Day two started without any hitches and I abandoned the campground around seven in the morning. At lock 22 I visited my first site on the MAPT (the Mediocre American President's Trail). Grover Cleveland had enjoyed using the area to decompress while president. Cleveland's main accomplishments are: 1)Being the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms 2) Having an illegitimate child lead to a candy bar being named after him 3) Not having the city of Cleveland named after him.
Around lunch time I strode into Poolesville, about a mile off trail, to get more water and some snacks. The store there is closed, but I was able to obtain the water from a hose out back. As I reached the trail again I spoke to a marine named Winfield who had hiked the Appalachian Trail. The moment our conversation ended I turned to find another C&O hiker, Swagman John.
John is a former Navy man who has hiked the trail in its entirety over ten times and along with his brother and scout troop helped to break trail there in the early 70s. John and I started walking and talking and we didn't stop until we reached our bivouac for the evening, just past mile thirty on the C&O. We decided since we were headed in the same direction for awhile that we should stay together. I consider myself lucky to have found such an experienced hiker from which to learn. My time as grasshopper under the sensai's training has commenced.
14 miles/139 total miles
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