As the morning light streamed through the leaves of the trees, I readjusted myself in my hammock. Matt was up already.  Just as I was about to say a dreamy good morning, my hammock broke and I met the ground with a sudden thud.  Matt asked if I was alright as he came over to help me up, but I was laughing so hard, I couldn’t get the words out. He pulled me up and assessed the situation. The hammocks factory end knot had come undone, completely fixable. I was relieved it wasn’t broken, but still laughing.  Thankful it broke when it did.

Matt has all the knot tying skills and fixed the hammock in no time.  Just one of the 756 things I love about him.

Matt and I love coffee. He likes cold coffee anytime and I like hot coffee in the morning, cold most any other time.

We have been perfecting our morning camp coffee routine. On the warm up ride, we brought a small pour over with paper filters, ground coffee, instant coffee and cold coffee packets. Everything just short of our french press for the jet boil. Both of us like our coffee strong and are working on our patience muscles while it drips, brews, steeps etc. This morning, I think we may have found what works for us or at least a good compromise. Todays result was a couple cups of strong Cowboy coffee modified. Jetboil, pot, boiling water and ground coffee. No extra gear needed. 

After breakfast we packed up and got a good start on our 26 mile day.  We rolled out at 9:23am and headed upstream 16 miles to Brunswick. Our stomachs were calling our names just short of there, so we stopped and ate lunch at the Catoctin Aqueduct. Lunch was served on the go style straight out of a ziploc. Cold angel hair pasta with herb clam sauce.

With full intentions of getting back on the trail after we ate, we shelved that idea and leaned back to watch the clouds pass by. Naps are a good thing.

Soon we were back on our bikes and rolled up to the Corner Store in Brunswick, Maryland. The lady who owns this shop is quite kind and helpful. We resupplied with a bag of ice, a cold gallon of water and a few other things, keeping in mind our budget.

After replenishing our water and ice, Matt suggested we grab a cold coffee at this cool coffee shop, Beans in the Beflry. Situated inside an old church, this has to be one of the most unique coffee shops I have ever been to.

We ordered our iced coffees and wandered about until we found an old couch to sit on. A staff member brought us our coffee and it was delicious. Soon the caffeine would kick in and we would be back on the trail in a few minutes. Instead, I had laid my head on Matt’s shoulder, and took a nap. Moments, minutes hours passed by lol I don’t know. I awoke from my sleep when someone ask if those were our bikes out there. Instantly, I answered yes. This surprised Matt and myself, because I was asleep on his shoulder. Lol. Conversations at the couch were had with an older gentleman about electric bicycles, transporting on a VW beetle and touring.  Bicycling and Volkswagens two of my favorite subjects. After a brief conversation, he turned to go back to his table. Matt and I headed out to our bikes. On my way to my bike, I was looking for his old beetle and it turned out he drove a new beetle. I went back in to tell him about bike transporting options for a new beetle. We ended up having an extended conversation about Volkswagens, the tour, food and health when Matt came back in to grab me. I guess the caffeine in my coffee had finally kicked in. We rolled back down to the trail and were soon at Huckleberry Hill campground. The coffee was working as I rolled passed the site and heard Matt ask where I was going.  I think I could have gone another 10 miles. Beans in the Belfry, excellent coffee, great atmosphere and people.

Our campsite was empty when we arrived and quickly filled up.  With limited options for hammocks, picnic tables and water at this site, I was glad to get camp set up and start dinner.  The pantry pannier was just about empty, but we made a delicious dinner. Cheesy grits, mashed potatoes and pepper gravy with chipped beef. Dinner for two $5.73.

Before doing the dishes together, I made a seafood salad for tomorrows lunch with the remaining ingredients in the pannier. Without food in the panniers they are so much lighter, but not for long.

Matt and I have a budget of $14.65 a day for the first 43 days.

We have found that eating well, keeping the pantry pannier and cooler stocked with delicious meals and snacks, wrapping up our days before it gets too hot  have helped us stick to our budget.  Currently, we are under budget by $21.77.

Thursday, Matt’s Mom Betty will pick us up and take us home for two nights.  Her and Toms’ wonderful hospitality is always a treat. Showers (1st one in 9 days, longest I’ve gone without a shower in my life), family time, laundry, resupply, repack our gear, bike tune ups and errands to run.  She will then drop us back off in Williamsport this weekend and we will be on our way to Pittsburgh!