Last section of Virginia, Virginia Occidental and Maryland

I am ready to suppose again. Since this is the weekend of the day of the fallen, I end up spending the night in Elkton, at the Small Ax Hostel, which is basically a converted barn, with neighbors of goats and farm television.

I get my sweet box of the Post Office and I finish the afternoon at the brewery with spicy sauce. He is raining and I feel that I can make a cold, so I decide to stay in the shelter for another night.

I am back on the way the next day. At noon, soaked and desperate, I stop at the midpoint, I break my bag and change clothes. I am ready to call it a day that I read an encouraging text message that gives me strength to pack and continue.

The next day, he is still misty. I stop at the shelter for a Danish and coffee. Finally, the sun indicates and decide lunch, sitting on the rocks on the top of the mountain. I finish my day at 6:20 pm and decide camping in my store, since there is a strong tracker in the shelter. It rains during the night, but it is fine.

At that time, I smell a body: wet shoes and socks are extremely powerful. I’m glad to have a few days off planned to meet with my family!

When I return, the smells are not the same: there is a persistent smell of the background of Madreselva and an occasional indication of a plant that smells strangely like cucumber. This is much better than wet socks! I see a tape snake, a gray frog and a beautiful moth. I am in a much better spirit.

The next morning, I return to Earth … With this spring sensation comes another reality: while I leave the shelter, I met with a swarm of carpent bees that are establishing their home under the wooden ride, which is a mandatory step through the swamp. I get a little several times. Let’s see if I’m allergic to bees!

And then the Russian mountain begins: this is a series of ups and downs that last for a while and have a bad reputation of this part of the path, the way Virginia tells us goodbye!

Unfortunately, I have chosen the wrong shoes to continue my adventure: they are too big and quickly develop a blister. I need to get other shoes, and it will be in Harpers Ferry. Still, there must be a way to get there! It ends up being a great discomfort, where the roads are in such bad conditions that no transport driver will accept to get me out of the path. With friends, I finish first to a shelter, then I carry a transport service to the city, which will increase the price of shoes by a significant amount …

In the outfitter, I realize that in reality there are only 2 possibilities of trail shoes: I choose a couple and I hope the best.

I stay in a small south of the city, in Hillborough, where there will be a festival on Sunday. It is nice to be walking from the shelter to the festival on foot. I meet the old and new friends of hikers on the second floor of the Old Stone School, which is a place reserved for Truhikers with food and other surprises.

The next day, it is the official photo at the headquarters of AT in Harpers Ferry. Now I am the number 387. I also visit the John Brown Museum to learn more about sad but important events that occurred here and had a significant impact on the civil war.

The Harpers Ferry exit is through a bridge and then 4 miles of multiple use path, followed by a steep 3 miles that takes one of the best shelters I have seen: A two floors with a separate entrance to the upper floor! What a winning concept!

And with that is the end of the part of the Western Virginia of the path and the beginning of Maryland! This state seems to have a good budget assigned to shelters, which seem unique and in pristine conditions.

This is also when they meet a reality that I had almost forgotten: car traffic! Listening to the noise of the forest and crossing multiple roads takes me back to one side of life that was not missing at all …

In addition, I am aware of the events that «normal people» have to deal with today, that have not yet come home! The cuts operated by the Government make parks and monuments less accessible and much less pleasant. I think I will stay in the forest a little more …

I am surprised by the good amount of increases that Maryland has to offer in such a short time. Monkey Rock, Annapolis Rock, even a very good struggle of a quarter of a mile at some point is preparing us in silence for Pennsylvania!

In the forest, there are mosquitoes … and since it is raining daily, they have all the mud ponds they need to reproduce. Just add blood! I’m going crazy. The insect repellent I use, based on trees and plants oil, works for a time, but there really is no solution.

During that time, family needs make me plan for a few days. That will be a welcome relief of errors.

Another positive point in Maryland is the generosity of the Trail Angels. One of them pushes him to the extreme offering us a trip to and from the store. I had a very interesting conversation with her about the strong women that we both grew.

After returning to the road, I make the last 8 miles outside Maryland. That was short but intense.

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