Monday, 2 June

This hike is broken up into two stages. Bob and I will leave a vehicle in Harpers Ferry and drive to Pen Mar Park. We will hike back to Harpers Ferry and after staying over night, get a shuttle to Front Royal. Hiking back to Harpers Ferry where we will pick up a car and drive to Pen Mar Park where we started. So in summary, hike south to Harpers Ferry, shuttle, hike north to Harpers Ferry.

Bob and I met at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters. The headquarters was busy. They take photos of the thru and section hikers. After a look around we headed over to the Quality Inn to leave one of the vehicles. There was no parking in downtown Harpers Ferry so it was two miles away to the National Park Service parking lot and Visitor Center. A bus took us into Harpers Ferry where we had lunch. We visited some of the historical sites reading about Lewis and Clark outfitting for their expedition and John Brown’s raid on the armory. Then back to the hotel for check in.

We discussed our plans and made a few changes. The plan to stay at a hostel in Harpers Ferry on Saturday was switched to staying here at the Quality Inn. It is closer to the trail and they will let us leave a vehicle which has our supplies for the second stage of our hike,

Dinner was at The Rabbit Hole, burger for me and BBQ for Bob with a cold beverage to wash it down. Harpers Ferry really quiets down in the evening. A good night’s sleep before starting our trek in the morning.