Date: 2004-06-16
From: Keys Gap

To: Harpers Ferry Hostel
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

We got up extra early because Ray had another shuttle to the Amtrack station he was combining with our trip.Little Tree made us all yummy tomato and cheese sandwiches to carry for lunch (except for The Walking Stomach, who does not like cheese) and scrambled eggs with toast for breakfast. Then at 6:30 a.m. we got into the van. After dropping the other hiker off, Ray took us to Keys Gap and we were hiking by 7:30.The air was very damp from the previous days' storm and much of the trail looked like a model river. It had rapids, sandbars, meanders with an oxbow lake or two. It even had a floodplain with evidence of a recent flood! After trying to avoid the wet spots for a while, Little Tree called out "Become One with the water!" and started wading right through, disappearing ahead of us. I had a bit more success at keeping my feet dry. Not for the first time, I was thankful the Goretex lining and leather uppers in my boots did their job of keeping the water out. I had fretted over the extra weight when I bought them, but it has payed off.Picking my way through the puddles I suddenly found myself confronted by a wall of branches instead of Trail. Two trees had come down, not merely across but along the Trail obliterating it with their foliage. I picked my way around them through the poison ivy. Shortly after I came to an even larger blowdown. This one was a big mature tree with a tall 18 inch trunk and huge limbs laying along the trail. Clearing it was sure to be a job. The Walking Stomach and Ann were both maintainers up in Connecticut so I waited for them to hear their reaction. "Now aren't you glad you didn't try to do 20 miles yesterday and were at Walmart when this came down?" asked Stomach. No kidding!We found Little Tree waiting for us at the end of the ridge and descended down to the bridge across the Shenandoah. Along the way the trail went past a waterfall raging from the recent rain. Then we crossed the bridge into Harpers Ferry At AT Headquarters we signed the log and got the traditional pictures for the hiker album. I am northbound thru-hiker #328 to pass through this year.Next was the post office for my bounce box and a mail drop of anti-seizure medication for the second half of my hike. I was glad to see that! I would have had to find a doctor willing to write me a prescription had it been lost. While there I ran into Fire Marshall who arrived yesterday and Stretch who arrived a little after we did.Little Tree had already left for the hostel when I met the other two at ATC Headquarters. We stopped at Jefferson Rock for lunch then descended into the lower town past the Engine House to the bridge to Maryland. Another state finished!There was a pidgeon sitting right on the railroad track. We guessed it must feel the vibration of approaching trains because it seemed quite unconcerned about being on the rails. On the C&O towpath across the Potomac there were dozens and dozens of downed trees from the storm. It looked almost like a tornado had been through. Fortunately the park service had done an incredible job of clearing away the debris in record time, but the trail clearly had been completely blocked with fallen logs. Again Stomach asked "Now aren't you REALLY glad you were at Walmart and not hiking?" I was awed at the evidence of the storm's fearsome power and was indeed glad to have missed it.Back at the hostel we relaxed before fixing a nice dinner of steamed brocolli, zuchini and carrots, lentils and rice followed by cookies and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Tomorrow I am on my own again, with my full pack when the others go back to finish the last part of Shenandoah Park. It has been a nice time hiking with Little Tree, Ann and The Walking Stomach. I hope we run into each other later on the Trail.