Free Spirit’s ( Al's )

Appalachian Trail Journal

Last night at the shelter was more like spending a night on a back porch in suburbia. There were barking dogs, mooing cattle, traffic noises, crowing roosters, cackling chickens and noisy kids. But I slept fairly well in the cramped little shelter and started the day off with very high spirits.

"Old Spice and Southern Comfort" look back on the South Mountain ridge we just hiked.

STONEWALL REGIMENT historic Civil War battlefield marker.

The South mountain ridge is relatively smooth and pretty at first. Hiking more or less with Old Spice and Medicine Man, we passed up the Rocky Run Shelter and took a break at its side trail as AuSable Mike, his wife and Medicine Man caught up. We stopped in at the Dahlgren trailside campground and found a sink full of grape soda - Fannypack was still working his magic all the way up here! We ascend to Dahlgren Chapel, cross the road and climb the hill. Descending the other side, we reach Washington Monument State Park, call home, take a lunch break, and visit the monument before moving on. (It was the first monument to George; not THE Washington monument in DC.) A large group of girls (Outward Bound) is out for a backpacking excursion. (YAY!). We rush to stay ahead of them.

We cross I 70 just as the state police are cleaning up a serious wreck there and enter the woods where another large group of girls is gathered at the side trail to the Pine Knob Shelter. They are going to be camping near the shelter (YAY! YAY!).

Pine Knob shelter.

The shelter itself is a real sad affair. It is filthy, black with soot from the too-close fireplace, generally old and decrepit, full of trash and litter, bearing much evidence of being a party gathering spot, and being without a register. And there was a large fire going in the fireplace - totally unattended. But - it was a roof over our heads. Mikes wife is having real problems with (lack of) conditioning and blisters but she is hanging in there. We passed a beer joint back by the I 70 crossing. Medicine Man makes a burger and beer run after the appropriate incentive (2 beers) is offered up. A young at heart senior couple, very neat and tidy, joins us at the shelter. They hiked in from PenMar. They were such nice people, gentle and fun to talk to. They were enjoying section hikes of the AT. The girls were amazing. They were so well behaved and quiet, especially after dark that we hardly knew they were there. The line formed at the privy door brought us back to reality, however.

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