• Halfway Hideaway Hostel, Harpers Ferry (1025.7) to Washington, DC
• 0 feet ascent, 0 feet descent

Going from the Appalachian Trail to the Nation’s Capital was yet another time capsule for us. For 20 years, from the 1990s to the 2000s, both of us worked in and out of Washington, DC. The Historian lived there for a time, doing research in the National Archives. I went back and forth multiple times a month for years serving on national committees to improve access to healthcare for people in rural and underserved areas, including civil violence and war zones. 

We love Washington, it is the city of our hearts. We never really lived in a city for long, but if we ever chose to move from a rural area to a city, it would be DC. We have not been back since we retired in 2012, so like the Appalachian Trail from 1975 to 2025, it was both familiar and unfamiliar. 

An Easy Walk to the Train Station

This mornong, we arose early, but did not move around too quickly. Both of us enjoyed pancakes and real coffee for breakfast, courtesy of the Hostel. After a bath we finished packing and took off for our 1 1/2 mile walk to the Harpers Ferry Train station. I urged us to leave in more than plenty of time because I did not want to stress over being late for the train. 

We dropped off at the post office and mailed our bounce box to our friends in New Hampshire so we did not have to hand carry it. Packs were enough. Everyone at the post office was very kind. We talked with people about my 1975 hike and everyone was happy I was so close to finishing it. 

As we walked down the streets, we looked at the historic buildings. It was easy to differentiate various historic periods. Some of the architecture was Georgian (early 18th to early 19th century).

There were also homes that reflected the pre amd post Civil War era, largely Victorian in type (1840 to 1900). A few buildings were more modern but mostly, it looked like the buildings had been there a long time. Several blocks were being demolished to build a “looks old” building. 

Harpers Ferry Train Station

We got to the train station early, as expected. We meet several nice families who were from the region and had ridden the train for a short visit to Harpers Ferry. The arrived and we were quickly boarded. 

Arriving at Washington Union Station

The ride was short and we soon arrived at Union Station. We were surprised at how unbusy the station was, and also pleased that the train debarked in a part of the station we knew well. There was a concert going on and we stopped to listen for a few minutes. 

I had a hard time being in the station. Most of my trips through the station were filled with expectation that we could make a difference in the world. I worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the State Department’s efforts with war recovery and terrorism prevention. I always worked in a non-partisan way and spent a great deal of effort trying to understand how to help the world be a kinder and safer place. The constant bickering that is a hallmark of our current world makes me very sad. 

The Roads are Changed but the Buildings are the Same

When we left the Station, I had a little trouble figuring out where we were. All of the traffic patterns were different. I had a good sense of where we needed to go, but a little unease about how to get there. Finally, I spotted a building I knew and I was certain of our location. We walked flawlessly to our hotel.

The Historian checked us in on his phone and got an electronic key. We sailed into the building and right to our room. It was a strange thing. I felt a little like someone was going to think we were breaking in or something. 

Settling In for the Evening

Our room was quite opulent. The bathroom was larger than a lot of trail shelters. We wandered around a bit, still caught in the wobbly confusion of trail-we-know-to-city-we-know but it is all different too. 

Dinner and Bed

We needed to be up at dawn, like a regular trail day to make sure we had time to walk back to Union Station and locate our train. It was a Saturday train and the Sunday train had been canceled so we could not really afford to make a mistake. 

Both of us were hungry but felt too overstimulated by the city to go out to dinner. We looked at some menus online and decided to order Peruvian food as it was generally new to us. We have a few recipes we have discovered but never have eaten properly prepared food from knowledgeable Peruvian cooks.  

I got carried away with excitement after studying the menu. There was a family meal of chicken (Pollo a la Brasa) served with beans and rice that formed the basis of the meal. I also ordered Aguachile, a type of ceviche as well as pupusa, brussels sprouts, and fried plantains. This large meal would also provide food for our travel tomorrow. 

The food arrived around 4 pm and we ate with great joy for over an hour. After finishing our feast, I repackaged the leftover food into smaller containers and placed it in the refrigerator. First and Second lunch tomorrow will be hearty. We ate forever and there was still a lot of food left. 

After finishing our chores, we packed our packs and chilled out for a while. Soon, the sunset on Washongtin. HIker midnight arrived and even though we were in the city, we observed the tradition and were asleep by 8:30 pm.

Tomorrow the alarm will ring early and we will walk to the train station for our 10 hour train ride to New Hampshire. Today, traveling from the Trail to the Capital was another time capsule we now have unpacked. 

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Canada’s short summer has passed the halfway mark, but there is still time to travel before kids return to school.

Many Canadians are choosing domestic destinations this year in response to tariff and annexation threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. Canadian-resident return trips by air from the United States dropped 22.1 per cent to 363,900, the Statistics Canada June report says. 

An INsauga.com poll asked: “What Canadian destination do you plan to visit next?”

As of Aug. 1, a total of 2,856 people responded.

The Maritimes was the top choice with 1,051 people (36.8 per cent) selecting this part of the country.

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador offer a range of tourist sites and activities.

Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador features a stunning landscape with cliffs, waterfalls and glacial fjords.

Sites such as Peggy’s Cove and UNESCO World Heritage Site Lunenburg are top attractions in Nova Scotia. And Hopewell Rocks, Fundy National Park and the Reversing Falls are popular spots in New Brunswick.

Known for the spectacular Rocky Mountains, Western Canada was the second choice in the poll with 825 (28.89 per cent) choosing this area to travel.

Another 359 people selected Quebec and 622 people (21.78 per cent) said other.

Lead photo of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: Enrique

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