Trail Magic of a Different Kind

Days 5-7
April 21 day 5 on the trail:
Stayed at the Cobblestone Hotel in Waynesboro Pa. last night. Laundry was ready for the washer. We went to Walmart for resupply, ate at an all you can eat Restaurant then ordered a pick up cheese burger to enjoy in the room of our hotel. This morning we arose at around 4:30 am ready to begin our 5th day. We were picked up by shuttle and taken back to the trail in the same place we had left it the following day.
Pen Mar park to Tumbling Rock shelter is a 9 mile hike crossing numerous roads and streams and 2 other shelters. We decided to not push too hard today seeing that we have a straight up mountain to conquer tomorrow. We had a campfire that was built by “60also” he ran out of fuel so he cooked over the fire.

April 22 Day 6
Left Tumbling Rock (mile marker 1072.3) at 5:30 still dark and glad we did. Our destination for the next night Quarry Gap Shelters (mm 1084.5) 12.2 miles (the care taker (Jim Stauch: retired mechanical engineer) at Quarry Gap told us it was actually 13 miles) rough ups and downs with Boulder climbing involved. Caledonia Park had not yet opened for the season. We came upon a green tunnel that continued to climb as our legs could barely lift us up each rock terrace. As if out of nowhere there it was, the most beautiful shelter site; water source, benches, a sun dial, fire pit, covered tables, 2 separate shelters with pots of blooming flowers hanging and sitting around the camp. Home for the night and we had it all to our selves.

April 23. Day 7
Quarry Gap Shelter (mm 1084.5) to Birch Run Shelter (mm 1091.9) a short day at 7.4 miles. We were feeling pressure and needed to slow down to recuperate. There were some pretty good ups and downs along the way. We were about to make a stop on the side of the trail just for some lunch when a Potomac Hiking Club member came along and told us that there was a locked cabin about half a mile farther that would make a great lunch stop. We gathered our gear and headed that way. Gorgeous little cabin (PATC Milesburn Cabin) with an actual place to sit on a porch. I made lunch, we relaxed. Just as I was finishing the clean up from lunch a car pulled up in the gravel side road. There was a larger road above it so I didn’t think anything of it just thought they may have seen us there and were stopping to ask directions or something similar. We had no idea of directions unless it pertained to the trail. That was not the case it seems we were trespassing and they had rented the cabin for the weekend. They had only gone to get supplies. I guess we upset them, I would have been in the reverse situation. When we told them our story and about our hike they were very interested and wanted to know more which I was glad to share. They even let us look in the cabin while telling its history of being built in the early 1800’s. I think that’s trail magic. Good people all around.