June 26, 2016  Harper's Ferry, West Virginia
  Yesterday's event of crossing the Shenandoah River is a big deal for the thru-hiker. We finally are out of Virginia, having traversed 555 miles of trail in one state, a full quarter of the length of the Appalachian Trail. I can finally, after one month, now say that I woke up in a state other than Virginia. Yes Virginia, there really is a northern border, and I just crossed it. Hasta la vista, baby!
  Meghan and I successfully traversed the Shenandoah National Park. I am going to let her blog about this much more eloquently than I. We covered the 110 miles in all in 9 days, averaging 13 miles per day, and one new foot blister per day for Meghan, one very nasty large one under her great toe nail, (where have I seen that before?) She and I had a wonderful time as she tested new limits under less than ideal boot conditions, but we finished a day relier than expected, with the bonus that we are still on speaking terms. It was a very special and wonderful time for me, and I was genuinely impressed with her strength and determination and have no doubt that if one day she too chose to thru-hike, she could accomplish this this without question.

Leaving Shenandoah National Park

  I arranged to have Meghan picked up by a shuttle person in Front Royal. We came into the town the night before and stayed at a wonderful up and coming B+B/hostel, Mountain Home, just steps way from the AT itself. Scott Jenkins and his wife are restoring a beautiful old southern mansion, a previous plantation. At this point, there was only one small cabin that could accommodate 6 hikers for bed, linens, shower and breakfast. They gave us a shuttle to town where we did laundry and went out to a pub for dinner and beer with another thru-hiker, Omh-pie.
  I set out on the trail, determined to cover the 15 miles to Dick's Dome shelter. I know that I now need to step up the mileage a bit as the heat of summer in the south is fast approaching. The day was warm, but not hot, but very humid. The hike up from Manassus Gap proved more difficult than usual as there were many trees down over the trail, likely caught up in an a micro-burst in the violent storms we experienced 2-3 days prior. Trail Crews from the PATC had yet to get out to clear the carnage.

I reached my destination before 4PM. The shelter is dome like but hard to describe. As it turned out, I met a trail crew regional boss from PATC there, 'Sisue', who told me the shelter was slated for demolition as it was too difficult to maintain. Instead he showed me the new post and beam shelter, the shelter at Whiskey Hollow, being built just steps away that will house 12 hikers. Sean and I had spent a miserable night in the dome 9 years ago weathering out another violent thunder storm with 4 other people crammed into the very confined space. I cannot say that I am sorry the shelter is slated to go. I spent a pleasant evening with a grampa and his 12 year old grandson out for a 3-4 day trip to Bear's Den. You mean, Grampas can do that to their grandchildren? Once again that night, 4-5 night hikers arrived at 11:30 PM. This time though, they had the courtesy to set up tents a distance from the shelter and were not that disruptive.
  The next day, I got up at 6, in order to be on the trail early. I knew I had the Virginia Roller-coaster to deal with. In the past, the trail followed 8 miles along a busy road to reach the Bear's Den ATC hostel. When they negotiated with land owners a route in the woods, the only land offered was over the crest and valleys of the adjacent hills. This leads to 9 ups and downs over 9 miles with gains in elevation of up to 600' at a time. It is considered some of the most challenging terrain Virginia has to offer. It continues another 4 miles beyond the hostel as well, before the trail evens out to a much more steady and level ground.

RollerCoaster

  The day brought me through a high meadow that was part of a state park. The view was beautiful. Along the way I encountered trail magic, hosted by a couple who were motorcycle enthusiasts. They had first encountered hikers after setting up their own lunch on the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway, and being confused by passing hikers as offering trail magic. I am not sure how they beat off the hungry hikers, without loosing their lunch. At this trail magic, a bear chose to investigate. I got within 50 yards and noted he was probably a yearling and posed no real threat. He was easily scared off. Eat your heart out, Meg.
  Along the way, we passed the 1000 mile marker . This was only the first of our 'emotional' halfway points. Harper's is considered the halfway point as well, but the true halfway point this year is some 70 miles north of the Potomac River and Harpers Ferry, and changes year to year as trail relocations are done. The year of 2007 the trial's official length was 2174,; this year it is 2189!

     By the time I reached Bear's Den Hostel, I was a sweaty mess. Once again the shower was  a lifesaver. The old mansion was built as a summer home and the wife a concert pianist. A special piano room was built where she conducted recitals. The building is beautiful stone with a stone fence all around. The hiker special for $30 includes bed with linens, shower, laundry, a meal of frozen large pizza and a pint of ice cream, as well as a make your own pancake breakfast in the morning. There I once again met Hazelnut, a Maine hiker from Bridgeton, whom I had met weeks ago at Jerry's Cabin in the middle of the North Carolina wilderness.

 Yesterday, we once again stepped it up with a 20 mile hike into Harper's Ferry. Here I have sheltered with a fiend of Kathy's whom she met at Katahdin in a wildlife photography group. Terri now lives in Harper's Ferry area, but grew up in Calais, Maine. She volunteers for the ATC, and has been section hiking the AT with her partner, Marie for years. She occasionally takes in stray dogs, as well as stray hikers like myself. The hike to town was much more reasonable and flat, covering the distance before 3PM. After arriving in town, my first order of business was to replace my hiking shoes. The shoes I bought in Hot Springs owed me nothing and had lasted almost 800 miles. I went to the ATC center and registered, and was photographed there as was the tradition for all thru-hikers. I found the old picture of Sean and myself from 2007, took a photo of that and wasted no time in posting it to Facebook.

  So today, I am taking it easy with a 'zero' down day. This week I plan to step up the mileage even further with the more forgiving less mountainous terrain in Maryland and early Pennsylvania.