New York – The Trail Magic State
After grabbing a quick breakfast, BigFoot, Mantis, and I headed back towards the trail. We quickly got a hitch, and our driver even left us each with a bottle of lemon tea. Thanks, man. It was perfect on top of that steep climb from the road! After 9 miles on this beautiful, sunny day, we said goodbye to yet another state and said hello to New York.
The three of us continued hiking together the rest of the way to Wildcat Shelter to complete a 17 mile day. So far, so good in New York. The number of sharp rocks continued to decrease, though we climbed over many rock faces and walls keeping our walk interesting.
The next morning, we awoke to the sound of rain drops on our tent and silently agreed to stay put. Eventually we exited the tent and broke down camp. Apparently, Mantis felt the same way about the rain. The three of us left camp last at a laughable 10:00. Oh well.
The rain in the morning was all we saw, and the day turned hot quickly. Best word for the terrain so far in New York? Rugged. Though we weren’t climbing large mountains, the ups and downs were continuous, frequently scaling near vertical slabs of rocks. In many places, the sun sparkled through the trees to the grass below that covered the forest floor, a welcome change from the underbrush that we typically see.
Actually, we quite enjoyed New York. Except one important factor – the water. Most of our trip, the quantity and quality of water has been excellent. In New York, though we crossed streams frequently, most of them were a dark reddish color we just weren’t comfortable drinking.
Thankfully, it seems the locals are aware and have left a most useful form of trail magic – many jugs of clean water. During our walk that day, we passed 4 different water caches. The first included a box with donuts inside. The last had assorted fruit.
With our water bottles filled, we crossed a busy highway and took off for the last 5 miles of the day. Just passed the road, we saw a group of hikers circling a truck and were waved over. We quickly noticed big smiles and a grill – more trail magic! Our host, Paddy-O, made us hotdogs with sauerkraut and calzones and had plenty of chocolate milk, tea, and beer. Writing this, that combination sounds God awful, but it sure was tasty that evening. Eventually, we pulled ourselves away from Paddy-O and finished the remaining miles to Fingerboard Shelter.
We arrived at a very crowded shelter on this Saturday evening. There were tons of weekenders some families, some groups of twenty somethings with whiskey. Not necessarily people these tired hikers wanted to camp with. But we weren’t going any further. We pitched our tent and did our best to get to sleep.
Morning came, and we broke down camp early. Mantis, BigFoot, and I hit the trail at about 7:00. Today’s high was a predicted 95°, and we were shooting for 22 miles. A few hours in, we took second breakfast with a beautiful view of a lake. We could already feel the heat and humidity rising and knew we were in for a very long, tough day.
By about 11, we hit the Palisades Parkway putting us a mere 34 miles east of New York City. We walked down the side of the highway to the welcome center for water from a spigot, and despite the heat, I couldn’t resist getting a cup of coffee for the caffeine boost.
Well, on we went through a series of constant ups and downs, the heat still rising. We made it to the base of Bear Mountain and began the climb. I already felt drained in every way, yet up many stairs we climbed. The summit was full of people picnicking and visiting Perkins Memorial Tower getting glimpses of the Hudson and the massive city that could just barely be seen.
We jealously eyed the many picnic spreads around us, decided on a spot, and enjoyed our spam wraps for lunch. Mmm. After our half hour break, we resumed hiking in the heat.
We headed down the mountain passing lots of day hikers and eventually made it to the bottom. The unfolding scene at the base of Bear Mountain was like none we had witnessed on this trip. The gravel trail turned to pavement with a big field hosting a soccer game to the right and a shimmering lake and playground to the left. We followed the blazes down the paved path looking as out of place as possible. Literally, thousands of people filled the park looking as confused to see us as we were to see them. Every picnic table and grill was occupied with every food imaginable. But none of it was trail magic, no one greeted us praising our accomplishments and inquiring about our quest. I’m guessing most of these people were completely unfamiliar with the AT and the dirty hikers passing through their weekend picnic.
We filled up our water bottles and continued walking through the park passing person after person. The trail actually winds through a “trailside zoo” in Bear Mountain Recreation Area. We followed the blazes right into a huge line wrapped around the building with just enough space to file in and out. I wasn’t in the mood for waiting in line to hike the AT and had a feeling these people were in line for something else.
We semi-forced our way around the line turning a corner to reveal a public pool, each person seeming to have about a square foot of pool space to enjoy. After a few moments of people watching, we followed the trail through the zoo featuring two caged bears and a fox near death from heat exhaustion. We were more than ready to escape this place and still had 7 miles to go.
The trail meandered through the zoo, and we exited to Bear Mountain bridge.
We crossed the Hudson and re-entered the woods. We were happy to be back under the covering of the leaves, but the 500 ft steep ascent that followed was almost more than I could handle. I stopped three times on the way up which is very uncharacteristic of me. Was it just the heat, the humidity, the afternoon lag?
Whatever it was, I pushed through covered in sweat, gasping for breath, annoyed by that sweat drop that slid between my upper and lower arm that wouldn’t just drip off my elbow.
Finally at the top of this hump, we saw a south bound hiker setting up camp. He inquired our destination, and we told him we were heading to Graymoor Spiritual Life Center that allowed free camping in their ball field and free outdoor showers. He let us know he was there that morning and people were setting up some sort of Latino Fest. Curious, we set out to finish the final 4 miles.
At about 6:30, we made it to a road crossing and stopped in the nearby gas station. BigFoot and Mantis went inside while I took a seat at the outdoor picnic tables amongst about a half dozen other hikers all worn out from this hot day. We were about a half mile away from Graymoor. While resting my tired feet, I was approached by a man very curious and seemingly interested in our hike. I quickly learned he was a former thru-hiker, a current trail maintainer, and lived nearby.
“Heading to Graymoor?”
“Ya, we heard about a Latino Fest going on. Should be interesting.”
“Well, I usually invite hikers back to my home. My wife and I live about a half mile away unless you are set on this fest…”
“The only thing I really needed was a shower!”
“Well, we’ve got those too!”
BigFoot came out to the picnic table and I told him the generous offer. Both of our faces were all smiles. Wait…
“Room for one more? We’ve been hiking with a friend all day…”
“I can take three!”
Mantis was also all too eager, and the three of us put our bags into Bryan’s trunk. Very excited, we made the short drive to Bryan’s house and were welcomed by his wife and two happy pups. Bryan led us upstairs where there were two guest rooms and a guest bathroom. An upstairs common area had a log book and a coffee table book of pictures of the AT. We all took turns showering and put our dirty clothes in the washing machine. We cracked beers we snagged from the gas station and Sara began grilling burgers. It all felt like a dream – strangers welcoming us into their home, feeding us, and drinking craft beer. What an amazing gift after this incredibly difficult day. But the blessings didn’t stop there.
After a very comfortable night of sleep, we awoke to the smell of bacon wafting up the stairs. Breakfast was served – eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, and coffee. Woah. Over breakfast, Bryan mentioned he had the day off and would slack pack us if we were interested (slack pack = hiking pack free and packs are driven from one road crossing to the distant meeting point). Um… YES!!! That would be awesome especially since it was forecasted to be another scorcher.
The three of us got ready to begin our day’s hike and brought our bags downstairs to load into the car.
“You guys can leave those packs in your rooms if you want.”
“… are you bringing us back here tonight!?”
“That’s how slackpacking works, right?”
O.O
Woah. I was completely blown away. We set up our plans, packed a couple day packs with snacks and water, and headed out for a 19 mile pack free day that we knew would end with a shower, town food, and a bed. Dreams were coming true!!!
We started at 10 am, and it was already incredibly hot and humid. We kept our heads down when passing a handful of hikers weighed down by heavy packs, sorry that we couldn’t share this gift.
We seemed to float down the trail and kept an excellent pace. Honestly, without the slack pack I don’t think we would have completed the 19 miles that day. It was simply too hot, too exhausting to do that kind of activity two days in a row. But slack we did through Fahnestock State Park with views of the lake below.
We made it to RPH shelter and the nearby road crossing at about 5 pm and arrived just as Bryan was pulling up in the Subaru.
“You guys want to stop for ice cream?”
Wow, what a day. After ice cream, we headed back to the house, showered, and did laundry again. Sara returned home shortly after, and our hosts prepared dinner – steaks, roasted cauliflower, and chips with fresh growlers.
While we were hiking that day, the thought crossed our mind to visit NYC from the metro stop near Bryan’s house instead of the Pawling stop another twenty miles down the AT as previously intended. This way we could get to the city while we were still clean and avoid another day of the heat wave. Bryan agreed to help us get back to the trail after our visit, and the plans were set. The next day, BigFoot and I were heading to NYC for the first time!!!
The three of us hikers went to bed very happy, truly blessed by these stranger’s generosity. Morning came and another fantastic breakfast came along with it. At about 10, we said goodbye to Mantis and many, many thank yous to Bryan and boarded the metro that would take us to Grand Central Station an hour and a half later.
And… boom! We were in the heart of the city surrounded by train platforms, lots of food choices, and so many (too many?) people!! Oh so thankfully, our “guide” was shortly along. BigFoot’s sister, Megan, met us right in the station with the three little girls (ages 5, 3, and 1) she nannies for in tow.
The six of us hopped on a subway carefully maneuvering the stroller and keeping our eyes on these curious kids. We were soon climbing the stairs and entering Times Square.
“It’s like a party!” three year old, Izzy, exclaimed.
That it was. It seemed there were as many advertisements as there were people. I was one of many with my smartphone camera out snapping pics of the glitz and glam.
The girls were excited to go inside the three story Toys r Us and ride the indoor ferris wheel. After, we took a stroll around the theatre district and soon took the subway to the Tribeca area that the girls called home.
We spent a few more hours at the park watching the girls enjoy this hot day. Soon, Megan was off the clock, and we went back to her apartment in Brooklyn. We rounded off the evening with excellent Chinese food including some of the best dumplings I’ve ever had. Of course, we had to grab some good beers before heading to sleep.
The next morning, Megan headed to work while BigFoot and I lazily laid around her apartment. We noticed it was restaurant week in the city and took to the web to pick out which $25 lunch deal we would take advantage of that day. We are typically all about local restaurants, but when we saw Fogo de Chao on the list of $25 deals we absolutely couldn’t resist.
We took the subway to Rockefeller Center and spent a little time taking in the massive buildings surrounding us. We arrived at Fogo thrilled to let the food shoveling begin. This restaurant is a hiker’s paradise. The meal begins with a huge salad bar with top notch greens, pasta salads, roasted asparagus, fancy cheeses, etc etc etc. Then, servers come around with skewers of various meats including steaks, lamb, sausages, and chicken and cut off as much as you want as many times as you desire. The restaurant week deal even included your choice of cheesecake, key lime pie, or chocolate cake. After many rounds and dessert, we managed to pull ourselves away from the best meal we’ve had during our trip.
We navigated ourselves near Tribeca and went into REI and somehow enjoyed the familiarity of being in an outfitter. We successfully exchanged our old smelly food bags for new ones and grabbed a couple other necessities before meeting back up with Megan and the girls. We took a stroll to the Brooklyn Bridge before saying goodbye to the girls for the evening.
Next, it was time for dinner – back to Brooklyn for delicious Indian food and beers. Before long, it was time for bed. Tomorrow, we would head back to the trail.
In the morning, we packed up and took our final subway across the city. We arrived at Megan’s boss’s apartment and began getting the girls ready for the drive back to the trail. Well, Megan got the girls ready. We got bagels, a necessity while in NYC. It was nearly noon by the time everyone was ready. We packed up the Land Rover, and the six of us headed to the AT.
We waved goodbye to the sprawling city, happy to have had the experience of the visit. We took the Palisades Parkway and noticed the intersecting trail we had walked on days before. We drove across the Bear Mountain bridge and stopped at the same gas station Bryan scooped us up from. Megan decided she wanted to play Trail Angel for our fellow hiker friends so we took the opportunity to grab some trail magic – pizza, chips, fresh fruit, donuts, and plenty of water. What a gem!!!
We took the girls to the RPH shelter with trail magic in hand. Unfortunately my speculations came true – no hikers passed by at this time in the afternoon. But we knew they would be there later, and we left the magic for hungry hikers that would be arriving in the next few hours.
After our picnic at the shelter, we drove the car over to the lake we had viewed from the trail at Fahnestock State Park. The girls were thrilled to swim in the shimmering lake.
A few hours passed, and it was time to say goodbye to our trail angels. We enjoyed the rest of our third zero at RPH shelter and soon other hikers arrived drooling over the trail magic that greeted them!!
The next day was my 26th birthday, and I was hoping to hike 26 miles – but only if this persistent headache would go away. Unfortunately, ibuprofen and the night’s rest did nothing to help my head, and I told BigFoot it wouldn’t be a 26 mile day.
We headed out at about 8:30. I really didn’t feel myself with this ache in the back of my head and a knot high in my stomach. We hiked a slow mile and a half when I realized I was missing something. I knew my glasses were right where I left them on my bunk at RPH. Sigh. BigFoot immediately volunteered to go get them while I stayed with the bags. My hero.
After he returned, we resumed hiking at an uncharacteristically slow pace. The smallest hills drained me and the headache continued. Was this really just from three days off?
After three miles, we crossed a road followed by a footbridge. On the middle of the footbridge railing, we noticed a note.
“Join us for breakfast 0.2 E #300.”
Curious, BigFoot and I (now joined by Young Gun) made our way down the road to #300. A note on the side door led us to the deck.
“Hey guys! I’m making waffles!! How many hikers are there? Do you all want coffee?”
Woah. What a cool birthday present!!! We happily munched on waffles and sipped hot coffee. Amy, our bright and beautiful host, put smiles on our weary faces. And really, just when I needed a break. Something was…off.
Rocksylvania and New Jersey
Finishing our Marathon Week Challenge was such a relief, and Beverly and Jo couldn’t have picked a better time to visit us. We ended our day, hopped into the car, and headed to a motel in nearby Reading. The shower, as always, was glorious. We finished off the evening with a big buffet and beers before quickly falling asleep.
The next day, we lazily spent in the hotel happy to not be counting the miles. Our feet, bellies, and hearts were happy to finally take a zero day with family after the crazy week we had just finished. As usual, town time came to an end quickly, and the next day we made our way back to the trail.
But we had one more gift from our trail angels: a day of slackpacking. BigFoot and I completed 15 miles in record time, stopping half way through for a fried chicken picnic with Beverly and Jo. If only all days were this relaxing…
After 15 miles, we arrived at Eckville Shelter. This is one of the more unique shelters on the trail. It’s actually a converted garden shed to the adjacent house complete with caretaker, shower, flush toilets, and popsicles. We said our goodbyes to Beverly and Jo and grabbed bunks for the night. Soon, familiar hikers began to arrive, congratulating us on our previous week’s achievement. We did our evening chores and headed to sleep, ready to get back to the grind in the morning.
We awoke to a light rain which thankfully ended by 7, and we began hiking. Today was the day to start the seriously intense rocky sections of Pennsylvania we had read about. Although we had encountered some rocky sections before, the trail in northern PA is absolutely infamous for its relentless rocks. Joy. When I read about this section, I didn’t think much of it. Rocky? We can deal with that, right? I mean, the terrain is much flatter compared to most of the trail. Can’t be too bad?
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Ugh, this section could not have been over soon enough, and it was a sssllloooowwww go. Our view included nothing but our feet, rocks, and the very occasional patch of dirt. For miles and miles, the trail was 50 – 100% covered in rocks. Sigh.
Our first 7.4 miles in the rocky section took about 3 and a half hours to complete. After keeping a steady 3 mph pace for a week beforehand, this new pace was just plain frustrating. A few miles later, we were sucked into checking out a nearby bar and restaurant at a road crossing to lift our spirits.
After eating a proper meal and probably too much Yuengling, we resumed our hike for the day. The guide indicated we could cross “Knife Edge” and “Bear Rocks.” Woohoo! Thankfully, we carefully made it over the sections with minimal falling before the rain started which would have made crossing absolutely lethal. We finished our hike and arrived at the shelter before getting entirely soaked, set up our tent very quickly, and went to bed early. Typically, PA is notorious for hot weather and dry springs. Well, not this year. Every spring and stream was gushing with water, and we dealt with soggy days as a trade off. I guess I’d rather be wet than concerned about whether my next water source will be dry.
The next morning, we welcomed the sun and began a little later than usual allowing our equipment to dry. It took about 3 hours to complete 6.8 miles, carefully maneuvering the rocks dreaming of dirt. After a long lunch, we took off again with a steep climb ahead after Lehigh River.
And thank God it wasn’t raining. Although the sun was bearing down on us, rain would have made this section impassable. The climb included maneuvering rocks stacked on rocks as well as carefully ascending rock faces nervously clinging to tiny nooks and crannies. It was much different than any climb we had seen this far and could have been fun – without a pack.
After the ascend, we finally saw dirt again… well for maybe one out of the remaining 8 miles. At least the walk was lined with countless ripe blackberries!!
We arrived at camp with a few other familiar hikers. We were very happy to be done, but not thrilled about the .4 miles down to a spring for water. A steep .4 downhill. Sigh. Once we finished that chore, we made dinner and rested our tired, aching feet. Morning came and we broke down camp. We decided to make a stop in Wind Gap for resupply and lunch 10.6 miles away. Wind Gap even boasted free camping at a bar called Beer Stein. Excited, we took off, but it was another slow go. When there are that many rocks, finding a rhythm is just impossible. We came into Wind Gap around 1 slightly frustrated and ready for lunch. We grabbed some fast food and called Beer Stein to confirm their camping. Unfortunately, they no longer allow tenting out back changing our plan for the evening. Well, at least we’d save money on beers!!
After a couple hours, we left town and headed back to the AT. The rocks were once again relentless making our pace pretty pathetic. After 4 hours, we still hadn’t gotten to the designated campsite, but I was checked out for the day. We suddenly saw a spot with enough dirt to pitch a tent and snagged the opportunity. No surprise on this day that it was infested with mosquitos. We made dinner very quickly and climbed into our home sweet Kelty to escape the bugs. We fell asleep knowing that Delaware Water Gap (DWG) just south of the PA / NJ line was about 10 miles away and that the rocks would end soon.
We slept in a bit before breaking down camp, but finally continued down the rocky trail. The 10 miles took nearly 5 hours, but we eventually arrived at DWG mid afternoon. The trail takes you right into town, and we made our way to The Church of the Mountain Hostel. The church hostel provided bunks and showers and even a shelter out back for overflow. After showers, we made our way into town to get some food. Sycamore Grill got us with their $.45 wing advertisement and $3 Yuengling pints. We happily bellied up to the bar for the evening.
The next morning, Powers and Mantis joined us for breakfast at a local diner before heading back to the trail. The guys even let us sample their scrapple, a confusing PA meat product.
Well, back at it as always. The four of us set out for another day. Leaving town, we had about a mile and a half road walk across the Delaware River and on that bridge something magical happened – we exited Pennsylvania. 
Though the rocks hadn’t completely ended, we could tell the amounts were dwindling and couldn’t have been happier. Within an hour of being in NJ, we saw our third bear of the trip though it quickly ran off upon seeing us. 
That afternoon, we came across the Mohican Outdoor Center and took advantage of their Wi-Fi and couches for a couple hours. After making dinner, we set out for the final two miles to finish the day. Before reaching camp, we were happy to climb to the top of a manned firetower but not before seeing our second bear for the day, this one much bigger and much less afraid of us. 
We made it to our campsite for the evening, actually hung our bear bag, pitched the tent and headed to sleep. At some point during the night, BigFoot woke me up. “Do you hear that?” Big, heavy footsteps were clomping around the tent. It stopped. A big sniff was next, then the footsteps started once more. We both lay frozen in our sleeping bags deciding on what to do about this potentially massive bear interested in our food bags dangling from a nearby tree. Fortunately, the sounds of a bear climbing the tree never happened, and the footsteps disappeared. Had the bear started climbing the tree, we probably would’ve made an attempt to scare it away and save our food. But, we were quite happy we didn’t have to leave the tent.
The next morning, as often happens when we sleep in our tent, we got a later start than we preferred. But somehow, we got rewarded for it. Not a half mile later, we stumbled upon some trail magic! Three lovely ladies from the NJ Hiking Club brought burgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, sodas, and beer complete with EZ up and chairs. Seriously, chairs are such a gift when you usually sit on rocks, logs, and wooden picnic benches all the time.
With our bellies full, we continued on our way on this gray, drizzly day. The day was mostly uneventful, but we were happy to cross a highway with a nearby deli and grabbed bagels and coffee to fuel the final three miles to camp. After a brief stop at another firetower, we made it to the shelter for the evening with a handful of hiker friends.
The next day was pretty standard on the AT. One highlight was around noon, we arrived at High Point State Park. We stopped at the visitor center for lunch and were gifted sodas from the staff!
During lunch, a sprinkle began outside, and we left as soon as it had stopped. It seemed like the clouds were right on our tail through the rest of the hike. We were luckier than a few of our friends to end the day dry at the Murray property. This farm includes a shelter, water pump, and shower for hikers free of charge.
After a good night’s rest, we were happy to awake to sunshine, and the news of my sister’s engagement put me in great spirits. Down the trail we walked knowing the small town of Unionville was nearby. Town food was just too tempting and at the last minute, we decided to try to hitch in. As luck would have it, the last car we saw on the road before we would re-enter the woods pulled over and took us to Annabelle’s Pizza where we filled up on pie.
After a satisfying lunch, we went back to the trail and continued walking on this pretty day. At about 4, we passed our friend Toes on the New Jersey Boardwalk who informed us of a garden center coming up that had a good selection of ice cream. Sold!
Upon reaching the center, we grabbed cones and coffee. That extra large scoop of Maine Blueberry will be remembered for miles…
We were about to head out when Hardwear and White Wolf arrived. If I haven’t mentioned them before, this “odd couple” are definitely two of my favorite hiking companions. Both 50+, White Wolf, a southern gentleman from Atlanta, and Hardware (Hahdweh) an ex alcoholic boxer from Boston, make quite a team. Anyway, the two approached and told us of their plan to go to a nearby church hostel. Yes, that sounds fantastic. Another hiker, Mantis, was right behind and the five of us got shuttled from our ice cream haven to the hostel. Pizza, ice cream, and a hostel in one day?? So much yes!!!!
Happiest of #caturdays to you!!
On Your Mark. Get Set. GO!!!
It was 2 in the afternoon when we finally put our packs on after our amazing break and headed back to the AT. We had an 11 mile half day planned to get us back in the groove. The next day we would begin the Marathon Week Challenge.
What’s a Marathon Week Challenge? As if thru-hiking the AT wasn’t a monumental task in and of itself, there are a few extra challenges some hikers put themselves through. The Half Gallon Challenge, for example, involves eating an entire half gallon of ice cream in a single setting near the half way point of the AT. The Four State challenge is completed by hiking from Virginia through West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania (about 43 miles) in 24 hours. There’s even a challenge to hike 24 miles in 24 hours while drinking 24 beers. But BigFoot and I were somehow most intrigued by the Marathon Week Challenge – averaging a marathon (26.2 miles) per day for seven days.
Before our break, we had been averaging 18-22 miles per day. Our largest day so far was 26 miles. While in DC, we checked out the guidebook and decided the terrain through Maryland and pre-boulder Pennsylvania could potentially accommodate us completing the 184 miles in a week. Hiking 11 miles out of Harpers Ferry would put us 184 miles away from Port Clinton, PA where we could get a hotel, rest, and recuperate.
Well… now or never.
On your mark.
Get set.
Go!!!
Day 1. The key to completing high miles in a day is to start as early as possible. On day 1, we hit the trail at 6:40 am from Crampton Gap Shelter with a goal of 25.6 miles for the day. We hiked through the morning stopping once for second breakfast and ate lunch at Washington Monument State Park. By noon, we had somehow only completed 8.7 which still left a daunting 17 miles. After our snacks, we continued on our way, crossed over I-70, and appreciated the relatively easy terrain.
At about 5:30, we had made it 20.7 miles to a shelter’s nearby spring and decided to cook dinner before finishing the final 4.9 miles. By the time we had finished filtering water, dark clouds had rolled in, and the rain began to fall. Thankfully, the shelter was very close and had a roof over the picnic table. We made and ate our dinner and considered calling our first day short. And potentially calling off the marathon week before it really began. At about 7, the rain suddenly stopped and the sun rays began to make the woods shimmer. We packed up and went for it. Thankfully, we finished the remaining 4.9 miles dry and ended our first day at the beautiful two story Raven Rock Shelter. And really, we were there just in time. We arrived as the sun was saying its goodbyes for the evening, and soon after the rain began to fall once more. We fell asleep to the lullaby of rain hitting the tin roof. 25.6 miles.
Day 2. We awoke at an impressive 5:30 am and were packed, Poptart-ed, and ready to hike by 6:15, a new record. Today we were shooting for 25.4 miles. Yesterday’s rains had stopped over night and miles sure do fly by in the dawn. The first five miles were done by 8:00, and we stopped to enjoy second breakfast in Pen Mar County Park. We did our best to keep the break short and continued on our way. Just outside the park, we crossed the Maryland / Pennsylvania state line which is also the Mason / Dixon line. Let’s just say, these Yankees are happy to be back in the North.
By noon, we had completed “12 (miles) x 12 (o’clock).” The AT crossed a creek with a convenient picnic table just begging us to keep it company. We obliged and enjoyed a long lunch knowing we had “only” 13.4 miles remaining for the day. At 1:00, we were off again keeping a steady 3 mph pace. Hours and miles ticked away. By 6:00, our bodies were running out of fuel for the day. We had about 3 miles to go including a 600 ft climb to get us to the shelter. We continued on the AT a bit further when the trail met a state park. Caldonia State Park was buzzing with families enjoying the trails, swimming pool, and picnic area. Suddenly, it dawned on BigFoot to suggest we eat dinner here before we finished the hike. Ahhh food… just what I needed! We even made coffee taking advantage of the convenient water spigot. We finished the remaining miles in considerably better spirits and were delighted to arrive at the shelter. Actually, one of the nicest shelters we’ve seen yet. This shelter was two shelters connected by a long roof with a big covered porch and picnic table. The shelter is decorated with no less than six hanging plants, complete with flowing spring and even a checkers board. We enjoyed all of this ambience for maybe 15 minutes before unrolling our sleeping pads and quickly falling asleep. 25.4 miles. 25.5 mile average.
Day 3. We began our day at 6:40 am. By 9 we had completed 7.4 miles, and by 12:30 we arrived at Pine Grove Furnace State Park (PGFSP). That means we completed 16.9 miles by midday. Even writing this now I’m somewhat blown away by that figure. PGFSP is also just north of the official half way point, and now we are officially closer to Katahdin than Springer. Woah.
PGFSP is home to the Half Gallon Challenge which we decided to forego in order to hike more miles, though we did enjoy quesadillas and chicken fingers for lunch. Despite wasting probably too much time, we hiked on killing 11.5 more miles that day for a total of 28.4 miles. 26.5 mile average.
Day 4. It’s always a little harder to get going early from the comfort of your tent. We still managed to hit the trail by 6:45 and continued on our way. That morning we got the joy of a rock maze before crossing corn fields into Boiling Springs, PA. While in Boiling Springs, we resupplied on groceries and headed to a local restaurant / resort for a lunch buffet. Unfortunately, the lunch buffet was a myth, but we were determined to get a hot lunch. We waited around for a bit, enjoying not hiking and eventually got our tasty lunch. In town, we actually had phone service, and we received a text from Sean’s cousin exclaiming that she and his mom were coming to see us Tuesday, our planned zero day. Excited, we inadvertently killed about 3 hours at the restaurant and then headed back to the trail. The guidebook boasts a very flat trail in this section of PA, and we thought we would conquer a big day. In reality, the flat trail through farm land bored us both to tears and a blanket of lethargy set in. We made it to a shelter and called it quits for the evening hoping to make up a few miles over the next three days. 22.4 miles. 25.5 mile average.
Day 5. Sore and tired, we still managed a 7:00 am start time. We were 11.3 miles from Duncannon were the trail walks through town. The guidebook warned of a seven mile “very rocky” stretch preceding town though we have previously traversed far more difficult terrain without warning.
We had just left the shelter when the rain began, a wonderful motivation for the 27+ miles ahead. The rain ceased right at 11 when we arrived in town. Realizing it was the fourth of July, we decided to get gas station hotdogs to celebrate. During the three mile stretch through town, we ran into some familiar faces and couldn’t help but waste some time loitering. We hopped into The Doyle, an infamous hiker hotel and bar and had a couple beers. Sigh. We still had 16 miles to go to camp. No sooner than the beers were put in front of us were they gone and it was time to hike on. We said our goodbyes and continued down the trail.
We made the 700 ft climb out of Duncannon, and 4 miles later we made it to a shelter. 12 more miles to go. Bigger sigh. By this time, a blister on my heel was absolutely relentless and every step was painful. I stopped twice to fix the shifting bandaid. No luck. This was one I’d just have to tough out.
We made it to another shelter, and I popped my second dose of vitamin I (ibuprofen) for the day. Just 5 more miles and 2 more days of this nonsense. Though the terrain wasn’t too difficult, the blister on my heal, my wet socks scraping the tops of my toes, and overall wear from the previous days were building up. Those five miles, which ended up taking 2 full hours, dragged on to an eternity. Honestly, the pain felt like a lighter burning the tops of my toes and my heal on every step. The mirage of a campsite was around every corner. I was done.
And, as always when you walk far enough, the destination appeared. As soon as the tent was up, I crawled in for the night skipping dinner in favor of sleep. If you know anything about hikers, foregoing a meal is some variety of sacrilege but laying down was that important. It seemed as if all 5 days of this had caught up to me all at once. My socks were carefully peeled off my feet, the burns and blisters purposefully exposed from my sleeping bag. Pain radiated out of my hips tired from carrying near 30 pounds over all these miles. It spread down to my toes, reminded me of the sores, then circulated back up and ended with a pounding in my head. I’m not sure how long I laid there before sleep captured me. It felt like an hour or more though I’m sure I couldn’t have been awake that long…
27.4 miles. 25.8 mile average.
Day 6. My eyes opened and I checked the time. 5:33. Nope, not happening. It seemed BigFoot agreed, and we slept in. 7:00 rolled around and we begrudgingly began to move. By 8 we had broken down camp and started moving. Thankfully, the sun was out, and my feet were much happier in dry socks and shoes. A mile later, we stopped for water, ate snacks, and spent time dawdling, and it was already 9. Shit.
On we trudged, grateful for smooth terrain. At about 1 o’clock and 13 miles later, we stopped at a beautiful campsite with a nearby stream and made a hot lunch making up for skipping the previous night’s dinner. Fueled up, we set out for the other half of the day. On we walked. And walked. And walked.
Eventually we crossed an interstate which left 7 miles left to go. It took every ounce of energy to keep walking. Exhausted is an understatement. But still, somehow, we walked. Looking back, I don’t exactly know where that strength and determination came from. But, on we walked.
And, of course, we came upon our shelter for the evening. This two story shelter had a 16 person capacity and we were about numbers 13 and 14. We asked fellow hikers were to get water and were obviously disappointed when we heard the water source was a quarter mile away. Luckily, two fellow hikers offered us a liter (definitely out of pity), and we were spared the trip.
We again skipped our hot meal, glad we had made one for lunch. I flipped my phone on and received a text from BigFoot’s cousin, Beverly. Beverly and his mom were currently en route to PA. They were hoping to help us slack pack the next day before our scheduled zero.
What’s slack packing? That’s a beautiful stretch where a car carries your pack from one road crossing to another while you hike *ahh* pack free. While some consider this cheating, I consider this a reminder of why I love to hike. 30 pounds sure does make a hell of a difference.
We fell asleep quickly, excited for the next day, our final day of the challenge. 26.3 miles. 25.9 mile average.
Day 7. We somehow managed to awake early and hit the trail by 7. Our previous night’s plan gave us 13.5 miles to hike with packs and a remaining 14.8 without. Despite all of the built up pain in our feet, bodies, and minds, we walked on. Miles and hours ticked by and we could hear the anticipated road crossing ahead. All of the sudden, we exited the woods and there were Beverly, Jo, and Rusty the pup. Ahhh free at last from our packs.
Our trail angels even brought us lunch from Five Guys which we devoured at record pace. Thankfully, they even thought to bring some cookies for fellow hikers. Eventually, we put on a day pack they had brought for us and headed back into the woods.
Woah. This is AWESOME!!!
Every step felt different, lighter and bouncy. I felt like I had more energy to enjoy the woods around me. BigFoot and I along with our friend Red Pepper hiked quickly, frolicking through the forest. 14.8 miles went by in record time. Literally, we hit about 4 miles per hour at some points which is absolutely impossible with packs on.
Our slack pack half day came to an end after an incredibly steep decent into Port Clinton, PA. 28.2 miles. 183.7 miles in 7 days for an average of 26.2 miles per day.
Marathon Week Challenge complete.
Fuck yeah.
Shenandoah National Park, Harpers Ferry, and Washington DC
| We awoke a little later than usual at the shelter, but it was ok. It was a five mile walk into Waynesboro, VA with the rest of the day off. We made it to the highway and hitched a ride into a Ruby Tuesday craving that salad bar. Fresh vegetables – what a concept. After lunch, we casually loitered outside deciding what to do next. A woman approached us asking if we needed a ride anywhere. We told her we needed to do some laundry and get to the other side of town. Jennifer offered to drive us, but then invited us to her home to do laundry and shower. We graciously accepted her invite and spent a lazy afternoon in an air conditioned house doing chores and watching tv. After a few hours, Jennifer drove us to the church hostel we stayed at for the evening and even gave us money for dinner. Now that’s a Trail Archangel.
We checked into the hostel and made our way to Ming’s Garden, a massive Chinese / American buffet including hibachi and sushi. Basically a hiker’s paradise. After several rounds, we went to the grocery store to resupply and ended the evening with comfy couches and Harry Potter. In the morning we had a delicious breakfast, and we made our way back to the trail. From Waynesboro to Harpers Ferry is a final 165 mile stretch to the unofficial half way point and the ATC Headquarters. Also, many hikers make their way to Washington DC, and we were planning a much needed few days off. Just outside of Waynesboro is the southern entrance to Shenandoah National Park. The AT stretches 100 miles through the park crossing their claim to fame, Skyline Drive, far too frequently. Many AT “thru-hikers” take the opportunity to travel by canoe or kayak down the Shenandoah River from Waynesboro through the park and as far as Harpers Ferry. Well, we want to claim we really thru hiked, so hike we did. Honestly, the section wasn’t the most thrilling, but it was some of the gentlest terrain we had seen thus far.
Over the next six uneventful days, we hiked through the park stopping occasionally at the park’s Wayside restaurants which are quite a treat to the hungry hiker. And no one could complain about dollar tall boy Budweisers either. Near the northern boundary of the park, we left the trail to resupply in Luray, VA and got enough food to get us into Harpers Ferry. Our final challenge before exiting Virginia was The Roller Coaster, a 13.5 mile stretch of tightly packed ascents and descents. We began the day early and, thankfully, the terrain wasn’t as difficult as expected. What really got us was the 95 degree heat and high humidity. All we had to do was push through this day and 9 miles in the morning to get us to Harper’s Ferry. But our mental and physical exhaustion was growing apparent. Up and down the world’s least thrilling roller coaster we hiked drenched in sweat. A quiet hurrah was said when we crossed mile 1000. We continued hiking and were warned of storms passing through. “A torrential downpour pummeled the Midwest yesterday, it’s coming our way!! Find shelter!!!” I swear, it’s always the perfect storm. Well, we finished all but 3 miles of our day at the Blackburn AT Center which has bunks for hikers, a big enclosed porch, plenty of camping space, water, and a privy. We stopped, made dinner, and packed up. The rain started to sprinkle as we were about to head out. I had a feeling we should just stay put and wait out the storm, but we decided to make a go for it. And got 100% drenched from head to toe. To make matters that much more annoying, a bit of sand in my wet shoe scraped the bottom of my left foot on every step. Every single step through the pouring rain was made with a great deal of pain. I pushed back the tears and continued on knowing it was only 3 miles to the shelter. Knowing this pain and rain were temporary. Knowing that tomorrow we would be in Harpers Ferry meeting my Aunt and Uncle to relax in their cozy, dry home. Every step counts. Of course by the time we got to the shelter for camp, the rain had stopped for the evening. I stripped off my soaked socks and checked out my poor feet. We settled in for the night with the other hikers watching the pink sky with the promise of tomorrow in the air. We woke up to a beautiful morning feeling rejuvenated. The 9 miles flew by, and we FINALLY very happily said goodbye to Virginia.
By 10:30 we had made it to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters where we were happily greeted by volunteers and got our half way pictures taken. It wasn’t long before my Aunt Linda and Uncle Neal arrived to take us into Maryland near DC. We had a wonderful lunch at The Anvil in Harpers Ferry and then made the hour and a half drive to their home.
Ahh a home! With couches! And food! And a gift from my brother and sister in law from their visit a couple weeks prior. Their care package included some yummy trail mixes, jerky, a very interesting selection of Ramen noodles, and 2 six packs of beer – Bell’s Two Hearted and People’s Moundbuilder. Thanks, bro – I needed it!!! After showering, laundry, and Thai food, we happily went to sleep in a real bed! In the morning, my aunt and uncle made a breakfast that hikers dream of. They helped us run all of our errands to gear up for the next round of hiking and treated us to Mexican food for lunch. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and watching tv. Is it weird that I kinda miss laying on a couch for unknown hours??
It seemed that morning came too quickly, but we were once again amazed at the breakfast spread. Eggs scrambled with vegetables, bacon, Maryland crab cakes, strawberries, cherries, watermelon, juice, and coffee. Hiking would be better if every morning began that way. But that day still wasn’t for hiking. Instead, we said goodbye to my amazing family and took the metro into DC.
We spent the day checking out the monuments probably walking far too much for a “zero day.” Our timing couldn’t have been better though. We made sure to stop by the Supreme Court building to celebrate the day’s ruling.While there we were spotted across the crowd. Two familiar hikers were also visiting DC. Dang hickers.  That afternoon, we met up with Sean’s friend Isabella who lives near the city. We picked up some beer and headed to her apartment. That evening, we went to eat Ethiopian with a couple of her friends. We very much enjoyed our first time eating this cuisine without any utensils. Yep, just your hands. Super tasty. Saturday, we had a lazy day and listened to the rain fall. We decided to make our way to the American Indian Museum at the Smithsonian and hit an Indian buffet afterwards. The rain fell all day long, and we were so grateful to be indoors for it. Ice cream and Hunger Games finished our last night off the trail. The next morning, Isabella drove us back to Harpers Ferry were I was expecting two packages – new shoes and a new pack. The volunteers at the ATC HQ went to fetch my packages but only came up with one. Shoes, well that’s good. The pack was sent from Osprey via next day mail two days ago and should have arrived. Well, after many attempts, it just wasn’t there. We decided we would wait on it and delayed hiking another 24 hours. We got a ride to nearby Charles Town and checked into a hotel. And didn’t leave it once. Nope, pizza delivery,tv, and internet are all this couple needed to be happy. It was now Monday, and we returned to the ATC HQ. And yes, they had my package. Osprey, sticking true to their almighty warranty, sent me a whole new pack after my front zipper pocket had popped twice. I’m pretty blown away by their customer service. I switched over all my gear and BigFoot and I made the realization that it was actually time to start hiking again. After hiking a half day into Harpers Ferry and four full days off, after completing the first 1023 miles, after being blessed by family and friends, after getting some fresh gear and clothing, after taking an international food tour, it was once again time to head back to the Appalachian Trail and continue the long journey we began over three months ago in Georgia. And we had a crazy first week back planned.
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Meet Virginia
After our Trail Days excursion, we dropped back 70 miles into Tennessee where we had left The AT. After 3 days off, it was time to get back to it.
Over four days, we hiked the 70 mile stretch that brought us into Damascus. We enjoyed Jones Falls, Laurel Falls, and a lunch stop in Hampton, TN, conveniently located next to a gun range that shares my last name. Some days you hike, some days you shoot a .22 and hike.
We arrived in Damascus after completing the 8 miles into town. We made a bee line for burritos at Hey Joe’s and checked into Crazy Larry’s hostel. $20 for tenting, laundry, and a hot shower with a real towel!! We enjoyed our half day with four frozen pizzas and beer.
Well, welcome to Virginia. Virginia claims about 25 % of the Appalachian Trail. That comes out to about 550 miles. We were told it would be beautiful. True. We were told it would be flat. Super not true. I guess this must be a running joke from past thru hikers to the current ones. But, if you heard and believed that Virginia is flat, well, someone got you.
We left Damascus with a trail highlight just around the corner. The Grayson Highlands were 35 miles away, and we were thrilled to see the main attraction – wild ponies!!!
It was a beautiful Saturday morning, not a cloud in the sky. We hiked up and up seeing more hikers than usual. But not more thru or even section hikers. The weekenders were out in full force. Oh yea, it’s Memorial Day weekend.
Near the summit of Mount Rogers (Virginia’s highest peak), the crowds became noticeable. When you go from seeing a dozen or less people per day to seeing a couple hundred people in a two mile stretch, it can be a bit… shocking.
But the crowds couldn’t take away from this beautiful day. And as luck would have it, plenty of ponies came around to say hello. The Grayson Highlands also include crossing mile 500. Still a lot to go, but 500 felt pretty good.
From the Grayson Highlands, we pushed on to the Atkins, VA gap to The Barn Restaurant where a package was waiting for us. We happily devoured the 1 lb hiker burger and got our resupply that would get us another 90 miles to Pearisburg.
While finishing lunch, another hiker approached us. A woman had offered a room in her house to a couple of hikers and could take two more, but they needed to go right away. Considering it looked like rain, we decided to take the spontaneous offer and were so glad we did.
Trail Angel, Murray, took us to her beautiful country home. Her late husband was a thru-hiker, and she knew just what we needed – a shower, clean laundry, and food!! Murray took us to a Chinese buffet and stopped at the store for us to pick up a few essentials. She even got groceries for a big breakfast in the morning. She really knew how to spoil us.
The next day, we still put in 15 miles happy from our excursion the night before. In four days, we hiked the 90 miles to Pearisburg including two back to back 24 mile days – our biggest yet. Who am I!?
In town, we were happy to conquer another Chinese buffet. After lunch and grocery shopping, we were about to make our way back to the trail when we saw some familiar faces. Toastie and Downhill were snagging beers to pack in at the gas station, and we were stoked to see them. We had met these two during our first couple weeks before we took time off for injury. After many weeks of following them in the shelter logs, the day had come where we caught them!! Ha!!
Well, back at it again. From Pearisburg we would hike 95 miles to our next stop, Troutville. In Damascus, we caught word of a hiker feed June 5 in Troutville as part of Troutville Trail Days. Troutville also promised free camping in the town park and free showers and laundry at the fire station.
With a good goal ahead, we set off for the 95 mile stretch excited for Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. But the weather had something else in mind other than our great views. Over five cloudy and rainy days we hiked from Pearisburg to Troutville. Nearly all five days began and ended with wet clothes. And all the views were stolen away by dense fog. When you only have one shot to see a viewpoint, statistically, you’re going to miss some of them. Well, just another section to come hike again.
No pain, no rain, no Maine. And we’re going to Maine.
Well, we made our goal and Friday we hiked into the Daleville / Troutville gap. We made a quick stop at the Howard Johnson to pick up a couple packages then hurried to Rancho Viejo across the street. Mmm burritos…
While munching, we checked out our goodies. One package was sent from Kelty. We use a Kelty Salida 2 for our tent and our fly had a busted zipper. We emailed Kelty and they agreed to send us a whole new tent!! Now that’s customer service. Thanks, Kelty!! The other package was basically a full resupply from my mom.
After lunch, we made our way to the town park and set up camp. Before we knew it, it was time for the hiker feed we had rushed to Troutville for. The Church of the Brethren had prepared homemade fried chicken, spaghetti, green beans, macaroni and cheese, salad, and they had a banana split bar!!! Woah.
After dinner, we headed to The Pomegranate to watch a local Grateful Dead cover band, The Kind. Grateful Dead and Get Bent IPA in my hand? Groovy.
The next day we did our chores and enjoyed a free all you can eat pancake and bacon breakfast. A few hours later, a shuttle came and picked hikers up that wanted to go tubing down the James River. Yep, sign me up!!
Sunday morning, we grabbed some Shoney’s breakfast buffet and hit the trail. This time with enough food to get us the 120 miles to Waynesboro. We set out to complete the stretch in 5 days which somehow turned into 7. I guess you could say we got a little distracted from hiking with food – first pizza in Glasgow then the infamous and highly Micro approved Devil’s Backbone brewery.
After crossing the James River footbridge, we quickly found a ride into Glasgow and hit the Monday all you can eat pasta special. We camped in the convenient designated hiking area in town and stuck around for pizza for lunch. We tried to hike, but the pizza put us into a deep food coma that turned an 18 mile planned day into a 2 mile “near-o” day in the woods.
A couple days later, it was time to conquer the big descent off The Priest then immediately climb 3000 ft up Three Ridges Mountain. Honestly, we really deserved beers at Devil’s Backbone after all that hard work. Plus, it’s a brewery 5 miles off the trail. No one really twisted my arm. And wow was I impressed. Not only has this brewery won tons of awards for the beer, it is a whole complex. Well, under construction, but this fantastic brewpub will soon include a second restaurant, an outdoor amphitheater, a walking path with secret gardens, a cigar bar, and a shower house with laundry for hikers. Oh, and free camping. Is this what heaven is like?
No, no. Heaven doesn’t include a hangover. Or hungover hiking. Which is very, very challenging. Yet we survived 14 miles leaving 5 to finish up into Waynesboro the following morning.
If anyone’s keeping track… 861 miles down, 1327 to go Katahdin. Tomorrow, we head into the Shenandoah’s and will arrive at the “official unofficial halfway point” in Harper’s Ferry. Half way right around the corner!?!? WAHOOO!!!!
Trail Days Getaway
Excited for our Trail Days adventure, we exited The Roan Highlands and walked a brisk 2.5 miles into the Roan Mountain / Elk Park gap. As planned, our friend Pat rolled in at 9:00 to pick us up for a day on Lake Norris.
By noon, we had arrived at their cabin for a quick shower and to load up a cooler. We made it to the marina by two and rented a speed boat complete with a tube!!
We couldn’t have asked for better weather and were so happy to rest our tired feet. We all took turns on the tube and were amazed at how fast four hours disappeared.
Returning to the cabin, it was time to feast!! Pat is a meat professional and expertly stuffed a pork loin with sauteed peppers, onions, and bacon then wrapped the whole thing in a bacon weave. We happily chowed down on pork, salad, roasted potatoes, and steamed broccoli. Holy cow (or pig in this case).
The next morning, Pat drove us the two hours into Damascus for day one of Trail Days. We said our goodbyes to our wonderful friend and parted ways.
BigFoot and I were excited to find a shady spot in tent city then made our way to check out the gear reps. My Osprey pack had a zipper bust on the trail, but thanks to their almighty guarantee, the bag was fixed free of charge at their repair booth.
My next order of business was to take advantage of the free haircuts offered by One Way Ministry. The ministry had three stylists chopping off hikers’ hair absolutely free of charge. I hopped on the opportunity and said goodbye to about 8 inches of my locks. So much more manageable now!!
As evening approached, the hiker feeds began. Hikers eagerly lined up for plates full if bbq and big bowls of chili. Our time at Trail Days was made extra special because we were able to reconnect with the trail family we began the hike with.
Camp Riff Raff was entertaining to say the least. Many familiar faces gathered around coolers full of ice cold beer as we all swapped stories about our hikes. It was really wonderful to reconnect with friends.
That evening, we took the free shuttle across town to check out The Damascus Brewery and I was delighted to have a yummy Black IPA.
The next morning, we had a pancake breakfast at the ministry and continued checking off chores. At 2, the annual hiker parade began led by hiker alumni and finishing with the class of 2015. Man there are a lot of us out here!!!
After the parade, we watched a little of the hiker talent show before it got rained out. The rest of the day was filled with food and watching other people win gear giveaways. Mostly, we were ready to head back to The Trail and continue on our way.
Despite a loud night from our fellow hikers, we had a good night’s sleep and got up early in search of a ride back to the Elk Park / Roan Mtn gap. We grabbed some breakfast at Cowboys crowded with others doing the same. We made our cardboard sign, but didn’t even have to use it. Legs, a former AT Hiker, overheard our destination and offered us a ride since she was heading the same direction. Sweet!!
By 2, we were back right were we left off before our weekend getaway. Feeling properly rejuvenated, we were happy to resume our hike. Over the next 70 miles and 4 days we would reenter Damascus, the first town the trail enters in Virginia which contains nearly 25% of The AT.
Hot Springs, Erwin, and The Roan Highlands
With a beautiful view of the sunrise from the ridge, we said goodbye to magical Max Patch. Over the next two days, we hiked the final 20 miles into Hot Springs, NC. In the previous week, we had hiked over 100 miles without stopping in a town. Entering Hot Springs was like a reward for all the hard work we had done. We were more than ready for some good food, beer, and a long shower. The AT runs right down the middle of this friendly mountain town. We made our way to Bluff Mountain outfitter to pick up a package from Osprey and from The Untz.
Next, we went to check out the hiker ministry across the street. Sherlock welcomed us with comfy couches, wifi, and probably too much coffee. After getting properly caffeinated, we made our way to The Laughing Heart hostel and finally showered and did laundry. Dreams came true when we used the hostel kitchen to create a giant plate of nachos.
That evening we decided to make our way to Spring Creek Tavern. This bar proudly boasts over 50 craft selections, and Micro was itching for a cold one. We went with their weekday special – $2.50 mystery beers. What they grab is what you get. By the end of the night, the hikers had sold out the bar of their mystery beers and by 9:00 (hiker midnight), the bar started to empty. We returned to Laughing Heart and a fellow hiker told us to grab a fork and a plate. Baltimore Jack, a trail legend, had made a big dinner of chili, rice, cornbread, and salad. Second dinner? No need to tell us twice!! In the morning, we used the hostel kitchen and made a big breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. By noon, it was time to say goodbye to Hot Springs and continue hiking. This time we geared up for 70 miles which we estimated would take 4 days.
Our second day out, we made a 2000 ft climb anticipating good views from Big Firescald Knob. We noticed dark clouds in the distance as we approached. Nearing the summit, we saw a “bad weather trail” but decided to stick to the AT anyway despite the warning from our guidebook that described that stretch as “rocky and strenuous.” Not too long after we had committed to the AT, the thunder began along with a drizzle of rain. We stopped to put on the rain covers and continued on our way. The guide book didn’t lie; rocky and strenuous exposed ridge was the truth. Not necessarily recommended during a storm. And storm it did. The drizzle turned into a pounding rain and the already difficult stone steps became dangerously slick. Soaked from head to toe we ever so carefully climbed up and down the rocks, praying that the lightning wouldn’t favor our metal trekking poles. Although the hike probably only lasted 20 minutes on the ridge, that stretch seemed to last an eternity.
We walked into camp a couple miles later, soaked but safe. We shedded our drenched clothes and were thrilled to put on our dry set. Thankfully, the rain had stopped for the night giving our wet clothes a chance to dry out before the next day’s hike. The next two days, we killed 35.4 miles including our first 20 mile day. That left just 6 more to coast into Erwin, TN.
We crossed the Nolichucky River and got a ride with a couple of section hikers across town to our previously booked motel. We were grateful for an early check-in and the pizza buffet next door. Is 2 and a half hours too long to stay at a buffet?
After a few other good meals, showers, laundry, resupply, and sleeping in a bed – surprise, surprise – it was time to resume hiking. This time for 3 days and we needed to cover 50 miles. The upcoming weekend was Trail Days, and we had hatched a plan. Trail Days, the largest event on The AT, is a hiker festival held in Damascus, VA. Essentially a big hiker party, Trail Days caters to hikers in every way. Many gear companies attend to sell, repair, and sometimes replace their products. Hikers can also enjoy free showers, laundry, hair cuts, and lots of free food. Did I mention gear giveaways? And free food!?
While in Erwin we found out that our friend Pat happened to be in the area. He agreed to pick us up Thursday to spend a day on Norris Lake then drop us off in Damascus Friday. Perfect. We left Erwin on Monday excited for the upcoming weekend. Even the rain and hail storm couldn’t dampen these spirits. Well, maybe a little. A few hours into our hike, a pop up shower hit and hit hard. Marble sized hail doesn’t feel too great hitting your bare skin. 
The storm let up and gave us just enough time to dry off before the next one hit. A much bigger next one. Minus the hail but with buckets of rain creating a river down the trail. The lightning began when we reached the mountain bald. Without any other choice, we continued walking until we hit the campsite. Putting on wet clothes in the morning will always be a challenge.
In the next few days, we climbed Roan Mountain and entered the Roan Highlands. Roan Mountain stands at 6200 ft, one of the highest peaks on the AT. The following 11 miles north contain 5 gorgeous balds. What a stunning day.
Well, stunning and tiring after all those summits. We were happy to arrive at camp. From Doll Flats, it was 2.5 miles to the road where Pat would pick us up for our Trail Days adventure…
Magic on Max Patch
With all but a mile of The Smokies behind us, BigFoot and I planned our biggest day yet. Max Patch, a beautiful mountain bald with tremendous views, was 18 miles ahead, and we wanted to be there to catch the sunset.
Thankfully, we awoke early to the sound of other hikers packing up. We did our morning chores and hit the trail by 7:20!! A new record!!
The day began officially exiting Smoky Mountain National Park, crossing Pigeon River, and walking under I-40. Soon, we were back in the woods climbing the first mountain of the day, Snowbird Mountain.
After a long uphill battle, we reached the grassy summit that is topped with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tower used for air traffic control. We stopped for a bite to eat and a short rest. We still had to descend this mountain and climb another.
So on we walked. Down, down, down all that we had ascended just to climb again. We took another break at the lowest elevation point at about 1:00. We still had another 9 miles to go for the day.
After our rest, we set out again. This time, up and over a hill, then the final steep ascent to Max Patch. Time was still in our favor, but our bodies were running low on fuel.
The beginning of the final ascent was a brutal, steep start. With aching legs and heavy chests, we made the push up the hill. We knew the destination was now only 3 miles away, but the distance didn’t matter. When you’re this tired, hot, and hungry, no stopping point comes soon enough.
Yet, we still walked on.
Those last couple hours seemed to take an eternity, but soon we found a sign indicating that Max Patch was .8 away. With a new found bit of strength, we walked slightly faster.
We came across a stream and, thinking quickly, filtered enough water to cook dinner on the bald. What’s adding an extra pound each after 17 miles???
Soon, we exited the woods and were surrounded by a grassy field. The mountains in the distance were visible in every direction. We had made it to Max Patch.
Actually, when we arrived, it was just about time for the bride and groom to say their “I Do’s.” Yep, we walked right into a wedding held on Max Patch. And what an amazing venue to tie the knot.
When we reached the summit of the bald, my jaw dropped. The views from this spot have been unparalleled on our trek thus far. In every direction, the mountains proudly stood soaking up the sun rays that would sparkle for another two hours.
We happily joined our hiker friends, all as giddy as we were to receive such an amazing reward to complete this long, tough day. Soon, the hikers did their favorite thing: EAT!!! Though the mountain top dinner party was over, the sun still had awhile until it would disappear.
Float surprised us when he pulled out his disc and began a mountain bald game of Frisbee. Somehow after all those miles, these hikers still had the energy to run after the disc for quick catches and cartwheel throws.
Maybe it was the mountains, maybe it was the grass between our tired toes, or maybe it was the orchestra of colors overhead; but the long miles that day no longer mattered. The fact that we had walked for nearly 10 grueling hours was no longer important.
The sun began to sink lower and lower changing the color of the scenery in every direction. As the sun faded from yellow to orange to red, the mountains surrounding us showed a gradient of blues and purples. I didn’t know where to look. I stood slowly spinning to take it all in.
The group faced west to witness the sun disappear, when suddenly someone noticed something else in the sky.
“Turn around! The moon!!!!” A hiker exclaimed.
Wow, what a gift. The full moon appeared in all its glory – rising to center stage as the sun left the scene.
With the sun down, the group exited the summit. BigFoot and I, joined by a couple others, descended the ridge just enough to block the wind.
We weren’t ready to completely say goodbye to Max Patch. Instead, we pitched our tent pointing east and said good night to the full moon.
After the hike and play time, I slept like a rock that night. And was delighted in the morning to see the clear sunrise.
I’ll never forget the beauty that was Max Patch – the colors, the people, the permanent smiles. It was truly one of the moments where life takes your breath away. For us, a reminder of why we came to the woods. Why we left our loved ones and things to walk every day up and down mountains. It was a gift. A promise. A reward. Truly, magic on Max Patch.
From The NOC through The Smokies
Well, after our unplanned roadtrip, we crossed our fingers and made our way back to The Trail where we left off. Beverly graciously drove us back to The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), and after a quick lunch, we very happily resumed our hike.
Since BigFoot hurt his big foot, we wanted to take it slow and steady, gradually increasing our mileage. In 4 days, we hiked 28.5 miles to Fontana Dam. We are thrilled to report that BigFoot is healing!!!! After our time off, the mountains never looked so beautiful.
Upon arriving at The Dam, we met a couple section hikers who gave us a ride 3 miles to Fontana Dam Village where a mail drop was waiting for us. We happily sorted our goodies which would take us from The Dam all the way through The Smokies and to Hot Springs. We could definitely feel the weight of 11 days of food.
We woke up to the sunrise on Monday, crossed The Dam, and entered Great Smoky Mountain National Park on a blue sky, sunshiney day that turned into quite an adventure.
After about 5 miles of climbing, we reached Shuckstack fire tower. Fellow hiker Rainman, BigFoot, and I dropped our bags eager to see the views of The Smokies.
BigFoot went to take a leak and quickly returned declaring…
“BEAR!! There’s a bear over there. I almost peed on it.”
The three of us climbed the first set of stairs with an eye on the hungry black bear. We intended to eat lunch up there. I’m sure that bear is used to visitors eating up top and wanted its share.
We quickly realized that our packs (full of food!) were at the bottom of the firetower and took turns going to retrieve them. We saw our friends Notes and Jedi approach and explained the situation. Jedi instinctively grabbed his guitar and played an improvised song about the bear to the bear. No joke, the bear was totally into the song.
Although we made several attempts to scare that bear off, it stood its ground. We managed to leave the firetower without problem and went back down the short firetower trail to where it crosses The AT to have our lunch. We decided it would be best to leave a note warning fellow hikers.
Soon, another hiker, Spuds, joined our group of five. Spuds claimed that bears were all over Quebec (his home), and he was not afraid. With plenty of warning, Spuds and Jedi went to see the firetower.
Upon arriving at the firetower, there was no bear in sight. Suddenly, the group down below heard yelling…
“HEY BEAR!!! Go on, get!!!”
Big surprise. There was a bear.
Not only was the bear present, it was IN the firetower. Jedi and Spuds returned unharmed, and the whole group continued hiking to the shelter for camp. Our first day in The Smokies we saw the bear, two dear, three wild turkeys, the sunrise, and the sunset. What a day. 11 miles.
The next morning, we were again blessed with a beautiful day. We continued climbing up and up, and the scenery did not fail to impress.
We stood on top of Good Old Rocky Top for awhile taking in the 360° views. 12 miles.
The third day in The Smokies we took pretty easy. 7.2 miles.
Day 4 we awoke early to fog. From the shelter, we hiked 3 miles to the highest point on The AT, Clingmans Dome. Clingmans Dome proudly claims some of the best views on The Trail. Well, not today. You win some, you lose some.
We continued on our way to camp by way of Newfound Gap. Here, many hikers choose to catch a ride to Gatlinburg for a hot meal and resupply. We still had plenty of food but were very grateful to encounter some Trail Magic.
We enjoyed our snacks while watching tourists drive up, snap a pic of the mountains, and drive away. Many of them didn’t even exit their car.
A few miles later, we reached the shelter. And just in time. Upon arriving, the rain began. Which turned to hail. Which turned to snow. We made dinner and quickly crawled into our sleeping bags. 13.8 miles.
In the morning, we awoke to frozen ground and icicles dangling from tree branches. We hiked quickly through the frost to keep warm. The guidebook stated at least 6 good spots for views including Charlie’s Bunion. It’s a little disappointing to ride the ridge all day staring into nothing but blankets of thick fog. But, so be it. 12.6 cold miles.
Our final day in The Smokies was, thankfully, a beautiful day. We descended nearly 4,000 feet to the last shelter inside the park very grateful for the views. 14.8 miles.
The Smokies were quite an adventure, and we both agreed that we would like to hike it again. From The NOC through The Smokies, we hiked 99.9 miles in 10 days!!!
Long story short – WE’RE BACK!!!!!
When Life Gives You Lemons…
You make lemonade. Add vodka. And drink it on the nearest beach.
No, The AT doesn’t include this gorgeous beach with powdery white sand. And no, we aren’t abandoning our dream of hiking from Georgia to Maine.
Let’s back up a little. Since my last update, we had walked 109.8 miles along The AT and exited at Winding Stair Gap. The last two days hiking in were tough. Sean knew something was wrong with his foot, and it was time to take a few days off.
As luck would have it, we have a wonderful friend who lives about an hour from the gap. Wiggles, a former thru-hiker and one of my biggest hiking inspirations, graciously housed us and showed us a good time in the area.
One evening, we made the drive to Yellow Mountain. This mountain was intended to be a housing development site. After 11 attempts and countless dollars later, the developers stopped trying to find water and gave up their dreams to create mansions. Instead, this gated mountain is available to a few people who have the gate code. My friend being one of them. We camped in the fire tower in total privacy.
That weekend was Easter weekend so we decided to entertain ourselves in the best way possible by becoming Trail Angels. We brought dyed and deviled eggs, bacon s’mores, chicken quarters, Peeps, sodas, and our smiling faces to Wayah Bald. Pretty much the best way you can spend a Zero.
After another day of rest, we decided to attempt hiking again. It didn’t take long to realize that we needed to get back off trail. The next 27.5 miles took us 5 days to hike. We arrived at the Nantahala Outdoor Center and knew we needed to get some medical attention.
Again, as luck would have it, we were a 3 hour drive away from Chattanooga where Sean’s cousin lives. We made a sign and found a ride within a half hour. The man – who happened to be a former kayak Olympian – said he could give us a lift but we may have to squeeze in his 35′ RV…
Well, we arrived in Chattanooga and stayed with Sean’s cousin, Beverly. Wow, we are amazingly blessed with friends and family.
She took us to the orthopedic center that her late husband had started, and we finally got some answers. Achilles Tendinitis. So those are the lemons I mentioned earlier…
We were a little heartbroken, but we knew we had to take some time off The Trail. And when life gives you lemons…
Ya, so we went rented a car and went to the beach! Fort De Soto State Park to be exact. Although they charged nearly $40 to pitch a tent (O.O), this is one of the most beautiful beaches I have had the pleasure to visit in Florida. We swam with dolphins, played in the powdery white sand, and flew kites. This is how you zero…
But the itch to travel didn’t leave us. And with unlimited miles on the rental car, well, we traveled. After 2 nights at Fort De Soto, we packed up the car and made our way west. To New Orleans. Haha, yeah…
We split the drive into two days with a stop at Apalachicola National Forest outside of Tallahassee in a really strange campsite.
The next day, we arrived in NOLA and stayed with Sean’s friend, Chad. He took us to Bourbon Street where we had Creole and beers.
The next night we stayed in Bayou Segnette State Park outside the city and made our way back to Chattanooga in the morning. In the week we took off, we drove almost the entire length of The AT.
What will happen? It’s hard to say. We’re about to pick up where we left off at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. And we’re taking it one mile one step at a time. Although our heads and hearts were into our 10 mile / day pace, unfortunately, our bodies didn’t keep up. Florida and New Orleans were fun but – there’s nowhere else we’d rather be than back on The Trail.
Wish us love and luck as we return.
Infinite Geography 