Day 015 - Boonsboro to Hagerstown MD

I encountered some flurries while driving to the start point. It was mostly sunny day with temps in the 30's and a constant head wind with gusts over 20 mph.

The day had an interesting start. I had gotten permission from the owner to park my car at the street end of a very long driveway. Apparently someone thought this looked suspicious and called the MD state police. While the first officer was running a check on my drivers license and plates the backup patrol car arrived. I showed them my blog passed out cards to the cops and was on my way.

Anne and the puppies once again joined me for the entire walk. Anne has completed a hat trick of three walks and the two puppies finished their second complete walk. They said that they were disappointed that Anne and I had not let them go over South Mountain yesterday. When the waitresses in Gracie's Cafe saw we were walking they gave us both a bottle of water for the road.

On the way to Funkstown Bejoy Joseph a reporter for WHAG Hagerstown took film of us walking and did an interview for the evening news.

The first US 40 picture was of the 190 year old stone arch bridge that crosses the Antietam Creeks just outside Funkstown. The 1953 picture had three billboards. The 1983 had four. There are now only two standing and one doesn't look like it has had an advertisement on it for years.

The second US 40 picture was of the 200 year old Rochester house called Mount Prospect in 1953 Hagerstown. It was demolished in 1958 for a parking lot. The major difference between today and the 1983 picture is that in 1998 they added fancy murals to the concrete wall that surrounds the parking lot.

Joan and I attended the Third Biennial Atlantic Region Conference in Hagerstown seven years ago this week. We did walks in Williamsport, Hagerstown and Antietam, MD. I remember the morning that we did the Hagerstown walk it was cold and raw like today and all the walkers stopped at an indoor farmers market and got something warm to drink.

I have been cutting down on the number of pictures that I attach to the blog this week because where I am has weak cell and WIFI connections. All US 40 pictures have been posted to Facebook. I post additional pictures to Facebook everyday that aren't on the blog. Since the Facebook page is for the walk and not my personal Facebook page you do not have to have a Facebook account to view the pictures. Go to the Facebook link on my blog to view the additional pictures.