Notes on trail flora

One of the joys of the hike so far has been the abundance of wild flowers and flowering trees along route.

This tree has been a particular favorite since it's vibrant flowers seem almost to glow. The bloom has the intensity of the lavender petal, but also a softer pastelly quality. If that makes any sense.

Days and Weeks

C&M asked in comments whether we could outline what a typical day and/or week looks like.

The short answer is no. Each day and every week bring their own challenges. On top of that our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants approach means we're still in the process of figuring out how best to do the basics, like provisioning, day and distance planning, etc.

Having said that, here are some things we are finding typical:

• We're hiking about 10 miles a day. The C & O canal makes this very easy by providing campsites every 5-7 miles from mile 16 to the western terminus.
  
  
• We had anticipated access to towns would be more regular and easier than it has proved to be making provisioning more challenging than we had anticipated. We learned that the first week. Last week in Harpers Ferry we did some shopping, pulled out what we needed for the week and then mailed the rest on to future us here in Hancock. This allows us to buy a box of oatmeal, for example, but only carry 1 week's worth at a time. Based on this one cycle, it seems to be a good technique. Thanks past selves!
  
  
• In addition, we left all of our extra gear with Deborah and Jason and we've been mailing back and forth with them as our needs change. They were able to send us Jenny's trusty old boots, for example, when the new ones failed.
  
  
• While the canal has been easy hiking, we will soon be heading into West Virginia and hitting our first mountain hiking, both on roads and trails. The hikes will be more demanding and the provisioning, even perhaps post offices, more sporadic -- at least that's what we've heard. The last third of West Virginia is on a rail trail so that should be similar to the C&O experience.
  
  
• Jenny says our days go like this: hike until she is exhausted, then somehow manage to get to the target campsite -- usually around the next bend in the trail.
  
  
• Jenny says our weeks go like this: hike until she collapses (or falls on her face) then call a cab and go to a hotel. That's probably an exaggeration though we have been staying in hotels 2 or 3 nights a week so far. Our plan is to stay one night a week in a hotel once we get into shape. We now anticipate we will be in shape for the hike sometime in October.
  
  
• At this point, the likelihood of our making it to California this year is remote, at best. Nevertheless, consistent with our plan, we remain focused on enjoying ourselves. A goal that remains well within our grasp.

We'll update as things change or start to stay the same.

America's Best Value Inn

It's a bold claim but this time they just may be right. The America's Best Value Inn in Hancock, Maryland is very inexpensive, clean and offers a pleasant trip along Nostalgia Highway for any fan of American films of the 40s and 50s. Indeed, I keep expecting Ida Lupino and Edmund O'Brien* to pull up in a Plymouth convertible.

From the motel court outside to the floor-to-ceiling real wood paneling and art deco bathroom inside, the place feels like it is visiting from a distant black and white century.

*This is definitely a B-movie place.

Turtles

Today we went on a three hour bike ride on a rail trail that parallels part of the tow path. Shortly into the ride we stopped to save a turtle from being squashed by all the bike traffic.

As we took it's picture Rick kept telling the turtle to relax, everything was cool. It stared at us and hissed (side note: turns out when you ask three year olds what goes hiss they should say snakes - of course - AND geese AND turtles!). Any how, it hissed "You crazy upright monkey, everything is decidedly not cool".

Keep the comments coming

We're able to post to the blog from Jenny's phancy fone but we can only post comments when we can access a regular computer.

That means we cannot always respond in a timely manner to your comments. So we just want to say that we read all the comments, we enjoy them immensely and will respond whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Keep 'em coming!

Ghost trees

All along the tow path we've seen these ghostly white sycamores amongst the lush greenry. Their alabaster fingers reaching into the sky seem misplaced and uncanny.

The other night I was awoken by what sounded like gun shots. Natch, I assumed a crazed killer was on a campsite death spree. I rolled over and fell back to sleep.

In the morning we saw a ghost tree had fallen across the tow path close by our campsite. I guess that's what I heard--no c.k. on a c.d.s. Phew.

Deluxe accommodations

To get to tonight's campsite descend past vivid blue wild flowers to the old stone retaining wall then down the rustic stone steps and onto a lush green lawn fronting the rain-swollen Potomac. An as yet unknown aromatic plant fills the site with a sweet, herby scent.

The sun is shining. Our feet are not hurting. Hard to beat.

River of trees

After three days of light but steady rain the Potomac was very high. As this picture shows, many small islands were flooded. I was surprised to see how a seemingly small amount of rain could make such a difference. I guess it shows how many, many tiny streams can add up to quite a river. Rick calls a network effect.

We had a great walk today. It was Mark Twaine weather: sunshine, wind, rain and even hail.

O, the humanity!!

One would not be at fault given the relative surfeit of discussion of Jenny's trials and tribulations as against the paucity of such discussion regarding my own suffering in concluding that my journey has thus far been, as it were, a walk in the park. Nevertheless, such is not the case. In order to rectify this unhealthy imbalance I will now list the myriad corporeal woes attending my experience thus far.

1. I have a painful callous on the right side of my left big toe. It is a 3 on a 10-point scale making it mildly annoying to say the least.
2. I have a small outbreak of poison ivy on my right hand between my pinky and ring fingers. It was quite itchy a few days ago but since applying some hydrocortizone it is now merely an unsightly blemish on my otherwise perfect form.

Such are the slings and arrows I have been suffering. I hope this report lets you revise your heretofore rosy assessment of my journey to a mildly arduous walk in the park.

O, the humanity!!

Preliminary equipment test results

In response to the request made by Raised By Wolves in the comments section, we have a few thoughts about our equipment.

Bad:

• Rick's cheap light rain jacket was cheap and light, but not at all rain resistant. He is now using his old reliable, but heavier REI rain jacket.
• The alcohol stove was a bust for us. It took too long to heat water up and therefore used too much fuel. We are now happily back to our old faithful MSR Pocket Rocket, which we love.
• My shoes - sigh

Good:

• We studied ultra-light options. We got to light. Carrying less weight feels great.
• Big thumbs up for the light-weight, easy to put together Big Agnes Seedhouse 3 tent. We got the three person to have a little extra space and we're happy with that decision.
• We like our Go Lite Pinnacle packs so far. The torso of my pack may be a little short, but we're working on adjusting it. It may also be that I just need to build my back muscles. Every day the packs feel lighter (except when they are actually heavier, like when we've just filled up on food)
• We got rain covers for the packs which have worked very well for us so far. We heard that they do little good in a drenching downpour, but in regular rain they've been fantastic.
• We highly recommend Body Glide for frictiony body parts. I used this between my toes when recovering from the blisters, but it's very versatile for anywhere you get chafing. Hat tip to our friend Dave who is a long distance runner and recommended this to us.
• Also re: blisters Rick found some Dr. Scholl's toe tubes that are meant for corns but were the final solution for me and my blisters.
• Rick has long wanted to try a method for soaking long cooking soups and beans that we've found really works. We put the soakables in a zip lock bag with water, then stuff the bag in a Nalgene bottle. By the end of a day and half, or even a day, we just heat and serve.
• I love my kindle

bump up the volume

The camp sites along the tow path have these old-time pumps for water. Here's Rick getting a work out at one of the ones that takes 30-40 pumps before any water comes up. Most people give up after three, but Rick is stubborn. We hypothesize that the higher we get from the water table the harder it is to get the water up the pipe.

We met a lot of wonderful people yesterday. First we met a real gentleman named Nacho. He stopped and chatted with us for about half an hour. Rick told him about the camp sites along the toe tow path and Nacho decided on the spot to take his four kids and two friends ("basically also my kids") on a camping trip.

Eventually some of the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance Corp showed up. Nacho introduced us to them then went on his way. Paula and Stacy, the two volunteers had been friends since they were four. Grown apart, refound each other, grown apart and now shared shifts in the ambulance. Stacy's first husband wasn't supportive of her volunteer efforts so only in the last year, with the support of her new husband was she able to fullfill a long held dream of being a volunteer EMT. Paula's grown daughter has twins, a boy and a girl, so she proudly told us, her house is never quiet. Jackie, a garrulous local, filled us in on all the local history of Brunswick (nee Berlin).

Oh, yes, by this time we were at the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance Company, where they had graciously driven us after my boot lashes tangled and I'd fallen flat on my face. Black eye blooming this morning. Once they realized I wasn't going the way of Natasha Richardson, both my father, my friend Helen and Rick got good belly laughs out of what a klutz I am.

We'll be staying in lovely Harpers Ferry for the next several days, taking day hikes and nursing my various wounds.

Viaduct?

Because sometimes the canal has to cross an obstacle. In this case the obstacle is the Monocacy River.

The Monocacy Aquaduct carries the canal over the river. Pretty cool; a canal over a river.

We're camped tonight about a quarter mile from here.

You're never far from history

Tuesday afternoon we crossed into the old confederacy on a ferry named the Gen. Jubal A. Early. We were reminded of the character Jubal Early from Firefly, who was a sociopathic bounty hunter. When we looked up Gen. Early we were a little surprised to discover that the ferry is named after such a devisive figure. Gen. Early never made peace with the post-war United States remaining an "unreconstructed rebel."

Despite all that, the ferry ride was peaceful, foggy and beautiful. Today we return to Maryland to continue our hike.

C+O Canal

It is a beautiful day on the C+O Canal.

We're on the march again and, blisters willing, we'll have a great week along the towpath.

Washington, DC test drive

We're about to head out for a test drive of Jenny's new-improved less blistered feet.

We'll head down to the National Mall, check out the East Wing of the National Gallery and then head up Rock Creek Park and see how those toes are doing.

It's raining in DC today. Tomorrow is supposed to be a fine day. Our plan is to get back on the trail tomorrow morning--heading out of DC on the C&O towpath.

Deb and Jason got our goat

Deb and Jason sent us this photo on April 1st. Now that we can post from our handheld, here it is!

Exhibit #1

Here they are--my poor toes...

Roberts-Weigert Blister Clinic

We're now in Silver Spring, MD at the world famous Roberts-Weigert Blister Clinic.

Dr. Sophie and Dr. Zach have prescribed an intensive course of Cosmic Catch. We're looking forward to Dr. Dave's opinion later in the day.

a port in a storm (of blisters)

We set out from Annapolis yesterday feeling strong, walking fast and with the wind at our backs. I felt a twinge or two on those dratted little toes, but foolishly ignored them. After almost four hours of walking I realized I was going to fall over soon from the pain. We cried uncle and called our friend Jane Willeboordse. I laid on the ground cursing while Rick gave directions to where we were stranded.

Jane took us home where she sat me down in front of the fire, soaked my feet in epsom salts and plied us with food and wine. Later we feasted on Jane and Eric's delicious chicken soup. Bella (12) and Paul (14) entertained us while we slowly recovered.

We ended the evening with a rousing game of poker. It turns out that Jane is a sharp; pretending not to know what she's doing while leaving all but Rick penniless.

Is this thing on?

Trying to blog from handheld.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Crossing Chesapeake Bay

We're waiting for ADT volunteer Pete Nelson who has generously offered to drive us over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge which is not walkable. Pete will be dropping us off in Annapolis from where we will walk to Bowie.

We'll be staying with friends in Catonsville tonight and then hiking to Silver Spring, Maryland outside DC tomorrow where we'll also be staying with friends.

We have a bunch of errands to run on Friday. On Saturday we'll start up the C&O canal towpath which will be our route for the next 160 miles or so--all the way to West Virginia.

We love the Swains

What Rick failed to mention in yesterdays post is that we got a ride from Bridgeville to Denton - between 15 and 20 miles. Yesterday was an all day walk against a strong headwind. By the time we reached Bridgeville I had a blister the size of my big toe, on my little toe. We were windburned and winddeaf when we saw a gentleman in his late middle age flagging us down. "Are you the couple walking to California? Want to come in for some tea?" Rick said yes faster than I knew he could speak.

Sonny and his wife Astrid had read about us in the article Rick mentioned in his post yesterday, which had just come out in that morning's paper. The Swains were gratious and welcoming. We talked with Sonny about the changes in the Bridgeville he'd known growing up. On the first day, around Lewes, we had seen acres and acres of housing tracts built on former farm land. Most of the houses were unoccupied. It struck us at the time that here was an example of the very bust that had sent us on this walk. We mentioned this to Sonny as we waited for Astrid to come home and he talked about his childhood spent hunting the woods after school til sunset. The woods that are now housing tracts.

After a warming cuppa, and a pleasant and informative chat in their cosy home, Astrid offered to drive us to a hotel she knew of in Denton. We jumped at the offer. We're no die hards. News flash - we are old and out of shape. BUT getting stronger with every car ride and day off.

We hope we meet more wonderful people along the American Discovery Trail. The Swains have set the bar high.

Day 4 -- We're in the news

Not 30 minutes into the walk on Wednesday we were hailed by a reporter in Lewes. We spent a few minutes on her front porch answering questions. Here's the resulting article.

Today we crossed the Delaware/Maryland line and are in Denton, Maryland for the night.