Cape Henlopen to Chesapeake Bay

Serendipity: “The phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.” as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It is a traveler’s greatest ally and one of my favorite words.

I have been traveling on the American Discovery Trail for about a week now and it is nothing that I expected. I flew to the east coast knowing I would have to take one obstacle at a time. I wasn’t sure if getting through the airport would go smoothly or if my pack would survive the process of being checked on the plane. I didn’t know exactly where the start point for the trail was. It was uncertain how long my friend Stephen would be able to walk with me the first day or two. From the outsider point of view, I looked calm and collected but on the inside, I was terrified. The amount of uncertainty weighed me down. Doubt clung to me and if I allowed myself to succumb to the depths of fear, I would find myself paralyzed. Despite these uncertainties, I clung to what I did know. I knew that I was getting on the plane and I knew that Stephen would be there to pick me up at the airport. I knew that, to the best of my ability, I had prepared and prepped for this journey. Most importantly, I knew that I was capable of figuring out any obstacles that appeared.

Day 1: The Bunker Overlook at Cape Henlopen State Park was impossible to find. There was absolutely no signage. The first thing Stephen and I saw were tiny ADT markers on a post and after several wrong attempts at finding the beginning we decided to work backwards from the markers. When we pulled into the parking lot it was unmistakeable that we had found the beginning. This was my first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean and my first time on the East Coast. I was thrilled! I wandered down to the ocean and passed snow swirled into the sand dunes. There were barges in the distance surrounded by the blue sea. The sound of the waves lapping the shoreline radiated pure joy within me. I wanted to stay longer but it was already noon and we still had about 15 miles to hike. After hiking for about an hour, I already almost got us off course by making a wrong turn. Lesson number one: pay attention to the fine details and double check the map. We hiked into Lewes, Delaware, and before I knew it, I heard , “Amanda?!” being shouted out of car. My attention jumped to the sound of my name and I saw a man in a black vehicle. The neurons in my brain rapidly fired to search for the connecting piece of how he knew me. In a matter of seconds I remembered and yelled across the street, “Are you …..?” Before I could recall his name he yells back, “Yes, I am.” He pulls over, jumps out of his vehicle, and says, “My name is Reese and I’m your first trail angel.” Reese is the husband of the Delaware State Coordinator and knew that I would be starting my hike. I immediately saw the excitement radiating off of him. He’d been searching for us and told us that we would be staying with him that evening. Stephen and I continued hiking through the last light of the day. I was determined to make the 15 miles it took to get into the town of Milton. 12 miles in and Reese pulls up next to us and tells us to jump in the car. It was almost dark now and he was concerned for our safety. Stephen looked at me and told me that it was my choice if we would get in the vehicle. Both of us were planning to sleep outside and find a place to stealth camp. The possibility of staying in someone’s home hadn’t even occurred to me previously but with the knowledge of his connection with the trail, his excitement to help us out, and my understanding of this trip being about the people I met along the way; I decided to jump in the car. Homemade chili with the secret ingredient of pineapples and a fire awaited our arrival into Reese’s home. The front room had the essence of a log cabin and the back room we were told was haunted. We acquainted ourselves with Reese and met his two sons and almost immediately it felt like we were part of the family. I can’t describe it any other way than it just felt right to be there.

Day 2: Blueberry pancakes and real syrup from Vermont were on the menu for breakfast. The daily life of Reese and his family did not halt with the arrival Stephen and me. Instead, we were suddenly part of the family and made sure that his sons caught the bus for school in time and got to know his family. The agenda for the day was to walk into Milton and take the Dogfish Head Brewery tour and then walk until Reese was able to pick us up. Reese introduced the idea of slack packing to us. Basically, we leave the heavy, ginormous pack behind and day hike with the minimal amount of gear. At the end of the day we are picked up and the next morning we are dropped off exactly where we left off. The brewery tour was fantastic. Stephen and I arrived as soon as the brewery opened and snatched a private tour with Jon. Jon was funny. The running joke was that his tour would be awful but he held his own and threw back at us everything we threw at him (not literally of course). There were free samples of beer and taste testing of selected liquors. Around 1pm, we began hiking again. Our motor functions never failed us but after sampling the beers we definitely felt some of the after effects. Down the road we went, following the turn by turn directions, having conversations intertwined with giggling and then having more serious conversations about life. I had given the task of creating a trail name for me to Stephen and he finally told me that it was “Gigglybutt.” Although quite fitting for my personality, I had reserves about introducing myself as “Gigglybutt.” It was decided that I could only introduce myself as “Gigglybutt” when I was absolutely able to say it with a serious face. The total mileage for the day was about 7. Reese picked us up early because we had to drive back to Cape Henlopen to pick up Stephen’s car. So, after little over 24 hours on the American Discovery Trail, I found myself back at the beginning. This time at the beach, there were surfers. I was captivated watching them ride the waves back towards the beach. As conversation continued, Reese mentioned pods of dolphins in the summer time and I about lost my mind with excitement. Pods of dolphins?!?! Stephen and Reese thought it was no big deal but I was thrilled with just the idea! Before long it was dinner time and Reese was kind enough to treat us to “Po’boys Creole.” It was fantastic and I could help but think about how beautiful all of this was. A day and a half ago, Stephen and I were strangers to Reese and his family but now, we were family. We all drew inspiration from one another and that is a beautiful thing.

Day 3: Today was the day that I would continue forward without Stephen. He drove me to the spot where we had been picked up the evening before but now it would be different. I was in a good head space with a full stomach. I knew what I needed to do. Stephen and I said our “see you later’s” as it became apparent how odd it was for me to be dropped off on the side of the road and left behind. How was I willing to be dropped in the middle of nowhere?? How was Stephen going to drop me off and then drive away?? We both knew what would come next and we parted ways. I was fortunate enough to find another contact point further along the trail. I had a destination for tonight. Approximately 16 miles away, another host family waited for me. The obstacles for the day began to unfold one by one. The weather was too warm to walk in my winter boots so I opted for my only other pair of shoes, my chaco sandals. I have hiked in these sandals perfectly fine previously but with the added weight on my pack and the additional mileage it resulted in a massive blister on the bottom of me left foot and additional smaller ones covering my feet. I tried to protect my feet with mole skin and bandaids but the damage was already done. The next being a German Shepard. I saw it from across the way and made a point to move to the opposite side of the street. It didn’t sprint towards me but barked and moved closer. I made the conscious decision that my bear spray would be unnecessary. It came closer to me and I kept walking but as my back turned slightly towards it, it got closer and lower. The owner was standing in the doorway of the house calling her dog back but it wasn’t listening. I was being herded away from the property. Finally the dog backed off as the owner started across the yard. I continued to walk purposefully past the property. Despite the incident with the German Shepard, I felt confident and hopeful for the day. I tried to wave and say hello to the cars and people that passed me. A man walking his dog questioned what I was doing. I told him that I was walking to California with enthusiasm but he just shook his head and kept walking. I became disheartened. I realized that I would have to be the one that motivated myself regardless of the naysayers. Further down the road, a car stopped. A German woman and her husband from Texas knew about the trail. They were ecstatic to find me. A few years ago, they picked up another woman hiking in the rain, Amy. I then became ecstatic because I had read some of Amy’s trail journals about meeting this very same couple!!! The woman got out of the car and hugged me and told me to be safe. They gave me their contact information if I needed help with anything. Before they drove away, she hugged me again and again and kissed me on the cheek. The incredible amount of love I felt was heartwarming. I continued on my way and made it to my next host family where I met Chris, Lee, and their family, right before sunset. I was immediately welcomed inside their beautiful home and given a tour.

Day 4: I did not walk with purpose today. I found myself walking past the farms but walking because that was what I was there to do not because I had a destination. I thought about the differences between walking by myself verse walking with someone. It had only been a day since Stephen left but it seemed like another life. Today, I felt alone while walking. I came to the conclusion that the walking part of my journey would be the boring part and the people I met along the way would be the heart and soul of it. With those thoughts swarming my mind, I hoped that the mole skin and band-aids would do their job. I had to wear my chaco sandals again but this time I did not have my pack. With Chris and Lee hosting me, I was able to slack pack for the day. As I kept walking, my feet began to hurt more and more. It wasn’t an ache and it wasn’t the same sensation as the rubbing that causes blisters. Instead, the pain was from a structural stand point in my foot. I had to keep going but I couldn’t keep wearing the chacos. For about a half mile I walked barefoot along the road. Relief came to my foot but the discomfort of gravel and tough grass under my feet challenged the relief. The trail took me along a muddy, dirt road and that is where I crossed into Maryland. Next thing I know, a truck is headed towards me. He was muddin! As he was driving along the road he purposefully drove into the mud puddles and created tidal waves of muddy water next to his truck. I saw him coming straight at me and had a deer in the head lights moment. I stared at the tidal wave that would be in my near future and tried to decide if jumping into the forest next to me would actually do me any good. While I was trying to make this decision, the driver thankfully pulled away from the mud just long enough to miss me. With my foot hurting and my low motivation for the day, I stopped after 12 miles at a Walmart and waited until I could be picked up. When I arrived back at the household everyone was preparing for the family dinner. Cousins, aunts, uncles, grandkids, the whole shebang were all coming together for this dinner and I was a part of it. Once again, I was part of another family. I helped watch and entertain the little ones. I laughed and joked alongside everyone. It felt natural. Words can’t express the gratitude and love I felt.

Day 5: For breakfast, I got to try Scrapple for the first time. Scrapple is all the left over parts of a pig.. it tasted like sausage but was made out of pig heart, snout, etc. The weather for the day was rainy and gloomy but the decrease in temperature allowed me to finally wear my winter boots again. The blisters on my feet were finally able to begin to heal. I made it to Tuckahoe State Park and found an ADT shelter along with the first trail marker  in Maryland. I followed the trail to the shelter and there I found engravings and messages tagged on the shelter from previous hikers. I was overcome with joy. I felt like I had found a part of my long lost heritage and was uncovering lost and forgotten artifacts. From there I wandered down to the lake where there was a playground with a tire swing. I swung on it and tried out the timing/burst mode on my phone camera. It was wet and cold but I was having a blast! I was picked up for the last time by Chris and Lee and ate my last dinner with them: taco soup and a quesadilla. I loved witnessing the way their family worked together to help and support each other and how they came together to help me as well. They have a beautiful family.

Day 6: I was dropped off in the middle of no where once again. This time, I had no predetermined destination. I would walk until it got dark. Queenstown was lovely to walk through and I would pause to read the various historical signs along the way. As 3pm approached, I began looking for places to spend the night. Should I settle down early and try to stealth camp? I passed a heavily forested area, a good place to stealth camp, but apparently it was where the Battle of Slippery Hill occurred in 1813. I decided I would keep walking. I didn’t want to test my luck at stumbling upon body remains, deal with questionable haunting situations, or find old shrapnel. I kept an eye out for churches I could potentially call to ask for a place to stay. I thought to myself, “How do I decide what house to knock on and try to camp in their yard?” I entered Grasonville and as it got later more and more people stopped to ask where I was going. A man working in his front yard asked me where I was headed and where I started. I shared with him why I was walking and told him about being partnered with Youth World. After having a conversation for less than five minutes, he pulls out his wallet and hands me $20. I was baffled. I couldn’t believe his willingness to give. I asked him his name and he told me his friends called him “Alias.” I walked away emotional and began to tear up. I kept walking and before long I was sobbing. For the first time in my life, I was crying from happiness. I couldn’t believe it. Further down the street, a man pulled up in a truck next to me and held two snicker bars out the window. He assured me they were fresh and drove away. I keep walking, searching for a place to spend the night. I came across Willard’s Service Center and met a man named Ken. He asked me what I was doing and I asked him if he knew of a place I could set up my tent. He looked at me and said, “Well, you can stay here.” First I was going to sleep on the office floor, then I was offered to sleep in the RV that was in for maintenance (it wasn’t a customer’s). I was telling my story to the other employees when Ken popped back up and told me to come eat dinner. I felt so welcome! I followed him to the house next to the shop and there I met Donna. Donna and Ken are the most entertaining, endearing couple that I have ever seen. The were like a teenage couple that bickered and play fought with each other. It was too cute to witness. Ken loved to grill so he rewarmed hamburgers on the grill and that was dinner. By the end of the night they both were calling me their daughter. Ken gave me a bullet for good luck and once again, I was part of another family.

Thank you Stephen, Reese and his family, Chris, Lee and family, Alias, Snickers guy, and Donna and Ken. You are the ones that are changing lives. Your generosity and love are the components that make the world a better place. You all have inspired me.