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July
8, 1983 Friday (1173.6 mtg) From
Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal
From
Tony's I only had to travel about a mile before I marked off another
state in my fourteen state trek. Virginia and its five hundred
plus miles were behind me. I had gotten up early and did not
get a chance to see Tony before I left. At the very extreme southeast
corner of West Virginia, the trail entered and went by an area known
as Raven Rocks before running past an area known as "the Devils
Racecourse." After that it followed the border between West
Virginia and Virginia on the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains until
Loudon Heights overlooking Harpers Ferry. I stopped at Key's Gap
shelter, but did not take the one tenth of a mile side trail to
the store nearby since I would be making Harpers Ferry tonight.
While at the shelter, we all got excited when we read something
in the register that talked about the KOA located near Harpers Ferry.
Supposedly every Saturday there was an old fashioned ice cream social,
and this particular KOA claimed to have a water slide located in
the park. With the heat the way it has been lately, that was all
it took to convince Tom and me that we should spend the night at
the KOA. I chose to descend off the ridge into Harpers Ferry along
the past Appalachian Trail, now a blue-blazed side trail called
the Loudoun Heights Trail. The Post office was my first stop. I
received a package from my mother and a letter from Dave Szabo.
Next, I stopped at a local restaurant for a refreshing rootbeer
float before continuing on to the Appalachian Trail Conference headquarters
in downtown Harpers Ferry. There I met Jean
Cashin, who takes care of all things at the headquarters. I
bought a new version of the Philosopher's Guide, five postcards,
and an updated version of the NY/NJ guidebook and maps. While we
were there, Tom
and I had our pictures taken with the polaroid camera that was
used to record all the thru-hikers that stop in at the ATC during
their hike. That same afternoon, I met Greg
Gilbert, another thru hiker on his way north. Tom and I talked
Jean into giving us a ride to the KOA where we paid for the nights
stay. After checking out the tentsites that were located on a hillside,
and finding not a level spot in the place, we became irritated.
When we found out that they really did not have an ice cream social
or a water slide we really got ticked off. We went back to the entrance
and demanded a refund. KOA's are not designed for AT hikers.
I caught a ride to the Sandy Hook Bridge over the Potomac River,
and was dropped off such that I could walk across the bridge into
Maryland. I had entered West Virginia today and now was leaving
on the same day. Five states down - nine more to go. I talked with
a fisherman who was fishing from the bridge high above the river.
He was fishing for Channel Catfish. I imagined that it must be tough
getting the fish out of the water and reeling it all the way up
to the bridge platform. Probably exciting just to watch. At the
far end of the bridge and up the road a piece, sat Cindy Dee's Restaurant.
I stopped there for a meal and was disappointed to find that due
to a fire in May, their cooking was all done with the microwave.
Since I was already there I ordered one of their microwave items
and found it to be good anyway. Since I had not intended to go any
farther today than I already had, I only continued the short distance
necessary to reach the American Youth Hostel located near the trail
just past the bridge, and paid the $5.25 required to spend the night.
From what I recall, the church run hostels beat the AYH by a mile
as far as cleanliness and feeling of hospitality. I think maybe
this was because the place was just getting started and was still
under renovation.
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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