~100 kilometers in 15 hours of sunlight on the longest day of the year.

MDLD 2007 – Carl Camp's Report

I wanted to share a bit of my adventure at the MDLD challenge, and perhaps a few lessons learned.

The MD trail has a histroy with the Trail Dawgs that goes back to when I first started running with the group … perhaps six years ago. Hunt, Stumpy (aka Stewart), John MacKenzie, and Bob Auer had a plan to run the complete trail in sections. We would occasionally hear adventure stories of searching for the trail in poorly marked areas, of running through cob webs thick enough that a stick was required and the stick would eventually turn into cotton candy, and of having to run fast from security guards around nuke plants. Occasionally, there would be weekend adventures where other Dawgs would join the fun. The stories would include tales of standing high on cliffs above the Susquehanna fantasizing about being a cliff diver in Alcapulco. Then there was Hunt, who did the whole trail one long weekend as a solo journey … one of those long trail survival adventures.

For whatever reason, other commitments, etc., I was not able to join in with the Dawgs on MD adventures, so the MD trail has always been somewhat of a mystery. I did get to see the last 20K of the trail on a weekend adventure back in the winter with Paul, Pete, and Hunt, and realized that that section has some serious "teeth". In general, however, the trail has been one of those dark, mysterious things of legendary status, at least in my mind. I had to join in on the fun at the MDLD100K this year to learn something about what this trail was really about. I can now say, "It's all true …"

To me, the MDLD trail is a bit of everything … the epitome of yin and yang, beauty and uglyness, love and hate, hot and cold, civilization and wilderness.

Despite being beat-up from Massasnutten and Laurel Highlands, I decided to join in on the MDLD100K this year with the goals of learning more about this mysterious trail, and perhaps being able to get to the 50 mile point (Otter Creek Campground) before dark.

Prior to the start, Hunt asked me if I had my maps since he had an extra, and I told him that I had a turn sheet. I had purchased the maps, and transcribed the turn sheets, so that I could reformat them in a font large enough to read without my glasses, and so that the originals would not get destroyed by sweat, etc. Maps are useful, but a good turn sheet can be invaluable, so I decided that I'd be ok with just the turn sheet.

Paul asked what my cell phone number was, and I told him that I was not carrying a cell phone. This was not something that I did on purpose, it is just that I don't carry a cell phone, and I've never carried one on a trial run, so despite the fact that my kids have cells phones so I could have borrowed one, I just didn't remember to bring one with me that morning. My impression of the run was that there would be some water droped on the trail at various point, there would be some roving aid, so basically it was going to be something like a Tom Corris MMT training run. If I got in trouble, there would be someone at an aid point where I could "bail-out". However, a big difference that I didn't consider was that the MD trail has sections that are not well marked (duh), so it is very easy to get lost. If there are one or two people who can bail you out, and they have to worry about others, then it can be impossible to know where everyone is … actually, you are not lost, you just don't know where the trail goes next. You know where it came from, but where it goes next can be a mystery. If you haven't run the MD trail before, carrying a cell phone is a good idea, so you can call for bail-out help - this ain't your average training run experience.

It was a beautiful cool morning with no clouds in the sky, and we could see the sky beginning to show signs of light blue, pink and orange as Paul said "five minutes until the start", We took some group pictures and then walked to the trail head where Paul gave some brief instructions before saying "let's go". I was glad I had my flash light since the trails were dark for the first mile or so. As the trail came to a flat section next to the river, everything was just great. I was feeling good, didn't need my flash light anymore, and was running along having fun when a tree root grabbed my toe, and sent me into the ground pretty hard on my knee and stomach. My knee hurt pretty bad, but I walked awhile, and eventually was able to jog until the pain stopped. I knew there was going to be a bruise, but there was no apparent ligament or muscle damage, so I figured just keep going and see how it goes. Eventually, it did swell up and slow me down a bit, but this was not the "show stopper" for this run.

A few miles into the run, as I decended down a road towards the river, Paul was there to direct me on a left turn which I definitely would have missed. The trail descended through waist high grass and weeds to the power plant, and then along some nice trails, which eventually became quite rocky along the river. The Massanutten trails are infamous for rocks, but sections of the MD trail are worse. These rocks are sharp, can be wet, and can move under your feet. One has to proceed with caution.

I reached the first water drop at a boat dock. Jen and Margie were there getting aid from a guy (who I didn't get his name), but he offered me a bananna, which I thankfully accepted, then we proceeded along some more rocky trials along the river. As we came to some faster sections, I couldn't keep up with the ladies, so I ran along by myself along the river and through the Boy Scout camp, until the second aid point where I caught up to Jen and Margie, but knew I was too slow on the roads to run with them, so the run was a long solo experience for the remainder of the day.

The road section was one of my favorite sections of the run. I didn't see any cars. It was just beautiful country side. Very peaceful. I got passed by a farmer on a lawn tractor, as I followed the turn sheet description of where to go at the intersections. The intersections were marked with faint blue blazes on utility poles.

Eventually, I came to a left turn towards a gated road. A sign said something like "authorized personnel only". I figured this was one of the roads leading to the Peach Bottom nuke plant (what a nice name for a nuke plant). I had read that the MD trail was open through this section, but plant security needed to be informed, and one needed to carry an ID card. I had my ID card, so I proceeded around the gate, and found the trail leading through the woods.

This was obviously a trail that hadn't been used by many hikers/runners, so there were blowdowns, debris, and other stuff to work around before I came to a road. There was a blaze on a tree next to the road, so I proceeded down the road until I came to the entrance to the plant. A large sign said "unauthorized personnel only, violators will be prosecuted", so I figured that this gate/sign was one that I was not supposed to go around. The problem at this point was that I had lost the trail, so proceeded back up the road reading the turn sheet.

As I was walking up the road, I saw a blue blaze across the road in the woods, so I crossed a guard rail, and followed the trail. The trail crossed a wide path, then went steeply up a hill. Eventually, the "trail" disappeared, so I went back to the wide path and tried to figure from the turn sheet where to do. I decided the trail must go up hill, so on faith, followed the path, until eventually I saw a blue blaze. I got to the top of the hill and saw a blaze on a pole, but then the path became a road that led to an intersection with roads going left, right, and one going kind of off to the right. No indication of which way to turn, so I read the turn sheet that said "when you get to an open section, look for a left turn blaze, then it said something about turning right pass a fenced substation (which I saw on my left).

Wandering around Peach Bottom nightmare power tower hill exploring each of the possible roads and finding no blazes, I was getting hot, thirsty, and frustrated, and a bit alarmed. I eventually kept my witts and went back to the last blaze, and said to myself this was where I was supposed to see a left turn, but it wasn't supposed to be on the road. I figured that the "trail" was supposed to be along the brush line, and then the turn sheet started to make sense. I lost about an hour trying to get around the beautiful Peach Bottom plant using the MD trail.

Not long after getting back on trail, I saw a bag with some water, Gatoraid, and a candy bar. I was so thankful to find this aid dropped. It must have been around mile 20 into the run, and I was quite bonked and thirsty. This would be the last aid I found for the remainder of the run.

Fast forward to the middle of the adventure where I was going up a beautiful trial along Muddy Creek. Muddy Creek is actually not a good name for this section, as it is one of the most beautiful streams I've ever seen. This was where I had run out of all the candy I was carrying, and had no water for about an hour. The water in the creek was looking so nice and cool as it cascaded down the rocks. It was getting warm, I was thirsty, and had come to the conclusion that I was going to drop-out at the 50K point after my excursion at the PB plant. However, I didn't know how long it would be until I found water. I decided to strip down to my baselayer shorts and get into the creek. I could feel the heat being removed from my legs and torso. Eventually, I submerged my head underwater. I must have sat in the creek for at least ten minutes, before getting out feeling much better, but still without food or water to drink. The trail left Muddy Creek and started up a road. The road was a steep long uphill with no shade, and the sun was bright. It was the middle of the day, I was out of water, and so decided to approach a couple of guys beside a house and ask if they had a hose I could use to get some water. The first guy said "I don't know", so I figured he wasn't the home owner, and so just sat there looking pathetic, until another guy came out of the house, and I asked him, and he said "sure". This was the best tasting water I can remember drinking in a long time.

The next section was a rather long road section in the heat of the day. I was happy I decided to beg for some water, otherwise, I would have been in serious trouble. Eventually, I ran out of water again, and had been out of food for several hours, so was beginning to experinece a serious energy low. I figured my goal was to get to Lock 12 (about 10 miles short of Otter Creek, my goal for the day), where I would find my drop bag (lots of candy and pretzels in my drop bag), and where there would be water. That would enable me to make it to Otter Creek before sundown, and eventually, someone would look for me at Otter Creek.

Getting to Lock 12 was quite a chore. I was out of energy, out of water, and just trying to follow the turn sheet … climbing down rocks, etc. I got to Lock 12 and there was nothing there … no water, no drop bag, no people. I was wasted. There was no way I would be able to make it to Otter Creek. I just sat down on the ground and at that point I was clueless. I told myself, I had gotten my money's worth in tuition for the day. First thought was that I'll wait here until Paul or Pete or someone finds me, then I realized that was not going to happen. I had no extra clothes, so was getting cold, and if it was dark, I could be there all night. They had other runners to take care of, and I was just one lost Dawg.

Here is how the run ended. I borrowed a cell phone from a girl I saw hiking at Lock 12, called my wife, and then my son Jeff drove to Lock 12 to rescue me. He was carrying a cell phone, so I wished I had the numbers of Paul or other runners to let them know I was ok, but I didn't. Jeff had a date that night, so we just went back to my car. I figured that eventually, the party would return to the start and see my car gone and figure I made it out alive.

Would I try this again? Indeed. But, I would certainly be a better Boy Scout next time.