2/20/08 David Lessing Shelter to ATC HQ Harper's Ferry

Yep - very cold last night. I had to get up about 10 or 11 pm to visit the rpivy. the sky is clear and starry. there are lots of lights in the valley. Very pretty but too cold to linger. I get back to my sleeping bag. The air coming in the face hole is cold so I pull out my shelter and pull it over me, including my face hole and hey!, much warmer! I was warm enough all night, just not toasty warm. I had on my fleece pants, long john shirt, socks, fleece, winter jacket and hat. I got up just before sunrise. Sure enough, very cold outside my sleeping bag. My groin hurts when I get up and legs are stiff. Off to the privy then back for some aspirin. I get cooking from inside my sleeping bag and while I'm eating the sun peeks out for about 30 seconds then it dissappears into a solid overcast. I pack up and set off, I think it's about 8am.

The groin pull hurts every step. An hour into my hike I try and get a drink, no go. Even tho I had blown the drinking tube clear when I loaded up and tested the water bladder, it's still frozen. Ok, I take off the pack, take a nature break and unload the pack enough to get at the water bladder. I hold the tube connections in my hands at both ends to thaw residual water. Eventually it thaws enough for me to drink. I load everything back up and on we go. This time I leave water in the tube and take a drink every few minutes to keep the water flowing.

The trail has no real climbs, pretty level tho there are some spots completely rock strewn, like walking in a dry streambed, slowing me down. Still not totally sure of the time, I don't want to delay Wendy's pick up, cause I know she has an obligation to go to after she picks me up. I finally reach the power line, about the 1/2 way point and stop for lunch. Today it's a food bar and one of my dehydrated snacks of backpack bruchetta and soy chips. The dip would be better warm but it's still pretty tasty. It's so cold that by the time I finish eating my hands are freezing. I pack up and get my gloves on. While packing up I see a squirrel. I only see it for a 1/2 second, it looks like it's red and black? I'll have to ask Wendy about it. I trek on and it starts snowing. In about 1 mile I pass a sign post declaring the area the Harper's Valley Historic park. Hoo Hoo! Only 2 miles to go. However, this is the hardest part of the trail in the 2 day trip. It's very steep and lots of shale, now wet and covered in snowy wet leaves. I decend carefully. The area is supposed to have stone redoubts from the Union Army shelling of harper's Ferry during the Civil War but I haven't seen any. Betting to the bottom of the ridge OK, I still have 2 ravines to cross. They turn out to be pretty easy but the path leading to the road and bridge crossing of the Susquehanna is very steep, wet shale. Slippery when wet! Once at the bridge, there are lots of steps to the sidewalk, groin hurts every step. Once on the bridge tho, great views of the river. Lots of ducks and geese in the water. They don't seem to mind the cold or the snowfall. Across the bridge, there's a ridge to climb, moderately steep slope and lots of wet rock steps but going slowly I get up to the historic area. It's rumored that getting thru this area and to the ATC is tricky. I found my way pretty well but missed the last turn post sign and ended up walking around a large block. I asked directions and it turned out I was just down the street (down hill of course) from the ATC. I walked up the hill and found the place. I was the only hiker in that afternoon. A great crew there who gave me a lot of assistance and bless them, a hot cup of tea! It turns out I got there a little after 2pm. I left a phone message for Wendy and toured the building, bought a couple of souveniers. The ATC has a computer for hikers so I sent Randy a quick email and posted a quick blog entry. Waiting for Wendy, I go back down the hill to the liquor store and buy a bottle of wine to celebrate. Wendy picked me up at 5pm and after a dinner and glass of wine, in bed by 8:30pm. Missed the eclipse of the moon, dang it!