October 13, 2005 -Ensign Cornwall Shelter to Pine Knob Shelter
I left theshelter and hiked in the drizzle all day. I wore the pack cover to stay dry and I rested every hour. Annapolis
rocks were socked in so I went on by. I got to the shelter at 2 p.m. There is no one else here at this time. Anxious
and Tartaragus stopped by for lunch and went on in the rain. I found a dry spot in a leaking shelter and waited for
hunger to come so I could eat again. At 4 p.m. five people showed up and some went on and some stayed. The
shelter ended up being full and the rain came down hard and people got wet where the shelter leaked.
October 14, 2005 -Pine Knob Shelter to Rocky Run Shelter
Man this little shelter was full last night! Spider came in at 9p.m. after a resupply too and had trouble getting out of
town. She left too late and ran out of daylight on a rainy night. I slept fine even with the shelter full and acorns hitting
the roof all night. I had a great day despite the overcast day. I made good time to the Washington Monument, circa
1827. The citizens of Boonsboro built this and it was the first Washington Monument in his honor. The monument
looks like a giant milk jug! I loved this stone structure in 81 and it is just as nice this time. I got a soda near the
monument and bummed some gasoline from a maintenance worker here for my stove. Soon after leaving the park I
smelled a familiar thing. Paw-Paws! It is a tree which has an excellent fruit on it in the fall. It is a little banana. I
gorged on them. I carried some with me for later. I carried 3 pounds with me. I stopped by Dahlgren’s Chapel and
took a look and very near here was the campsite where I took a hot shower. This is the only state park on the trail
where hikers can take a free shower which is hot for free. They can also camp free. This chapel was built by the wife
of the man who invented the gun used on the Civil War Iron Clad boat. [Union Boat] I stopped and looked at the old
lodge at Turner’s gap where several presidents have stayed before the shower too. I then moved on to a Battlefield
area at Fox Gap. One general from each side died in this battle and this is the only place this happened in the Civil
War. This battle was in September 1862. It was a sad time for America. Hiking on I found apples and ate several. I
will pay the price tomorrow for all of this fruit. I got on and ended up at Rocky Run Shelter. This is an old shelter built
in 1940-1941. It is small built out of logs with a covered swing out front, two small decks, and a nice iron chair too.
The shelter has a built in chair in front of the sleeping area and has a lockbox for the trail maintainers. This place for
a joke has a light switch and a light with bulb. This is probably the most original old shelter on the entire trail. It never
ceases to amaze me at what some shelters have. I have seen telephones, mail boxes, lights, you name it I have
seen it over the years. It is now 3 p.m. and it is getting very dark as if it is about to rain. A huge tree just fell very
close to the shelter in this wind and rain. Several others came into the shelter and it was full on a rainy night.
October 15, 2005 - Rocky Run Shelter to Ed Garvey Shelter
I spent a comfortable night in the shelter and slept very well. It cleared nice in the evening and the sun is back on
this last day on the trail for me this year. I left the old shelter at 7:15 a.m., and ½ hour later I stubbed my left foot on
a big rock on the trail and pulled or tore a tendon badly. I could not walk or stand for 15 minutes. I took Ibuprofen all
day in large quantities to keep moving. I am so close and wasn’t sure if I would make it to Ed Garvey shelter or not
but I kept moving and I made it. There are many people at Garvey Shelter tonight. This shelter has a big loft which is
full of hikers and four of us are downstairs along with 15 in tents around the shelter. I met another 2000 miler here
tonight. His trail name was Billy Goat! We talked a lot and it was fitting that I spend my last night at Ed Garvey shelter
with another goat! It was a perfect evening and we had a nice fire and played cards till late. My tendon was very
sore but I will make it. I had some booze left over and it helped too. I have heard much about this shelter and it is
nicer than I had even expected. I got water at the Correspondence Memorial today and did not have to go way down
here to get any. It was a memorial for the people who covered the Civil War during the sad time in the 1860’s here.
This memorial is an arch and very interesting. This area must be visited and explored for the rich history. There
were many areas today I ate apples too. There were 4 different kinds that I ate today.
October 16, 2005 - Ed Garvey Shelter to Harpers Ferry
There was a real nice sunrise at the shelter on this last day of my hike. I slept well after a nice evening with Billy
Goat and the other two. The tendon seems better already. I left camp at 8 a.m. and hiked slowly to Weaverton Cliffs
where Billy Goat took my picture and emailed it to me. The views from the cliff were pretty and spectacular. I hiked
off the mountain ridge and on to the tow path where I would hike on level ground to Harpers Ferry. I found a lot of
Paw Paws on the tow path too. They were very big, some were 12 ounces and I ate several again. Just before town I
had to hike over the railroad bridge. Suddenly I was in civilization. This is a national park so there were thousands of
people on this Sunday walking all around. I hiked through town seeing the sights the best I could with a 40 pound
pack o my back. I stayed on the trail until I got to the turn off side trail to the A.T.C. I went over there and spent 3
hours looking through the archives and visiting with the volunteers there. I had a great time and found my picture
from 1981 and had my picture taken again 25 years later. I mentioned I was using my same old pack and they
thought that was neat too. I left the center for the trail again and finished the 1 mile back to the bridge where I had
begun the trip in 2004. Now I had finished 1555 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Next year on my 25th anniversary I
would start in Maine and hike back to Dalton Mass. It would be a long winter and then I could finish what I set out to
do over a year ago. It has been a glorious trip so far and I am looking forward to 2006. As for now so long and good
luck to all still hiking. Rowmin Goat.
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