Walked the day with Aussie today, whom I've walked quite a bit with over the last couple of days. Had the shelters (2 on one site) all to ourselves last night--the thru-hiker void continues. Another beautiful day of walking in PA--perfect cool weather, very nice trail, and an awesome nap this afternoon in Caledonia State Park next to a creek.
Appalachian Trail 2004
Daily dispatches and photos from the Appalachian Trail, a 2194-mile footpath running from Georgia to Maine through 14 states along the East Coast.
Tagg Run
HALFWAY!!!! Wow, I can't believe it's happened so fast, but here I am over halfway from Georgia to Maine. There have already been so many great memories, and so many more to come over the next 1000+ miles of trail.
Boiling Springs
Taking a short day today to cruise on in to Boiling Springs, grab a shower and relax. I stayed with some hikers last night who were out testing gear for a website and taking photos for a new ATC book on the Appalachian Trail. Maybe the picture they took of Footloose and I will be on the front cover!
Cove Mt.
Nice comfortable day to walk the flat miles of the Cumberland Valley, though it rained on and off for much of the day. Having left the north end of the Blue Ridge, the valley was about 15 miles of flat walking through fields and farmland--something entirely new for me on the trail so far. It was a nice change despite the poor weather on this Memorial Day holiday. A wonderful smell of honeysuckle lingered in the air all throughout the day.
Duncannon
Short little near-o (almost zero) day today, but very busy. Footloose and I popped into the famously seedy Doyle Hotel for the A.T. special breakfast and did some laundry before I was whisked away in my rental car to drive 30 miles back down the trail to retrieve my package from the Ironmaster's Mansion Hostel at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Fortunately, the drive was quick, and my new ultralight pack was finally here!
Peters Mt.
One last stop at the post office this morning after bringing back the rental car to send home my backpack and the extra things I cut out. All told, I cut out 12.5 pounds including the old backpack and traded it for the new pack weighing less than 2 lbs. In the end, I hit the trail with a new pack fully loaded with water and food for 5 days weighing just 28 lbs--about 15 lbs less than the pack I carried over 2 months ago at the very start of the trail.
Swatara Creek
Sometimes you just end up in the most unlikely of places at the end of the day, and today was one of those days. My first real day with the new backpack, and it was one of those days that just kept evolving. I thought I'd go about 17 miles to the next shelter, but decided to go a little farther to throw the tent down, then a little farther, and a little farther, and...well, you get the idea.
501
Not much sleep last night with the road noise, even with my earplugs. It's a nice day to walk though, in the 70s again and sunny all the way to the fully enclosed 501 shelter where I got talked into staying the night after a short day, to celebrate one section-hiker's 2000th mile. This was even better because after only one day of no problems, my new pack has quickly fallen apart with 2 pieces of webbing ripped clear through, 1 broken zipper, and load lifter straps that don't lock off.
501 Zero Day
My first zero day in about a month, and I decided to take it at the very last minute this morning when the caretaker said the rain would clear by tomorrow. And since it's been pouring all day, this 4-walled shelter has been the perfect place to wait it out indoors away from the distractions of town, although it's begun to get quite cold.
Port Clinton
After yesterday's continuous downpour, a 3-mile stretch of today's trail had turned into a river with several long stretches over about 1.5 miles having standing water about a foot or more deep. Good thing sandals dry fast! Nothing to see, but fast miles into town for a shower and feasting at the Port Clinton Hotel. Great food, but not hiker friendly by any means.
Windsor Furnace
I wanted to get farther today to catch up with Footloose, but I'm meeting Gretch, Ali, and Jamie at the Delaware Water Gap on Saturday so there's no rush. Had a great breakfast at the Three C's restaurant, and had lots of fun showing Dead Man Walking and Country how to make a Pepsi-can stove. I hope to see them up the trail after they take the day off in town today. Nice miles again with sunshine and much warmer weather for a change. In with Tortoise, Jethro and Chief, Hillbilly, and Dead Lungs.
Allentown Hiking Club
The heat lamp is officially back on for one hot day as the PA rocks finally started coming on full blast after a nice long stop at Eckville Shelter for drinks and ice cream from the caretaker's porch refrigerator. More rocks to look forward to until Delaware Water Gap, though the good news is that my feet have improved pretty dramatically, despite the rocks, since cutting my pack weight down to around 22lbs with 3 days of food plus water.
Palmerton
A very hot and steamy day for walking with water few and far between. Fortunately, with a lighter pack and a lot of miles behind me, the heat bothererd me much less than normal and my need to drink tons of water is pretty well diminished. Lots more PA rocks today, but no rattlesnakes or copperheads yet again.
Wind Gap
A day of a few more firsts: I ate my first low-bush blueberries of the season along the barren wasteland north of the very steep climb out of Lehigh Gap, and it was the first day so far where I walked start to finish without a single break. Of course, it did rain all afternoon so it wasn't hard to force myself to keep chugging--in fact, the rain seems to make me most comfortable while hiking.
Delaware Water Gap
It's all over folks. The streak of perfection has officially met its end today, and my hopes of making it the entire length of the trail without a single fall have come to a screeching halt. It took about 1250 trail miles for me to take my first crash landing and it was a good one. After mile upon mile of Pennsylvania rocks, it finally caught me on the very last day of trail in this state, not to mention on my 3-month trail anniversary.
Delaware Water Gap Zero Day
Great breakfast at the Trail's End Cafe with Amy this morning after picking up my new replacement backpack from the post office. By 12:30, Gretchen and Jamie were there to meet me for a fun-filled day off of mini-golf, eating, and catching up with each other. Lots of fun, but far too short and I wish Alison could have been here with us too. I can't wait to see them again at the end!
Brink Road
What an exciting first day in New Jersey, my 8th state! Quite a few rocks still laying around ala PA, but nice trail, lots of nice views from grassy ridges (a welcome change from Pennsylvania), a smell of spring and blooming mountain laurel in the air, and my first bear sighting since Shenandoah. I crossed the 1300-mile mark today on my first day out with the new ULA backpack.
Secret Shelter
Another long day that unfortunately started with a nasty headache, something that thankfully happens very infrequently out here compared to home. I guess not enough sleep lately probably caught up with me. I finally caught up with Footloose again tonight, and had more trail magic today than any other day on the trail so far thanks to incredible trail angels like Desperado.
Wawayanda
A very hot, very humid day and I was nowhere near 100%. I felt tired and overheated all day despite lots of great trail magic, including many jugs of water. I resisted the pull of the hostel in Vernon even on such a tough, long day after a good long break with ice cream and cookies at Heaven Hill Farm just a few hundred yards off the trail at an afternoon road crossing.
Fitzgerald Falls
New York, New York! That's right, start spreading the news. I finally made it back to my home state after a quick 3 days in New Jersey and just over 3 months on the AT. My 9th state started out with my first ever rattlesnake sighting thanks to Footloose who nearly stepped on it while hiking a few feet ahead of me. Fortunately, like all good and nice rattlesnakes should…
William Brian Memorial
It may have rained, but it was still an amazing day. It started off with breakfast by the falls and several short but very steep rock scrambles. One long downpour later, our string of trail magic continued on as an older man waiting in his car at the crossing of NY17 offered to bring us to the cafeteria down the road to eat and then drive us back.
Hudson River
A short, but tough day. Really hot and humid for the three steep climbs and descents into Bear Mt., NY. Sadly, the humidity also meant that Footloose and I were unable to see New York City from any of the several open rock vistas.
South Highland Road
After a great night's sleep in a bed, Footloose and his daughter Janice and I took off over the Hudson River and into the hills. Much cooler and less humid today than the last few so it made for very comfortable hiking. Nice, fairly gentle terrain today, and Janice really did great on her first day out.
RPH
Happy Father's Day Dad!!! A good night's sleep in the tent last night at a nice site with Footloose and Jan. I always seem to sleep much better in my tent, and it only makes it more satisfying when the mosquitoes are bad. An awesome lunch today when we bushwhacked down an excitingly steep slope off the AT for cheeseburgers at the Canopus Lake concession stand, and more good eating when I Yogi-ed some food from a few curious day-hikers during the minor search and rescue operation we staged when Jan apparently got a little lost when she was separated from Footloose and I. No worries though, Jan's found and all is blue sky!
Telephone Pioneers
A perfect day for hiking. Cooler, sunny and breezy. My string of good eating continued with a short pizza stop off the trail with Footloose and Jan before heading up to the next shelter for my afternoon siesta. I stretched the day out a long way, taking advantage of the solstice sunlight. I finished out the day sitting by the shore of Nuclear Lake before heading up to the shelter for a campfire with Footloose, Jan, and Rockhound.
Ten Mile River
A bit of rain most of the day, but it's hard to rain on a day's parade when it includes a surprise trailside hot dog stand at 10am, seeing Dover Oak (the largest tree on the AT), crossing into Connecticut (my 10th state!), getting the ultimate trail magic of ice cold Gatorade, being joined by Northern Harrier at day's end, and having yet another beautiful campsite under the pines on Ten Mile River.
CT 341
A short day heading into Kent, CT with Northern Harrier, Footloose, and Jan, who is heading home to New Jersey from Kent. A nice little quintessentially New England town, good food, and of course it's always nice to do laundry. Splitting a room tonight with Footloose and Harrier to relax a little and get some more rest. Lately, everyone seems to be feeling very worn down and shelter registers are filled with more and more pessimism and hikers talking about their "trail blues" and overall mental and physical weariness.
Pine Swamp Brook
Connecticut is tougher than you might think. Lots of steep PUDs today with lots of sun, but also good clean running streams--a welcome change from NJ/NY's brackish, ugly water. Some gruelling ups and downs at the end of the day made for a tough finish, though Footloose and I killed some time in the afternoon heat by lazing on some rocks in the Housatonic River.
Limestone Springs
Today did not start off well. Early this morning, Footloose and I had to help our friend Northern Harrier back south to a road to get off the trail. Not any better from yesterday's heat exhaustion and looking terribly weary, he needed to take a break to recover and get healthy again. Always sad to see trail friends leave under any circumstances. I wish there was more we could have done for him.
Brassie Brook
Last night's rain continued into this morning so it wasn't long before I was wet yet again. On the bright side, Footloose and I had a great breakfast at the White Hart Inn in Salisbury before re-supplying and hanging out in town for awhile. I decided to make it another short, restful day before I crank up the miles for a couple days in preparation for leaving the AT next weekend for a wedding with my best friend Sarah. The morning rain cleared into a beautiful afternoon, perfect for lazing on the rocks at Lion's Head before heading for the shelter.
US 7
Perfectly comfortable hiking day, and I began to feel much stronger again after being a bit weary for almost a week through NY and CT. I think seeing our friend Northern Harrier leave the trail made me take these last few days a bit easier. The shorter miles, heavy town eating, and a much larger food bag in my pack perhaps have helped me regain a bit of my strength.
Shaker
Massachusetts? Ha! More like Mosquito-chusetts. The little buzzers are out in full f$@#ing force! I got eaten alive today after a late noontime start and a nice breakfast at Martin's with Lucky Star and Footloose. Oh, and if I neglected to mention it, this is the final leg of the Triple Crown for the ageless Lucky Star, who also happened to be dragged through the forest by a black bear while sleeping in her bivy sack back in Pennsylvania.
October Mt.
A nice rainstorm rocked me to sleep last night in my tent and also drowned out the humming chorus of mosquitoes outside. I slept in a little bit this morning as the rain continued and got a late start at 9:30. No views or anything at all to see today except for the beautiful Upper Goose Pond, where I spent some time on the shore enjoying the breeze right at the water's edge.
Cheshire
Stopped by to visit the "Cookie Lady" at her trailside home, and was treated to fresh water and homemade cookies. More good eating came along at the Backwards K bar in Dalton, MA before one last up and over to the town of Cheshire and a night in the hall of the local Catholic Church. Congrats to my sister Ali on her super promotion!!!
MA 2
I slept in this morning, but I'm way behind on sleep and this weekend's off-trail time at the wedding should hopefully help out on that. I felt awful and very tired when I started climbing up Mt. Greylock, but much better after taking a very long rest on a trailside rock.
Wedding Zero Day 1
Date: 7/2/04 Starting Location: MA 2Destination: MA 2Miles: 0Total Miles: 1586.6
Wedding Zero Day 2
Date: 7/3/04 Starting Location: MA 2Destination: MA 2Miles: 0Total Miles: 1586.6 Wedding...
Sherman Brook
After an incredibly fun couple of days, I got a late start back on the trail tonight. I was so sad to leave my best friend Sarah behind, and this is the first time I can remember not wanting to be on the trail. A lonely night on the cusp of Vermont...
Congdon
I still feel feel quite a lot of hangover sadness from yesterday, but the thought of being back on the Long Trail in Vermont for the first time since my '02 thru-hike pushed me on. I crossed into Vermont after another late start following this morning's downpour that I rode out in my tent. Cleared up a little this afternoon, but still wet and muddy all the way to the shelter where I met Seeker.
Kid Gore
A misty morning that gave way into a beautiful afternoon and evening. Great to be back here in Vermont, on a trail and in the mountains that have come to feel like my backyard in the time I've lived here. I decided to push on to Kid Gore Shelter where I met Walk On, who was already in for the night after a short day alongside Seeker. Great card games and conversation to go along with a beautiful view and equally gorgeous sunset colors in the sky.