Date: 2005-08-07
From: Pine Knob Shelter 

To: Pen Mar Park
Miles today: 17.7

This morning I got off early and was making great time until Iwas stung on the ankle by a bee. I guess it has been I while since I was stung by anything because I had forgotten how much it hurt. I sat a while as it swelled up then tried to walk. I was walking slowly at first, pain shooting up my leg with each step, but I guess it was better than sitting around going no where, besides it is not like there was much I could do to make it better.I ate the last of my food up early so that I woudn't have to carry it anymore, but that also meant that I was pretty hungry by the time I got to Pen-Mar. Last time I was at the park over a month ago there wern't too many people there. There is an observtion pavilion and a dace area there. In June preparations for a wedding and reception had been set up. This afternoon (Sunday) there was a dance for seniors, live band, concession stand and lots of picnicers. There were a coulple hundred people there, so manyin fact that the parking lot was full and they had started parking on the grass in the park. It seems as though it is a regular Sunday afternoon outting for most.At the concession stand I ordered myself a hot dog, cheeseburger, chicken tenders, french fries, chips, and a regular Mountain Dew. The lady behind the booth seemed quite suprised that I was ordering so much, apparently for one person. After I finished eating the spread I felt very content and desided that I should go about finding a way out of this place. First thing to do was to get was clean and un-stinky as possible. I went over to the washroom to brush my hair, teeth and wash off my body with my pack towel in the sink. As I was doing so I think that every lady who came in to use the restrom quized me on my hike. Ones that were too afraid to ask questions at first would wait a bit then say "I couldn't help but overhear you say...." Most thought that I was a little crazy that I was going out alone camping in the woods. And asked question after question about crazy people (specifically crazy men), rabid animals and methods of self-protection. "You mean you don't ha! ve a gun?" (I'm from Canada) "You don't carry any mace?" (Well thebears out east aren't quite the same as the ones out west... oh you mean mace for people eh? No I'm from Canada we don't have that sort of thing) "Your parents let you come down here? (Apparently)For all my efforts answering the same questions over and over again I did met one lady who was there with a friend that had hiked part of the AT. She brought her friend over when I was in the consession line again to get a Gatorade and a Snowcone. I asked a bit about the area and where the closest bus service was to try andfind out where I should be headed to out of the park. The lady who had done some hiking; Deb told me that she worked right by the bus station in Hagersville MD and could drive me thee tommorow morning. Deb turned out to be a fantastic host, she served me all sorts of great food - corn on the cob, pineapple, plums - the sorts of stuff you don't get to eat on the trail. In the evening I washed my cloths and watched two movies in the cool basement. I had such a comfortable night's sleep and was all and all clean for my trip northward tommorrow