Date: 2007-06-19
From: Harpers Ferry WV

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I stayed at Bob and Jan Manning's home last night in Fredrick, MD, which is about 20 minutes from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. It was great to have a shower before I went to bed, feeling so grubby from yesterday's 90' heat. Jan also did a load of laundry (shirt, shorts and socks!) for me so I have clean clothes to start the day. The simple pleasures of Trail life mean so much: a bed, clean clothes and a shower! This morning the 3 of us drove to Gathland State Park to hide my garbage bag of pack contents in the woods for a 10 mile slack of my 15.5 mile day. They dropped me off at the Harpers Ferry Post Office, where TK Express was picking up a maildrop. They offered me anything I wanted, since they were going home, and I gratefully accepted the dried bing cherries. I returned to the ATC Office because I wanted to see Kevin's picture in the 2003 Thru Hikers album. Richard checked Kevin's journal last night in NH and he told me that Kevin arrived on July 17 as #707. So, I found his picture easily and took a picture of his picture! Now I can enjoy it on my digital camera as well as forward it to you for my trail journal photo album. The upper left is his start date (May 29, 2003). The upper right is the date at the ATC Headquarters (July 17, 2003). The lower left is contact info for other Thru Hikers to copy and then the lower right indicates that he was northbound. I found out from the bulletin board that the Rocky Run Shelter I was planning to stay at tonight, is closed for reconstruction. It's fortunate I found out now, rather than arriving there, with no tent (I sent it home with Skiman for the week), and being forced to hike 8 more miles, beyond the planned 15.5, to the next shelter. So, my choice was to hike a half mile past the Gathland State Park to the Crampton Gap Shelter (10.5 total) or 13 more miles to the Pine Knob Shelter, which would be a 23 mile day...not a good idea after yesterday's 20. In addition, I called Skiman at his home for a weather update and severe scattered thunderstorms were predicted.I played it safe. After 2 relaxing hours at the Gathland State Park picnic pavilion out of the heat, (where I wished the ice cream man would have stopped by),a southbound section hiker arrived from Manchester, NH. He started from Crawford Notch in May. I also met two new section hikers who were starting from Harpers Ferry named Why Not and Keystone. Keystone is from Philly and we started out the first mile together in Harpers. He had a full pack and it was his first day, so I moved on ahead. We were in Maryland when we crossed the bridge over the Potomac River, but there was no sign for a Kodak moment. It is over 90' and this is the second day of bugs. They don't seem to bite, just annoyingly buzz. I found myself carrying my hiking poles in one hand and swatting bugs and wiping perspiration with the other. Tomorrow I will remember to wear my Buzz Off bandana and have repellent handy if necessary. At 4 pm the thunder started while I was eating supper (chicken stew and chocolate pudding) There are three hikers and a dog tenting (Yes, the dog has his own tent!) a little ways away. The rain came along with a huge "crack" at 5 pm. I decided to read the shelter journal, to find out who had stayed here recently so I might try to "catchup" to them. Low Branch is a week ahead of me and wrote me a note which made me smile. However, the next entry did the opposite. It said that there is a 4 ft snake that lives in the rafters of the shelter. Now, is this a hoax or should I freak out? Keystone just arrived at 5:15, so I'm glad I am not alone. I am not going to tell him about the snake! I may lose sleep over it (or under it!) but I don't want him to. Why Not has also joined us. "Three is company but 4 (the snake) is a crowd!