Programbo
04-15-2007, 18:36
Well today is the 30 year anniversary of the start of my incompleted thru hike attempt...Being the nostalgic sort I am I took a drive up to Harpers Ferry and wandered around the town and drove up to the ATC headquarters..Then walked across the bridge and down the canal a ways..I returned and chatted with a friendly bearded young man heading northbound...After a brief trip up to the casino in Charles Town (Won $400 :banana )...I drove up to Gathland State Park and walked up the hill and then down to Crampton Gap Shelter and hung out there for an hour...Even after all this time I still get a magical feeling being at an AT shelter..They always have that nice woodsmokey smell and seem timeless...Ate lunch,visited the privy, took a catnap... However there wasn`t any sort of register or log book to read or sign (What`s up with that?)...Saw a notice on the wall saying the Raccoon Run Shelter was closed for repairs which was dated March 1st..Saw a notice (Advertisement?) for the new Hostel in Northern Maryland....Spring was gushing water...Left early afternoon and went back up and down the hill to the park...Way back in the 70`s I`d always cheat a bit and take that flat sidetrail to the park but today I wanted to be "official"....Didn`t see a soul the entire day hiking except that one guy near the bridge in HF....Didn`t cover any great distances but for me that climb up out of Crampton Gap is quite a feat (Did feel a bit of a pinchy ache in the old ticker but that passes)..But all in all it was a great day to just be there again :)