Date: 2014-07-07
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 26.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I got up as soon as it was light enough outside for me to pack up inside without turning on the lights. I was hiking by 6:00 after talking to a hiker that tented outside. He seemed pretty knowledgable about the trail ahead. He also said that he was planning on a short day today because he fell on the rocks yesterday and possibly bruised some ribs. Nobody would realize how easy that could happen every day out here unless they have actually hiked the trail. I started early because I needed to be at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harper's Ferry before they closed at 5:00 and I wanted to finish 3.5 miles left on the Roller Coaster before it got too hot. It is supposed to get in the mid 90's the next few days. I passed the 1000 mile mark really quick and took pictures of a couple of different markers signifing the event and sent them home to family. It seems more like 2000! I stopped quickly for a couple of nice views then moved on. I hiked downhill to the AT Blackburn Center to check it out. It was .27 miles off of the trail but I was going to have to hike that far at the next shelter to get water anyway and here I could get it from a faucet and not have to filter it. It has a cabin where hikers can stay for a donation and the main building has a screened in wrap around porch where you can sit. It also has a solar shower and you can charge up electrical devices. I signed in but didn't stay long, quickly talking to one hiker there getting water. When I got to the first road at Snicker's Gap there was Trail Magic courtesy of Stonybrook Organic Farm. The Gatorade was ice cold and I also drank some of the cold water from the cooler. Maybe I should have filtered it as an afterthought with all of the hiker hands that had been in it. The farm was looking for hikers willing to do a work for stay, I would love to see their farm but I had miles to cover. I grow produce on about 1 1/2 acres at home as a hobby and it would be interesting to see their operation. I met lots of southbound day hikers, one was an ex U.S. Marshall that was practicing to do a through hike next year. Why wasn't I smart enough to do that beforehand? Then maybe not, I probably would have seen how hard it was and decided against a hike to Maine. I ran out of something that no thru hikers should be without, Ibuprofen. My shoes were wore out and the rocks were killing the bottoms of my feet but I had to push on. I got to the ATC in Harper's Ferry about 3:00 and spent about an hour there talking to people, signing in, and getting my picture taken. One young man was getting ready to do a 6 week hike and he was asking me about the trail and any advice that I could give him. I was flattered that anyone would think that I had been hiking long enough to actually share some knowledge about backpacking. Even after being off of the trail for 3 weeks I saw lots of hikers in my original bubble that had only signed in 3-4 days ahead of me. That made me feel real good that I was making progress. I spent another hour eating dinner and stopped at the outfitters for pain pills. $4 for 10 pills was quite a rip-off but I had no other options today. I hiked into town along the Shenandoah River and hiked out along the Potomac River. I was on the C and O Canal for about 3 miles that wasn't marked very well and I was afraid that I had missed my turn. Finally, I saw some blazes that headed me back into the woods. I met Scout and Boo on the way going up outh Mountain, they didn't know about the shelter ahead because they had an old book and it was a new shelter. They were a mom and daughter from Knoxville hiking for a few days to Duncannon, Pa. and we hiked for awhile but I moved on. I finally made it to the shelter about 8:00 and found a nice tent site with a level pad and a bench to sit on. Since I already ate dinner I hung my food bag and set up my tent. I got out of my wet clothes and that made me feel better. I talked to my brother-in-law Todd Payton from Maryland and he will meet me at the footbridge going over I-70 tomorrow at 5:00. He will take me into town to resupply and eat dinner before dropping me back at the trail. I enjoyed my Trail Magic of Slim Jim's and wine and sent home some pictures to family on how I was celebrating my arrival in Maryland, my wife Paige's home state. I don't drink and I found out too late that the wine box was actually 3 servings so I was feeling no foot pain this evening. Scout and Boo showed up and set up their tent close by so at least I had some neighbors. I worked on my journal in the tent because of mosquitoes until 10:00. It is warmer tonight so at least I won't be cold without my sleeping bag.