2019 AT Thru Hike: Weeks 6 & 7 - Front Royal VA to Pine Grove Furnace PA

After 600 miles and 6 weeks in Virginia, we're now in Pennsylvania after quickly moving through small parts of West Virginia and Maryland.

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Day 42

Time: Tue, 14 May 2019 21:20:59 -0400

Location: Mountain Home Cabbin Hostel NoBo Mile 971.8 of Appalachian Trail

Taking a zero today in Front Royal at the Mountain Home Cabbin Hostel. Good group last night. It's an old plantation home. Hikers stay in the cabin but we go up to the big house in the morning for breakfast. Scott and Lisa the owners thru hiked in 2012. 

Carl and I hung out and talked with a couple staying in the big house B and B. They're from Texas also. Lots of talk about oil and gas.

Johnny Walker, Muffit, Swagman, Boot, and Scooch left this morning. Carl, Jeff, and I stayed. Carl had an old classmate from the Texas Maritime College come and take us into town.

We took Jeff to the post office and then ate at the Blue Winged Frog. Scott said that's their favorite local restaurant. I had a big delicious shrimp po boy. We had good conversation and listened to Carl and his friend catch up. Carl paid for all of us as one last nice gesture before getting off the trail.

I repackaged a bunch of food and did some cleaning. Cricket, Coco, Salamander, Bernie, and Giggles showed up. I haven't seen Giggles since just after Daleville on a wet day with Moral Terpitude. We caught up.

We're all planning our approach to Harper's Ferry in 50 miles. Finally going to be done with Virginia.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=38.87522%2C-78.1452

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Day 43

Time: Wed, 15 May 2019 16:55:22 -0400

Location: Whiskey Hollow Shelter NoBo Mile 986.6 of Appalachian Trail

Spent last night at Mountain Home Cabbin B&B. Me, Coco, Salamander, and Cricket were upstairs in the cabin. Jeff and Giggles were downstairs. Breakfast was at 6:30 in the main house. It was a nice stay.

Everyone but Giggles hiked 15 miles to the Whiskey Hollow Shelter. Giggles went farther. Saw Freight Train a 37 year old guy from Vancouver. He used to do international banking. Nice guy. He mentioned the book Sapien. I've heard that book mentioned out here several times.

Ozzy a retired HVAC contractor from Minnesota showed up first at the shelter. He's finishing up some missed sections. Jeff showed up next. He and Ozzy had already met at a motel in Elkton when they all bailed into town because of bad weather. Cricket, Salamander, and Coco showed up as well as a couple of cute older lady section hikers.

It's a really nice shelter. We're planning on 18 miles tomorrow to Bears Den Hostel. It's supposed to be really nice.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=38.96934%2C-77.99619

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Day 44

Time: Thu, 16 May 2019 19:38:37 -0400

Location: Bear's Den Hostel NoBo Mile 1004.9 of Appalachian Trail

Stayed last night at the very nice Whiskey Hollow Shelter with Jeff, Ozzy, Cricket, Coco, and Salamander.

Laid up yesterday after 15 miles to give my left quad more rest, which left about 19 miles to Bears Den Hostel. 

The first 10 miles went well and then the area they call the "roller coaster" started. It's a series of steep ups and downs through narrow rocky trail. Any low lying area was a mud pit from all the rain a couple days ago. Nowhere for my leg to hide. It was a full days work.

Passed the 1000 mile marker someone made out of rocks. I usually miss them, but this one was laid out nicely in the middle of the trail. Since I started in Damascus and Damascus is at NoBo mile 472, I've gone 528 miles.

There was more discussion of the trail assault last night at the shelter. I realized that the trail magic note was referring to the hiker who was killed. It's a real shame since everyone generally looks out for each other out here.

I know Notre Dame burned and I know about the hiker assault, but that's it. I think most people try to stay somewhat up to date when they get cell service. I don't.

Ozzy made it to Bears Den, but the rest are laying up short. Ozzy is staying here with his friend Nitro. We realized we saw each other at the first shelter in Shenandoah National Park. Bear's Den is a neat stone house that's operated by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. $30 for a bunk, laundry, shower, pizza, soda, ice cream, and pancake breakfast.

I'm planning on going 20 miles to Harper's Ferry WV tomorrow. Finally getting out of Virginia. 4 more miles of roller coaster to start the day.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=39.11113%2C-77.85436

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Day 45

Time: Fri, 17 May 2019 15:51:30 -0400

Location:  David Lesser Shelter NoBo Mile 1016.2 of Appalachian Trail

Spent last night at Bear's Den Hostel. Had a really nice time. Ate pizza and ice cream with the other hikers. Had pancakes and coffee in the morning.

I hiked 12 miles to the David Lesser Shelter. I intended to go 20 miles to Harper's Ferry, but decided to lay up when I got to the shelter and didn't think I could make it to the ATC headquarters in Harper's Ferry by the time they closed at 5. 

Ozzy and Nitro are here with me tonight at the shelter. We're going to the ATC tomorrow and then having lunch.

There's an African American lady here named Yvette. She's a high school teacher from Austin via Boston and all over the world. She just started and got lost and did the roller coaster both ways. She's a little exasperated about the AT right now. She hiked the Camino in Spain and told us all about it. Nice and interesting lady.

Tortoise made it here also from the hostel. Another guy and his lab are here also.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=39.2275%2C-77.77917

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Day 46

Time: Sat, 18 May 2019 19:31:23 -0400

Location: Harper's Ferry Hostel Mile 1027.0 of Appalachian Trail

Spent last night at the David Lesser Shelter. Ozzy, Nitro, and I hiked 9 miles to Harper's Ferry. It's a pretty town sitting at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers with high bluffs all around.

It's Saturday so there was a lot of activity. We passed many day hikers on the way down into town. There was a half marathon going on so there were people all around.

There's all kinds of historical sites including Civil War, John Brown, and Lewis and Clark.

We stopped by the ATC headquarters. Ozzy and I got our pictures taken as part of the 2019 hiking class. Nitro thru hiked with his wife in 1999. He had fun looking through the 1999 yearbook and telling us stories about the people. It was a lot of fun. 

We walked through town downhill towards the river. There were lots of cute old houses. We ate lunch on the patio of The Rabbit Hole. I had a few beers and two meals, a Philly Cheese steak and a barbecue sandwich. 

We celebrated Ozzy completing his AT hike. He started a few years ago and made it 500 miles the first year before badly spraining his ankle. The second year he made it about 300 miles before getting a bad foot infection. Last year he made it 800 miles to Katahdin and this year he finished the last few sections he was missing.

Nitro is a Purdue Nuclear Engineer. He was working for a big company in 1999 that merged. He told his boss he was going to hike the AT and would like to continue with the company, but would quit if they didn't give him the time off. They gave him the time off. Leverage...I love it.

Ozzy is from Minneapolis. He and Nitro are going to drive down to Catawba and hike to McAfee Knob and then drive down to the Outer Banks where Nitro lives. Ozzy is a Vietnam Vet and is going to DC for Memorial Day festivities.

We walked around town some and I picked up some food. We walked down to the river and they showed me where the AT crossed over the Potomac into Maryland.

We said our goodbyes and they took the local shuttle to their car. I walked around town and looked at the sights. There were a lot of tourists. It was hot so the several ice cream places were hopping. I had a big soft serve cone, a blackberry shake, and an iced coffee.

I hung around town until the late afternoon and then ordered a gyro to go. I was going to hike 6 miles to the Ed Garvey Shelter, but Guthook said the water at the shelter was almost .5 miles away and there's a big climb to the shelter. I decided to hike 3 miles and stop at the Harper's Ferry Hostel for the bed, shower, and laundry.

When it was colder it was easier to go days without showering or laundry, but now that it's hot you feel dirty all the time.

At the hostel I got cleaned up and enjoyed the gyro I packed out. There are a bunch of girls here and they made pizzas and cooked them in the pizza oven outside. They had a good time. Lots of tats, dreads, and free spirit.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=39.32649%2C-77.70048

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Day 47

Time: Sun, 19 May 2019 20:54:11 -0400

Location: Dahlgren Backpack Campground mile 1042.6 (Northbound) of the Appalachian Trail

Stayed at the Harper's Ferry Hostel last night. It's part of the Hostel International Network. Met some interesting people. One guy is a retired scientist doing some planning for a bike group he's in. He lives on the DelMarVa peninsula. I told him how we visited on one of our road trips and ate at Stingrays. He said he went to Stingrays recently. He said he recently started staying in hostels and really likes them. The girls stayed up way past hiker midnight (9pm) cooking pizza.

The DelMarVa guy and I were up early talking with a lady from Michigan about all kinds of things. She's on her way to DC with her friend for a conference. She was very excited to be going into Harper's Ferry today to see the history, especially related to Lewis and Clark.

We all pitched in and made pancakes, egg's, and bacon. One couple was really Into soft boiled eggs and talked about an app they use to help make them perfect. 

I left the hostel about 8. I felt good. I kept smiling because nothing was hurting. It's much more fun to hike when nothing is hurting.

There were some climbs and lots of rocks and it was hot. I saw Yvette after the first shelter. She had made it to that shelter last night. She looked pretty pitiful. I told her how I had seen a lot scouts heading south and if any stayed at the shelter. She said yes and that they were wonderful. 

I saw a lot of.groups heading south towards Harper's Ferry. A nice girl asked if I was a thru hiker and gave me a delicious turkey and cheese sandwich as trail magic. She said her dad thru hiked a couple years ago at the age of 68.

I saw Johnny Walker and Muffit taking a break at Garthland State Park. They zeroed in Harper's Ferry at the Tea Horse Hostel. We caught up on happenings since we last saw each other in Front Royal. They caught me up on Swagman, Boot, Ginger Goat, and Jeff.

I saw the guy from York PA and his dog Garvey. He was hiking with a friend and they had a lot of questions for me about thru hiking .

I passed a number of historical sights. Lots of Civil War history.

I hiked 14 miles today to Dahlgren Backpack Campground. It's a free campground operated be the state of Maryland. It has showers, water, and electricity. 

Johnny Walker, Muffit, and Giggles are here. There are also a couple girls who just started out of Harper's Ferry. There are also a couple guys hiking the 40 miles of Maryland.

Giggles and I joined the two Maryland guys at the nearby Old South Mountain Inn Restaurant. It was really good. I had the lobster bisque and the horseradish encrusted salmon, beer, peanut butter pie, and coffee. The Maryland guys asked us lots of questions about thru hiking. Very nice night.

Big storm, heavy rain, lightning, and thunder as I get ready to go sleep now.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=39.48094%2C-77.61906

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Day 48

Time: Mon, 20 May 2019 18:42:38 -0400

Location:  Raven Rock Shelter NoBo Mile 1061.5 of Appalachian Trail

Stayed at the Dahlgren Backpack Campground last night. Had a very nice dinner at the Old South Mountain Inn with Giggles and two guys hiking the Maryland section. Big storm as we went to sleep.

Woke up at dawn and was on the trail before 7. Someone left some trail magic bags of pretzels and nuts.

We hiked 19 miles to the Raven Rock Shelter, which is the last shelter in Maryland. We'll be in Pennsylvania tomorrow.

The trail was nice and pleasant for long stretches, but there were some tough rocky climbs and ridge walks.

There are a number of people here tonight including Johnny Walker, Muffit, and Giggles.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=39.67341%2C-77.52974

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Day 49

Time: Tue, 21 May 2019 19:44:48 -0400

Location: Quarry Gap Shelter 1086.9 (Northbound) of the Appalachian Trail

Stayed last night at the last shelter in Maryland. It was a chilly night and brisk morning. It felt good after the heat the previous few days.

There was a cute older section hiker name Poppins/Piper and a guy named Complex who is on his first shakedown hike.

It was a really nice hiking day with mild temperatures and low humidity. The trail was nice also with lots of nice sights. It went through three nice state parks. It's always nice when there are places that break up the monotony.

Giggles and I went 25,5 miles to the Quarry Gap Shelter. It was a long day, but we both thought it was one of our favorite hikes given the trail, weather, etc.

The shelter is one the best on the trail. There's a caretaker who goes above and beyond to make the place homey. It's also in a beautiful setting among rhodendrons and next to a pretty creek.

We're going 17 miles tomorrow to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The General Store is the home of the half gallon ice cream challenge. Tomorrow we'll pass the official halfway point of the trail.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=39.9319%2C-77.48609

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Day 50

Time: Wed, 22 May 2019 21:14:15 -0400

Location: Pine Grove Furnace State Park NoBo Mile 1103.9 of Appalachian Trail

Spent last night night at the Quarry Gap Shelter. It's one of the nicest shelters on the AT. Giggles and I talked to a couple of friends who are section hiking. One is from Ohio and the other from North Carolina. A few young guys we've been hiking around came in late with headlights and decided to push on because the shelter was full.

We hiked 17 miles to Pine Grove Furnace State Park, home of the half gallon ice cream challenge in honor of passing the halfway point of the trail.

There were 6 or so hikers that took the challenge. Giggles did it with mint chocolate chip and then neopolitan. Pork Chop did it with Orange Sherbert. I had the Hiker Burger that comes loaded with everything including bacon, avocado, and a fried egg. It was voted the best burger on the AT. It was yummy. I had a pint of Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream, but skipped the challenge.

It was a cool overcast day. A nice day for hiking, but the trail was bad. Lots of scrub brush with sparse tree cover and lots down trees blocking the trail. Also  muddy bogs and plenty of rocks.

The General Store and the Half Gallon Challenge drew in the thru hikers. Saw 10 or so thru hikers, some I haven't met before. The young guys who pushed on last night were there, as well as Storm Trooper, Pork Chop (you tuber), and Swiss's Opa (Grandpa).

We're all camping at the campground in the park. I resupplied at the store, washed my clothes in the bathroom, and took a shower. You have to keep pressing the shower or it cuts off after several seconds... obnoxious.

We're trying to do 20 miles to Boiling Springs, but we're also talking about waiting around until 9 for the store and the AT Museum to open. It will be tough to do the miles with a late start. There's also a possibility of severe storms tomorrow and tomorrow night.

Love you ❤️ Miss you 😘

Google Maps link to my location: http://maps.google.com/maps?z=14&t=m&q=40.02464%2C-77.31225

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