Rag Tag Rangers 10th Anniversary Backpacking Trip
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This was a 21 mile N-S linear backpacking trip that commemorated the 10th anniversary of The Rag Tag Rangers first backpacking trip together: Section 29 of the AOL/ATC/Backpacker Magazine Tag Team Relay Hike. Participants were Jim Casserly, Bob Huber, Paul Kaercher, John Lawrence and Karen, Bill Isham, Charlie Johnson and myself. Saturday, September 17, 2005- I showed up at the Weverton RD, MD parking area around 7:45AM. This was the southern trailhead and where we would end the hike. Rob H showed up around 7:50, Jim C around 8:10 and Charlie J/Bill I around 8:30ish. We shuttled Jim C's car around to the northern trailhead at US40. We expected to see Paul K as he started a day before 9 miles north at MD17 and was supposed to meet us at US40 around 9AM. But he wasn't there. So we took some group pictures, waited at the north end of the I70 footbridge, and at 9:35, Rob H left a note for Paul K that simply said "RAGTAG--CATCHUP". So we started off on the hike. We had some ups and downs the first few miles and reached the Washington Monument that was erected by the people of Boonesboro, MD long ago. There were people walking in from the parking lot as well as other hikers taking in the view on top of and around the monument. The weather was great, though the view was hazy. We then stopped at the park to tank up with water and witness some civil war reenactors. We then did a few more miles of ups and downs and then got to Dahlgren Chapel and ALT40. The trail had been rerouted a bit since we came through last. We crossed ALT40 and then stopped for lunch at the Dahlgren Backpacker's Campground. While eating lunch, we saw what looked like a thru-hiker coming towards us. We weren't sure who he was. All of a sudden, he blurted out "Walmart Sucks!". Then we knew it was Paul K as this was a topic of hot discussion on a previous hike. Now we were up to 6 hikers. We set out after lunch and passed Reno Monument RD in about a mile, then Rocky Run Shelter in another mile. Then the fun began. We knew that Lambs Knoll would be the killer ascent on this trip. I tried to warn the newer members about this one. It is an approximately 700 foot climb in about 2 miles from Rocky Run Shelter to White Rocks. This is further complicated by the presence of rocky, crappy trail. So we struggled and eventually made it to the top. We took a good long break just south of White Rocks where an old section of the AT intersected the present route. Charlie J and Bill I took this route while the rest of us stuck to the trail. The next 3.5 miles were mostly flat to slightly downhill. I felt good along this stretch and took the lead. When I got to the Crampton Gap Shelter Side Trail, I could hear the voices of many individuals coming from the shelter area below the trail. So, when the rest of the group caught up, we collectively decided to push on, eat at the Gathland SP picnic pavilion, then try to find a place to camp before it got dark. We knew that there was a stealth or former campsite just south of Gathland SP, but were not sure where it was. So, aftter dinner we pushed on with nightfall closing in. We got about .2 miles up the trail when we saw a fire ring and railroad ties laid around a sloping area on the east side of the trail. We believe this was the sought after stealth or former campsite. So we claimed it and quickly put up our tents. We hiked close to 17 miles on this day. We were tired. Since darkness was closing in as the tents went up, we just climbed in and retired around 7:30PM that evening. Sunday, September 18th, 2005- The night was pleasantly warm and in the 60's. A good and uneventful night. We got up at sunrise, which wasn't until about 6:45AM. We ate breakfast, packed up and were on the trail by the usual time of 8:30. It was along this next stretch of trail that we would find out how many 'voices' that we heard the previous late afternoon. As we were ridging the 3.5 miles from our stealth campsite to the Ed Garvey shelter, we were either passed or did pass over 60 scouts that had been staying at Crampton Gap Shelter the night before. They were very nice, shared the trail and looked liked they were having a good time. We were glad that we did not camp at Crampton Gap Shelter the night before. About a half mile before we hit the Ed Garvey Shelter, we ran into John Lawrence and Karen coming towards us on the trail. It was good to see John again as we had not hiked with him in the last 5 years. So there were now 7 of us on this hike. Paul K and Ron H had to hike on as they had appointments to get to later in the day. We hiked to Weverton Cliffs, probably the most scenic view from the AT in MD, next to Annapolis Rocks and PenMar. We spent some time there, then did the last mile down to our cars, took some pictures, went to Cindy Dee's Restaurant for lunch, then called it a day. Wow, what do I say about this hike? It was amazing to think that 10 years have gone by since we got together to be part of the AOL/ATC/Backpacker Magazine AT Relay hike. It's sad that they haven't had another hike like it since. We think that we are the only surviving section of this hike that has stayed together as a group and continued hiking since then. Did I think at the time we originally hiked this section of trail that we would be doing it 10 years later? No way. However, the group evolved and grew and got to where we are today. During this journey, we have made alot of friends both within the group and along the trail. The beauty of nature that we have observed collectively is something that we shall dwell on for the rest of our lives. We have all learned alot about backpacking during the last decade and have hopefully passed that knowledge onto others. It has been fun and a great accomplishment. I am happy and very proud to have hiked with everyone that we have shared the trail with over the last 10 years. Thanks Jerry R for coming up with the name "Rag Tag Rangers". Thanks Keith P (and Nikki) for showing us how fast one can hike and inspiring me to improve. Thanks Doug K for coming up with our logo and theme. Thanks John L for handling the monies and keeping us honest. Thanks Charlie J for handling the new member stuff, the promotion of the group and originally suggesting that we keep hiking together. Thanks Bill I (and Chris) for showing up for hikes when no one else did, always bringing the best food to Trail Angel Days and for the RTR stickers. Where will the future take this group? I hope it continues. I know that my tenure here will be limited. However, as long as other hikers take up the call of being able to say that they've "Been there, done that", I am very optimistic that the Rag Tag Rangers will endure for a long time. Please join us and make that happen.
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Group picture before the hike.
By Charlie Johnson
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