AT Day 75: Another Day in Maryland

Daily Miles: 17.9, Total Miles: 1,061.5

I woke up to a cooler, overcast, misty, and drizzly morning and it stayed that way the whole day. I left camp about 7am and quickly arrived at the Washington Monument State Park and refilled water bottles. I made a short detour to the monument itself, a stone obelisk built in 1827. This was nearly 60 yrs before the more famous monument in D.C. I would have had good views there if not so socked in.

I later passed by what would have been good views at Annapolis Rocks and Black Rock Cliffs but at least saw four whitetail deer. I had lunch with Revelator at the Ensign Cowall Shelter. He hiked the first half of the AT in 1990 and was coming back to finish. We then hiked the remaining five miles to Raven Rock Shelter. I pitched my tent and got prone to rest the weary legs. Quite a bit of rock on the trail but I understand a lot more to come in PA. Another 3k vertical feet today.

Hikers met in the first two days: Cujo (FL), Siteseer (MA), Gypsy Girl (Tasmania), Relevator (HI) and the Blowpop Girls (NH), my trail name for two ladies who gave me my first blowpop sucker. I at first thought they were offering me an illegal substance.

New birds today: Eastern Tohwee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch and an American Crow.