Day 028 - Claysville PA to Tridelphia WV

Temps in the 30's it was a light wintry mix as we staged my car so I wore my hiking boots. It had changed to a light mist as I started and then became partly sunny. By the end of the walk all the snow cover had melted.

There were gentle rolling hills. Other than the 10 miles on the Western Maryland Rail Trail / C & O Canal Tow Path in Hancock this was the least steep terrain I have been on this side of Baltimore.

Just prior to leaving Pennsylvania Dick Burig flagged me down at the Liberty Street Cafe. He had seen my picture in Scott Beveridge's article in todays Washington Observer. He bought me a cup of coffee and a bowl of stuffed pepper soup. I had never had it before but it is my new favorite soup. Another person who saw my picture and tracked me down once I crossed into West Virginia was Olivia Grace an extremely cute little 3 year old girl from Washington.

I walked close by the intersection of Dallas Pike and I-70. Over 40 years ago my family dropped me off there where another midshipman was to pick me up and give me a ride back to school after leave. He was an hour late. I remember trying to figure out what my backup plan was going to be if he didn't show.

Today's media thank you goes out to Christine Bryant of the Eastside Messenger and Shelley Hanson of the Wheeling Intelligencer who are writing articles.

I spent last night at the Montgomery Mansion B&B in Claysville. It is a beautiful Victorian mansion built in 1880. Barbara and Steve Havens put me up. They had stayed here and loved it. The owners Shirley and Butch Smith took care of my every need.

I should hire Barbara out as my trip planner. She told me on Monday which was my day off from walking to pick up my car from the shop and bring it to the B&B which was an awesome place to catch up on my trip planning. She picked me up there that evening to spent the night at her place. Tuesday morning she drooped me off east of Washington and all I had to do was walk back to my car and belongings.

Strange coincidence but the B&B was 100 ft beyond where Tuesday's walk was planned to end. It turns out that the room I was going to be using was empty when I arrived. Shirley and Butch did Barbara & Steve a big favor by allowing me to move my stuff in and take a shower which I had not done since doing the double walk on Sunday.

Everything at the B&B was wonderful. I particularly liked the pecan French toast and amish bacon. Don't tell Shirley and Steve put I hooked up trailer to the back of my car and I am taking the rain mist shower and the jacuzzi with me for the rest of the trip.

Today's trivia question.
How am I maintaining my household while being away for eight months?