Date: 2016-04-21
From: Turners Gap

To: Wolfsville Road
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Adieu to Harpers Ferry for the time being. We were up at 5:00 this morning, just slightly before we saw the lights come on at the train station. We were packed and set to go, had the car loaded and were on the road by 6:00. The Towns Inn has been a frenzy of activity while we were here. Karen has made major changes to the layout of the inn and has been putting the finishing touches on the interior. A major magazine will be on site this weekend to do a feature story on the inn and workmen have been busy virtually around the clock to get ready. The workmen haven¢t really disturbed us and the improvements are dramatic. I just hope the rates don¢t go up too much.Our starting point today was Turners Gap, and the end point was Wolfsville Road, so we hiked a total of 13.4 miles. It was warmer than yesterday at the start, but the sun came and went, and later in the hike there were a few sprinkles. It seems that the Maryland sections of the AT are well-used and the trails are in great shape. Some portions were a virtual thoroughfare: dry, hard-packed clay, with a 5 ft-wide flat trail. That¢s not to say that there weren¢t rocks, some sections were very rocky. But overall it was a very pleasant hike. The Maryland trail clubs and their volunteers are to be commended for doing a first rate job. I need to be sure to relay that info to the ATC. We did another double key-swap again today. One subsection was from Turners Gap to a parking lot at the I-70 crossing, and the other was from that crossing to Wolfsville Road. Today, I hiked both sections NoBo and Princess did both SoBo. We like it, it has some benefits for us. But it¢s not always possible if there isn¢t a good road crossing at a reasonable midway point. There were a couple of points of interest. Washington Monument was about 2 miles into the hike. It sits atop a hill in a state park with quite nice facilities, restrooms, a visitor center (closed), picnic tables, etc. There are a series of signs along the section of AT leading up the hill to the actual monument that highlight events in Washington¢s life. The monument is slightly off the trail and I didn¢t go up this year (for the first time). But it¢s an impressive stone tower and I was close enough for a photo. The other feature was Annapolis Rocks. This site features campsites tended by a caretaker and is advertised as a terrific overlook. But it is a quarter mile off trail, and I was anxious to be done for the day. A third feature that I note every year is crossing I-70. I used I-70 for many decades and the footbridge across the interstate is marked as the Appalachian Trail. I remember always wondering what it would be like to be on the AT and looking down at all the interstate traffic. Now I know.I also saw some wildlife today, a garter snake, my first snake of the year. At least it¢s a friendly snake. Coincidentally, an hour earlier I met a SoBo couple while we were crossing some formidable rocks, and the lady commented that she was pleased that it was still too cool for snakes. I guess that wasn¢t entirely true. At least I didn¢t meet a dangerous snake.Tomorrow is forecast to be a rainy day. We¢re due, we¢ve had terrific weather all week. I¢ve been trying to remember if we have any rock scrambles in tomorrow¢s section - I don¢t think we do, so rain shouldn¢t be a big problem, just messy.