Appalachian Trail - Harpers Ferry, MD (26-28/4/13)
首先让我分享一则故事：
我与Lisa在CouchSurfing网站认识。她是一位年龄约四十多的失业女人（刚认识时她在Mehoopany Wind Farm工作，后来据她说和工作人员不合或whatever工作理由而被解雇）。经我说起我每天都在YMCA运动，她也申请会员，偶尔也会在YMCA碰面聊一聊天。二，三月她谈起在Appalachian Trail的行山经验，喜爱行山的我当然也想加入，而要去Harpers Ferry行山的计划到四月头才落实。当时她说我们可以一起租一辆车，如果有多一两位朋友来更好，大家分担油费。所以我问了刚认识不久的Antoine要不要一起去，他也答应了。在电邮里Lisa说她要在星期五下午5点出发，最迟也只等到下午5.15，原因是担心交通阻塞。我和Antoine了解这出发点，但我们各方都还有工作在身：John和Anja通常下午5.30-6点才回到家，而Antoine下午5点放工，赶来Wilkes-Barre已是5.30左右（大家说好Antoine放工后直接去位于Wilkes-Barre的Lisa家，而后Lisa过来Mountain Top接我）。
星期五接近下午5.15，Antoine来电说他此刻人在Lisa家却没人应门，打电话给她也没接。我也尝试打给Lisa得到同样的结果。正在怀疑是怎么一回事的当儿看到一辆白色的车驶进drive-way，出去迎接看到是Lisa本人，我立刻告诉她说Antoine已经在她家门外等候，你却怎么过来了？她说她已经等到了下午5.15，他都还没现身，所以决定离开。但他已经在你家了，好歹等他过来我这里我们再一起走，我说着之下赶忙打电话给Antoine告诉Lisa已经在我家了。Lisa一脸不耐烦地说她是不等任何人的，说好下午5.15没现身那就是他的事，待会儿路上会阻塞，我要在晚上9点前到达宿舍睡觉。你们无法在这时间出发是你们的事，你要的话，现在就跟我的车去，留Antoine他自己一个人驾车去。情急之下我也忘了John和Anja根本还没回家，我走后谁要看顾小孩？而我更是不能丢下朋友和她走的啊？当我把她所说的转告给电话另一头的Antoine时，Lisa已经迅速地把车倒退，连一句道别也没说就这样在我眼前消失。刹那我愣住，一脸疑惑地在想这是什么情况？下一秒火气全爆发，让从来没这么生气过的我气得在电话里对着Antoine直骂：What the FUCK?! What the FUCK?! 你他妈的这是什么意思？！我们已经在电邮里说了无法在下午5.15出发，现在这自私的女人不肯等多那15分钟，还狠心说什么你们两个自己驾车去。如果你连朋友不肯等，不如你自己去走好了。那当初和我计划此趟旅程干什么？！有什么意义？！！！！就这一刻起，我不需再把你当朋友，反正她这么自私的女人是不需朋友，也难怪她这把年纪却还是孤独一人，谁要和怪脾气的人来往啊（很坏心地在心里咒骂）。
后来Antoine叫我冷静下来，她自己决定独自离开是她的事，我们可以选择一起驾车去，因为宿舍那方面已经付了钱。随后我们在下午六点前出发，到达宿舍也才晚上九点左右，一路上也没她所形容的塞车。难道就为了在晚上九点睡觉的原则而离弃朋友（都不懂她有没有当我们是朋友）。哼，这证明她是一个怪人。后来即使两晚里和她同睡一间女生宿舍房，我们俩各当看对方不到。那感觉其实糟透了，隐隐约约感觉到对方的存在却要装出一脸不认识般。幸好她那怪癖：晚上9点入睡帮了忙，可以迟点进房避免尴尬。
我和Lisa的友谊到此结束。
插曲完毕。（叹气）
顺利抵达Hostelling International check-in后，那位乐于助人的经理（忘了她的名字）说外头两位露营者准备烤s'more，问我们这两个没吃过s'more的外国人要不要加入。四月的晚上天气还有点冷，我们四人穿着外套长裤一边围着营火把穿插在烧烤铁枝上的marshmallow烧烤，一边聊天。S'more重点是要把marshmallow的外皮烤脆而里头融化，上头加上一块巧克力，然后夹在两片graham cracker中。铛铛，美国人露营必吃的（非常甜）小吃就完成了。两位露营者是一对各自已婚的姐弟，弟弟想制作一部有关John Brown的电影而来这里取材。他们说起各自对美国教育制度不大认可而让孩子们接受home school教育，弟弟也谈起年轻时凭着一股年轻的冲动和勇气，身背一把吉他创进纽约市的Central Park和地下铁弹吉他表演赚钱。听他说着故事，还真不敢相信可以遇到像电影故事情节般勇闯天下的陌生人。
旅行，就是那么神奇。
xxx
27/4/13
Hostelling International (HI)是位于Appalachian Trail的其中一间宿舍。家具看上去都有一段时间但睡房、厕所、厨房、客厅都保持得清洁整齐，有无限供应的pancake早餐（但也只有pancake而已），经理和员工服务态度都很友善让我大大喜欢这间宿舍。
位于Potomac River旁的Sandy Hook Road的屋子真的很有kampung的感觉。
当天一早正举办ultra-marathon比赛，看见好多选手一脸轻松地跑着，真佩服他们~
得知有一位ultra-marathon选手住在同样的宿舍，能和他交谈还真是像和明星交谈见面般兴奋。后来当晚遇到他问起成绩如何，他说因为身体不舒服勉强跑了50 miles而无法完成100 miles。50 miles也算很厉害啦~！
Potomac River.
好多老鹰环绕着上空飞翔。
Lock 33, C&O Canal.
The convergence of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the Winchester & Potomac Railroad, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in the mid-1830s inagurated an era of economic and industrial growth for the town that lasted well into the 1850s.
Trains and boats reduced travel time from days to hours and served as avenues for local commerce. Passengers traveled with ease from the Ohio and Shenandoah valleys and from growing eastern cities like Baltimore, Washington, and Alexandria.
B&O railroad at Harpers Ferry.
Footbridge leading from Maryland to Harpers Ferry, WV.
跨州啦~
John Brown's Fort.
John Brown believed he could feee the slaves, and he selected Harpers Ferry as his starting point. Determined to seize the 100,000 weapons at the arsenal and to use the mountains for guerrilla warfare, abolitionist Brown began his raid on Sunday evening, October 16, 1859. His 21-man self-styled "army of liberation," which included three of his sons and five free African Americans, seized the armory and several other strategic points. Thrity-six hours after the raid began, with most of his men killed or wounded, Brown was captured in the armory fire enginehouse (now known as John Brown's fort) when U.S. Marines stormed the building. Brought to trial at nearby Charles Town, Brown was found guilty of treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia, conspiring the slaves to rebel, and murder. He was hanged on December 2, 1859. John Brown's short-lived raid failed, but his trial and execution focused the nation's attention on the moral issue of slavery and headed the country toward civil war.
The history of Harpers Ferry has few parallels in the Americn drama. Harpers ferry witnessed the first successful application of interchanegable parts, the arrival of the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War, and the education of former slaves in one of the earliest intergrated schools in the United States.
建于1830年的St. Peter's Church。
44 hand carfted stone steps from church to High Street.
Harpers Cemetery overlook the rivers.
你们觉得哪一张好？我各人认为上面那张的天使的脸表现较肃穆。
Shehnandoah Street的店铺很复古。
从Harpers Ferry的角度看去，Maryland位于左边，Virgina在右。一个时间同时欣赏美国3个州，太棒了。
发现新大“鹭”。
@ Maryland Heights
我们来到这里已是下午两三点，一路上都有许多登山者陆陆续续登和下山，大部分的人都是为了看河流和Harpers Ferry小镇而来的。其中经过建于1862的Naval Battery。这座山基于它的斜度和石块崎岖不平给予登山者一定的难度，登这座山需要一定的体能啊。
@ Overlook Cliff
Spring in Harpers Ferry.
战战兢兢走到石块边拍了西边的Potomac River。
热闹的overlook cliff。
虽然早前发生不愉快的事件，可是也因为Lisa才来到这里眺望这么漂亮的风景和学到一些历史。好好地享受这一刻吧。
傍晚回到HI休息吃晚餐。本来想要出去找食物，当晚却有一大班孩子和家长在户外露营，如果我们驶开车子那么就得要把车停在1 mile左右的空地走回来。于是我们叫意大利餐外卖，也因为我听没有的缘故，额外定多了一份pasta。后来隔天Antoine吃了那份“过夜”的pasta，不仅上吐下泻，还倒在家里自己向911求救进医院吊点滴。
xxx
28/4/13
On June 26, 1863, Confederate troops marched on Gettysburg only to continue on to York. But just a few days later, nearly 170,000 Union and Confederate troops would converge on the fields and in this small town. The war's most famous battle would rage for three days, leaving 51,000 dead, wounded, captured or missing. Homes and farms destroyed, the town of 2,400 was left to care for those left behind, bury the dead and rebuild.
@ Soilders' National Cemetery
This was the setting for Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, delivered at the cemetery's dedication on November 19, 1863.
Other United States veterans, from the 1898 War with Spain to the Vietnam conflict, are also buried here. Today the cemetery us the final resting place for over 6,000 honorably discharged veterans and their dependents.
The New York Monument was dedicated in 1893 to honor New York state soilders killed in the Battle of Gettysburg and buried in the national cemetery.
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