monument dedicated to the war correspondents and another stone building that was once the cook¢s house and dining quarters. It is gorgeous! We eat lunch early under the large pavilion with picnic tables. Enormous tour buses come and the place is mobbed. Also, there are lots of boy scout troops coming and going on hikes. This seems to be a popular place. As we hike along I think about what a different world it was back then. Not sure if it was harder or easier, or less complicated, just very different. Then and now each have/had struggles and it¢s really amazing to think about all we have gone through and survived. Wow. I¢ve just been in a really pensive mood today. We pass by Rocky Run shelter and there is a sign saying that it is being rebuilt. We can hear people working and I suggest we go help for a bit. Brad implies I would be more of a hindrance than a help and so we just move on, leaving the structure building to the people who know what they¢re doing. We go to Dahlgren Back Pack Campground, which is right on the AT. There are 6 campsites with fire pits, picnic tables and level, boxed in areas for your tent. And¢¦HOT showers and flushing toilets - all free!!! It¢s only been about 10 miles today, but we haven¢t showered in awhile and we¢re in no real rush. We set up camp and then indulge in scalding hot showers. It is heavenly! It¢s so peaceful and quiet and it¢s only 4pm so Brad takes a nap and I write some pocketmails. I also do some laundry. Well, more like just rinse the dirt out in the sink.We cook dinner and eat with Bilko, who has become a favorite hiking companion of ours. Also joining us is Snowplow. And we see Red, who we haven¢t seen in a long time.   Slowly, but surely (we had been warned) boy scouts trickle in. In the end there is probably about 20 of them in 12 or so tents. Maybe aged 10, all out with their dads. So far they are well behaved young men. The ridgerunner, Eric, and his buddy, Jay show up too. This place is a hot spot and I¢m glad we got here early.   We sit at our picnic table and enjoy watching weekend hikers put up bear ropes, but actually it¢s pretty comical to watch anyone put up a bear rope, us definitely included!Brad and Bilko have a very difficult time starting a fire tonight. There is a lot of pressure with that many boy scouts watching you! But they finally manage to get it going. I do some more writing and people watching. Brad and Bilko sit by their fire and whatever they are talking about must be crazy funny cause they are both gasping for breath they¢re laughing so hard! It¢s funny to just watch. How lucky we are to laugh so often¢¦