13.5 Miles in Maryland - April 2013

Section details: Crampton Gap through Fox Gap and Turners Gap

13.5 miles

I made a couple of rookie mistakes on this hike.

Mistake 1:  breaking in new boots on a long hike. By the end of the hike I had a black toe nail, 2 blisters, a bruise on each ankle and a bruise on the side of my foot. The last half mile of this hike was rough...all downhill and my feet were screaming!

Mistake 2:  underestimating how long it would take. I only had a few pieces of fruit and a couple cookies to eat. The hike ended up taking 7 hours and I burned 2000 calories. Clearly, I needed more to eat.
The first half of the hike was great, but I really lost steam after that and my aching feet really put a damper on things.

Regardless, this was a really interesting, scenic hike. 

Boonesboro, Maryland

Dahlgren Chapel...really beautiful but remembered as creepy in The Blair Witch Project. 

Selfie at the original Washington Monument

Washington Monument State Park in Boonesboro, Maryland. Home of the original Washington Monument.

Signs with facts related to George Washington...the park is home to the first major Civil War battle in Maryland. 

Wildlife on the trail

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) does an amazing job caring for the trail. It looks like it was swept clean! 

Civil War Correspondents Memorial

This is definitely one of the more interesting and scenic hikes I've been on. Highly recommended as a day hike (with the right shoes and plenty of snacks!).