Entering Summertime

Landing an unexpected Zero day in Luray, I have at last become a believer. It's just so revitalizing. Half days off are all spent on the feet resupplying, washing laundry, making communications, and the body needs a break. Luray was fantastic. Well fed, all dried out from the rainy days, and having shed the winter gear at long last, I hit the second half of the Park to see most all the views and Sunday sightseers. In passing there's a plethora of questions which I'll pause brifly for. Alot of thru-hikers dislike this but I think maybe someone will be inspired to undertake the same for themselves someday if I'm willing to share a minute.
Are you on the 6 month tour too?, Were did you start?, How far are you hiking?, How long are you out for?, You're not doing it by yourself are you? and the like.
In the past week I have to say I have gotten all the most unprecedented interactions of the entire trip...

An older woman of a couple in Shenandoah:
Q: "So where are you hiking to?"
A: "Maine."
Rxn: She laughed in my face.
(I thought this was hilarious)

Man working front desk at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters in Harpers Ferry:
Q: "So where are you on the Trail now?"
A: "Uhm- Harpers Ferry."
(No amount of just-at-Trail-Days or Memorial Day Weekend explanations were going to be good enough as he was already two for two at 9:15am.)

Two older guys doing a section over Memorial Day Weekend in Maryland
Q: "Where are you come hiking from?"
A: "Georgia"
Rxn: *Snort* "You did not. Wher'd you really start."
(Them's fightin' words)

A weekend backpacker coming south just after the I-70 overpass and before Annapolis Rock:
"You got a climb ahead of you."
A: *pause* "I think I can handle it"
(pause because all I could think at first was: Dude I walked here all the way from Georgia, ok; and Maryland's A.T. doesn't have any climbs)

But even the demoralizing proprieter in Harpers Ferry saying I was about to start the hard part right doesn't matter. I made it to Harpers Ferry, and this is huge, because for the first 3 states I didn't think I possibly ever would.

So having flown through the longest state of all, Virginia, in just 30 days, including 3 full days off and 2 half days, I hit the Maryland homestate, with the albeit unscenic, long awaited I-70 overpass. I've now caught up with multiple bunches I hadn't seen since the Smokies, crossed the Mason-Dixon and am psyched for the flatlands of the Cumberland Valley of PA, with all the camp friends contained there-in. On turf like this I'm going to hit the Whites totally spoiled. But on the momentum I've kept I should have plenty of time and no hurry to get over them many miles per day. I will however become a diurnal hiker. The Mid-Atlantic afternoons are getting steamy hot to say the least. I battle them with siestas and a camelback full of drink-mixed hydration. And thus I will ride the big mile momentum for as long as it lasts.