Weekly Overview
Day 57
June 28, 2019
- Route: Harper’s Ferry, WV (Mile 1024.8) to Knoxville, MD (Mile 1028.6)
- Daily Mileage: 3.8 miles
Today would ultimately end up being another near-o day where I barely hiked any miles at all, but there’s a whole lot that to talk about, including my visit to the ATC Headquarters, meeting Freefall, and hanging out in Harper’s Ferry with Gazelle.
So let’s start off with Freefall, since I actually met him yesterday. Shortly before the massive thunder and lightening storm rolled in yesterday, I received a text from Luna. His back was still in a tremendous amount of pain and he was barely moving at a 1-2 MPH pace. The challenging terrain of roller coaster wasn’t helping either. There was zero chance he was going to make it to Harper’s Ferry in time to meet his friend Freefall.
FREEFALL
Freefall isn’t someone who lives in Harper’s Ferry. He’s actually an old hiking buddy of Luna’s from the CDT, and he lives in Portland, OR. Freefall has not only thru-hiked the Triple Crown of long trails (i.e., AT, CDT, PCT), he’s now attempting to re-hike them all a second time around by section hiking. And so, he arranged to fly out to the AT and hike with Luna and Gazelle for a week this summer.
Before Luna injured his back in Shenandoah, he was right on schedule to meet Freefall at Harper’s Ferry. But now that plan was shot. Luna had no clue when he’d actually make into town. And while Freefall can fend for himself, Luna didn’t want to leave him in a lurch like that, so he texted me and asked me if I wouldn’t mind hanging out with Freefall in Harper’s Ferry until he could catch up with us. Of course, I agreed. After all, Luna talks about Freefall all the time, and he sounded like a really cool dude.
I texted Freefall shortly after his plane landed in DC to introduce myself, and let him know what was going on with Luna. For the next few hours we texted back and forth. Then he surprised me and told me Gazelle was going to meet him in Harper’s Ferry too! She hiked up to Front Royal, before catching a shuttle up to Harper’s Ferry just so she could hike with Freefall when he was out on the AT. Wow! That’s awesome.
After spending some time getting to know Freefall last night and this morning, and I have to agree with Luna. He’s an awesome person! Now I see why Gazelle was willing to leave Sorte behind (temporarily) and jump ahead to hike with Freefall.
APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY
While we waited for Luna to catch up, the three of us went down to the ATC Headquarters to hang out for the morning. As hiker’s come through Harper’s Ferry – where they are hiking NOBO, SOBO, or beginning a flip-flop hike – there’s a tradition of getting your photo taken in front of the ATC sign. These Polaroid photos are then archived by the ATC with the hiker’s real and trail names, the year they attempted their thru-hike, and which direction they were headed.
I’d been thinking about this moment for a while and was really looking forward to getting my photo taken. More than anything, this is what would memorialize that I was an AT thru-hiker from the class of 2019. And, it would show how far I’d come. When I started this journey, I was hiker #2467 to begin from Amicalola Falls this seasons. Since then, I’ve passed a lot of hikers. Plus, I’ve heard about quite are few more who quit, got injured, or left the trail for some other reason. So know I was curious to find out from the ATC just how many more hikers were still ahead of me.
When I got to town last night, the ATC closed for the day, so I made sure I was first in line when they opened this morning. Before long, I’d learn that I was now NOBO hiker #1078. Wow!!! That means that 1,391 hikers (or 58% of the people) who’d been ahead of me as of May 3rd are now either behind me or off the trail! That is surreal.
HARPER’S FERRY
With my photo complete, it was time to get on with the day. Despite Harper Ferry being home to the ATC, this was really more of a historic town than a “hiker” town. I heard it was not a great location to resupply (unless you intended to take a shuttle to nearby Charlestown, WV). So, I’d mailed myself a resupply box and had a second pair of shoes mailed to the ATC right before I started the trail.
The last resupply box I sent myself was back in the Smokies, and since then, I’ve been up trying to mix up my diet on a regular basis. You can really burn you out on certain foods out here after eating them day after day. And so, as I opened my package, I was curious to see what my re-supply box contained. How far off were my pre-trail predictions from what I’d want to eat for this next stretch of trail?
With my town chores were pretty much complete. all I had left to do was wait until Luna got into town. And so, I used the time to catch up with Gazelle. I hadn’t seen her at all since before Waynesboro. And all of our recent conversations were brief, trailside moments – not the more genuine conversations that people have when they are hiking together for hours or in camp/town together.
Now that we had ample time to talk, I wanted to know all about her experience hiking with a partner. She and Sorte tend to spend most of their days actually hiking together, which is something I’ve never done. She really seemed to be enjoying it, and says she likes having someone that forces her to slow down a bit and explore side trails and scenic spots.
Meanwhile, Freefall found his half-way photo from his original SOBO thru-hike back in 2000! He looked like such a baby-faced hiker too 🙂 But now, he was really chomping at the bit to get some hiking in. He’d spent all day yesterday flying cross-country and was going stir crazy just sitting in the ATC’s hiker lounge while we waited for Luna.
Luna wasn’t responding to texts, so eventually Freefall announced he was going to hike SOBO until he met up with Luna. While Freefall was gone, Gazelle and I went to lunch, then used the downtime to explore historic Harper’s Ferry on foot. Although I’d been out here before, it was just to go tubing on the Shenandoah River. I’d never actually walked through the town or visited the sights.
We finally got word around 2 pm that Luna and Freefall were linked up and on their way back toward us. Luna didn’t make it anywhere close to where he’d hoped last night. Instead, he ended up stopping nearly 12 miles short of Harper’s Ferry because of his back pain. Nonetheless, I’m sure it helped his morale to see Freefall and have someone to hike the rest of the way in with.
Once Luna made it to town and got his photo taken at the ATC Headquarters, we needed to decided what to do next. Luna knew his back wasn’t up to hiking many more miles. Moreover, he’d talked to his brother (who lived nearby in Washington DC) and really wanted to see him while he was in town. And so we came up with a new game plan.
The three of us hiked through West Virginia’s whopping 4 miles of the AT, and then crossed into Maryland on the C&O Towpath before parting ways. Gazelle and Freefall would continue hiking on to the next shelter, while Luna and I took it easy tonight.
Day 58
June 29, 2019
- Route: Knoxville, MD (Mile 1028.6) to Dahlgren Backpack Campground (Mile 1042.7)
- Daily Mileage: 14.1 miles
After crossing the railroad bridge out of Harper’s Ferry, Luna and I ended up stopping at a hostel in Knoxville, Maryland. It’s hard to believe that just a few days ago, Luna was eagerly talking about doing the 4-State Challenge with Fancy Feast. Now, with his back messed up, that’s completely off the table and he’ll be taking a zero today with his brother in Washington DC.
Last night, I also met Odie for the first time. Odie is former AT thru-hiker and staple in the trail community. After completing his own thru-hike in 2013, he found himself missing everyone he’d met on out trail. It seemed like they all had gone their separate ways and returned to “normal” life again. Left without any way to contact those friends and trail acquaintances, Odie decided to remedy the situation for future groups of AT thru-hikers. So, he came up with the idea of creating an annual Hiker Yearbook. Now, hundreds of hikers submit an individual photo, their summit photo, and contact information to be voluntarily included in each year’s book.
To facilitate this endeavor, Odie spends much of the thru-hiking season traveling up and down the AT taking photos in the places where hikers tend to congregate so he can help commemorate that year’s journey. Whether it’s Trail Days in Damascus, VA or just spots along the AT, you might stumble upon Odie and the bright yellow church bus that he drives. The Trek even did a really interesting article all about his quest to create the Hiker Yearbook (click HERE to read it.)
HILLBILLY BANJO MUSIC
I parted ways with Luna after breakfast, and I was back on the AT with a mission. While he rested his aching back and took his zero with his brother in DC, I was going to try to meet up with TM for a special treat! Way back when we were in the Smokies, TM and I got to talking about music. And somehow I ended up sharing how I’ve always wanted to learn to play the banjo because I really love bluegrass music. TM likes bluegrass too, and told me she was even friends with some guys who were in a bluegrass band.
As it turns out, her friends’ band was scheduled to play at a bluegrass festival at a local winery in Smithsburg, Maryland this afternoon. Knowing how much I’d enjoy the experience, she asked me if I wanted to get tickets we could go to the the festival together! Oh, heck yeah!
When I checked out the details for the festival a few days ago, I realized the venue was only a few miles from the Raven Rock trailhead on the AT. I was right on schedule to get there on the day of the concert. I could just hike right in! However, yesterday’s decision to hang out in Harper’s Ferry and wait for Luna put me a day behind schedule.
I needed to figure out how the heck I was going to get to the festival. I’d already bought my ticket and told TM I would meet her there. I decided to text TM about my dilemma, and learned she’d arranged to have a friend pick her up from the trail. Then she told me If I made it to the Dahlgren Backpacker Campground by 3pm, they could give me a ride too. Dahlgren appeared to be only 15 miles up the trail, so that was a perfect solution!
MARYLAND
Most of the hikers on the trail were boasting that Maryland was pretty flat, so I assumed making my 15 miles to Dahlgren Campground would be a snap. After all, Fancy Feast was going to attempt to hike 40+ miles today on her 4-State Challenge, so it wasn’t probably as bad as the roller coaster of hills I had to do a few days ago.
My first challenge of the day though was tackling the steep climb up to Weaverton Cliffs, where I was rewarded with some nice views of the Potomac River down below. Around lunchtime, I got to Gathland State Park where the AT cross through the park, and saw a giant trail magic spread. Three ladies were were serving up food to thru-hikers in one of the parking lots, and they had pulled pork sandwiches, grilled brats, beer, potato salad, cookies, and more. It was a straight-up picnic!
I only stopped briefly to chat with a few of my fellow hikers, since I knew the clock was ticking. But, in the process, I learned that one of the ladies who’d organized the trail magic thru-hiked the AT last year. And now, she’d dragged her mom and sister out to make sure they did some trail magic this summer to pay back all the kindness she’d received while on the trail. That’s awesome!
The trail continued right through the park, and past some giant ruins of a 19th century estate owned by George Townsend. Townsend rose to fame as a reporter during the Civil War. He is coverage of the assassination of President Lincoln and the subsequent military trial of the co-conspirators was so comprehensive that his articles were later compiled and published in book format in The Life, Crime, and Capture of John Wilkes Booth.
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
I pushed pretty hard this afternoon, only stopping for 10 minutes to a snack at one of the shelters. This worked in my favor, and I arrived at Dahlgren Backpacker Campground at 5 minutes prior to my pick-up time with TM. Just enough time to race to the campground’s bathroom to take a super quick shower and wash most of the grime off me. I even changed into my town/sleep clothes to look (and smell) semi-presentable at the festival.
TM and her ride were already waiting for me at the trailhead when I arrived, and I was so excited to see her. It felt like forever since we hiked together. She and Gear Boy always seem to be just a day ahead or behind me and Luna.
We spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening sitting out on the grass and listening to the bluegrass bands at the winery. It really was a great experience to add to my AT journey. It probably seems like I’m spending a lot of time lately focused on things other than hiking. And it’s as almost as if all my recent the highlights these past two weeks were my experiences off trail — whether it’s going to a brewery, scouring the waysides in Shenandoah for blackberry shakes, or hanging out at music festivals.
But, here’s the thing… thru-hiking the AT is more than just about walking in the woods. It’s about the people you meet along the way and the places you’d never get to see, but for the trial. I could just hike miles day in and day out and only come to town for quicky resupply trips. But, that’s not what I think I’ll remember about the journey when I l reflect back on it 10 years from now.
Hiking from Georgia to Maine is just one aspect of adventure. Developing deep friendships and camaraderie, getting away from all the day-to-day distractions in life (email, TV, etc), and slowing down to enjoy life, are also equal parts of this journey. I’m going to miss those things after the trail just as much as I’lll miss walking in nature, seeing panoramic views, or breathing the fresh air.
Day 59
June 30, 2019
- Route: Dahlgren Backpack Campground (Mile 1042.7) to Deer Lick Shelters (Mile 1071.1)
- Daily Mileage: 28.4 miles
TM’s friend was kind enough to give me a ride to trail last night as the bluegrass festival was winding down. When I hiked bak in to Dahlgren Campground, I discovered close to dozen tents were already pitched in the grassy park-like area. And so, I scurried to do the same before it got dark.
I just barely got my tent up and all my gear inside when a magnificent storm rolled through and began pouring rain. As I lay there thinking about how much fun I’d had at the bluegrass festival, I was treated to an evening light show with the lightening bolts streaking across the night sky. Even with my rainfly closed, I could see brilliant bursts punctuating the dark like a series of firecrackers. What an awesome way to fall asleep!
TICKS
After the past few days of easy living, I was eager to get back to the business of hiking. Unfortunately, I had to take care of something disgusting first. When I woke up this morning, I found a small tick embedded in the skin on my hip right. Its body was engorged and it had probably been feasting on me all night long. This is the very first tick I’d gotten on this trail, and I was glad I brought a tick key along in my first aid kit so I could remove it without squishing it or breaking off its head.
I’m not sure whether I picked the tick up out here on the AT or while sitting in the grass at the winery yesterday during the bluegrass festival. Either way, this episode reminds me that I should probably start treating my clothes with permethrin. I hate using toxic chemicals on my body, but I’d prefer to avoid Lyme disease even more. As the AT heads further north, there’s a higher likelihood I’m going to run into ticks and the health risks these little blood suckers carry.
MORE MARYLAND
Last night’s rain storm cooled the temperatures down a bit, so I was really aiming to try to finish the remaining 24 miles of Maryland today. Today’s profile appeared to have a lot of up and downs, but they were mostly fairly small elevation changes instead of the long, steep ascents I’d come to loathe.
The first notable landmark of the day came only 3 miles up the trail when I visited the Washington Monument. I had to do a double take when I saw the name on one the sign. Isn’t the Washington Monument in downtown Washington DC? Sure enough, I learned this tower was built in Maryland in 1827 to commemorate our first president. That’s nearly 60 years before the obelisk carrying the same name was built on the National Mall.
Several miles later I noticed that the AT was supposed to cross I-70 (a major interstate that runs from Baltimore all the way to central Utah). When I saw this info, I was worried I might have to play frogger to get across the traffic-filled highway. But luckily, the trail crossed over the interstate via a pedestrian overpass. I had to laugh when I saw that the bridge was wrapped in chainlink fencing arching over it. It seems you can’t ever avoid the green tunnel effect on the AT.
The terrain in Maryland was pretty much about what I expected, with the exception of some relatively rocky sections. When I eventually approached the most difficult stretch of trail near the High Rock Ledges, I was startled to see a particular couple out hiking. Seeing them made me do a double take. The man appeared to be in his 60s or 70s, and trailing about 100 yards behind him was an obese woman of similar age. Honestly, I was truly shocked to see either of them out on this section of trail.
My surprise at seeing this couple was mostly because this stretch of trail wasn’t you’re typical day hike. It involved some scrambling over several boulders, and was even fairly challenging for me traverse and I’ve been hiking non-stop for two months. I can only imagine how agonizing those obstacles had to be for this couple, given their ages and physical conditioning. Maybe I’m underestimating them, but all I could do was hope neither of them fell and twisted an ankle up here. That could turn into a really bad situation quickly.
SKIPPING AHEAD
When I turned on my phone during the descent from the ledges, I saw that Luna texted me. Taking his zero day with his brother in Washington DC seemed to be a good thing, and his lower back felt a lot better. Now that he was moving at a normal pace again, he really wanted to hike with Freefall and Gazelle while he still had the chance. So, rather than returning to Harper’s Ferry and trying to catch up to them, he was going to jump ahead on the trail and start hiking northbound from their current location this afternoon.
This meant both Luna and Gazelle now had gaps in the trail that they hadn’t hiked. Gazelle had the 53-mile section between Front Royal and Harper’s Ferry that she skipped to meet up with Freefall. And now Luna had 35ish miles he was skipping between Harper’s Ferry and the trailhead where he was linking back up with them today.
Neither Gazelle nor Luna intended yellow blaze (and completely skip those miles) though. They just wanted to be able to hike with Freefall during the limited time he was on was on the East Coast. When the three of them eventually make it up to Duncannon, PA, both Gazelle and Luna intended to head back south to make up those missed miles before continuing on toward Maine.
Truthfully, I was glad that Luna was jumping ahead. I vividly remember my time in Virginia and how demoralizing was to try to catch everyone, but feeling like they were always just out of reach. Luna should take advantage of the brief opportunity to hike with Freefall while he has it.
MASON-DIXON LINE
Shortly before 5 pm, I made it down to Pen-Mar Park, which is situated right on the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. When I arrived, the park was filled with people enjoying the summer. There was even a live band playing swing music, and a group of elderly folks (the youngest person appeared to be 80) all dancing together under a giant covered pavilion. I was so sweet to watch them all enjoying their time with each other outside.
After a short break at Pen-Mar Park, I passed the infamous Mason-Dixon Line. It was a bit surreal to pass by a humble sign announcing this important geographic point. I can still remember learning about this demarkation line back in grade school.
After numerous border disputes between the two colonies during the 17th and 18th century, two English surveyors (Charles Mason & Jeremiah Dixon) were brought into help create the official border between Pennsylvania and Maryland. This border would later become the unofficial line between the free Northern states and the slave-holding Southern states prior to the Civil War. This invisible boundary separated more than just two states though. For many years it also separated two completely different cultures and outlooks in America.
The real significance for me though, was crossing into an entirely new state on the AT!. Six states down, only eight more states to go.
RAY OF SUNSHINE
When I got to the Mason-Dixon Line, I still had plenty of daylight left. So I decided to push four more miles to the Deer Lick Shelters, two small, side-by-side shelters right off the trail. A pair of hikers were sitting at the picnic table eating dinner when I rolled up, and both already had their tents set up. My own tent was still wet from last night’s storm since I’d been too busy hiking all day to hang it out to dry. Heck, it’s still somewhat hard to believe I walked 28.4 miles today. That’s my longest day on the AT yet!
As I was spreading my tent out to dry, a blond girl with an accent walked up and asked if I’d seen two younger guys come by recently. When I said no, she stopped, dropped her pack and looked a bit dejected. I soon learned her name was Sunshine and she was from New Zealand. She’d been hiking with two American guys named Double D and Two Sticks, and was trying to catch back up with them.
I’d briefly crossed paths with all three of them back at the Jim & Molly Denton Shelter and at the ATC Headquarters in Harper’s Ferry. And much like my own trail family, the three of them tended to hike separately during the day and then meet up at camp in the evenings. She admitted she always seems to be the slower one, and some nights she just couldn’t catch up. Tonight was going to be one of those nights. She was tired, and it was going to get dark in another 40 minutes. She didn’t have the energy to walk the additional 3.6 miles to next shelter and would rather get up early tomorrow to try to catch them instead.
Sunshine and I both needed water to make our dinners, so we asked the other hikers where it was located. They pointed down a side trail and said the was a spring about a 1/4 mile or so away. UGH. Neither of us wanted to walk anymore, but we really didn’t have a choice. So we tiredly plugged our way down the blue-blaze to get water for dinner.
Day 60
July 1, 2019
- Route: Deer Lick Shelters (Mile 1071.1) to Tom’s Run Shelter (Mile 1100.5)
- Daily Mileage: 29.4 miles
The night cooled off really nicely again. I’d been too tired to put up my damp tent when Sunshine and I returned from the long walk to the spring last night, so I decided to sleep in one of the two shelters instead. Sunshine took the other shelter, so we each had an entire shelter to ourselves.
When I woke up this morning and made my way to the privy at 6:15 am, I was stunned to see the place was completely empty. True to her word, Sunshine had left early to try to catch her trail family. And, much to surprise, the other two hikers who’d stayed in their tents were also gone. It’s pretty unusual for everyone to want to get hiking that early, but I was so tired, I honestly didn’t hear any of them moving around this morning.
After breakfast, I packed up all my tent (which I’d hung out to dry beside the shelter overnight), and I was on the trail before 7 am. I made it less than 100 feet down the trail when I stopped dead in my tracks. Right there, running across the trail, was a swift moving stream!
Dang it! Sunshine and I could have used THIS stream to fill up out water last night instead of making that long 1/2 mile round-trip journey to the spring. Did those other two hikers simply not know about this water source? Or had they deliberately led us astray and chuckled behind our backs as we resignedly trotted off into the woods to get water last night?? I guess I’ll never know. But, I sure feel dumb now.
MILESTONES
I was really hoping to make another big mile day again today if the terrain allowed it. After all, I was getting so close to three major milestones just up the trail.
The official halfway point of the trail was coming up soon. Each year, the length of the AT changes a bit because the trail has to be re-routed around obstacles, over new bridges, and such. This year, the AT is 2,192 miles long, which means mile 1,096 marks the technical halfway point between Springer Mountain, GA and Mt. Katahdin, ME. I was really looking forward to getting over this hump and knowing that I was on the backside of it.
Shortly after the official halfway point, I’d also pass mile 1,100. While there was nothing super significant about that particular spot on the trail, it denoted another 100 miles completed, which is always cause for celebration.
Finally, there was Pine Grove Furnace State Park at mile 1104.6. This is the location where hikers take part in the Half-Gallon Challenge to celebrate making it to the halfway point on the trail. This ritual calls for hikers to stop at the park’s store and attempt to eat a half gallon of ice cream in a single sitting. With the recent heat wave and my constant need for calories, this was one challenge I was actually up for.
All of those locations were just another 30-35 miles up the trail. And so I tried to persuade myself this morning that might be able to hike a 30-mile day today. After all, I’d only just missed doing that distance yesterday. Who knows what I might do today!
PENNSYLVANIA
Although I was focused on these short-term milestones, I also began thinking about the lore of Pennsylvania. The AT is notorious for being super rocky as it runs through this state. All you hear from former thru-hikers is, “Wait until you get to Pennsylvania.” I’m pretty sure the dreaded rocks don’t actually begin for another few days, but they are still on my mind. I don’t want anything slowing me down today!
The morning started with a decent climb up to Chimney Rock, but after that it was fairly easy hiking the rest of the day. The AT crossed several roads, and each one had a tall wooden sign beside it indicating where the trail was located. These markers were especially helpful when the trailheads didn’t perfectly align. Often the trail force you to walk up or down the shoulder of the road to find where it’s supposed to continue. But, at least the signs helped me could see which direction I needed to head so I didn’t have to pull out my map at every road crossing.
CALDONIA
I reached Caldonia State Park right around mid-day. I was surprise to learn that. a small section of the trail was close due to maintenance. But, there were several signs taped up at the edge of the park showing hikers how to navigate the detour. I was truly grateful for this help, since there was an entire network of trails within the park, and I didn’t want to accidentally get off-track and end up walking around in giant circle like Fancy Feast did a few days ago.
Many my fellow hikers were enjoying an extended stop in Caldonia State Park thanks to their public swimming pool. So anyone who’s wiling to pay its admission can go for a quick dip, grab a shower, and even get a bite to eat at the pool’s snack bar. Although it was warm enough to make the water seem enticing, I didn’t have time to stop and swim if I wanted to attempt a 30-mile day. I did, however, avail myself of the picnic area alongside the river to soak my feet in the cold water while I ate my lunch.
I caught up with Sunshine again near the river and learned she was trying to put in a 30-mile day today too. Her goal was to try to catch Double D and Two Sticks before they got to Pine Grove Furnace State Park.
While we ate, Sunshine and I discussed our strategies for the Half-Gallon Challenge (which we both intend to do), and which flavors of ice cream might go down the easiest. You often hear about hikers who end up throwing up when they finish all that ice cream. I decided I’m dead set against picking any flavor with candy bar chunks in it. All the sugar from the ice cream is already going to make me feel sick without adding extra candy or caramel swirls into the mix. I’m speculating that it’s probably best to stick to simple flavors that you might find in a milkshake – like vanilla or a fruit flavor.
There was no way we were going to make it to Pine Grove Furnace in time to do the challenge tonight though, since we still had 20 miles to go. Even if we pushed, the store wasn’t going to be open at 9 pm. So, I’m pretty sure we’ll be eating that ice cream sometime tomorrow.
Right after the leaving Caldonia State Park, the trail had a fair bit of climbing. It wasn’t too difficult compared to other parts of the AT, but heat and humidity were going strong. That’s when I realized today is July 1st. Summer has definitely descended on us. And I suspect the heat is only going to get worse.
SUCH IDIOTS
I was in a relatively good mood from soaking my feet in the river and hanging out with Sunshine, but I was still a little bummed to be hiking behind everyone in my trail family. I knew Luna, Gazelle, and Freefall were definitely too far ahead for me to catch them. But, I’d hoped to catch up to Fancy Feast after her 4-State Challenge (which she successfully completed). I guess I assumed she would need to take a zero or at least a near-o after that endeavor. But, she texted me yesterday saying that she felt great and was right back on trail!
Oh well, I would just keep my head down and make miles today. I didn’t spend much time focusing on the scenery — that is, until I saw the most flagrant example of idiocy on trail. Just ahead, there was a group of five people (two men in their early 30s and three elementary-aged kids) approaching me from the opposite direction. When the first of the two man got closer, I could see that he was wearing a bullet-proof vest with a handgun strapped to his chest AND he had a second handgun in a belt holster. The man pulling up the rear was equally well-armed with his own arsenal, plus multiple magazines of ammunition strapped to a bullet-proof vest. What the heck??? Who were these ass clowns?
Now, look. I’m not going to go on a 2nd Amendment diatribe here. People have differing views on firearms, and I’m certainly not looking to take everyone’s guns away. I spent 21 years serving in the military. My father and uncle were both police officers for decades until they each retired. So, I’ve been around firearms my entire life and understand the pros/cons of the issue.
However, I also believe that you need to be very aware of the impact you are having on others if you are choosing to carry a firearm. Who the heck were these two yahoos coming down the trail dressed like a SWAT team with their three kids in tow? They were barely a 1/2 mile from a paved road and trailhead. What dangers did they think they were going to encounter out here? A rabid raccoon?? Bigfoot??
I just couldn’t understand why these guys believed bullet-proof vests, an arsenal of handguns, and extra ammo was essential to go for a family-friendly hike. This trail is not an inherently dangerous environment. What lesson were they teaching these kids with their example? That you need to fear being in nature? Or that it’s unsafe to go into a forest unless you’re armed to the teeth?
No, I suspect these two men were typical idiots who simply get off on the power trip of carrying guns wherever they go. It makes them feel more manly. And they believe it’s their ‘duty’ to be armed and ready for whatever action/vigilante movie scenario is playing in their own heads… despite the reality that they are just out on a tranquil nature hike with a bunch of 8-year olds.
C’mon Pennsylvania. Get your act together.
HALFWAY THERE
I was eventually distracted from thinking about the two gun-toting buffoons when I got crossed Shippensburg Road and saw an awesome spread of trail magic. A former AT thru-hiker, who lived about an hour away, had decided to come out to the trail to greet hikers for a week-long 4th of July celebration.
He was planning to camp at the trailhead over the next few days jut to keep his trail magic station going to greet all the thru-hikers coming though. The scope of this endeavor was bigger than anything I’d see thus far on the trail. I was blown away. And, he’d deliberately chosen this spot near Michaux State Forest because it was right before the half-way point on the trail. Wow! Talk about an epic celebration! Maryland may be small, but mile for mile, it’s definitely the best state for trail magic!
While I wanted to just relax and enjoy the trail magic for hours, it was close to 6 pm by this point, and the half-way point was calling my name. I really wanted to make it there today and maybe even push myself to the 1,100 mile mark on the trail.
I wasn’t expecting there to be a major monument marking the AT’s halfway point. Most of the milestone markers I’ve passed on the trail have been pretty low key. For example, 1/4 way mark back in Southern Virginia wasn’t anything more than small wooden sign nailed to a tree. The symbols marking each hundred miles were similarly low key, and usually crafted on the spot by hikers using small rocks and sticks.
So, imagine my surprise to see an 8-foot tall signpost with American flags marking the AT’s halfway point! Someone really put a lot of effort to erect this monument out here in the middle of the woods. Hikers didn’t have to worry that might accidentally walk past this important spot without noticing it! Heck, it was so tall, I even had a difficult time taking a selfie in front of it, and had to get creative with the angle of my camera.
Before the evening was over, I had one more milestone to pass. I’d made it to the 1,100 mile point on the trail just before I got to the Tom’s Run Shelter. The sun was low in the sky now, and I had decided to call it a night. It had been a big day, and I’d walked just shy of 30 miles (29.4 miles to be exact). This was my biggest day yet on the AT.
Sunshine caught me at the shelter and was happy to see half of her trail family was there. One of the guys had pushed on to try to get to Pine Grove Furnace this evening so he could so the Half Gallon Challenge this evening. Meanwhile, the other one (who didn’t want make himself sick on all that ice cream) stayed behind to link back up with her. I was happy for Sunshine. I know from my own experience how much reuniting with your trail family can boost your morale!
Day 61
July 2, 2019
- Route: Tom’s Run Shelter (Mile 1100.5) to Pine Grove Furnace State Park (Mile 1104.6)
- Daily Mileage: 4.1 miles
With only 4 miles left to get to Pine Grove Furnace this morning, I had a lot of pep in my step. When I arrived, the park store was they were just opening up and the cook was heating up the grill to fry up some eggs for breakfast sandwiches. An egg and cheese sandwich on a ciabatta bun sounded far better than a tub of ice cream, so I went ahead and ordered one. Worst case scenario, the bread would be in my stomach to help soak up all the ice cream I’d be devouring afterwards. As I waited for my breakfast, I was shocked to see Freefall walk into the store! What the heck?! Weren’t they supposed to be miles ahead of me on the trail?
When I texted Luna yesterday, he said they planned to blow by the park and keep going. But, as Luna, Gazelle, Freefall, and Fancy Feast each trickled into the park yesterday afternoon, they’d all gotten sucked into the vortex. Odie was even there too. And so, they paid to get one of the camp sites inside the park and set up their tents for the night.
Fancy Feast was the only one of them who’d done the Half Gallon Challenge last night. It turns out she’d wolfed down her ice cream in about a half hour and then an ordered of french fries to top it off! That girl is a machine!
HALF GALLON CHALLENGE
In a matter of minutes, everyone else joined us at the store while I ate my breakfast sandwich. They were talking about hiking another big mile day again today and trying to get somewhere past Boiling Springs, PA. I really wanted to hike with my trail family and Freefall, but their plans were too ambitious for me. I’d already hiked 4 miles this morning, and I was going to sit here until I’d eaten a half gallon of ice cream. Hiking another 20-25 miles on a fat belly wasn’t going to happen, and I was sad to see them go.
As they departed, it was time for Sunshine and I to attempt what we’d come here to do. The Half Gallon Challenge. I have to let you know that I made a critical error when planning my strategy though. That’s because, in my mind, a half gallon of ice cream was the equivalent to a regular carton you might buy at the grocery store. But, if you take a closer look at the container, it’s not really a half gallon. Most of those ice cream cartons are actually 1.5 quarts. So, to eat an entire half gallon of ice cream, I’d need to consume one of those cartons PLUS another pint of ice cream. Crap!
When I went into the store to peruse the different ice cream flavors, it was fairly slim pickings. The only brand they carried was Hershey’s Ice Cream. I didn’t see something simple like vanilla, and I already knew I wan’t going to go for a chocolate-based flavor. So, I settled on container of raspberry ice cream for the challenge.
I got through the first third of the ice cream container without too much problem, but then I started to slow down. Once I made it to the halfway mark, each bite made me feel a little more gross. My stomach was bloated. I was on sugar overload. God Bless my poor pancreas. I might develop diabetes just from this challenge.
There’s no time limit for the challenge. Each year, some young dude always tries to set a record on how fast he can down the ice cream, but that seemed like a recipe for disaster, in my opinion. Slow and steady was my mantra. I just needed to finish and try not to vomit in the process.
Sunshine was having just as much trouble as me, and you could see we were making ourselves sick to our stomach. But, a challenge is a challenge. We had to keep going. I finally made it to the bottom of the first container, and now it was time to go inside and buy the extra pint. Of course, none of the pints were the same flavors as the larger containers. I couldn’t just buy another pint of raspberry ice cream.
As I scanned the pints in the freezer case, all my choices looked gross. Brownie Batter. Banana Pudding. Honey Roasted Peanut Butter. UGH! I settled on the one that seemed a little less offensive, and the one that was closest flavor to what I’d already eaten – Roadrunner Raspberry.
What I didn’t realize until I opened the container though, was this wasn’t another raspberry ice cream. It was white chocolate ice cream with raspberry swirls and raspberry filled chocolate cups. It was the exact opposite of what I wanted. White chocolate would be just as repugnant to my senses are regular chocolate. And the raspberry goo swirled into the center only made it sweeter. Yet,, a challenge was a challenge, so it was time to dig in!
In hindsight, I should have bought and eaten the small container first. Consuming a pint of ice cream is gluttonous, but you can envision still doing it. Conversely, there is NO chance you’ll want to consume an extra pint of ice cream when you already had the equivalent of three of them sitting in your belly. Eating that final pint of Road Runner Raspberry ice cream was one of the most disgusting things I’ve done in a really long time.
Nonetheless, both Sunshine and I did it! It took me over 80 minutes that morning, but I ate a half gallon of ice cream for breakfast. Dang! When I scanned the nutrition labels on the side of the containers, I was appalled to learn that I’d just consumed 2,600 calories!! I felt so bloated that all I could do was lay prone on the bench and let all that ice cream in my belly try to digest.
HOMESICK
Sunshine and I laid around on the store’s patio for the next two hours feeling sick to our stomachs. Neither of us wanted to hike. I didn’t even know if I could even walk. I could barely keep myself upright. And then the sun came out and started to really bake. I moved into the shade to avoid it, but I still couldn’t muster any motivation to get back out on the trail.
Hikers continued coming and going from the store all morning while I sat in the shade trying to decide what to do next. Some of them were talking about getting off trail and going to Gettysburg for their 4th of July celebration. Others were talking about hanging out at the state park and enjoying the campground and its beach (Pine Grove Furnace State Park is right on a lake).
The longer I sat there listening to their plans, the more I began to formulate one of my own. Maybe I needed to get off trail and re-charge for the holiday too. Maybe, instead of hiking my buns off to try to keep with the others, I just needed to stop and rest. And so, I did a little research on my phone and called Enterprise Car Rental in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. They had someone who could drive to the park and pick me up around 2 pm so I could rent a car. And right there, I decided I was going to get off trail and drive to my in-law’s house in New Jersey to hang out with Keith and Finn for the 4th of July holiday.
Day 62
July 3, 2019
- Route: Zero Day
- Daily Mileage: 0.0 miles
Getting a rental car and driving to New Jersey was one of the best decisions I could have made. Being off the trail gave me some time relax and reflect without any of the normal stresses I’ve been feeling lately.
As I’ve walked my way into the bubble of hikers this past month, I feel like I’ve lost my way a bit. I’ve fallen into the trap of allowing my happiness to rely on external forces I can’t control. I even unloaded a rash of my frustration on Freefall when I saw him yesterday morning at Pine Grove Furnace. Not only was that unfair to him, but I barely recognized myself in that moment. What was happening to me.
And so, today I finally decided to stop all my worrying. It doesn’t matter how may miles I’m hiking each day. I’ll get to Maine when I get there. Worrying about where everyone else is in proximity to me on the trail doesn’t much matter either. When I get back out there, I’m determined to stop riding this absurd roller coaster of emotions each day. It’s time to just hike my own hike.
Day 63
July 4, 2019
- Route: Zero Day
- Daily Mileage: 0.0 miles
Today was my second zero in New Jersey. I’m really feeling rejuvenated by taking this break from the trail. I got to see my family and we celebrated the 4th of July together just like any normal family. We went to the pool, ordered Chinese food, and even did some backyard fireworks to celebrate the holiday.
This return to ‘normal life’ was exactly what I needed emotionally and physically. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’m determined to keep my promise to myself to not get caught up in all the emotions that I’ve been feeling lately. I have a lot of the trail ahead of me still, and some of the biggest obstacles – like the rocks in Pennsylvania, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and the 100-mile Wilderness in Maine are still yet to come.
Only 1,088 miles left to go to Katahdin! It’s all downhill from here, right?
Week 9 Overview
- Lowest Mileage Day: 0 miles
- Highest Mileage Day: 29.4 miles (my longest day yet!)
- Number of days with rain on trail: 3
- Number of nights sleeping in my tent or AT shelter: 3
- Nights at a hostel: 1
- Number of zero days spent at my in-laws’ house in NJ: 2
- Number of NOBO hikers I’ve passed by Harper’s Ferry: 1,391
- Number of wine slushes I drank at the bluegrass festival: 2
- Minutes it took me to complete The 1/2 Gallon Challenge: 82
- Distance to New Jersey for my double-zero: 194 miles (and well worth!)
- Total miles hiked this week: a paltry 78.8