Last week I (intern Shelby) went out to Pennsylvania with one of my grade school friends, Hannah, to pay a visit to our favorite hiker, Matt!
We picked him and JC up less than half a mile away from the Mason-Dixon line between Maryland and Pennsylvania, at PenMar Park. We all spent the night at a hotel in Gettysburg, and after the men-folk hiked for a bit we met up at the Antietam Shelter in Pennsylvania, where Matt, Hannah and I spent the evening.
After that the three of us all headed down to the annual hiker festival, Trail Days, in Damascus, VA. Of course Matt made us take a slight detour at the James River Bridge, so that he could jump off a few more times.
Trail Days was great! Matt got some of his gear repaired for free by a variety of vendors, and won a free pair of Birkenstocks! He also got to meet Gene Epsy, the second man to ever thru-hike the AT. After Trail Days was over Matt and I parted ways, so that he could do two days of trail maintenance by participating in Tennessee Eastman Hiking Clubs's Hard Core (TEHC,) while I returned to Illinois.
We also took a side trip while in Virginia to the Grayson Highlands, to see wild ponies.
It was an awesome trip, but now I can't wait until I get to see Matt again!
--Intern Shelby
Matt jumping into the James River
Matt and Gene Epsy
Wild ponies in the Grayson Highlands
It's MY mountain
Hiker Parade during Trail Days!
Thanks for the update. So proud of you, Toothbrush!
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