Since it’s a short day, I slept in kind of late. I stepped off from camp at 9:20 AM, three minutes earlier than yesterday. I guess that’s an improvement.

My destination was the Dahlgren campground, I lovely place maintained by the Maryland state department. There is running water, showers, bare poles, and tent pads. I’m here with about five of the families and a few trail hikers.

Overall, it was a good day. The weather was clear. I began to realize just how slow a hiker I am when a six year old girl – trail name, Viriole – past me, twice. Her mother and her stopped at the White Rock, Cliffs to view the scene, and I was able to get out a little sooner. But they passed me up about an hour later. Later in the day, a section hiker named One Lung passed me up. You know you’re slow when a hiker named One Lung passes you up.

Hiking so slow, I spent a lot of time contemplating rocks. The Appalachian Mountain range is the youngest range in the world. They were formed during the last I e Age about 200,000 years ago. Generously estimating my life expectancy at 80 years, these rocks are already 2500 times older than I’ll ever be. And when I die, I’ll return to dust and be precisely as mobile as these rocks. So they deserve a little respect.

Change of plan: I’m hiking to Pogo Campsite tomorrow instead of Pine Knob. It’ll make a shorter day after.

Today’s mileage: 7.1

Total trail miles: 17.9

The day didn’t start out well. I walked down to the post office, only to find out that it doesn’t open until 9 AM. So I walked back to the bolivar  bread, bakery to get a roll, only to find out, they didn’t open until 8 AM. So here I sit waiting for them to open the door. I’ll hang out here for an hour until the post office opens and then mail my back home box. I don’t regret it. Time spent in Harpers Ferry is never wasted.

Finally stepped off on the trail at 9:23 AM. The first part of the hike along the canal and river was pretty uneventful, the path is flat and well tended. The ascent to the Weverton Cliffs was uneventful, although it took me a while to get there. I had 7 miles to the first shelter, stopped and ate lunch. I decided I was going to try for the second shelter which is the Crampton gap shelter. I read the sign I incorrectly and ended up about a mile past the shelter. Since it was already after 7 PM, I decided to pull off on the side, pitch camp and spend the night.

The interesting thing about this campsite is that there is a town to the west of the ridge. Either Def Leppard or a Def Leppard copycat is playing a concert down in the town. I can hear all of the top tunes of Def Leppard down there. It’s almost 930 and they’re starting to wind down. I guess it’s Saturday night 

I’m posting this journal entry without any corrections. I’m dictating it with my voice. My reading glasses are in my backpack, and I don’t wanna get out of my Hamic to get them. Tomorrow night I will remember to put them in the hammock. So sorry about the mistakes total distance hike today 13.2 miles including side trails. Not a bad day one.

Lesson for the day: slow down