Assateague Island, MD Backpacking Trip
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Chris and I left Hagerstown at 9:PM on Friday, it was raining. Crossed the
bay bridge and it was dry, that was a good sign, then it started raining
again. A arrived at Assateague National Seashore at 1:AM, looked for Doug,
looked in the wrong places, found a site and slept in the truck, listening
to the raindrops on the roof. Sat. 9:AM 10/18, the rain had stopped, met
Doug at the right time and place, he was drying out from Fri. night. we cooked
At right, the group prepares to brave the elements of Assateague Island, MD. By Bill Isham pancakes and coffee on the tailgate and packed. by 10:am we determined that Mike was still at home warm and dry. Doug, Chris and me headed down the beach with a nice tail wind, cloudy skies, we walked, talked and looked for treasures the storm might have washed ashore. We were passed by a group of rider son horseback there must have been over 100 horses. We hiked on about 4 miles, since the weather still looked threatening we decided to camp at Little Levels instead of going on to State Line. We set up camp. cooked noodles, had lunch in an of and on misty rain. We took several small hikes, some alone, some as a group, looking at nature and gathering firewood. We found an oak plank from an old ship about 4 inches thick and 16 feet long put together with wooden pegs. Doug and carried it back to camp, thinking it would burn all night if we could just get it started. well......... it was heavy and twisted, not easy to carry and we never did burn it, we left it there, maybe the next camper will burn it. we thought it was a treasure from the sea, i wanted to bring it home, make a mantel or something but i couldn’t get Doug to carry it out with me.
The last hike of the day was to the bay side of the island, across a small
bridge, down a road that had a sign that said “ no vehichles beyond
this point unless you are a registered waterfowl hunter” since we were
walking we didn't think this applied to us so we walked on. almost to the
end we saw a group of ponies on a point , they were the only ponies we saw,
At left, Doug K and Chris I hiking the beach. By Bill Isham they were all hiding from the weather or that heard of people horses that invaded their island. On our way back to camp we passed several hunters, one with a small deer. it continued to misty rain, the wind was picking up and it was getting dark. back at camp we built a fire,cooked dinner stood around the fire till it was almost gone. the misty rain was getting harder and the wild was really blowing so we called it a day, climbed in our tents, it rained all night, the wind blew and the tent flapped. we stayed warm and dry in our sleeping bags hoping it would stop or at least slack off. by 9:30 on Sunday we knew it wasn't going to happen. I heard Doug outside packing up and screaming something that we couldn't understand because of the wind.Chris got out of our tent and held it down while i got our stuff out and we started to fold up the tent. I looked around and Doug's tent was airborne and heading down the beach with him in hot pursuit, as soon as I could let go of our tent i went after him. About a Quarter mile down the beach he was walking it back, he said he was getting out some chute cord and it would make a fine kite.
We were just about packed up and ready to hike 4 miles out aginst a 30-50
MPH head wind and driving rain when an angel appeared. Doug asked if she
was there to carry us home? she said yes, she was the N.P.S. ranger named
Karen Frasier, truly an angel when we needed one. you all know how disappointed
I/WE were that we couldn't finish our hike. She dropped us at our trucks,
we cleaned up and dried off some at the bath house. We had a really good
breakfast at the “Pony Island Cafe”. Over breakfast we talked,
At right, proof that there were people on the beach that weekend. By Bill Isham Doug's thoughts were” you have to experience the elements to truly appreciate them, Mother Nature, up close and personal.” We headed for home. it was a really nice hike, we all enjoyed all of it. Mike, you don't know what you missed and it wasn't cold. I would like to do this hike again next year, making it longer,leaving a vehicle at the Virginia end, hike to State Line about 12 miles. then doing about another 12 miles the next day on the Virginia end where few people go because it is foot access only, we should see some of nature at its best there. finishing in Chincoteague with a seafood dinner or a crab feast.
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