Hiking the C&O: Day 8 (June 27, 2019)

Big Lake near Fort Frederick State Park

Lockhouse ruins

Illustration how the aqueducts once worked.

Aqueduct

Hancock, Maryland

Round Top Cement Mill ruins under restoration by the Park Service

I woke up around 4:30am to the sounds of a vehicle coming down the towpath and bright headlights. It took me a minute to gather my senses. What was a truck doing on the towpath? Every hiker/biker campsite has a porta- potty located in it. I heard the plastic door snapping shut and the roar of machines. I assumed the porta potty was getting a servicing. Soon the truck left and I fell back asleep. When I woke up in the morning I felt groggy. After breakfast I took a dip in the Potomac River again and felt a little more alert. I felt pretty good hiking the first three hours of the day. Unfortunately, because I was still out of shape, the first two hours of the morning hike were always the most enjoyable before fatigue and pain set in. I always say when thru hiking, it takes about a month before the pleasure to pain ratio begins to really increase. The first month, it's always far more pain than pleasure. At least that's been my experience.

I took a short break near one of the locks in the morning and watched a bizarre little worm caravan making it's way through the grass. From a distance it looked like one worm making its way somewhere. Upon closer inspection, it was actually hundreds of little worms piled on top of each other, working together to move. A few would take the lead, the rest would follow, then others would take the lead and so forth. The mass of worms moved together as one.

I hiked past Fort Frederick late in the morning and passed a large swamp and lake. Much of the early afternoon was a daze as heat and cloud cover began to increase.

My afternoon plan was to resupply in the town of Hancock, Maryland. I didn't know what to expect when I got there. I took a dip in the river with my clothes on once again shortly before reaching town. When I reached the outskirts of town, there was a small path that led across the highway to a truck stop. Not knowing there was an entrance to the town about a mile further up the path, I took the opportunity when it came. The truck stop had everything I needed to resupply for the last leg of the trip. The lady behind the register eyed me funny as I came in with my pack and only sighed when I placed my items on the counter. I didn't bother striking up a conversation either. The whole resupply was probably the quickest town stop I've ever had on a hike. I was in and out in 15 minutes, and back on the trail where I prefer to be. It felt great to have everything I needed to finish the hike.

A mile later, I passed the main entrance to town. I walked past content.Maybe if I was with friends I would have liked to go in for something to eat. Shortly after, the sun came back out, and the trail felt like a steam bath. Also, mosquitoes came out in full force in spots. It was the first time I audibly yelled and groaned at the situation. I was a fool and did not bring any mosquito repellent. It was so hot, I couldn't imagine hiking in anything other than short sleeves and shorts. The following day I would have to strategize a little more in dealing with the little bastards, but this day I charged forward, getting eaten alive as I went. I forgot how many strange bug-bites, sores, and rashes one gets when hiking during the summer on the east coast. I vaguely remembered this about the AT. Now I had all sorts of strange bites, in particular, an oozing welt on my arm that I attributed to what I thought was a spider bite from night one.

After another 20 mile day, the skies began to darken as a storm was rolling in.  I found a spot to camp near the river buried under paw paw trees just as the thunder was rolling and the rain began to fall. I pushed the last of my tent stakes into the muddy earth and crawled into my tent, grateful for the enclosed space from bugs...