Date: 2008-09-20
To: Washington, D.C.
Miles today: 124.4

NEW PICTURES UP FROM LINCOLN, NH - HARPERS FERRY, W. VAWith some of Stretch's extended family near D.C. for the weekend...so far so good in the football game...here's the last week in summary:Duncannon, PA - Boiling Springs, PA - Day 76 - 1040.9 - 1066.5 - September 15thLast night around 3am, we heard a bunch of commotion in the Doyle and on the street below. The apartment building across from us was on fire! The rest of the night was loud with firetrucks, news trucks, dogs barking, and people. It wasn't the best sleep. Anyway, Stretch & I headed out and got the miles done today. Thankfully, half of today was in the PA valley where it is really flat. We got some dinner and resupplied in town before setting up camp in the town park. Tomorrow we will be crossing the unofficial and official halfway marks at the end of the day! Hopefully we will get to see some of the SOBO crew from the Doyle again down the trail. Good luck to Yearbook, Pocket, 2-Liter, Mothballs, Shepherd, Emergency Shit, Rainfrog, & Gritz!Boiling Springs, PA - Toms Run Shelters - Day 77 - 1066.5 - 1089.6 - September 16thHad a nice, easy day today with lots of breaks. We stopped at a deli along the trail for lunch and enjoyed a sandwich. We also crossed over the unofficial and official halfway points on the AT today. It's amazing that I'm both only halfway done and that I've actually gotten through half of the trail. More of the same tomorrow...Maryland, W. Va., & DC await!Toms Run Shelters - Tumbling Run Shelters - Day 78 - 1089.6 - 1115.4 - September 17thKind of crummy day today minus the great weather. Woke up to a chilly morning and got out at a decent hour. My ankle acted up today all of the way until right before lunch at Quarry Gap Shelters (really cool shelters). Thankfully, it behaved the rest of the day. Stretch & I had a mail drop at South Mountain, PA and couldn't get a hitch into town, so we walked the 1.2 miles to the post office. Once there, we were not treated very well by the townspeople and ended up having to walk the 1.2 back to the trail...not a great way to spend the afternoon. We got in right at dark as a result and lifted our spirits with a nice dinner and snacks from the drop. One more long day tomorrow before 2 short one on the way to Harpers Ferry. 1100 miles today...Maryland tomorrow!!!Tumbling Run Shelters - Pogo Memorial Campsite - Day 79 - 1115.4 - 1138.4 - September 18thToday I felt really weird all day. Maybe it was sleeping in and not getting on the trail til' 9am. Maybe it was crossing over the Mason-Dixon line, into Mayland, and being back in the South for the first time in nearly 3 months. Maybe it was going through the Devil's Racecourse and being (surprisingly) challenged for the first 10 miles of Maryland. Hopefully tomorrow's short-ish day can make me feel more normal tomorrow.Pogo Memorial Campsite - Ed Garvey Shelter - Day 80 - 1138.4 - 1158.3 - September 19thToday was the most apathetic, lazy full day we've had in weeks...and it was awesome. Maryland's easy trails continued today and it would seem as if the first part of Marland will be the only difficult part. Nothing interesting to note from today's hike other than the Washington Monument (original one - 1800s) we passed today. Just an easy 7 miles tomorrow to W. Va. and then a short train ride to D.C.!Ed Garvey Shelter - Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (staying in DC) - Day 81 - 1158.3 - 1165.3 - September 20thFun day today...we got up and finished the 7 miles to Harpers Ferry. The last few were along the old C&O Canal. We then visited the ATC headquarters for a while and are numbers 46 and 47 for Southbounders this year. After hearing the train was delayed three times for multiple hours, Stretch's family drove from DC to come pick us up. Since then we have showered, done laundry, enjoyed a giant meal including ribs, resupplied, gone to REI, and are currently enjoying watcihng the Dawgs. Thanks so much to the Hammond's for the great hospitality. Tomorrow we will be sleeping in and then going to DC for some tourism.