The Hot

Its been hot; incredibly hot and humid and miserable :( 

A lot of days I am in agony from the heat and bugs but there is always one good thing that happens EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Some hikers tell me when the trail stops being fun that they will quit. I don't understand that, is there anything worth doing that is always fun? Overall though, even with the troubles i'm still enjoying it.

Day 95, Sunday, 6/16, Boiling Springs, PA to Darlington Shelter mile 1131.2 hiked 14.3 miles

Went to Church in the Morning. John's Dad and John's kids dropped me off in Boiling Springs in the late afternoon. I hiked the rest of the cumberline valley. Very nice farm fields and brought back memories of my hike with Hugh. Stopped at Scott farm and called my parents and wished my Dad a happy Father's Day. It was dark by the time made it to the other end of the valley. I hiked up to the shelter - really hoping for others to be there. There was one other guy in the shelter "Lush" and in the morning i was there were a few others camped out that I did not see on the way in.

Day 96, Monday, 6/17, Darlington Shelter to Peters Mountain Shelter mile 1153.8 hiked 22.6 miles

Hiked in to Duncannon, PA and got lunch at the Doyle Hotel. Very old building built by Anhisor Bush. The owners were very nice and hiker friendly. It is  a well know place on the trail, in fact infamous for being a bit dirty but again friendly to hikers. The food was good. Picked up a package from my parents at the post office - tyvec tarp, applem cookies. Hiked out of town and across the Clarks Ferry bridge. Neet to hike across. I remember riding with my friend Nate over that bridge and him explaining how the trail was there - I was fascinated.

Day 97, Tuesday 6/18, Peters Mountain Shelter to Rausch Gap Shelter mile 1171.7 hiked 17.9 miles

Real

Day 98, Wednessday 6/19, Rausch Gap Shelter to 501 Shelter mile 1189.3 hiked 17.6 miles

I was excited to finally make it to the shelter because I knew you could get puzza deliverd there. I already decided I was going to eat a whole large pizza! When I got there, there were a bunch of people and a picnic table full of food, and burgers cooking over the fire! Malot, MIsery, paddy cakes, puddin, Kaboose, Sasafrase, Caboose and others where there.

The shelter was nice, 4 walls with a bunkroom and big skylight - but I tented.

Day 99, Thursday 6/20, Pine Grove, PA hiked 0 miles

Got a hitch in to town with Malot, misery and his friend. A nice lady picked us up and we crammed in to her little car. She even offered to come back in and hour and give us a ride back to the trail.

Stayed at a hotel.

Day 100, Friday 6/21, Pine Grove, PA hiked 0 miles

Stayed at hotel and watched alot of 30 Rock on my phone.

Day 101, Saturday 6/22, 501 Shelter to campsite mile 1200, hiked 10.7 miles

Jon and  Nicole came down to visit and I got to meet their newborn Jade. It was great to see them, they drove all the way from Williamsport. They picked me up and we ate lunch under some trees by a school - the closet thing we could find to a park. Then we went to the 501 shelter and spent some more time their before they left. Very nice to catch up with them.

Jon & Nicole and Jade

Day 102, Sunday 6/23, campsite to Windsor Furnace Shelter mile 1219.1, hiked 19.1 miles

Hitched to Hamburg, PA. Took forever but a guy in a pickup stopped for "Cash" and myself. Turns out he was the caretaker for the Eckville shelter. Cash and I went to Cabelas. Met "Trip" and "Jd" there. They had given up on hitching and walked there. We all had lunch there.

I was walking to McDonalds to wait and figure out how to get back to the trial when a car pulls up and they guy inside offers me a ride - awesome! He also stopped to buy me soda. I told him about WAR, International and he found me on Facebook and made a Pledge. He has hiked the 100 mile wilderness before and leads hikes for kids.

Day 103, Monday 6/24, Windsor Furnace Shelter to Allentown Hiking Club Shelter mile 1235.6, hiked 16.5 miles

Hiked to Pulpit Rock and then to the Pinicle in the morning. Lots of rocks and a view on the Pinicle. Neet to see the turcky buzzards gently gliding through the air.

Got to Eckville shelter around noon. I stayed there till about 5. It was hot and I took a nap and used the Solar shower.

Took me till 9 to get to the shelter that night. Lots of rocks and it was dark and hot. I setup my tent on the best place I could find in the dark and it still had rocks. It was a pretty misserable day.

Day 104, Tuesday 6/25, Allentown Hiking Club Shelter to Bake Oven Knob Shelter mile 1245.6, hiked 10.0 miles

Rough day, made it to the shelter and set up camp by 2pm and slept part of the afternoon. Met "Sky pilot", "Shiweasel", "Mr. Chips", and "Roadrunner". Several people stopped early that day because of the heat.

Day 105, Wednessday 6/26, Bake Oven Knob Shelter to Superfund trail mile 1253.6, hiked 8.0 miles

Got up early and hiked to Palmerton - took a side trail to get there. Stayed at the Jailhouse Hostel. The Hotel is in the basement of the Borough hall. It was never used as a jail. Cash, Bambo, Morning kid, and Booboo were there.

Day 106, Thursday 6/27, Palmerton, PA, hiked 0 miles

Spend a zero day in Palmerton because I didn't want to hike up the huge exposed hill going out of Lehigh gap in a thunderstorm. The hostel I was at only allows hikers to stay one night so I had be a little stealthy the second night there. That was not so hard - all hikers are smelly and have big beards so they really couldn't tell me apart from anyone else. My friend Dave drove out and took me to dinner that night. He is a Civil Engineer and showed me one of the bridges he worked on.

Day 107, Friday 6/28, Superfund trail to campsite mile 1275.8, hiked 22.2 miles

Hiked out of Palmerton, PA and back to the trial. I climbed up out of Lehigh gap and up a huge rocky mountain and deforested area. The area is deforested due to zinc smelting. PA's favorite thing is to exploit their own natural resources - no judgement - its just a fact. 

Lehigh Gap

Lehigh Gap

Day 108, Saturday 6/29, campsite to Fox Gap PA191 mile 1282.3, hiked 6.5 miles

Hiked out in the Morning and my friend and roommate from college (College part 1 aka undergrad) Dave came to pick me up. We went back to his house and I finally got to meet his wife Talitha. We watched the Simpsons for a while - which was cool because that was what we did a lot of back in our college days. We all went to see fireworks that night too.

Day 109, Sunday 6/30, Fox Gap PA191 to Delaware Water Gap, PA mile 1289.3, hiked 7 miles

I went to Church with Dave and his wife that morning which was nice. Talitha made lunch and then Dave dropped me off at the trial and prayed for me. It was very nice to have a short break with Dave and Talitha. I headed off to Delaware water Gap, PA and stayed at another Church Hostel there. There were a ton of people there and many I had not met before. 

Day 110, Monday 7/1, Delaware Water Gap, PA to campsite mile 1311.5, hiked 22.2 miles

Hiked out of DWG after getting my hiking poles fixed at the outfitter. The carbide tip broke off and my poles have been slowly getting shorter and shorter as a result. I crossed the bridge over the Delaware river and out of PA. Went to the Mohican outdoor center for lunch. Met "Chuckles" and we passed each other several times that day. Camped with Chuckles, Hot foot, Shrek and some other guy that night.

Day 111, Tuesday 7/2, campsite to Rutherford Shelter mile 1329.4, hiked 17.9 miles

Met "freebird" a 2008 thru-hiker just out for a few days. He was an interesting guy. Says he is a pastor but also smokes pot and curses. I'm a crazy person magnet! they love me and they find me! Then problem is that i'm introverted and quiet so they know that I will listen patiently to their craziness.

Day 112, Wednesday 7/3, Rutherford Shelter to NJ94 Vernon, NJ mile 1352.6, hiked 23.2 miles

Really neet part of NJ today - the boardwalk. It is a 5 foot wide, elevated, wooden pathway through a wetlands area and its longer than a mile! It was very fun to hike on. I hitched in to Vernon, NJ to the St. Thomas Episcopal Church Hostel. Was a nice hostel - they ask for a $10 donation but I'm sure they only break even at best with that.

The NJ boardwalk

Day 113, Thursday 7/4, NJ94 Vernon, NJ to Wildcat Shelter mile 1369.7, hiked 17.1 miles

I got a ride with "Trip" and "JD" to the trial in a taxi. I offered to pay but they wouldn't let me - fine with me!. Finally  made it to my home state of NY! Wow was I happy to be home (still a 6 hour drive from where I grew up) and more importantly out of NJ. Sorry NJ but your a swamp and you have mosquitos and rocks and sadness - perhaps we can be friends someday, but not yet! The first few miles of NY was a bit crazy - just hiking on a ridge on top of miles of hugh pieces of exposed rock - up and down and up and down - but then it happened - smooth dirt trail, then a road and 0.4 miles down the road an ice-cream creamery! they make their own ice-cream and it was amazing! I sat inside ate and charged my phone and enjoyed the airconditioning while those fools outside sat in the heat! ok, maybe it felt good to them but not me! I also probably got more looks of "What is that?" at the ice-cream place than I have had anywhere. I just wanted to yell "stop looking at me! I was once like you!" - but actually I don't care, if the situation was reversed I would surely do the same.

Day 114, Friday 7/5, Wildcat Shelter to William Brien Memorial Shelter mile 1389.3, hiked 19.6 miles

The water in NY isn't that great. It has lots of tannon in the water (due to being close to the ocean as I understand) which colors the water into an awful brown tint. So it was a welcome sight to come across three different road crossings where people had left spring water in jugs for hikers. I crossed over the interstate and came across a nice fella who works for Campmor (camping outfitter) he gave me fruit, a coke, and candy and a few things that I guess they couldn't sell in there store - expired camping food and a really nice pair of socks! Then in the mid afternoon I came the "the lemon squeezer" which is a rock tunnel that turns in to a rock channel that tappers in to a very narrow opening  I got about half way and had to take off my pack to get through! Then right after that the trial came to a rock ledge that was straight up and came up to my shoulders. No handholds to climb up it, but there was a tree growing on it that was just small enough for me to get my arms around. So, I shimmied up the tree while putting my feet in the very small rock holes in the rock face below - made it! A few miles later I (and "BMW" actually) came to the park lake with a beech and lots of people. And even better there was a group of former hikers from NYC cooking burgers for hikers! they were real nice.

The lemon squeezer

The lemon squeezer

Day 115, Saturday 7/6, William Brien Memorial Shelter to Graymoor Spiritual Life Center mile 1405.8, hiked 16.5 miles

Big Day! Hiked out and crossed the Palisades parkway which is a busy 4 lane divided highway. It is kind of a real life game of frogger but I made it without some agitated new yorker hitting me. I hiked up a mountain and there was a group of tourists enjoying the view. They told me they were just talking about me. They had seen me at the road crossing. They decided I look like Forest Gump and then said, no you look like "Cast away". Sooo basically I look like Tom Hanks with a beard - I guess thats good. Next I hiked up Bear Mountain. There is a memorial tower there and lots of tourists, bicyclists,  bikers, etc up there. But more importantly there were vending machines! Caboose, BMW and I took a break and had lunch up there. Its less than 40 miles to NYC from there and you can kind off see the skyline from the tower. There is a park at the bottom of the mountain and there were lots off people hiking up from there on my way down the mountain. Its a long way up, almost 2 miles of hiking so I was supprised to see some many people on their way up. It was mostly stone staires and they where placed at just the right distance apart for me. I flew down that mountain! Seriously, I made it down in half an hour which is twice my normal pace. And then I made it to the park and there were thousands of people! thousands! instantly I went from seeing at most 15 people a day to thousands! It was very overwelming as I hiked on a sidewalk that boarders the lake looking for white blazes. I stopped and got ice-cream as I am always sure to do at absolutely every opportunity  I also got some food and then after getting lost, crossed underneath the road and in to a Zoo! In fact on the way there I had to pass by a huge line of people waiting to get in to the pool. The pool was completely full too. I hiked in to the Zoo which is just a paved path with pens of local New York wildlife that is coyotes, bears, porcupines  groundhogs, etc. but it was still cool (and free). The bear pen is the lowest point on the AT - just 124 feet above sea level. After that I came to bear mountian bridge which is a huge suspension bridge going over the Hudson River. Thankfully there is a walking lane so I didn't have to worry about being run over. The Hudson Vallley was amazingly beautiful  even with some development in the area. The Hudson is very wide and there are very high and rolling hills surrounding on both sides colored in all shades of green. After a few more miles I made it to my destination for the night - Graymoor Spiritual life center. It sounds like a Hippy commun but it is actually a Franciscan order monastery. The monastery lets hikers camp on their ball field which also has a pavilion  water and cold showers. It was very nice - save the bugs :(

Monument on top of Bear Mountain

View of Hudson River looks toward NYC

Walking over the Hudson River on Bear Mountain Bridge

The Hudson River

Day 116, Sunday 7/7, Graymoor Spiritual Life Center to NY301 Canopus Lake mile 1417.6, hiked 11.8 miles

I was the last one to leave in the morning (about 8am) which is typical for me. I started hiking and was dripping with sweat in less than 20 minutes. Awful hiking day, it was hot, humid and the mosquitos were everywhere! I have a bug net for my head but it gets hot so I have to take it on and off depending on wether I want to die by heat stroke or west nile virus. I mean both are fun, I just find it hard to choose. I hiked a few miles and stopped to rest at a road crossing. As I sat there struggling to open my granola bar with my sweating hands (I eventually opened it but it took much more time, tears, and bad words than normal) a car pulled up to the corner and a nice lady offered to get me a coke. When I said yes, she drove 0.1 miles back to her house and came back with a coke, 2 waters, apple juice and a cliff bar! Suddenly misery was turned to joy and I drank all I could, as fast as I could for fear that another hiker might want a cut of my spoils. A few miles after that I also got a cold drink from a guy at a road crossing. I eventually made it to the road and walked 1 mile down to Clarence Fahnestock state park by about 3pm. Concession stand! I stayed there with other hikers Shaman, Smoothers, Better man, Bambo, Morning kid, German couple. It was nice to hang out and eat with some people I know.

Trail Magic!

My Parents came down to see me again and picked me up at the park.

Day 117, Monday 7/8, Fishkill, NY, hiked 0 miles

Spent the day with my parents. My Mom brought her sewing machine with her and spent a lot of time with me making adjustments for a pack she made for me. The pack is very light - I am going to try going ultra-light for a while. No stove and as little stuff as possible. We all also went to EMS and I got a new summer bag, water bladder, etc. And that night we went to a movie - Monsters University - loved it.

Day 118, Tuesday 7/9, Fishkill, NY, hiked 0 miles

Worked on my blog and got more supplies.