Date: 2014-06-18
From: Dahlgren Campground

To: Antietam Shelter
Miles today: 30.8
Weather: broken clouds

I awoke this morning at 5:00 am to a symphony of birds in the clearing at Dahlgren Campground. Actually, it was more like a concerto, as first one bird, then another, would take the lead role, while the rest would fade into the background. I'm used to songs in the morning from the birds in Massachusetts, but I've never heard anything quite like what I experienced today. With barbecues to grill dinner on, hot showers, and an early-morning wake-up call by our winged friends, this campsite was the best I've stayed at so far.In order to beat the heat, I left Dahlgren at 6:50, not great by AZ standards, but very respectable for me. Two miles north, I came to the original Washington Monument built in 1827 by the villagers of nearby Boonesboro to honor our nation's first president. The rock structure is perched on a hill, and as I followed the footpath towards its summit, I read the signs, spaced about 30 paces apart, that summarize the important dates in Washington's life:1731: Born in Westmorland County, VA1749: Surveyor of Culpepper County, VA1753-58: Officer in the French and Indian War1759: Marries Martha Custis1758-74: Member of VA House of Burgesses1774: VA delegate to first Continental Congress1775: Appointed Commander-In-Chief1776: Loses NY to British, Declaration signed1777: British occupy Philadelphia, winter at Valley Forge1781: British surrender at Yorktown1783: British recognize American independence1789: Federal Constitution ratified, Washington becomes president1797: Leaves presidency1799: Dies at Mt. VernonI got chills and a surge of energy through my body as I climbed that hill and no longer felt the weight of the pack on my back. And when I reached the top, with the American flag flapping in the breeze next to the monument and a dark blue sky in the background, I made a decision based solely on the emotion of the moment. Today I would go big. To hell with the weather report calling for highs in the mid-90s, the hottest day so far on the trail. I scanned my map and found the perfect destination: Antietam Shelter, named after a Civil War battlefield (site of the bloodiest battle in American history, was it a harbinger for disaster during today's hike?), north of the Mason-Dixon Line in Pennsylvania, and far enough to make this my first 30-mile day. If I faltered, there were several shelters in between I could fall back on, but I knew if I could summon the energy I felt in climbing to the monument this morning, that wouldn't be necessary.Although the weather wasn't ideal for a 30-miler, the trail did cooperate for the most part. Aside from a handful of rocky one-mile sections, the tread way was smooth, and the grades were gentle. Most important, there were numerous stream crossings, allowing me to drench my shirt frequently and fill my cap with water to keep my head wet. I covered the 30.8 miles in 12 hours and felt surprisingly comfortable all day.Today served as a much-needed confidence boost for me, as previously I had felt intimidated by Pennsylvania. I'd read that the state can be brutal due to its heat, rocks, bugs, and snakes. Considering that my last marathon put me in the hospital with severe dehydration, I was concerned with how I'd hold up when the temperature started to rise in Pennsylvania. Today I got my answer. And going big today put me in position to capture a big prize on Friday: the AT's halfway mark.