Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 67 – The Mason Dixon line
1st october 2023
Rocky Mountain Shelter (1116.2) - Annapolis Rocks (1147.7)
Daily miles: 31.9
Total miles: 1153.9
The guy in my shelter said he might snore. He did lightly but the other two men in the shelter next door were snoring much louder! The ear plugs did their job.
The moon was so bright it lit up the whole inside of the shelter.
There were things falling from trees through the night. Mostly acorns I think, and a few times there was a loud crack on the roof of the shelter as one hit.
I didn’t actually sleep that well, not because of the snoring but just because my body was sore and I couldn’t get comfortable. I think I hurt my left shoulder yesterday when I fell because it was feeling sore and stiff this morning. My legs felt like they were throbbing all night.
In the morning I woke up 5 minutes before my 05:30 alarm and changed it to 05:45. It never went off though because I got up at 05:40 and packed up very quietly - I don’t even think I woke up the guy in the shelter - and I left camp at 06:06 and was back on the trail by 06:15 by the time I had done the side trail and actually found the AT again.
Displaying the blaze orange
This was after I had pulled my sleep tights off my cut from yesterday where they had fused together.
The moon was still out and bright but the trees blocked the light, otherwise it would have been bright enough to go without a head lamp. On the other side the sun was coming up and I could see the sunrise through the trees.
First light
The moon still bright
Sunrise
My head lamp was fading fast and quickly becoming useless so I had to stop to put new batteries in. I think I need a new one, maybe a rechargeable one would be better.
Before leaving camp I had put a Compeed plaster on my corn. Will it help? Probably not but I felt like I had to try something as yesterday was such a struggle. The problem is pressure, and the only way to relieve pressure on the bottom of your foot is to stop standing on it!
It got light around 06:50 and I had been making slow progress. The first hour was only 2 miles which is why I don’t much like night hiking - or morning when it’s dark - because it slows me down. The trail was standard - rocky - and I just put my head down and got on with it. I lasted a couple of hours without headphones and then I put on the Hamilton soundtrack so I wouldn’t look at my phone to check the distance for at least 2 hours.
Cheeky views
Midway through the first 10 miles (we had planned a 33 mile day today so I was breaking it down into 3 parts) I came across a privy right on trail and it was a really nice one. Clean, toilet paper, sanitiser and an air freshener - the air freshener wasn’t really doing anything at all to mask to smell, but it’s a privy so…
Privy right next to the trail
It was a nice one
I stopped to filter water. I was so thirsty that I chugged a whole bottle and then filled it up again to carry with me. I felt uncomfortable for a while as I walked and could feel all the water sloshing around in my stomach.
I got in my 10 miles before 10am - probably a first for this trail - and that meant I was 15 minutes ahead of my 10 miles in 4 hours pace so I gave myself a little break on the side of the trail. Ate a couple of snacks and aired my feet and moved on. The feet are doing ok, not great, but not quite as painful as yesterday.
Lovely wooden bridge
Light through the trees
A quick snack with a lot of calories
There were a bunch of people out and about in the trails today, it’s a Sunday and there are road crossing so often the trail is really accessible. One couple had a really aggressive dog who was barking and going wild on its leash.
My feet were getting uncomfortable. I decided to take out the other insole to even them up a bit. I was starting to get a similar pain in the same place on my other foot and the last thing I want is another corn on that foot to deal with.
Pyro caught up to me and said they were planning to take a lunch break at the state park.
It was really hot and humid today and although I had felt good on the first 10 miles the next 5 were a struggle. I got to the Pennsylvania / Maryland state line. Goodbye north, I think we are now officially in the south.
The Mason Dixon line
Goodbye Pennsylvania. Hello Maryland.
All day the acorns had been raining down from the trees and I’ve been worried about one falling one me, well just after the state line my fears came true when one bonked me on the head. I can confirm it’s a really painful experience. They are dense.
Acorns hurt when they hit you on the head
Shortly after I got to the state park - which unlike every other state park I’ve walked through which as been a deserted ghost town - this state part was popping off on a Sunday. Lots of people milling about and kids running around. I joined Pyro and waited for the others who arrived shortly after.
Views from Pen Mar state park
The mileage is very out of date on this sign
I had been looking at the mileage today and said to the others I didn’t think I was going to go all the way to the shelter and I might just camp 2 or 3 miles before. 30 miles was going to be a struggle to make before dark, 33 was going to involve night hiking and a lot of fatigue. I didn’t mind if they wanted to carry on but they agreed.
I needed to continue hiking really but an ice cream van pulled up and we decided to get ice cream. There has been a bit of a resurgence of summer and it felt like an ice cream kinda day. No one had cash but me so the ice creams were on me today. They were good and everyone felt a tiny bit refreshed.
Nice day for ice cream
Ice cream van
After using the bathrooms, throwing away trash and filling up water we hiked out together, but not on the AT. Pyro looked and saw a road walk on the map which would save us a mile. At first I regretted the decision. It was very hot with no shade, it was uphill - albeit gently - the whole 2 miles, and the road was full of huge noisy motorbikes. Thankfully there was some shade eventually. Pyro was out in front and there was no way I could keep up. At one point he walked backwards to talk to us and he could have walked backwards the whole way and I still wouldn’t have been able to keep up with him!
Road walking
At the top of the hill and where the road rejoined the AT we could see why everyone had come up here. Sort of. There was a lookout, but it was covered in graffiti, bad graffiti, which sadly extended onto the nearby trees.
Terrible graffiti attracting the tourists
We hiked together for a couple of hours before taking a break by a stream and rehydrating. I think everyone was feeling the heat today. I moved on before the others, knowing it would take me longer and especially as there were a few ups and downs ahead. There were some nice bits where the trail came out of the trees and over fields.
The climbs weren’t that bad and they were over fairly quickly. Pyro caught up and overtook and then shortly after May Queen caught up and overtook. The trail was pretty rocky with some boulder fields which slowed me down. Everything was starting to hurt now. My legs were so sore. My knees hurt. My feet were simultaneously painful and numb. I was more than ready to be done, 25 miles is a comfortable mileage. After this push to Harpers Ferry we have discussed going back to 20/25s.
Nice trail
Through the trees
The rocks aren’t over yet
The sun was starting to set and it was casting a beautiful light through the trees. I tried to push it to get to the Annapolis Rocks for sunset. The last couple of miles of trail was a real treat. Wide, flat and most importantly smooth. No rocks. It was a joy to walk on and I would have probably enjoyed it a lot more if my legs hadn’t been so tired. I almost ran, such was my desperation to not be walking anymore.
Sunset
I arrived at the side trail right at sunset and I was pleased to see such a well manicured trail leading down to the viewpoint, but a well manicured trail also means lots of people and there were a whole bunch of people there to watch the sunset. I ran over to the rocks, snapped a quick photo and then went to find Pyro and May Queen.
Annapolis rocks at sunset
The trail to the campsite seemed to go on forever and I called out to see if anyone could hear me. I didn’t know how far to go down the trail but thankfully I ran into May Queen filtering water which was good news that she found the spring because I was out of water. Pyro then also came and found us to help us navigate the confusing and pretty large camp site.
We got to site number 8 and we saw Toe just arrived too. They of course are cowboy camping and I actually considered it, it’s such a mild night. But I decided to pitch the inner of my tent and I was pleased I did because I saw 2 spiders running about the place and I will get a much better nights sleep of I am in my net.
I ate a couple of brioche rolls, a handful of Doritos and 1 brownie bite for dinner. It wasn’t enough as I’m lying here now at 09:30pm and I feel very hungry. But lying down was the absolute priority and I don’t think I’ll sleep well tonight either because my body is so sore. My legs are just pulsating and whichever way I lie I just feel like I need to move.
It is nice to be able to see the sky.
