Date: 2009-05-02
From: Pine Knob Shelter

To: Pen-Mar County Park 
Miles today: 17.8

The shelter was busy with varments all night, as expected. I put on the ear plugs and went to sleep until 2:00 AM when it started to rain hard and I had to get up and bring in the clothes from the line. The line was in the shelter overhang but the rain was blowing in, so I moved them to inside the shelter. Actually, I slept very well last night. My bag is plenty warm. I was up and out after breakfast at 7:45 AM. I made my first rookie mistake and went the wrong way out(Left in left out) perhaps because I was talking to Joellen on the phone. I almost hiked back to the Interstate. The day was overcast with showers on and off again. I had a good hike. There was an event going on today on the trail called Walk Across Maryland. (Dick and Cheryl a little like a walking RAGBRAI?) They walk the whole state in one day- 41 or so miles from Pen-Mar to Harper's Ferry. There were 105 poeple hiking. They seemed to like the light rain. The first guy I met was at 16 miles form the start. They left at 5:15 AM. I saw him at 8:45. He was moving. In the group were 10 or so people from the Springfield ,MA area. Most were wearing Red Sox hats. (Tip off) It was fun chatting as they passed. It passed the time. The elevations here in MD are prety flat. Hence, my long days and good times but it is very, very rocky. I stopped at the Ensign Cowall Shelter for lunch 11:10 (8 miles) and met a support crew for the hike . I asked about camping at the Pen-Mar Park but was told it was out. (A sign in the shelter said they would fine you). The shelter after the Pen Mar Park was 4.7 miles and that was a little long so Merry Mary, a trail angel from the area, said she would shuttle me from Pen Mar back to the Free State Hostel (which is not free) and would bring me back in the AM. I said really. She said yes. So I hiked along over Daven Rocks and Devil's Racecourse and down High Rocks and got to Pen Mar at 3:20. I called Mary , cleaned up a little in the men's room (The smell can get to you after a time ), and visited the info booth at the park. Mary came up, took me to a Subway for my dinner, and brought me to the hostel. Come to find out she actually works out of the hostel for hire. Another incident along the trail of finding great people who want to help. It was a long day and I am typing this at the hostel. There are four of us here. Jake is here (I knew he was staying since he got a bounce box here) and Fenceman and KZ from New Mexico. The latter have a support crew and are gone out to dinner. Where is my support crew with shuttles and dinner? This is a nice hostel run by a thru hiker and his family, new and very clean. It has a laundry room, shower, reading/rec/game room and a room with 18 bunkbeds- all new. The phone is free also mostly because there is no cell service, I think. It is 7:00PM now and I am off my feet and resting. I did 17.8 in 7 hours 30 min. Tommorow I get picked up at 8:00 and will say some prayers on the trail (No chance to go to church), and will do 15 or perhaps 20 depending on how the weather and the legs hold up. And as the General says, "Tomorow we water the horses in Pensylvania." Whatever that means. To all thanks for the support- Dad, Joellen, Jamie, Ali, Peter, Maureen, and Kathie, and my hiking partners, Johnny,Carol, Sue, Tatty, Bill and Bill, and the crew at NE Backpacker Keep Hikin' Happy Trails Peace SquireNote: Sue sorry about the Hostel but Jake was here and we are all quite wet. Also Bill Bryson never got further than Newfound Gap TN and I am in PAPoles. What a godsend. Especially today. Not for the down as usual but for stability on the docks. Good thing I got the spring repaired at the outfitters in Daleville.Stay off the wet roots Rule #101 AKA Sue's rule. Jake went down yesterday saying " Never step on a wet root" History repeats He was OKPen Mar Parkwark In the late 19th century a Lutheran Picnic dre 15,000 people. Western Maryland RR in 1878 opreated the park AKA the Coney Island of the Blue Ridge Hotel with 400 rooms an amusement park, fun house, roller coaster, small rail road it ended in 1943. To those from Worcester sounds a little like White City in the old days.