Day 173 - Friday, October 8, 2021

I don’t want to give anyone the impression that I’m counting, but today is the 3rd of our final 4 hikes to complete our thru hike. Okay I’m counting, why not 😉?  And it looks like the weather will also be on our side whereas we will have moderate temperatures in the low 70’s and clear skies. I think I’ll get a little daring and do a final “shakedown” and drop my rain gear from my pack 🤭.


Our 2nd from the last hike will be from the the I-70 Footbridge, US 40 (1048.2 NoBo) to Gapland Road, Gathland State Park (1036.0 NoBo) equaling 12.2 miles. We are setting 2 hiking milestones today: going below 10 miles left to hike and 1 hike remaining to complete our thru hike.

We began hiking at 9:45 am; a little later than normal but we took the opportunity to get some additional sleep.




Gathland State Park.






View from White Rock Cliff.




The trail was generally much easier to negotiate today; more typical soil base with few rocks and roots but you are still on full time alert placing each step in a safe position. I’m not sure if your subconscious mind is working overtime to avoid slipping/falling and avoiding an injury when the end is so close and you are still always just one step from leaving the trail. And even with the extra caution you still find yourself misplacing steps resulting in partial trips and slips. 


This section of trail uses check dams to slow running water in wet conditions.




Monument for Confederate Brigadier General Samuel Garland Jr. . This area of the Country is rich in American History especially the Civil War. Harpers Ferry was a very strategic stronghold. 


Hiker art 🤔?






Dahlgren Backpack Compound.


AT footbridge over I-70.


I-70.


We finished hiking at 4:00 pm.


Appalachian Trail Countdown:
Total trail miles: 2183.4 miles
Trail miles left to go: 9.7 miles



Oh and by the way… we got this! If you were ever going to “bet the house” this is the time! 

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)


Comments

  1. Joe ArcuriOctober 8, 2021 at 10:49 PM

    9.7 !!!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ebb and FloOctober 9, 2021 at 9:34 AM

    So proud of you! Amazing accomplishment ‼️ Tomorrow looks like a short hike for you two. Run through the tape at the finish line!

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownOctober 9, 2021 at 4:25 PM

    I would have bet the house from the beginning ! I knew you could do it if you set your mind to it. Now come home I miss you!

    ReplyDelete

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