History.

The days following Front Royal were brutal. Heat advisories and difficult terrain proved to be a tough combination. The last miles of trail in Virginia are known as “The Rollercoaster” because of a series of steep ups and downs between 500 and 1000 feet of gain and loss. It absolutely kicked my ass. I was able to do 20+ mile days in the Shennies, but with the adverse conditions, I was barely doing 16 miles through this section. It was a bit humbling, and I felt like I was back in the first couple of weeks, where I was simply exhausted by the end of the day.

The big bright spots I had were all the milestones quickly approaching. The 1000-mile mark, the Virginia border, and Harpers Ferry were all things I was looking forward to. Harpers Ferry is a special place for AT hikers as it’s generally referred to as the symbolic halfway point. Also, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is headquartered there in town. That was the first place I stopped at when I arrived. I registered and had my picture taken for the archives. I was the 831st Northbounder to check in this season. Considering I was the 2236th to start back in Georgia, I think I’m making pretty good progress.

Harpers Ferry holds a lot of significant history. The town exchanged hands multiple times between the Union and Confederates during the civil. However, it does not compare to our nation’s capital.

I was given the opportunity to take a day trip to Washington, D.C. Poles’ wife was in town, and they offered to take a few thru-hikers along with them on the hour drive into the city. I jumped at the chance, and it turned out to be a blast. I visited the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Monument, the Korean War Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the National Portrait Gallery. It was quite a different experience from hiking, that’s for sure!

After a few hours in D.C., it was back to Harpers Ferry and back on the trail. I crossed the Potomac River into Maryland and hiked a few miles to camp.

Editor’s note: I am a bit behind on posts, but hopefully, I can catch up in the next few days. Thanks to everyone who is continuing to follow my posts. Stay tuned, as I have many more stories to share!