Day 171 - Wednesday, October 6, 2021

So we are back on the trail wrapping up our final 4 hikes and unbelievable, incredible journey on the AT. It was a welcomed break,  rejuvenating and resting my weary bones. My knees have bothered me a little the last few weeks where I have been using KT Tape (Kinesiology Therapeutic Tape) on them but they feel much better today… just 4 more hikes 🙏🏻.

There’s a chance that we may get wet today but we’ve hiked in the rain before 😡…. Now that I think about it, we’ve hiked in the rain, sleet, snow and gale force winds. I wonder if that qualifies us to work for the USPS 😂?

Today we begin the first of our final four hikes of our thru hike starting from US 30, Fayetteville, PA (1084.8 NoBo) to Pen Mar County Park (1066.6 NoBo) for a total of 18.2 miles. 

Every day we will set new hiking milestones: today we go below 50 miles left to hike. We also crossed another state line, entering our 14th and final state of Maryland.

We began hiking at 8:00 am and the skies are threatening 🥴.

We are 20 minutes into our hike and are welcomed by yet another rock scramble… “Rocksylvannia won’t release its grip on us 😡. To make matters worst a very dense fog and I also think I detected a light sprinkle,  has generously coated the rocks with Mother Nature’s perspiration making them slippery than a glass door knob covered with monkey snot 🙈🙉🙊! 

Then finally some relief…

The leaves began dropping last week opening up the canopy which helps with shorter daylight hours.

Fog covering the power line.

The Rocky Mountain Shelter.

Now I’ve seen male /female shelters but not this one 🤔🙄😂.

Just a final rock scramble saying “Come Back Soon!”

A little local history…

The Pennsylvania / Maryland State border which is also the Mason - Dixon line . 

We finished hiking at 4:45 pm. As we were walking to the truck we were called over to a group by the parking lot. It turned out to be “Trail Magic” which was being kindly provided by “Fresh Ground” wearing the green t-shirt. You may not remember him but I immediately did as we first met him in Virginia back in April when he was making burritos for hikers. He said he remembered our trail names 🤥.  It’s amazing how he travels up and down the AT supporting all the thru hikers.  Thanks again “Fresh Ground” 👍🏻. And it gets better… we’re stopping back in the am for breakfast!

Appalachian Trail Countdown:

Total trail miles: 2152.8 miles

Trail miles left to go: 40.3 miles

Till next time... Happy Hiking    🥾 

😋

“Acts of generosity in this wild and primitive setting…where basic amenities…are intentionally absent–are often received in a heightened sense of wonder and gratitude by hikers. These acts of generosity are referred to as “trail magic.”

                   (Appalachian Trail Conservancy)