2009 HIKE ACROSS MARYLAND

May 2, 2009

I want to thank Patty Williams and the many volunteers for organizing and conducting this 22nd Hike Across Maryland (HAM) on the Appalachian Trail. They are true friends who lifted my spirit and helped me in many ways the entire 40.9 mile route. They make a good event into a great event that is a real testimony for the Mountain Club of Maryland.

We arrived Friday at the Blue Ridge Summit, PA firehouse about 8:15 pm. It was great greeting old friends I hadn’t seen for a while and new friends. I settled into my sleeping bag on the concrete porch under the roof with half a dozen others by 10:00. It is cool and breezy so I slept well despite some rain during the night.

We are up at 4:00 am for a quick light breakfast. We load into 3 school buses about 5:00 for the short ride to just below Penmar in Pennsylvania. MJ Veverka calls my name as I unload and we start up the trail in the dark and light drizzle about 5:15. We cross the railroad tracks into Maryland elevation 1250’ amidst a mass of streaming lights about 104 strong. It was light enough to see without a light before we turned up our first rocky major climb to High Rock and our first checkpoint at 3.1 miles. We descend to MD-491 and the first rest stop at 5.9 miles.

I quickly down some Gatorade, fruit and sugar before crossing the first stream and start climbing. Into my 6th HAM I am hiking alone for the first time. I begin to pass a few stragglers and am feeling pretty good in the cool drizzle. I decide to pick up the pace for as long as I can and maybe I can catch Dan and Dana Thomas. I see no one for a long time before I start catching people before arriving at Ensign Cowall Shelter and rest stop #2 at 9.8 miles where there are many people. I hiked into Cowall Shelter with the leader of the Massachusetts crew of 10 who I talked to several HAMs ago.

Crossing MD-17 at 1400’ elevation and climbing up our 2nd major climb then along the ridge, I pass many HAMers until I reach the very rocky section on the top of the ridge. I go several miles and see no one as I pass Pogo’s Camp. Nearing the I-70 foot bridge I catch a few hikers at the 3rd rest stop on Boonsboro Mountain Road at 19.4 miles. The hikers are strung out at this point so I pass some hikers almost at regular intervals all the way to lunch at Washington Monument at 21.5 miles where I spot Dan and Dana arriving about 50 yards ahead of me.

I have a quick lunch of soup, dagwood sandwich and Gatorade. My feet are revived as I briefly air them and don clean dry socks. With my stomach full, well hydrated and my feet comfortable, I am feeling good.

I’m off towards Lamm’s Knoll 1600’ rest stop #5 at 27.1 miles. The sun is out briefly and it warms up some. I go up Lamm’s Knoll too aggressively and feel a little bad for the first time. I back off a little and arrive at the rest stop okay. Joking with old friends Ron Cully, Gary Gentry, Bob Carson and others I am revived and resume my chase of Dan and Dana.

Sometime after passing White Rocks 27.3 miles I catch Dana and we hike together for several miles. We arrive at Crampton Gap 950’ rest stop #6 at 30.9 miles as Dan is leaving. We receive a wild and noisy welcome with cow bells as we arrive. I always look forward to this rest stop because my spirit is always lifted and I know I’m going to finish.

Dana and I catch Dan well before Weverton Cliffs. Soon Geoff Stack and Jenny Poland (my hero and 08 AT thru hiker) join us as we climb the 20 hills that are never there when we hike this section on a regular day hike. Finally we are headed down the cliffs to rest stop #7 at 37.6 miles on Weverton Road at the bottom. Refreshed and separated we resume our trek along the dreaded flat C&O Canal towpath to Harpers Ferry and the finish. As we cross the railroad bridge about 6:20 pm, Dan tells me we are 13 hours and 5 minutes. We are greeted by Norma Walker (another hero of mine, 09 Boston Marathon) and others before posing for pictures.


























                                      Geoff can’t bear to watch as Dana shows great form to the amusement of both Dans

As I settle into the driver’s seat of my car for the drive home my feet issue a sigh of relief.

The HAM is 40.9 miles long. Over this distance the trail rises 5660 feet and falls 5720 feet in 10 climbs of 200 feet or more. If you multiply 40.9 miles times 5280 feet per mile times 12 inches per foot and divide by 32 inches which is my average step over undulating terrain, I took about 81,000 steps. This does not include extra walking at rest stops, off trail bio breaks, and shorter steps up steep inclines and rough trail.