Quick Out and Back

This past Sunday, my mom and sister and I headed to Pen Mar Park to do a quick hike.  We headed north on the Appalachian Trail.  We didn't have any specific plan for the length of our hike.  I'm sadly out of shape, so we decided to just hike until we reached a good spot to turn around and head back. 
Before crossing the Mason Dixon Line into Pennsylvania, we had to cross over a set of railroad tracks.  There's just something about a set of railroad tracks in a rural area that stirs the wanderlust.  Perhaps I was a Hobo in a past life, because part of me was thinking it would be pretty cool to hop on a passing freight train and head out to who knows where.


Just past the tracks, we got to the Mason Dixon Line. Now I can really say that I've completed Maryland. Since my previous hikes started from Pen Mar headed south, I never actually hiked this short stretch of Maryland Trail.  Right at the Mason Dixon Line marker is a mailbox covered in stone holding a log book.  I love reading log books.  We looked for entries from the hikers we fed when we did Trail Magic, but none of them took the time to stop and fill out the log.  I imagine sitting and eating with us ate up too much of their time (pun intended).  The log was full, so we weren't able to add anything to it.
We continued on down a hill that I wasn't thrilled about having to go back up on the return, and came to a stream/creek and an area where it looks like people camp.  There was a footbridge crossing the stream and leading to another hill- this one we had to go up.  As some of you know, I'm not fond of going up.  It all has to do with the problem I have with my hip.  Inclines make it hurt more, and after breaking my foot and being in a boot and on crutches, it seems like I've gotten things all out of whack once again.  We kept on going up before finally reaching a point where I felt it was time to turn around.  Just before heading back down the trail, a large group of backpackers passed us one their way to the Tumbling Run Shelters. 


The one great thing about this hike was that I was finally able to have that bear encounter I've been hoping for.  I'm not sure if this is an albino Black Bear or a Polar Bear who traveled to far south.  Or perhaps I wandered into the world of Lost.  Either way we were quiet so as not to disturb his obvious hibernation.
It was a nice 3 miles hike, and now we're planning our own overnight Caledonia to Pen Mar southbound next month.  In the meantime, I have even more motivation to hit the treadmill and lose those extra pounds I've added.
On a side note, we went into Waynesboro to check out an antique store of sorts.  They don't have just antiques, some items are reproductions, but it was a great store.  All three of us picked up some stuff.  It's called James and Jess House of Goods.  If you're in the area for a hike, maybe check them out.  Also, there's a fabulous (though super expensive) chocolatier.  We didn't sample anything, but it was great just standing in there smelling the store.