The view looking down on Harpers Ferry from Overlook Cliff
I'm not really sure what happened on Saturday. Was it age, a lack of exercise, the heat and humidity of a summer day, or a combination of all three? Whatever the reason(s), a day of hiking didn't quite turn out as planned.
Things started off well, with the 90-minute drive through some hella scenic Virginia countryside (think horse ranches and wineries) to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Yes, West Virginia, which turned out to be a lot closer than I'd always thought. The historic town of Harpers Ferry sits at a point where two rivers (the Potomac and Shenandoah) and three states (Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia) meet. If the name sounds familiar, it probably means you're thinking of the abolitionist John Brown. Brown and 21 men (including two of his sons) raided the arsenal in Harpers Ferry in October 1859, hoping to seize the weapons and distribute them to slaves in order to spark an insurrection. Federal troops led by Robert E. Lee attacked, capturing Brown, who was eventually hanged for treason. Today he's remembered by many as a martyr for the cause of emancipation.
It was 88° Fahrenheit (31° Celsius) when I parked my rented VW Jetta at the National Park Service headquarters near the entrance to the town. Not too hot, but somewhat muggy. Still, I'd hiked many times in Taiwan in similar hot 'n' humid conditions without any serious difficulties, so I wasn't anticipating any problems with this hike, even if my guidebook described the route as "difficult". My hike began on a section of the famed Appalachian Trail:
A short side trail led to Harper Cemetery, a 4-acre (1.6 hectares) hilltop burial ground laid out by Robert Harper in 1782:
Jefferson Rock overlooks the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers:
In the foreground is the neo-Gothic spire of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church. In the background arw the US 340 bridge and Loudoun Heights (Virginia):
The ruins of St. John's Episcopal Church, abandoned in 1895 after a new church was built elsehwhere in town:
The aforementioned St. Peter's, built in 1833:
The inside was air-conditioned:
The B&O Railroad Bridge, spanning the Potomac. I crossed it to reach the Maryland side:
Now in Maryland, and the ruins of Lock 33, the unloading point for goods destined for Harpers Ferry. You can see the towpath where workers maintained water levels and kept the barges moving. The C&O Canal operated between 1836 and 1924:
Envying the rafters floating down the Potomac toward where it meets the Shenandoah:
The first sign that things might be amiss came when I started walking up the Maryland Heights Trail. The path is described in my guidebook as being "steep" as it covers more than 500 feet (150 meters plus) of elevation gain in only ½ mile (800 meters or so), but I've walked steeper trails in the past without much effort. Ah, but I was younger and in better shape back then; this time I found myself stopping every few feet in an effort to catch my breath:
The nadir was reached soon after reaching an intersection and going on the Stone Fort Trail, per my guidebook's instructions. I was sweating profusely, feeling dizzy and my heartbeat was starting to race. The trail was a three-hour round-trip walk that would've taken me to the remains of a Civil War Union fortification and a scenic viewpoint (Civil War fun fact: the same Robert E. Lee who crushed John Brown's attack captured Harpers Ferry in September 1862, taking 10,000 Union soldiers prisoner in the process). I had to sit down for an extended break, resigned to the fact that I wasn't going to be able to do the trail:
Clint Eastwood summed up the situation best:
The smart thing to do would've been to return to my air-conditioned vehicle, but instead at the trail junction I took the shorter, supposedly more moderate Overlook Cliff Trail. It was tough going, but the view at 1400 feet (427 meters) was worth it. The rock pictured below is usually the spot where hikers can take in the vista, but the area close to it was roped off so as not to disturb a peregrine falcon nest:
Vultures soared overhead, waiting for me to keel over (thanks Jeff!):
While I was admiring the view a train pulled into town:
The Potomac:
Finally, it was time to head back down. I played around with the colors on my camera to take this shot:
The site of a Civil War Union battery:
This lone fawn drew a lot of attention from passing hikers:
Walking back to the railroad footbridge and really envying the rafters by this point:
Looking up at the Maryland Heights:
Crossing the bridge back to West Virginia:
The building where John Brown made his final stand, resulting in his being wounded and then captured by Federal troops. The arsenal that was the target of Brown's raid stood behind this building before it was destroyed in a fire in 1861:
By the time I dragged myself to the Roman Catholic church, I was really feeling the effects of what I'm pretty sure was heat exhaustion. The air conditioning was a welcome respite yet again:
As I was leaving the church, one of the volunteers pointed out the shadows of the roof on the ground out front:
It was with a great deal of effort that I walked the final 0.3 mile (483 meters) to my car. I was confused, dizzy, fatigued and soaked in sweat. Had the car not been so close, I'm sure I would've collapsed. Sitting for a while and letting the AC blow over me helped a lot, but I didn't feel completely right as I left town for the drive back to Falls Church, and I really had to focus my concentration on the road. Fortunately, I didn't take the freeway and I soon felt better as I drove through the countryside. Unfortunately, as I approached Falls Church, my right leg seriously cramped up, to the point that I had to stop in a high school parking lot in order to get out and try to walk it off. I made it back in one piece and later that evening drove out to Dulles Airport to meet my wife and daughter, who had been spending the week visiting my father and sister in the other Washington. But Saturday night right before bedtime, my left leg developed one of the most painful cramps I'd ever experienced, leaving me close to tears.
So did I overdo things on Saturday? Do I need to start exercising? Or is my age beginning to show? This was probably the last chance to go hiking before we leave for Ethiopia next month, so it might be a while before I'm able to try again. In the meantime, I probably should start taking better care of myself, don't you think?
The face of confusion. I don't even remember taking this picture with my phone
No comments:
Post a Comment