Day 99: On to New Jersey

Day: 99 Miles: 10.8 Trip: 1300.1 Started: Delaware Water Gap, PA Destination: Mohican Outdoor Center, NJ

Sunfish Pond

Well, I am finally back in my home state!  I have done all of the trail in NJ about two times already and I was not that exited about doing it again.  Mary is going to pick me up and I think I am going to take a little time off now that I am so close to home.  I will probably bump up to Bear Mt NY when I get back on, I just don't feel like doing NJ again.  Because Mary cant come until tomorrow, I decided to get in a little of the state and go up past Sunsfish Pond, the first glacier lake I will hit on the trail.  Today is national hike naked day.  I am sad to report that the only person I did actually see naked today was about 60 and male :(  

Kittatinny Mt

Day 98: Delaware Water Gap

Day: 98 Miles: 15.6 Trip: 1289.3 Started: Leroy Smith Sh Destination: Delaware Water Gap, PA

Finally at the NJ border! (well tomorrow).   Looking at the terrain profile in the data book it would seem like the trail was real easy for this section.  That is not totally true.  The rocks have gotten worse but its not really what I was expecting.  I expected large bolder sections were you had to rock skip from boulder to boulder.  What the trail offers up is much harder I think.  Lots of small rocks that are not quite walkable.  It takes a great deal of mental effort to concentrate on each and every foot step.  The second you get complacent and try to zone out, your angle is twisted.  This type of terrain demands you keep your head down all day long looking for each foot step.  Despite the rocky trail, I was really exited to make it to the NJ/PA border today.  I put some music on and grinded away the miles.


I saw another bear!

Day 97: The Beer Stein

Day: 97 Miles: 4.6 :( Trip: 1273.7 Started: Leroy A Smith Sh. Destination: Wind Gap, PA

I remember hearing over 500 miles ago about a bar in PA that will let you sleep out in the field behind the bar.  At the time it did not sound all the appealing, but today I realized after talking to Chin that we were actually going to go by it today.  We both decided that the novely of it was too much to pass up and headed into town.

Notice the orange extension cord :)

We ate lunch at the bar and set up our tents out back.  I spent the afternoon sitting on the patio drinking Slurpees from the quick mart across the street.  After they closed the patio for the night I was able to borrow an extension cord and run it into my tent.  I did not really need the power, but I just could not resist this singular opportunity to have a power outlet in my tent!

Kerry (owner) and me

The next morning Kerry the owner opened up the kitchen were were we had full access to the pantry and could cook anything we wanted.  I made French Toast, bacon and eggs.  I ate it so fast I forgot to get a picture!  This a great trail friendly place, definitely make it a stop of you go to town!

Day 96

Day: 96 Miles: 15.5 Trip: 1269.1 Started: Palmerton, PA Destination: Leroy Smith Shelter

An ominous warning at the start of
the climb

We all got up and had a great breakfast at Bert's Restaurant.  We managed to score a ride back to the trail (1.5 mi) from the owner.  The climb back up to the ridge was a steep but rewarding.  This was probably the best view in PA so far.

ChinMusic and B-Rocket on
the way up

Palmerton is currently the location of the Palmerton Zinc Superfund site. It was added to the National Priority List in 1983. The site is broken down into four Operable Units: the defoliated slope of Blue Mountain, the cinder banks, the soil in town, and the ground and surface water.

The rest of the day was pretty smooth for the most part as we took a well groomed side trail around one of the contaminated zones.  A poorly marked section of trail got us a little confused later in the day, but all and all a great day for hiking.  The climb up from town was the highlight for sure.

Day 95: Yuengling Tour!

Day: 95 Miles: 9 Trip: 1253.6 Started: Bake Oven Rd, PA Destination: Palmerton PA


We spent the night back at the Pavilion in Port Clinton.  B-rockets mother is great!  I'm really getting spoiled by the slack packing.  Today that ends though.  Moxie discovered that her favorite beer Yuengling is produced real close to where we are.  Taking full advantage of having a car for the moment she convinced us all to go take the brewery tour.  So much for a long mile day of slack packing.  While I did want to get the miles in, I am glad to embrace the moment and take little gifts like this when they come.  Off to the brewery we went!

Yuengling proudly touts that it is Americas oldest continually operating brewery.  The brewery is in downtown Pottsvile PA only about 15 minutes from where we were on trail.  Its not a big place, but it is rich in history and has been operating since 1829.  It has never shutdown, even during prohibition when it was allowed to produce 'medicinal' beer.  The building sits on a hillside were excavated under the building to provide naturally cooled spaces for storage.

One of the more interesting areas to me was the bottling plant.  On the day I visted they were running cans on the line.  Its a great tour and you even get free beer to sample at the end!

As a result of taking the tour, we were only able to get in 9 miles for the day.   Early on we ran back into Chin-Music who was taking a break at the Bake Oven shelter.  We all finished the day together and headed into Palmerton to stay at the Jail House hostel.  It is actually in the old town hall basement, but no, its not a jail!  Still pretty good despite the late start time.

Day 94

Day: 94 Miles: 25.8 Trip: 1244.6 Started: Reservoir Rd, PA Destination: Bake Oven Knob Rd, PA

Really great day of hiking today.  While PA has not had the best views, today at least were were on the ridge with at least a few views.  The mountains are only around the 1500 feet high through this section and they really don't compare to what we have seen in the past. I'm not complaining though, it's still better view than an office window!

Near the Pinnacle

 Chin-Music was not up for a long day and decided to go on his own today.  Because we are doing a south bound slack, we will see him again during the day.  We packed in a Diet Coke and left it hidden on the trail for him to find later.  If Chin could drink DK's instead of water he would be a very happy man.

I felt real strong today and even after the long miles I was able to do better than 3.5 miles an hour for the last 4 miles.

Day 93: Slow day

Day: 93 Miles: 5.3 Trip: 1218.8 Started: Port Clinton, PA Destination: Reservoir Rd, PA

Well, its a lazy day today.  A run to Walmart and Cabellas really slowed us down.  We had intended to to a big slack day but the run to the stores and the fact that a local church group was doing a big lunch cook out for hikers at the pavilion cut our day short.  We still got in a few miles though.  Sometimes the lure of free food is too much to pass on!

Trail goes under PA 61

Day 92: Port Clinton

Day: 92 Miles: 23.5 Trip: 1213.4 Started: 501 Shelter Destination: Port Clinton, PA

B-Rockets mother is down from Me and is gong to slack pack us for a few days.  We set out late from 501.  I had been hearing for days that the rocks get real bad, and today I expected the worse.  Except for a few short spots it was not that bad.  I think that 'not that bad' is a bit relative as the rocks have been getting worse over the past few days.  I guess I am just getting used to them a little.  The decent into Port Clinton was very steep but not a rock scramble like I had feared.  We stayed that night in the field outside the Pavilion.  

Day 91: Less than 1000 to go!

Day: 91 Miles: 11.4 Trip: 1189.3 Started: Swatara Gap Destination: PA 501

Well the rain is still bad today but I was still able to get in 11 miles.  Got off the trail at PA501 and beat the hair and bad thunderstorms back to the hotel.  It was raining pretty hard for a few hours in the morning but by the afternoon the sun was coming out.  I checked my phone at 501 and the worst was yet to come.  We all shared the hotel room again tonight. 

Today we passed the 1000 miles to go mark!  I am now out of the 4 digit miles to go range!  Time to start thinking in hundreds of miles again.  Feels good.  No pictures today, too wet.

Day 90

Day: 90 Miles: 19 Trip: 1177.9 Started: 1158.9 Destination: Swatara Gap, Lickdale PA

Nice early start today from the campsite.  The weather is good and we even got some trail magic this morning.  (Name to follow) set up at Clarks Creek.  This was a unique trail magic spot.   He sets up chairs and serves you from the menu.  I had deviled eggs, peanut butter cup cakes and some fruit cocktail.  (Name to follow) has been doing this every Wednesday during the peak hiker season for several years now.  What luck we had to be here on a Wednesday.  We are hearing more and more Cicadas in the area, they really are out in full force this year.  Severe thunderstorms and hail are in the forecast for tomorrow.  We all decided to head to town.  If it is nice in the morning we will do a slack day and get some miles in before the major weather is supposed to set in.

No free rides to Maine!

Day 89

Day: 89 Miles: 19 Trip: 1158.9 Started: Duncannon, PA  Destination: 1158.9

Yesterday we did a short day in the rain to get into the Doyle Hotel.  The Doyle is an AT legend that is over 100 years old.  If you ever hiked the AT you probably stayed at the Doyle.  A bit rundown, is natural charm and history makes up for its aging facade.  The trail goes though backstreets of Duncannon for several miles before crossing the  Susquehanna river and climbing back up the ridge.  Except for the rocky uphill just after the river the trail was generally easy going.  We got to camp at about 7pm and set up for a nights sleep.  I realized here that I have been spending a lot of time in shelters and had not set up my tent in several weeks.  As the weather continues to stay warm and the bugs get worse I think I'll be in my tent more often.  Shelters are nice but do not offer any protection from the bugs.

Day 87: The Slackers

Day: 87 Miles: 21.6 Trip: 1138.5 Started: Boiling Springs PA Destination: Cove Mt. Shelter

Ice Main (in red) and 'The Slackers'

So today was probably one of the most decadent days on the trail.  We were faced with 17 miles of truly flat rock free trail.  This type of trail I had always thought was somewhat mythical and did not exist.  But today it did exist!  To make things even more decadent, Chin Music arranged to have Ice Man slack pack us for the day.  A typical slack pack day would just mean not carrying a full pack load to the last road crossing of they day.  This would be different.  This stretch of trail goes through a lot of fields and there were quite a few road crossings.  Ice Man worked it out so he would meet us every two miles or so for the entire day.   He had a cooler full of cold soda and water!  This meant that we actually  had to carry nothing at all for the full 17 miles!  At one stop hanging around his pickup truck we decided that if we were in a band we would be called 'The Slackers'.  We hit our last road crossing at PA850 and picked up our packs for the final 5 miles for the day.  It was truly amazing to do those miles carrying absolutely nothing.  Ice Man is my new hero!

Barry the 'Wittler'

At the PA850 we met Barry the 'Wittler'. Barry is supporting his 70+ year old wife and friend as they complete 10 mile sections of the trail at a time.  Barry spends his day carving wood whistles and stick figures and proudly passes them out to other hikers.  I am proud to say that I am now the owner of a Barry The Wittler whistle.

Day 86: Old half way point

Day: 86 Miles: 20 Trip: 1016.9 Started: Pine Grove State Park Destination: Boiling Springs

I got a good early start out of the hostel and set out for a long day.  The rain had finally stopped and the temperature was cool and still a little overcast, a pretty good day for hiking.  The terrain for the first half of the day was pretty smooth on lightly graded trail.  About midday however we started to hit the first dreaded rocks PA is so known for. 

Lost in the maze

After entering a section called the 'Rock Maze' we started to encounter some of the larger rock scrambles we were fearing.  The section was not that long however it was actually a nice break for a fun short stretch.  I know there is more of this coming and it will probably not be so fun when it does.  I have been hiking with B-Rocket, Chin Music and Medic, a section hiker that is out for about 8 weeks. A few miles after the Rock Maze we came to the monument for the old half way point of the trail.  The actual half way point we had already passed and I joked that the ATC should move this rock each year to the real half way point.

At the old half way point

Coming into Boiling Springs we were greeted by Ice Man.  Ice man has been following Chin Music's blog and lives in the area.  Knowing Chin was coming into town today he decided to come out and offer up cold drinks to us all.  It was a nice surprise.  He even offered to drive us up the road to the Allenberry Inn where were were all going to split a room for the night. 

Day 85: Half Gallon Challenge

Day: 85 Miles: 9.5 Trip: 1097.3 Started: Birch Run Shelter Destination: Pine Grove State Park (Iron Masters)

Last night was a 'real soaker' as the local weather station reported it.  This morning was not that much different.  After starting out in the heavy rain it was apparent that I would indeed be totally soaked.  I decided to hike only 10 miles into the Iron Masters Hostel that is part of the state park system at Pine Grove.  The price was right and it was dry! 

Pine grove is also the home of the 1/2 gallon challenge.  The 1/2 gallon challenge has become a real trail tradition and while I would have liked to do it under warmer conditions I was definitely up for the task. There are no real rules, just that you must eat a 1/2 gallon if ice cream.  B-Rocket, Chin Music and Rain in May were all there also and we did the challenge together.  I had not had lunch yet and the ice cream went down pretty easy.  Challenge completed!

I got to the park pretty early and it was nice to just relax on the dry porch for a while.  So much of the day is hike hike hike the actual time I have to simply relax is not that great.  Good day despite the rain.

Day 84

Day:84 Miles: 19.6 Trip: 1087.8 Started: Tumbling Run Shelter Destination: Birch Run Shelter

Not much to view today.  Its been raining on and off all day and I had to put my camera in my pack.  The terrain is pretty easy and the miles are going by fast despite the rain.  I left Phieffer and Lentil at the shelter this morning.  Lentil has a special hatred I think for wet boots and I later found out he decided to stay behind and zero at the shelter.  I was not in the mood to waste the day so I hiked on.  Phieffer did push on, but wanted to stop a little sooner than I.  We got pretty spread out, I hope to catch up with them both later in the week.  I got into the shelter spot to find a pretty full shelter.  There were a few section hikers that were motivated to build a fire in a brief break in the rain.  Chin found a novel way to reheat his pizza from the day before.

Not wanting to set up my tent in the rain, I found a spot half under a bed platform and settled in for the night.

Day 83: Mason Dixon Line

Day: 83 Miles: 13.2  Trip: 1068.2 Started: Raven Rock Sh. Destination: Tumbling Run Sh.

Got a good start today and pushed the first five miles in just 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Phiffer has a friend in VA that was able to come out and meet us near Waynesboro.  He took us to town and we stuffed ourselves at a buffet before a quick re-supply.  We took a little too much time in town and only managed a 13.2 mile day.  It was worth it though to get a good lunch.

We got off the trail for lunch at Pen Mar County park.  When we got back we met up with Chin Music and B-Rocket.  Sitting talking to them a squirrel fell out of a tree right behind me.  The poor thing made a heavy thud and when we turned to look at him he tried to run away, but his hind legs were not working  at all.  He tried to climb a tree  but was only able to make it a few feet with his front legs only.  Not sure  if he broke his back on the fall or has always been this way we contemplated doing the humane thing by putting him down.  Looking at him we decided that he had no visible wounds and was still actually able to climb the tree.  We let him be.

EDIT:  We met some hikers today (6/8) who had seen the same squirrel a day before we did.  His legs were not working then also.  It seems he may have been like this for a long time.  Funny though that he cant come down a tree without his back legs and has to fall from the branches to get down.

After lunch we made it to the Mason Dixon Line.  We are finally in the North!  I suddenly feel more at home :)  Maryland is behind us now and were are on to Pennsylvania.  Many say this is a nice change as most of the long states are behind us and things seem to come faster as states come and go.  PA is a 200 or so miles and NJ and NY are even shorter.  We stayed at the Snoring / No Snoring shelters and I was banished to the Snoring side. :(

Day 82

Day: 82 Miles: 20.6 Trip: 1055.0 Started: Rocky Run Sh. Destination: Raven Rock Sh.

This section of the trail from southern PA to deep in VA is maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.  I have to say that so far they have the best maintained shelters I have seen. Despite this, last night we stayed at a shelter that we thought was haunted during the night.  Many strange sounds emanating from the walls combined with the building winds outside made for a uneasy period before tired legs finally brought be to deep sleep.  During the night the sounds woke up Lentil and he spent a few minutes looking for the source.  The shelter is new and still has the varnish on the floors and walls, no sign of mice or anything had him a little spooked.  In the light of morning we finally found the source outside the shelter.  Large and numerous piles of saw dust under the walls all point to a large termite infestation.  There must have been quite a few for them to make clearly audible sounds in the walls.  I hope the PATC can get this under control before they destroy the nice new shelter.  Tonight at Raven Rock Shelter I  also saw evidence of more termites in a similarly new shelter.

On the way today we went by the Washington Monument in Washington Monument State Park.  Great views.

Day 81

Day: 81 Miles: 16 Trip: 1034.4 Started: Harpers Ferry WV Destination: Rocky Run Shelter

View of downtown from Jefferson Rock

Got a late start of the Tea Horse and went back to the ATC to take a look at the log book and see if any familiar faces have come through since last night.  Most of of the people that I hiked a lot with in the first 500 or so miles have not seem to come in yet.  I guess I am slightly ahead of the bubble I started in.  The trail out of town is flat for a few miles and follows an old canal path.  Pretty easy day and still did 16 despite the late start.

Day 80: Harpers Ferry

Day: 80 Miles: 0 Trip: 1018.4 Started: Harpers Ferry Destination: Harpers Ferry (0 day)

Yesterday I arrived at Harpers Ferry WV!  Harpers Ferry has long been perceived as the psychological midpoint of the trail.  Three months ago I imagined what it would finally feel like to be here, and I am happy to say that arrived with confidence having completed half of the trail now.  I checked into the Tea Horse hostel and set out to explore the historic areas of the town.

Harpers Ferry is home to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) the governing body managing the preservation of the AT.  At the ATC hikers register and official hikers of the trail.  They maintain a log of entries complete with picture and contact information for each hiker.  I walked up to the ATC today and got my official photo taken for the ATC log book.  I registered as number 299.  Not that far off from my number of 221 and Amicalola Falls in GA.  The ATC has a number of small exhibits about the trail and even have a former sign from the top of Mt. Katahdin at the northern end of the trail. Seeing the actual sign that will greet me at the end of the trail has given me a new sense of confidence and desire to finish.