[at-l] Harpers Ferry to Duncannon Trip Report - Day 2

[papabear.nyc at verizon.net (Papa Bear)]

Weather: morning temperature 65?, cloudy with fog.

When I planned my daily hiking for this trip I laid out two alternatives: a
10 day plan and an 11 day plan.  The 11 day plan had slightly shorter
distances so that it would stretch out over one more day.  Both plans had
the Ed Garvey Shelter as the first day's spot, but the second day would
either be at the Rocky Run Shelter (just over 9 miles) or the Dahlgren
backpacker area (around 11 miles).  Since it was likely to be wet, I opted
for the shorter distance, firstly to have a shelter over my head if it
rained, and secondly to keep the daily hiking distances modest for the first
few days.  If I really got ambitious, I could always make up the extra day
later in the section.

I woke at 6:00 AM to a cool, foggy and humid day.  I was the first up but
the others soon started to rouse.  I was not yet too efficient at breaking
camp so I didn't get on the trail till nearly 8:00 AM.  I would get better
as the days went by.

The trail for the next 2 or three days follows along the ridge line of South
Mountain and today it was a uniformly easy walk through open second-growth
hardwoods.  It was easy to the point of being boring, especially since the
fog shrouded any possible views to the east or west.  A deer crossed my path
and then I passed a group of about 10 scouts hiking the other way.  These
were the high points of the morning's trek!

I still had some soreness in my legs, particularly my right quads and
adductors.  This was a memory of the Boston Marathon, but it was not really
a bother, just a twinge.

I arrived at Crampton Gap in light rain and fog.  There were some old ruins
of  a 19th century building on the trail and a monument to Civil War
newspaper correspondents at the road.  I got back into the woods and had a
small but tiring climb out of the gap to the ridge line, then more easy
walking.  A few SOBOs passed me and then first Cakes and then Jackass passed
me.  They were the thru-hikers who had arrived late last night.

White Rock Cliffs came up on the right, and although a dramatic drop off,
the fog precluded any view.

I arrived at the side trail and then at Rocky Run Shelter and it was only
12:30.  I had put in hardly half a day of hiking.  At first I reconsidered
my plan and thought about going on, but on reflection I decided that an easy
day with plenty of rest would be a sensible idea at this point in the
section.

Rocky Run Shelter is a beautiful spot!  This shelter was built in the 1940s
but it was evident that someone was devoting a lot of care and attention to
it.  There were recently built platforms with seats, a wooden swing and even
some flower boxes.  The spring was flowing lustily and it fed a stream which
crossed in front of the shelter with the tent sites on the other side.  A
more perfect little vale would be hard to imagine.  If you are hiking this
section, stop off here even if you don't plan on staying.  It's well worth a
visit.

After rinsing a few sweaty things, I was pumping water for dinner  when a
guy somewhere in his 60s came in and joined me at the shelter.  He called
himself Jake but he said he had done a thru-hike in 1987 with the trail name
"Georgia Ridgerunner".  He had just started in Harpers Ferry and planned to
hike north until he felt like stopping.  He was fit as a fiddle and had
plenty of stories and experiences.

About 4:30 Kerry and Leese arrived.  They were the 2 girls who had arrived
late at Ed Garvey the previous night.  Leese had some bad blisters which she
tended to.  They said their original plan was to hike to Penn Mar and back,
but they weren't sure they would make it in the time available to them.  But
as the previous night, they were good sports and were willing and able to
learn fast.

I got some good rest for my sore muscles and had a chance to do some reading
of the paperback I had brought: John Irving's "The Fourth Hand".  You don't
want to know the plot.  Let's just say it was a good trail book.  Not too
deep.

That evening the weather cleared and we got to see some blue sky, although
it was too late in the day to see the sun.  Jake and I saw a couple of
Scarlet Tanagers which are among the most brilliantly beautiful birds you
will see in these parts.  As the night came on, it got cooler and rather
windy.  We hoped the weather had broken and we had seen the last of the fog
and rain.

Day 2 Trail Miles: 9.1, Extra Miles: .3, Total: 9.4
Aggregate Trail Miles: 16.8,Aggregate Total: 18.3