Date: 2007-06-25
From: Harper's Ferry, WV

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today's the day! Ginnie drove Moon Goat, Otto and I back into town after I cooked some scrambled eggs and collard greens with a little garlic. We said our goodbyes to Shannon and Atilla (cool name). Shannon spilled the beans before I left and told me she was pregnant! I guess my incessant gushing about Matthew and Emelia (my babies) sent her into a maternal trance that made her confess. Congrats guys! You are going to be great parents!Ginnie, Moon Goat and I went to Harpers Ferry and got some lunch while I waited for Carissa to show up. Like clock work, a little after noon Carissa showed up. I can't describe how happy I was. The first thing we did was have a great big Lockett sandwich (family hug). Moon Goat, Ginnie and half of Harpers Ferry witnessed our reunion of kisses and hugs. Everyone could tell that we were very happy to be reunited. After lots of good hugs, and okay maybe a few tears, we had lunch and then walked up to the outfitters. At the Outfitters Carissa, Matthew and Emelia were able to meet some of the many hikers that I had been hiking with. Flying Turtle and Sven (I hadn't seen Sven since Damascus), were standing outside of the outfitter and Uff-Da was inside buying some equipment. We went in so I could pick up some supplies and say Hi to Uff-Da. The first floor of the outfitter was carved out of stone and had a natural spring running across the floor. This place would have made a great shelter! Upstairs we said hi to Uff-Da and to my suprise I saw Sylvan. I hadn't seen Sylvan in ages and was wondering if I would ever catch up to her. She told me she had gotten sick and had to take a week off the trail. She seemed better and it was excited that she had the opportunity to meet Carissa and my little ones.After meeting everyone we packed up went to the post office and picked up my last food drop and then took off for Fredrick. The rest of my time with Carissa, Matthew and Emelia was short but wonderful! We went swimming in Fredrick and then went to my brother John's house to visit. My mother, brother Tim and sister Carrie had also driven down with Carissa and were staying with John. It was good seeing everyone and spending quality time together. We even remembered our 5 year anniversary while our kids ran around a great local playground. I would have liked to spent more time visiting but my journey is only halfway thru. I will be seeing Carissa, Matthew and Emelia more often as I move further North, but leaving them again was still very difficult. When we said our goodbyes I found myself hugging them all and hoping that if I could just hug them long enough I could take some of them with me, and leave a part of myself with them.       BACK ON THE TRAILAfter walking five miles from Harpers Ferry, I reached the Ed Garvey Shelter, opting to forgo staying at the local hostel. It was a little late when I finally arrived but there was some day light left for a quick meal before lights out. There were a few thru hikers tenting and a small youth group was in the shelter. Although I had started hiking later in the evening it was still pretty hot out. I was tired and still sorting out my feelings from earlier.I decided to sleep out on the balcony on the second floor of the shelter hoping for alittle breeze. It was so hot that I only used my liner to sleep with.During the night I was startled from my sleep by what sounded like close range gun fire. What was actually waking me was hickory nuts falling from high above the shelter and bouncing off the tin roof. Eventually, I managed to drift off to sleep.I got up a little late but got moving around eight. I wasn't sure what I would be seeing today because I was missing the first twenty miles of my thru hikers handbook. As the temperture began to rise I came across a Civil War historical area and monument. This would be one of many that I would see during the days hike. Apparently, a war correspondant during the Civil War, Mr. Townsend (pen name GATH), built a summer residence on the site and erected an arched monument in honor of both Southern and Northern war journalists. He must have been an exceptional person to put aside his bais and pay homage to all his constituants whether from the North or South. A true journalist. I thought a lot today about friends like Scott and Alaine Griffin, Bill O'Brien and others that are involved in journalism and the difficult job they have in reporting accurate, unbaised news. I'm sure they would all have appreciated Mr. Townsend's memorial.