Whe last we left our intrepid wanderers they were about to stupidly attempt an all night walk across an entire state. Well it was really fun and tiring and I managed 31.3 miles before my great friends Andy and Lisa and Rick came and whisked me off the trail for a night of home stay, Tapas and relaxation. Thank you my friends you are true trail angels. Watching the sun rise from the top of the Washington Monument in MD was a real highlight of that night.
When I got back to the trail Stickshift was hanging out at a hiker feed by some of last year's thru hikers. We got rollimg in the late afternoon and after a good sunset at High Rock we rolled across the Mason-Dixon Line into Pennsylvania. The next day we ran across a note from the Rose Sniffers inviting hikers to spend a few days with them enjoying the Fourth of July. Amy and Bill Reinke and their four kids took us in for two nights, fed us, invited us to church, took us to the town fair and fireworks and set us back on the trail. It was a most extraordinary bit of Trail magic.
Southern Pennsyslvania was kind of pretty with some nice state parks along the way. At Pine Grove Furnace I engaged in the Half Gallon Challenge, Eating 1/2 Gallon of Ice cream as quickly as you can. Managed in 41:14 with Peanut Butter swirl and we spent the rest of the daylight on the very hot day swimmimg in the lake. That night began an epic 48 hour blast to Duncannon for the Billville Pig roast. We walked mostly at night and covered 45 miles in 46 hrs which included spending the entire day in the Boiling Springs community pool before walking all night across the Cumberland Gap.
Just south of Duncannon the famous Pennsylvania rocks began. I would come to curse them and all of PA violently by the end of PA. The trail is strewn with rocks from fist to bowling ball to car sized and you often have to pick your way along on featurless ridges that stretch for 40 miles. It was not much fun.
In Duncannon I was reumited with Mad Mike, Ray and Sparky who drove in for the feed. I stayed one night at the legendary Doyle hotel. Thanks to Bag of Tricks, Jester, Walking Home, Baltimore Jack, Trail Angel Mary and the rest of the Billville crew for putting on a great event.
The descents into Duncannon and Port Clinton were precipitous and hair raising. In Port Clinton, Can Do Will Do was once again on hand to help however he could, and drove us around a bit. I pretty much dashed for the Delaware Water Gap, pausing to stay with Cathy at the marvellous Fillbert B&B in Danielsville. She and her partner were very kind and went out to get me dinner. It's a beautiful old place with a General Store museum. Very Cool!
The final descent into the Delaware Water Gap was beautiful and the town on the PA side is really neat, but I didn't have much time to enjoy because I was meeting Sherry on the NJ side so I paused for my crossing celebration and hiked on to the visitors center. She has taken me into her home for a zero day and when she arrived and found out I was hiking with some folks she insisted we turn around and bring them along to her house. Thank you Sherry, you are a true Trail Angel. Stick and I have been relaxing at her house and enjoying some home cooking and peace and quiet. I have entered my home area now and am looking forward to hitting some familiar trail when I get to New England.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
So Much Laughter
I just realized that I have posted lots of media lately, but not much in the way of updates, so here goes. After Glasgow, we ran into the northern half of the Virginia Highlands. Many big climbs stacked back to back. On one bald, Dancing Wind and I got stuck in a hellacious thunderstorm and we had to dive off the trail and cower on a woods road until it passed. The scene when it blew over was magical. We spent a nice restful day in Waynesboro before heading out for the Shennies.
The walking in Shenandoah National Park was smooth and pretty easy, but not very interesting either. There were wayside restaurants with blackberry milkshakes and a wonderful day away from the trail with my friend Max Factor, who treated my friends and I to a resort day. There was also the traditional hiker solstice celebration at 12:01 on the 21st and another Latvian celebration on the 23rd for which I wore a huge oak wreath.
After the Shennies there were a couple of great nights hosted by the PATC at Bears Den Hostel and the Blackburn Trail Center. Thanks especially to Bob the ridgerunner for all his assistance.
After a run of mounds called the Rollercoaster (we made a clicking sound as we climbed, and threw our hands in the air and screamed as we descended) , we were in Harpers Ferry, the ceremonial halfway point. It is a beautiful town on the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. We got our pictures taken at the ATC offices and spent the day with Spoonz mom. The next day all but Stickshift and I headed out. He and I found beautiful B&B on the bluff overlooking the Potomac called Laurel Lodge. Chris and Ed made us feel right at home. We had a nice restful day. The next day after running some errands we decided to try the Maryland challenge, all 41 miles in 24 hrs. I'll detail the results in my next post.
The walking in Shenandoah National Park was smooth and pretty easy, but not very interesting either. There were wayside restaurants with blackberry milkshakes and a wonderful day away from the trail with my friend Max Factor, who treated my friends and I to a resort day. There was also the traditional hiker solstice celebration at 12:01 on the 21st and another Latvian celebration on the 23rd for which I wore a huge oak wreath.
After the Shennies there were a couple of great nights hosted by the PATC at Bears Den Hostel and the Blackburn Trail Center. Thanks especially to Bob the ridgerunner for all his assistance.
After a run of mounds called the Rollercoaster (we made a clicking sound as we climbed, and threw our hands in the air and screamed as we descended) , we were in Harpers Ferry, the ceremonial halfway point. It is a beautiful town on the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. We got our pictures taken at the ATC offices and spent the day with Spoonz mom. The next day all but Stickshift and I headed out. He and I found beautiful B&B on the bluff overlooking the Potomac called Laurel Lodge. Chris and Ed made us feel right at home. We had a nice restful day. The next day after running some errands we decided to try the Maryland challenge, all 41 miles in 24 hrs. I'll detail the results in my next post.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
More Trail Moments
"Slightly Inappropriate", "Caboose", and "Stickshift" let go on McAfee Knob
The Ponies on The Grayson Highlands
The Ponies on The Grayson Highlands
Trail Days early Trail reunion, "Three Bears", "Pacemaker", Tim, "Whippersnap" and I.
"Bismark" in the water fight that was the Hiker Parade at Trail Days
"Pixie" and "Rummy" warm up in my rain jacket after Hard Core.
Otto and the Hard Core "G Posse" build a crib wall
"Deetz", "Powerpack", and "Slogo" experience a rural conundrum
"Yeti" at Dismal Falls
An abandoned homestead north of Pearisburg
"Stickshift" in a thoughtful moment on McAfee's
"Caboose" out for her birthday hike
The age of discovery continues "Slightly Inappropriate", "Caboose", and "Stickshift" on McAfee's Knob
Getting away from it all... Oh who's kidding who - when we get a phone signal we're all over it.
"Caboose" and Spencer fix breakfast
S I is the new spokes model for Wandees
"Dancing Wind" at a blue ridge swimming hole
Blue ridge Parkway sunset
An Impromptu Celebration
This is what happened when I crossed the North Carolina/Tennessee border for the last time.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Ticks and Spiders and Bears, Oh My!
One of the most frequent questions a long distance hiker gets is "have you seen any (insert favorite wild animal here)?" People are fascinated by the creatures we might see.
So here's a brief accounting. Tick season has started for real and I routinely pull out wood ticks, so far I haven't pulled a deer tick, but they're so small I might have simply missed them. In the last stretch of the Virginia highlands, we would find a flat spot, and apparently set our gear in the middle of a daddy longlegs/ cricket armageddon. Tens of each all over and in every pocket. I saw my first big fella, an adolescent black bear off the side of the trail two days ago, then "Stickshift", "Fluffy" and I came across a biggun right in the middle of the trail and he looked like he was enjoying the 90+ midday temps about as much as we were. "Hook" claims they don't like Christmas carols, but that just scared him further up the trail. It took Stick swearing at him in Portugese to get him out of our way, sadly just as I was about to snap the picture. That covers the title.
I have been rattled at by and uncomfortably close to both Eastern Diamondbacks and Timber Rattlers. I unwillingly chased a wild turkey and her brood because she wouldn't simply move left or right. I've startled a few Pileated Woodpeckers - the Woody Woodpecker kind - they are huge, heavy bodied and noisy as all get out when they fly.
So one would think that deer would be stealthy and graceful, um, no. They crash through the woods and practically face plant as they stumble onto the trail from a hillside and even outside protected areas, they just stand there staring vacantly at us. It's a little unnerving. I've seen some beautiful song birds, the most arresting being what we think is a scarlet tanniger bright red with black wings.
Probably the rarest sighting was the small wild hog that stopped for a drink where "Captain Radish" and I were resting in the Smokies.
So here's a brief accounting. Tick season has started for real and I routinely pull out wood ticks, so far I haven't pulled a deer tick, but they're so small I might have simply missed them. In the last stretch of the Virginia highlands, we would find a flat spot, and apparently set our gear in the middle of a daddy longlegs/ cricket armageddon. Tens of each all over and in every pocket. I saw my first big fella, an adolescent black bear off the side of the trail two days ago, then "Stickshift", "Fluffy" and I came across a biggun right in the middle of the trail and he looked like he was enjoying the 90+ midday temps about as much as we were. "Hook" claims they don't like Christmas carols, but that just scared him further up the trail. It took Stick swearing at him in Portugese to get him out of our way, sadly just as I was about to snap the picture. That covers the title.
I have been rattled at by and uncomfortably close to both Eastern Diamondbacks and Timber Rattlers. I unwillingly chased a wild turkey and her brood because she wouldn't simply move left or right. I've startled a few Pileated Woodpeckers - the Woody Woodpecker kind - they are huge, heavy bodied and noisy as all get out when they fly.
So one would think that deer would be stealthy and graceful, um, no. They crash through the woods and practically face plant as they stumble onto the trail from a hillside and even outside protected areas, they just stand there staring vacantly at us. It's a little unnerving. I've seen some beautiful song birds, the most arresting being what we think is a scarlet tanniger bright red with black wings.
Probably the rarest sighting was the small wild hog that stopped for a drink where "Captain Radish" and I were resting in the Smokies.
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