Date: 2021-05-23
From: Piney Knob Shelter 

To: Raven Rock Shelter 
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke this morning both feeling so tired. We weren¢t really sure why. The Boy Scouts were really good last night and quieted down by 9:30pm. We got up and had breakfast and started out. First thing, going up. Maryland loves log steps. These are steps made from trees that were cut down. Sometimes the area between steps is longer so you step up and walk a couple paces and then step up again. And boy were there a ton of them!We hiked along slowly and came to Blackrock Cliffs. It was a beautiful view and the breeze felt so good! We found a really nice stealth site that actually had several sites in it for tents. We set up our tent in a shady spot, without the rain canopy, so we could get the breeze when it came. We were only going to snooze for 20 minutes, but 45 minutes later.... :).  Then we had lunch and started out again. David said he felt much better but I could have slept at least another hour. We did have a nice surprise waiting behind a tree for us. A cooler with trail magic. We were lucky enough to get the last little bit: 2 little boxes of yogurt covered raisins and a container of cut strawberries from Sheetz. It¢s amazing how that little bit of love can perk you up and give you some extra energy to go farther. Then we were crossing a road and a guy was sitting by his car reading. He asked if we were thru-hikers. When we said yes he offered us cold drinks and chips if we wanted them. Turn down food?? No way! He said 2 of his friends were doing the 4-state challenge just for the heck of it and he was waiting for them to cross this point.  It was delicious! And another morale and energy booster!We started to climb to Raven Rock Shelter, the last AT shelter in Maryland, and saying it was brutal is an understatement. Some of the trail was straight up and dirt so you had to be careful not to slide. Some of it was rocks. And, of course, the heat and humidity were horrible. We stopped to rest halfway up at one place that looked like it might be usable for a stealth site. We were discussing the options when Haggis stopped for a rest. We talked with him for a while and then he said he was going to push on and probably take a zero tomorrow at the shelter. The shelter was only .5 miles a way. David and I talked some more and decided we had .5 mile left in us. Even if it was straight up. But once we got to the ridge!! Beautiful level ground with ferns growing everywhere. We passed Haggis taking a breather and told him we would see him at the shelter. We found the shelter and it was really pretty. We were afraid it might be full but there were only 3 people in the shelter and a couple tents. Some of the sites were pads and there were benches and picnic tables too. It was really pretty. We set up camp and had the phone coverage to FaceTime our daughter. We chatted for a while and I changed into my camp clothes. While checking my pants pockets I noticed that the small stone I had been carrying since Springer, GA was gone. (It¢s a tradition that you carry a stone and then put it on Mount Katahdin when you summit.) I was pretty upset that I lost it after all this time. Oh well. Rain is called for tomorrow but we are going in for resupply. We texted Samurai Blue and he is going to meet us at PenMar Rd. That will put us in PA!! Crossing the Mason-Dixon line!We hiked 13.1 miles.