Date: 2023-05-23
From: Four Mile Campsite

To: Crampton Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 14.8

I left around 7:30, making it into Harpers Ferry a little before 9.I was excited on the spur trail to see the ATC building, but was disappointed that they would not open until noon, just for the particular day I was in town.I enjoyed various historical sites and views as I made my way to High Street in the lower downtown area, where I arrived at around 9:30. I was at first upset and frustrated that every place I went by was closed, but then someone said the Battle Grounds Cafe was open. I had a satisfying breakfast there of an avocado, bacon, and egg breakfast sandwich, a waffle, a Reese's peanut butter cup c2okie, orange juice, and a vitamin energy drink. I saw Showers and his buddy drop in, whom I also saw at the general store about a half hour later.I hadn't had any symptoms indicating that I might gave giardia or a stomach bug, and couldn't use the testing kit I had carried from Front Royal. I threw it away.I found the Town's Inn, where I got a shower and my laundry done. They also had homemade kombucha on tap with free refills for $4 which I opted for, plus various other treats like fudge and a slice of watermelon. The place was very homey and I enjoyed the ambience there, but I didn't want to stay the night after only four four miles of hiking and camping only two nights on the trail since Front Royal. They let me store my pack there as I took the bus to Walmart in Charles Town, which took at least an hour longer than I expected it to.By the time I returned, it was about 4:15. I organized my food and grabbed a bite to eat at the Rabbit Hole - had a good chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and a "side salad" that took up a whole dinner plate! They insisted it was a side portion and that was reflected also in the bill, but I felt they were being generous. Anyway, it was a positive experience, to undo the negative one I had after a Loudon and Maryland Heights day hike four or five years ago. I also called my dad, since it was his 70th birthday that day!Before I headed out, I got some ice cream at Creamy Creations. I had two delicious scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone: White House Cherry and Peanut Butter Cup. I wished that I had gotten three scoops instead.It was now 6, and I made my way over the Byron Memorial Footbridge into Maryland. I was getting memories of the Four State Challenge that I did with a pack about 9 years ago. I didn't know it was so swampy off the C&O trail near there - I had hiked through that in the dark.I slowly climbed up to Weaverton Cliffs with two liters of water, three days of food, and a new canister of fuel, and saw the overlook for the first time, around 7:30. Excellent view, and well worth the extra 0.4 miles round-trip. Then I followed the very easy ridge walk to the Ed Garvey Shelter. It was now about 8:30.I thought it would be neat to finish all of the MD AT by tomorrow, and that would mean hiking 35 miles from this shelter. A little too much with all the extra weight I was carrying, I thought. I decoded to hike another four or so miles to Crampton Gap Shelter. It would be a night hike, but I figured there wasn't much to see. Plus, I would enjoy the cool temperatures.The four miles went mostly quickly. I wished I had daylight to see the monument, and also the trail. I went up some side trail for a bit by accident. Not seeing the white blazes, I walked back and found the AT blazes again. It was now about 10. I took a short break because I was getting pretty hungry. Then I hiked the last halfish mile or so to the shelter area, set up my tent, and went to sleep.