Family Men in the Woods; Walking to the Pogo with Cousin Jim
April 7: Appalachian Trail from Daleville to Carvins Cove overlook and back. 5 miles
We’ve returned, the last few times we’ve done this walk, to the spot where we had a chat with an official National Park Service Ranger one windy day when he seemed to be worried about geezer safety. No particular reason to return except that The Day Hiker seizes it since it’s a little less distant than where we used to lunch most often, and still, before the leaves come, has a view onto the reservoir.
April 13-14: Appalachian Trail from Tye River north to the first Three Ridges overlook and back, with an overnight stop at Harpers Creek Shelter. About 10 miles
This was the big ol’ “winter hike” that the men of the family failed to undertake one rainy weekend back in, uh, winter. And we paid the price in a way, as on a rainy April weekend, this popular section—a great 13-mile loop when you include the Mau-Har Trail—was just plain full of hikers on both directions. And we added to the crowd, with sons Ben, Eric, David and Adam (and Carl hiking from the other direction) along with grandsons Aden, Matthew and Tyler. Our plan was to get to the Maupin Field Shelter after the climb of Three Ridges, but the combination of how deeply that climb did us in (and by far the most, did me in, as the combination of a broken old pack, the climb, the load and the age had me struggling as much as I ever have.)
We paused for lunch at the first of the Three Ridges overlooks and weighed our options: Yes, we could make it to Maupin Field Shelter, but we had seen so many hikers, including thru-hikers, headed in that direction that we knew we’d be getting wet. So after trying and failing to meet up with Carl, who walked in from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the north, we turned around, deciding to take our chances with the Harpers Creek Shelter or, more likely since we were sure it would be full too, just walk back out.
But we were early enough to take over the shelter, and maybe at least in part because the flow of the creek in front of it made for a difficult hop or a wade. So we squeezed one too many people into a six-person shelter while Eric set up a tent next door, and had a good night with just a few showers and everyone staying dry.
I might not have made it down from the overlook, nor down from the shelter had not Eric suggested that his son Aden trade packs with me. I’m working on a ceremony of some sort to destroy that old pack (Carl’s, back in the late ‘90s) before I get to get me a brand new backpack for . . . next winter?
The Day Hiker? She stayed home with the other girls and got her dang nails done.
April 20. Dragon’s Tooth, Scout and AT to Beckner Gap and back. 7 miles
We decided we hadn’t done this section since its part in doing all of the AT in Virginia back 10 years ago. And for pretty good reason, as it drags on pretty good and turns out to be, well, at least on this day, not too memorable.
April 21. Trails of Greenfield Park to Ballast Point Brewery and back. About 6 miles
Easy peasy flat walking, a nice destination with cold beer and pretty good eats, and then you walk back.
April 27. The roadways of Wilson Point, Middle River, MD. About 3 miles.
On a most pleasant visit to my brother, Eric, he, The Day Hiker and I walked pretty much the length and breadth of the residential area where he and I grew up, passing old haunts and our old houses, and along the neighborhood’s short streets that continue to shrink with the passage of the decades. The gracious Day Hiker has done these rambles with us enough that by now she knows most of the spots Eric and I like to point out as if we’re telling her about them for the first time.
April 28. Cascade Trail in Patapsco Valley State Park, Maryland. 3 miles
You think the likes of the AT/MauHar loop is crowded, try the most popular hike in an urban park near Baltimore/Washington.
April 29. Thurston Griggs and Appalachian trails in Maryland, 4.8 miles.
Cousin Jim Rheinheimer, who lives in Denver, wanted to climb the Griggs Trail to visit the Pogo Campsite, named after my brother, and then continue on the Appalachian Trail south to U.S. 40, where wife Tammy would pick us up. We had a fine walk—Jim, The Day Hiker and me, with a good visit to the Pogo site, a nice lunch at Annapolis Rocks, and dead-on timing to when we told Tammy we’d arrive, as she was backing into parking spot as we came out of the woods.
