Memoirous

Day 6 Bald Eagle Island hiker/biker – WS host, NW, Washington, DC 20011, approx 60 miles I was so close to my end point. I was super excited to get on the road. I tried to lighten my load by eating a hearty (for me) breakfast. I made a fire and burned paper, the maps I’d downloaded. The Potomac was definitely getting wider and wilder. I had lunch at a lockhouse and Larry caught up. Afterwards I did a power hour where I cycled as hard as I could for 1 hour. I got to Great Falls Tavern visitor park about 1:30. My info said there is a snack bar there, but it is very basic. Not really anything worth buying. At this point I was only 15 miles from DC. After leaving the park the river splits and there is a slip of an inlet between the canal and river. This is VERY scenic. It has for the feel for quite a few miles of a Japanese garden, very serene. Also there are very many more people on the path. Any second I expected to turn a corner and see the Was...

Day 5 North Mountain hiker/biker – Bald Eagle Island hiker/biker, 60 miles  Today was amazing. Again. I think because I'm so close and I know I'll make it. Stayed last night at hiker/biker North Mountain. Next to the Potomac. Remote. It doesn’t really get light until 7 a.m. I made tea right out side my tent door and drank it in my sleeping bag. Luxury. Ten miles down the road was Williamsport where I passed a group of school children having a tour of the canal and locks. They waved at me and encouraged by their guide asked me questions about the towpath. I had a bowl of soup and crackers at the Desert Rose cafe . A GREAT stop. The bathroom was fully equipped. Not that I needed a tampon, but a nice trackside courtesy. The Cubs are in a sudden death playoff with Pittsburgh. At the Desert Rose a Cubby fan came in flying his colors. A nice touch of home. I can’t seem to get enough of these lock houses. More like cottages, they are so cute. I didn’t stop and take...

Day 4 Pigments Ferry to North Mountain hiker/biker free campsite, 60 miles So far I’ve only had to pay once for camping. It was worth it to get a shower and WiFi. I haven’t even been eating out much except for the egg breakfast, gob, strudel muffin, and today it was pie. At night I've been firing up the stove and boiling rice and tossing in a soup mix. Hearty, hot, and welcoming. This trip I am doing better with eating and self-care. It rained during the night at Pigmans so getting out was wet. I ate breakfast standing. Nevertheless, I got away by 8:30. I again felt sluggish. At a certain point what I thought was a big puddle on the path was a gaggle of wild turkeys—about a dozen or so. I wasn’t able to get a pic.  after coming thru the Paw Paw Tunnel blurry Ted trail was at times a single or double track after the tunnel exposed rock wall comes right up to the path After 10 miles I came to a very long tunnel where I met Ted from Pittsburgh, a...

Day 3 Rockwood /Husky Haven Campground to Pigmans Ferry, MD, 60 miles I loved my stay at Husky Haven —although once again you can hear the trains all night long. The place is owned and managed by really nice people who in the winter run their business on the path with a dog sled. Once on the path it seemed the same 6 or 7 deer kept crossing and re-crossing the trail in front of me. I also see the occasional red bird, blue jay, and blue herons along the river. It had been uphill since Pittsburgh, but hardly noticeable. Day 3 the grade was more pronounced--or else I was more tired. I had an egg breakfast in Meyersdale at the GI Dayroom down the street from the visitor info where the nice people gave me some tips for Cumberland. The depot in Meyersdale is now a museum. I probably reached the Eastern Continental Divide by noon. At the summit there were good views and also where I crossed over into Maryland. I also crossed the Mason-Dixon line which is where two ri...