Date: 2012-06-13
From: I-70 footbridge near Greenbrier State Park

To: C&O footbridge near Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 22.1

Today was a great day for both SOS and Trail Mama. We woke up in our little tent and prepared for the day. I drove SOS a whole mile to his start point outside Greenbrier State Park. We walked together to the bridge that crossed I-70, waved and blew kisses and off he went for another day on the trail. I drove to Smithsburg to look around. The Dixie Diner (see photo in photos) was open at this hour (7ish)so I went in...ended up with a delicious blueberry pancake, coffee, the local paper and lots of information from the 4 ladies who were working there. On I went to the postoffice and then the library. It was 2 hours early for the library but it is above the city park which has a paved 1 mile walking path. It was a cool morning...perfect for walking so off I went. There were exercise machines along the way so I did the two that I could..one a leg press (50 reps)see in photos and one a keep-your-upper-body-still-and-twist-your-lower-body-while-holding-onto-bars machine (50 reps). After the first 1 mile, I felt great so decided to do another...and then I met Merle. We had a nice long talk and on I went to finish the 2nd mile. By now, the library was open and it is definitely a 10!! Beautiful children's area with 2 wonderful quilts (see one in photos),lots of seating to read, lots of tables with power outlets to work, friendly staff...a great place to spend time...and I did! Back in downtown, I went to a store and met Debbie. We had a long talk about what SOS and I are doing and then our families and life in general! Nice lady who sent me next door to the train shop to talk to her Mom who is a knitteer. We talked a bit and she told me about a knit shop that I haven't been to....yet...!The next town I visited was Boonsboro. The bookstore there has an entire room with Nora Roberts books. It turns out that she lives nearby and according to someone "owns" half the town! At the library...another 10!!..I tried to get on WIFI but I couldn't and neither could the librarian so I gave up and didn't get to work there. So I settled into the reading room which is huge and has two glass walls and a fireplace with comfy couches and chairs plus lots of tables to work. It is part of the Washington County Free Library System as is the library in Smithsburg. It was time to head for Harper's Ferry to pick up SOS and meet his brother, Richard and wife, Mano, for dinner. I got brave and walked across the bridge to meet SOS and walk back with him. He was surprised to see me because he knows how I feel about heights/water/bridges! Dick and Mano were there when we came off the bridge area and we went to dinner at the Anvil. After eating and talking and talking, they left to drive the one hundred miles back to their home and we left for the campground. THANKS for coming all that way to see us!! Back at camp, we settled in and had no rain tonight!!ROAD NAME of the DAY: PACER AVENUE because it reminded me of the Indiana Pacers. Now I really don't believe there are IN Pacers/Reggie Miller fans here but I decided that I can believe it if I want to..:-) I strongly suspect though that it has to do with horses since the next road was Horseshoe Lane..SOS here:Back on the trail WOW 22.1 miles today and easy miles especially the last four with most of it on the C & O Canal Path. It was a confusing day because I hiked against the grain and I kept forgetting that I was hiking south instead of north and it seemed like the sun was always on the wrong side. It became especially confusing on the C & O Canal Path because it was not well marked with the white blaze and I was not sure I was hiking the right direction. I was.Today was a very special day for me for two reasons.The first was there was civil war history markers nearly every time I crossed a gap. All the history stemmed from the Confederated Army invading the North for the first time and culminated in the bloodiest one day of fighting for this country ever at Antitem/Sharpsburg.The second reason today was special was because when I called my big brother, Richard - he and Mono said they would meet Judy and I in Harpers Ferry for dinner. It was a two hour drive for them. I echo Trail Mama's thanks for coming!My big and I shared many things in common. We both worked for Mr. B's drug store while in High School and we both worked at Newnam's Foundry in Kendallville, IN. We both went to Indiana University in Bloomington. We both went on to graduate school - he went to IU Med School in Indianapolis and I went to IU Law School in Indianapolis. We both, while in graduate school, lived on Georgetown Road in the shadow of the Indianapolis 500. We both joined the US Army while at IU and were careerist - he was on active duty and retired a COL and I was a reservist and retired a LTC. He is now also retired from his medical practice and is enjoying life as a retiree. Oh I forgot I even helped him deliver newspapers - never did like delivering papers to Mr. Grosecamp - the dog was not friendly.He has and I hope will continue to be an important part of who I am - just like my other siblings. I wish for him and Mono a long life and a long retirement togetherI think my siblings would agree that Mom and Dad's home in Rome City, IN was a great place to growup and they willing sacraficed to give us all the opportunity to go to college and we all took advantage of that opportunity.