Date: 2016-04-27
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Rocky Run Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: broken clouds

Took advantage of the hotel's ice machine to repeatedly ice my knee. Then paid a small fee to be driven back to the trail since the hotel was one mile from where my hike ended the prior day. Mention this because my hiking day didn't start until 10:00 a.m. which is about 3 hours later than usual. Rambo was already one mile ahead at today's start and my delayed start finds him 7.5 miles ahead by the end of today. We each are hiking as we are able. We exchanged a few e-mails today and I told him I'd probably be looking to get more ice time on Friday. Suspect this mileage difference is about to increase and that this could be a permanent separation between us. The good news is that by delaying my start and not hiking until sundown, I don't think I overtaxed my knee. Today's mileage is less than I have been doing but I am trying to accept such mileage as a new norm if such mileage is what seems best for my knee. The trail today was phenomenal. West Virginia was left very early in the day as I entered Maryland. Maryland trail was identified on an information sign as being easier than the typical AT and I'd wholeheartedly agree after today's hike. The trail was wide and was dirt-based to the extent that it reminded me of park walking back home. Rocks on the trail could be bypassed because of the trail's width. Hikers can move through such trail very quickly. Some hikers go for the 4-State Challenge which consists of hiking within 24 hours from the last step in Virginia, through West Virginia, through Maryland, and to the first step in Pennsylvania. The challenge to hike the AT is a great enough challenge for me. The weather today was supposed to rain all day but ended up just threatening to rain. The cloud cover kept the temperature cooler than it otherwise would've been. Picture taking was limited though as the day became soupier as the day went on. The trail passed Gathland State Park where a monument exists to honor war correspondents. This same area had a historical past from the Civil War and it was enlightening to read various information boards that described what took place here. The plaque honoring four who died covering the War On Terrorism reminded me of the brutality that exists in today's world far away from this peaceful trail.   I spoke with several hikers at the hotel during breakfast. There were probably more hikers that were within 10 years of my age than I've seen while being out here. I came upon one of these couples several miles into today's hike. They are Pak and Ibu, north-bound hikers from Oklahoma who began their hike about 200 miles ago. Their trail names hail from Indonesia where they recently lived while working. Nice people who are referred collectively as the Tortillas because of their practice of offering other hikers their tortillas in order to reduce the weight in their packs. We briefly hiked together today and then found ourselves being the only hikers at the Rocky Run Shelters. There are actually two shelters at this spot and we're staying in the new one that is big enough for 16 hikers. We primarily talked about our families and gear. It's always nice to meet new people out here. Thought I'd have time to figure out my hiking plans for the next few days but we talked until near sunset and hiker midnight. Maryland's miles are few so Pennsylvania is just around the corner. It was fun to see my friend's response to my initial concerns about his hiking with me. Seems I have to add his faulty memory to the list of concerns. Maybe I'll have to have him wear a bear bell or something so that I can keep track of him on the trail. With that faulty memory, I don't want him to wander off and forget which way he's hiking.