The Sprout Day 17 (Wednesday, April 13th)

We got a late start but we left Harper's ferry today.   It was easy, while walking through town, to start looking around and suddenly realize you had to look for the white blazes! We came across 125 turtles on the towpath.  It was a tough walk out of Harpers Ferry.  

Before we left we got to see kids on a field trip on a scavenger hunt.  I think it’s neat that schools are able to take students to a place with so much history.  The kids might not appreciate it yet, but they will when they are older.

While walking out of town we first came up on Jefferson Rock.  This is really a pile of rocks on top of each other where Thomas Jefferson once sat, in 1783, and said that “This scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic”.  The rocks used to be sitting on top of each other without support, but after they began to weather and people started to play with them, supports were built. 

Jefferson's Rock

One would think that the sign saying "no climbing" would not be necessary!

Another cool site we walked past was the ruins of the original St. John’s Episcopal church in Harpers Ferry. It was built in 1852 and used as a hospital and barracks during the Civil War.  It was interesting to see the church foundation and walls.  It made me wonder about the people who used to worship there.

St. John's Episcopal Ruins on the trail

Interesting to see how the church was build

We also walked past the John Brown Fort.  What an amazing historical building!  This is the only building left of the armory where the abolitionist John Brown led a raid so that he could arm slaves with weapons to fight for their freedom!!!  You could also tell that they still have reenactments at the fort.  It was open so we looked in.  The bars on the windows were so old!

Suddenly, we were walking through town again! There were tiny little shops through the town.  I can’t wait to come back and spend more time in town!

Harpers Ferry is charming.  I can't wait to come back and visit.

While we were hiking today there was a train going through the mountains.  It was cool because we could hear the train whistle echoing through the mountains.  

Crossing the Potomac river

Cool railroad and foot bridge over the Potomac river

I cannot stress enough the 125, maybe 130, probably even 140, turtles we saw (Bubbles insists that we can only officially count 107 because that's the number that she counted. She didn't start counting until we walked past a bunch of turtles so I keep teasing her about the number we saw!)

At least 13 turtles in this picture!

It was nice to finally see a switchback.  They are a pain because it would be much faster and shorter to just go straight up the mountain (I understand why they are neccessary though!) It's a lot longer walk but there were tons of purple flowers and pink trees. Everywhere we looked you could see something different!

Switchbacks!

We ended the day at the Edward B Garvey Shelter.  It is nice at the end of the day to see your last destination sign!  

Here is my routine when I get into camp: The first thing I do when I walk into camp is to figure out where I’m going to set up our tent.  While I’m looking for a tent site I also look for a bear box or a bear pole.  If I don't see a bear box or pole then I look for a tree for our food. Next, the tent goes up, I start to make or prepare food, I find water and filter it, and then start a fire.

Sign to Weverton Cliff

Tree down

I'm going to work on getting my thumb out of pictures and videos!

Day:  17

Miles hiked:  6.9

Total Miles hiked on the trail:  168.1

Bears:   0

Butterfly:  7

Chipmunk:  1

Crawfish:  1

Deer:  20

Really Big Dog:  1

Mouse:  1

Nest of bugs:  1

Skunk:  1

Snail:  1

Squirrels:  11

Turkeys:  4

Turtles:  107

Woodpecker:  1

Bubbles Day 17 (Wednesday, April 13th)

I took another shower in the morning and scrubbed my body three times.  That felt really nice.  We are used to sleeping outside so it was kind of weird sleeping in a bed.  It was hard to fall asleep in the hotel.

I had heartburn from the pizza massacre and the Italian sub from yesterday.  I went down to breakfast and drank four big glasses of milk.

We were out of the hotel at 11:05 and went to the post office.  I didn’t realize that there were two doors into the post office.  I was standing in the post office lobby, bent over, and farted so loud.  I stood up, turned around, and there was an old man standing not even a foot away from me (mind you, he snuck in and I didn’t even hear him).  I was so embarrassed that I just stood there.  I must have had a crazy look on my face because he went into the post office, got his mail, and returned while I was still standing there mortified.  He walked up to me and asked, “are you okay?”  The Sprout and I were laughing about it all day.  It was the first time I farted on a 74 year old man.  The Sprout said I probably gave the guy double pink eye.

We had to walk past the ATC again and we met two visitors there.  The husband was excited to see two thru-hikers.  He asked to take a picture of The Sprout and I!  Not for us, for him, on his phone.  He asked us a lot of questions about our gear because he wants to start hiking and was going to REI.  It was really cute and fun to help someone.

The trail goes through Downtown Harpers Ferry.  I really wanted to stay an extra day to see all of the historical sights.  I am DEFINITELY going back!!!  There were kids everywhere running around too.  They were on a field trip scavenger hunt.

My dad has hiked this part of the Appalachian Trail in Maryland and told us that the hill out of Harpers Ferry was a pretty difficult hill (actually a steep incline and never ending.)  It wasn’t that bad but he was probably with 28 Boy Scouts!

When we got over the river into Maryland, and onto the towpath, my feet felt like they were suddenly on fire.  We only had a three mile stretch but I had to stop three times and sit down.  I literally cried.  As soon as we got to the uphill I started thinking about my dad and how he had hiked that section of the Appalachian Trail so I started taking a lot of Go-Pro videos.  I also started counting turtles.  I counted up to 107!!!  The turtles reminded me of the ones in the valley.

The switchbacks were so pretty.  (That’s where you go up a mountain walking back and forth rather than straight up to help preserve the mountain).  There are pawpaw trees on the trial here and a guy even ate one!

You can sort of see the switch back trail in the background of the picture

Better picture of the switch backs

I love hiking through the mountains

We got to Weverton cliffs and they were really cool.  As you stand in Maryland you can see Virginia and West Virginia from the cliff.  I blew a bunch of bubbles and then we continued Northern Bound.

Bubbles, Sprout, Smudgy Cheeks

Beautiful view

Bubbles blowing bubbles!!

Smudgy Cheeks and Sprout enjoying the view

A plaque commemorating Goodloe Byron's work on preserving the Appalachian Trail through legislation

Those feet are hurting!!

The Three Amigos on Weverton Cliffs

Smudgy Cheeks messing around with our poles

We got to camp after a never-ending hill.  Even though it felt like it kept going forever, this was much easier because my feet don’t hurt as much when I go up.  I also barely have to stop now when I am walking up a hill.  Go me!!

We set up our tent and then sat by the fire with Paul Two-steps from Austin Texas (originally from Connecticut).

The sign to the Edward D. Garvey Shelter.  Almost there!!!   Shelter is on the left, privy is on the right!

Smudgy Cheeks threw a bunch of firewood on the fire and then went to bed at 8:50.  I was so mad because I was tired and just wanted to go to bed.  He has been doing this lately.  He isn’t helping out around camp (he takes off down the trail before everything is cleaned after meals and doesn’t make sure the fire is out before he goes to bed.)  

I spread the fire out in the ring and tried to mix the fire with ash and dirt to put it out.  This was not working because Smudgy Cheeks had put so much wood on it.  Finally, when it was a little after 9:00, I decided to try to build rocks up around the fire so it would not jump out of the ring.  Unfortunately one of the rocks I picked up was piping hot from the fire (I didn’t realize how close it was) and I burned my finger tips.  I FREAKED OUT.  It was dark out so all I could see were black fingers.  I thought I charred them like a hotdog falling into a grill!!  

I went into our tent crying.  The Sprout assured me that my fingers were black from soot, not because I had charred off all of my skin, and took care of putting out the fire so I could go to bed.  I’m so thankful I have the Sprout out here with me.  I’m going to talk to Smudgy Cheeks tomorrow about being a team member and helping out more around camp.  Let’s hope this doesn’t blow up in my face!

Smudgy Cheek's blazing fire

My burnt fingers after I cleaned off the soot.  Ouch!

The Sprout Day 16 (Tuesday, April 12th)

Harpers Ferry was a cool little historical town.  I would like to go back and sightsee.

We crossed the Virginia/ West Virginia state line!  This was one of our major goals! I wanted to get into West Virginia and play John Denver’s Country Roads.  However, I was watching the rocks because I didn’t want to twist my ankle and missed the sign.  What a let down!

The VA/ WV State Line.  Poppa Lip was happy to see we made it into WV!!!

1.9 miles to Harpers Ferry

Entering the National Historical Park

When we walked into Harpers Ferry it was cool to see the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers conflux with the mountains in the background.  Words cannot express how beautiful it is.  It is also crazy how clear the water is.  Back home, the Cuyahoga looks like a mud puddle (and the lakes, ponds, and creeks) but you can see the bottom of everything here.  

While walking through Harpers Ferry National Historical Park we passed Storer College.  The college was established after the Civil War so that former slaves had a place to learn how to read, write, and learn marketable skills.  There were pictures of where they played football and we walked right beside their field!  It’s an incredible feeling to walk through an area that has such a rich history.

Walking over the Shenandoah river into Harpers Ferry

Look at how clear the water is

Shenandoah River

It felt great to get to the ATC.  We had our picture taken so that we could be in the record book.  We also got to see Ox’s picture!!  We took a picture of his picture and sent it to him.  We are flip flop hikers numbers 25, 26, and 27 for the year 2016!  We also got to see Mayhem.  He said he was working upstairs when Smudgy Cheeks walked in.  He said, “I know that smell” and came downstairs and saw Smudgy Cheeks!  I thought that was pretty funny.  It was cool to meet him in the real world.  He took our picture and bought us our first round of pops!  Even though he had things to do he waited at the ATC for Bubbles, walked to meet her on the trail, and then walked back to the ATC with her!  He is a great guy!

One of the cool things about the ATC is that they keep a record of the thru hikers.  When we were there at the ATC there was a lady looking for her grandma (who thru hiked in the 80s or 90s).  They searched for her picture and trail name and when they couldn’t find it they told her they would keep searching and get back to her.  It’s so cool that they do that for the hikers.

Post card to send home

Our official Harper's Ferry ATC photo card

We left the ATC and realized, after getting five minutes down the road, that we forgot our food drop!  I went back to get it and it was super heavy.  

We stayed at the The Econo Lodge, which was gross.  It smelled like a dirty foot and cigarettes.  Luckily, we are used to smelling ourselves and we got used to it in about five minutes.  

It was sweet to put all of our food out on the bed and see what we had to eat!

Food drop!! Time to organize

We pounded some pizza, which was good.  I tried to go to the library to print something up and I think they are still on dial up!  It was crazy!

I forgot, we walked past this crazy looking web of bugs.  Check it out!

What????

Day:  16

Miles hiked:  8.7

Total Miles hiked on the trail:  161.2

Bears:   0

Butterfly:  7

Chipmunk:  1

Crawfish:  1

Deer:  20

Really Big Dog:  1

Mouse:  1

Nest of Bugs: 1
Skunk:  1

Snail:  1

Squirrels:  11

Turkeys:  4

Woodpecker:  1

Bubbles Day 16 (Tuesday, April 12th)

The David Lesser Memorial Shelter was a beautiful place to stay.  We were the only people in the shelter at night (there was a hiker down the hill camping.)  It was only nine miles to Harpers Ferry.  We had originally planned to go into town, grab our mail drop from the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservatory) headquarters, and be on our way to the next shelter (which is about 8 miles out).   We realized that we had scheduled a zero day in Harpers Ferry so we decide to just get a hotel and stay for the night.

The Sprout on the way to Harpers Ferry (entering the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park)!

Only 0.4 more to go!! (taking a break on some steps)

Potomac River

The ATC was pretty cool.  We got to take our pictures and I’m officially the 25th flip flopper this year (I’m not sure why Sprout and Smudgy Cheeks are 26 and 27 since they were at the ATC before me!!)  It was also really cool because Mayhem was at the ATC.  When Smudgy Cheeks showed up, and then Sprout, he knew I wasn’t far behind.  He had to get going but wanted to say hi so he walked down the trail until he saw me.  This was just the encouragement I needed to finish my hike!! Thanks Mayhem!!!

Smudgy Cheeks, Bubbles, Mayhem, and The Sprout

Man do I want an AT Hammock!

It felt great to reach our goal of making it to the Harpers Ferry ATC!!

The Sprout in front of the ATC Visitor Center

Hiker hunger is the real deal!  For the first 10 days (except when we had Coney dogs) my appetite was not very big.  After we dropped our packs at the hotel, Jeff and I walked to the pizza shop to order dinner to-go.  We walked out with 2-16 inch pizzas, a foot-long Italian sub, a large order of mozzarella sticks, and an order of chicken wings!  Then, I was so hungry while we were waiting for our food to be cooked I ate a bag of chips and a Coke!  

The hotel had a washer and dryer so I did our laundry and we hung out there for the rest the night.  Although it is really nice to take a shower, it is weird taking a shower with short hair.  I went to put shampoo in my hair and had enough to clean 2 feet of hair!  I LOVE having short hair and I'm thinking of going a little bit shorter.

We are going through our food drop and getting ready to pack for our continued adventure tomorrow.

I'm so happy to see spring blooming!

How old do you think this house is?

The Sprout put his hand in here on purpose.  Grrrrr.

St. John's Lutheran Church today