The Family Comes to Visit!

I left the Blackburn Trail Center (6-4) at 6:25 AM.  It was located on the side of a mountain just over a 1/4 mile below the AT.  It took 8 minutes and nearly 300 steps to get to where I could resume the hike.  I arrived in Harpers Ferry, WV at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Office at 11:30 AM and had my picture taken.  I'm #296 of the thru-hikers in 2011.  It was fun to look through some of the pictures and see lots of people I have met along the way.  After checking in at the Town's Inn Hostel, I had lunch and dinner.  A thru-hiker who lived in Lakewood, OH (an OU graduate) was in the next bunk.  I have met at least 10 people on the AT from Ohio.  On Sunday (6-5) hikers could make pancakes on a grill.  The first few pancakes I made were very doughy and didn't rise or brown up like normal pancakes.  Another hiker had the same problem as I did.  Finally, a woman section hiker said they tasted like flour.  It was then that we all realized what we thought was pancake mix in a plastic unlabeled container was really just plain flour.  So we opened a new box of pancake mix and they were great.  At 10:30 AM I walked about a mile to the Comfort Inn where I met my family at 11:00 AM--my wife, Nancy, my two daughters, and three of my grand kids.

We stopped at the AT Conservancy Office to see my picture on file.

They took me to the store so I could resupply.  Next, we all walked on the AT.

We made it to Jefferson Rock, an overlook on the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.  The rock was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson who was inspired by the beautiful view in 1783.

Then it was time to cut my hair.  My last haircut had been in mid-March.  Here I am before the haircut.

Finally it was beard-shaving time and Evan and Ryan helped out.

When I looked in the mirror after they were done, I saw a stranger!  Who was that person looking back at me?  What an awesome day!

On Monday (6-6) after breakfast at the hotel, I said goodbye to my family.  They took pictures of me with my backpack and they wanted to briefly see what it felt like to wear it.  They couldn't believe how heavy it felt.  I had a lot of food it in since I won't be able to resupply for several days.  I estimated that it weighed close to 40 pounds which is more than normal.

Within a few minutes of starting my hike, I crossed the Potomac River leaving Harpers Ferry.  For the first 4 miles into Maryland, the AT followed the C & O Towpath used also by bikers.  The smooth flat trail was in the shade and a real treat on which to walk.  Then there was an 800 foot climb over several miles.  I ate lunch at the Ed Garvey Shelter.  In the afternoon it was most often quite rocky but thankfully the ascents and descents weren't steep for the most part.  My feet were happy about that!  I arrived at the Dahlgren Backpack Campground at 5:50 PM and set up my tent on a gravel tent pad.  Maryland operates this campground with no fees for hikers.  It has individual picnic tables for each tent pad and indoor plumbing in the restrooms.  Luxury at its best!  I hiked 17.9 miles.  After 11 weeks, I have hiked 1,030.7 miles for an average of 13.4 miles/day.  I'm very pleased with how things are going.