Hit the Half Way point during this segment!

1092.65 miles done

1092.65 to go!





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Shenandoah National park

'Skyline drive' - Roadway is typical of both the Skyline drive
and the Blue Ridge Parkway! Runs right along the top
of the ridge.
(The AT trail runs close to it on either side as required)

 

 

 

a closer look

'Outdoor Education' for a group of Scouts on 'Stony Man Mt.'
.......The best way to get your schooling!

 

 

Some more of the 'Tunnel'

 

1000 mile done....somebody was proud!

 

Out of the 'tunnel' and into the open!

 

Close to halfway....Harpers Ferry
Headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
......the 'Honorary Halfway Point' of the AT 

True Halfway.... a little beyond Harpers Ferry.

 

Fair Warning!......Enjoy the hike!

A welcome respite at a Hostel....
Pleasantly cool with a nice breeze.
 

 

 

A chance to relax....

 

And load up!

 

A rare view point.

 

The infamous line between the 'free' and the 'not so free'.

 

A very rare cat!....'Cragger'......follows his owner along the trail just
like a dog.   Most cats need to be dragged kicking and scratching!



Hiking the low lands....farmers field.....
....with permission of course... approaching Boiling Springs!



Final leg of the AT into town......'Boiling Springs'
...Through a delightful city park!

=========================================================================

COACHES CORNER

 

========================================================================

"Home is that way!.......No!.......That way!"

A side trip to 'Spruce Knob'...
...highest point in West Virginia.
(no idea where home is)

 

A wet camp.....Due to inevitable afternoon thunder storms!
..It just pours....If you're not under cover...you're wet!

 

A rare sight...a bear cub....I took this picture from the trail......
.....a fellow photographer tried to get a little closer.......

 

Here's his last picture......We understand he is doing quite
well and the doctor says he'll make a full recovery!!

Our 10 year anniversary.....a crown for the 'Princess'!

 

Another side trip...This time to Washington DC

and more specifically....The 'White House'

 



 

We were treated to a rare 'private tour' of the west wing of the
White House....the oval office, situation room and the press
room plus more. This was all thanks to AT hiker Hob's
nephew 'Drew' who works at the White House and was
nice enough to give us the tour, after hours, on his own time!
 

 

 

 

In the 'Press' room! (With 'Drew')

 

 

The 'Lincoln Memorial' .....
One of many visited while on Capital Hill!

 

'The Wright Brothers first flight'

At the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum 

 

and the 'Mars Rover'

(we had no time to fully explore the museum so will come back some day!)

 

 

An example of a successful 'Bike Share' program!
A very popular system according to 'Drew'!



 

A lot of stations.....free for the first 1/2 hour!
(once a nominal annual fee is paid)



 A trip to Gettysburg!

Hello miss....You say you're not familiar with my speech??
Well... I'll tell how it goes....
"Four Score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth......"

"What do you think?...."
"Pretty good, huh?..."

 

Another side trip....From Philadelphia 

To Calgary, Red Deer......
For a Wedding....

'Chelsie and Jimmy Coffin'

 

'Cosmos'

....Was supposed to be the best man ...
But he forgot his trousers!!
 

 

 

 

Some sight seeing in Philadelphia before heading back to the AT.

'Philadelphia Independence Seaport Museum'

A tour of the 1944 WWII submarine 'BECUNA' and the
1892 Dreadnaught 'OLYMPIA' - the oldest steel warship afloat
in the world!

Awesome!!

 



 



The ' Moshulu' - One of the largest 'wind ships'
ever built...launched 1904,   length 335',   beam 47'
34 sails......3100 tons
She completed 57 trips around 'Cape Horn'

(Pretty much twice a large as the 'Europa'
on which we completed our 'Cape Horn' rounding!
....Launched 1911,    length 184',    beam 25',     32 sails)
 

 

Till next time!!