Day 021 - Frostburg to Grantsville MD

Temps were in the low 30's. The day started out without a cloud in the sky. It changed to total overcast. Snow flurries started to fall after I finished walking. The entire day I walked into a steady 20 mph headwind with higher gusts.

The first half of the walk was a long climb thru Frostburg (2200 ft) up to Big Savage Mountain (2900 ft) and across a ridge line to Little Savage Mountain (2810 ft). Little Savage Mountain was the site of today's US 40 Today picture. From the mountain my picture looked really similar to the 1983 picture. Once I walked further I realized that the barn described in 1953 as being "neatly maintained" and in 1983 as "shabby with patches on the roof" looks like a major earthquake had hit it. Josh a Frostburg native who gave me a ride said that he thought it had been deemed a historical site and that was why the state had not torn it down.

Next I crossed Meadow Mountain (2900 feet) and descended to Grantsville where I passed the Casselman Bridge which was built in 1813. It is a very impressive single arch stone bridge. It was the largest single span bridge in America. I walked three miles further than planned since the five day forecast mentioned possible snow several times.

Today I was traveling along the same route that General Braddock marched west from Fort Cumberland in 1755 on his ill-fated exposition to Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh) at the start of the French & Indian War. There were a number of historical plaques detailing his encampments.

I checked out of the Cumberland Holiday Inn this morning. Thanks to Zak working the desk for taking care of everything I needed.

Answers to trivia questions:

Miles driven = 2180 for 259 miles walked to Cunberland

Shoes, etc:

7 new pairs of ASICS 2170 sneakers ( 3 for first half of walk, 3 for last half of walk, one spare)

1 pair of old ASICS 2170 sneakers for walking in Atlantic Ocean, light rain and snow days

1 pair Rockport dress shoes

1 pair Rockport waterproof hiking boots for heavy rain and snow days

3 pair custom orthopedic inserts to be swapped into second set of shoes halfway across the country