Project Eveningland

5/29/2023 Monday

The town was ghostly quiet after the tumult of the weekend. It was downright relaxed in the morning when I went down for my breakfast sandwich across the street.

The narrow confines of the “Caretaker Suite” were enough for this traveler, but the joints on the cheap bed frame squeak quite a bit. I had one of those will-I-or-won’t-I decision points in the morning. Then I decided to stay another day and shell out for a room w a private bathroom.

I walked up the hill to the ATC headquarters to get my iconic halfway portrait and number. I was the 225th hiker to start northbound, and the 388th northbound hiker to reach Harpers Ferry.

A kindly older man took my picture and added it to the book. “Now you’re a part of AT history,” he said. They used to take a Polaroid of every hiker but now they just use a photo printer. The background of the picture is especially recognizable.

The crumbling old houses that adorn the hillsides on the way to and from upper town are wonderful and rambly with the same kind of stone as all the other buildings. Some cry out for an expensive, hands-off (for me) renovation. It looks like there’ll be a mega hotel on the hillside in the next few years.

After my morning sojourn, I hung out on the porch of the three-building inn where I’ve been staying. Met S’more, a Michigander who shared some of his writing with me. He was drafting a blog post about all the personal growth he has enjoyed on the first half of his hike. I had a ham and provolone sandwich with blackberry jam from the bakery across the street.

I took another open-ended nap in the afternoon, when my room was ready. Later the tourist tide came in. Then the rains came and washed them all away.

I made myself a little macaroni and cheese dinner in the “self-serve cafe” upstairs.