July 23 Mile 1223
Hiked out of Port Clinton this morning and don't miss it. It's always fun to come into a town after being on the trail for several days. When it's this hot, you want to take a shower and do laundry. You look forward to meals that aren't in a pouch and have fresh produce and mayonaise on them. And of course something cool to drink. But after a little while, you long for what you came out here to do- hike the AT- and as long as all the body parts are working ok, you want to keep walking. And camping. My new shoes worked pretty well today. Probably not the best for long distance hiking, since they are like sandals, but, hey isn't that what all the people wore in ancient times and they had to walk alot. Anyway, we hiked 15 miles today and these shoes do not press on the sore spots of my feet below the area of the toe next to the big toe. Maybe now with time those areas can heal. Left foot is great, right foot still has an old problem of achiness below the big toe, but I had that before I ever came out here. Worn some insoles for the first 600 miles and had no problem. Been a problem ever since. Have ordered some of the same insoles and should have them next week. Hopefully they will help as well. You have to solve these problems as you go, because you have no alternative unless you want to leave the trail, and our time is getting more limited as we go.
Today we hiked with our friends Tunes and Tootsie Pops. It is great to be hiking with them again.
Again, the trail took us up on a low ridge, about 1000 feet above the valley below, and we walked the ridge all day. But we did have some interesting sights. First, lots of big rocks and even boulders to climb over. Alot more of that to come we are told. Then two views!! The Pulpit and the Pinnacle, rocky overlooks. We are told these are some of the best views in PA. What you see is the valley below. I'll be nice and say no more.
But we did see something much more interesting- rattlesnakes! My first sighting of the trip. As I was hiking along bringing up the rear as usual, Cisco, Tunes, and Tootsie Pops were far ahead, I fortunately stopped to heed nature's call, and when I resumed hiking, I Iooked up the trail and saw four hikers coming about 50 yards away. Suddenly the first hiker jumped back about 5 feet and said "rattlesnake" and you could hear the rattles. We all froze and finally I could see him slither across the trail, and he was at least 4 feet long. Finally we all resumed our hike, as I went by him, very quickly, he didn't look very happy. Not much later, when I caught up with the rest of my group at the Pinnacle, Cisco and I went to see the view, and there was another rattler, 4-5 feet long. I actually got his picture then got out if there.
The rest if the day's hike was not eventful, the trail went from being rocks and boulders to a well maintained country road. Very nice, but very unexpected. Hiked down to a really nice Shelter-Eckville-actually someone's backyard. Solar shower- very cold, but on a hot day it felt good to cool off- fresh water, and the owner gave us frozen Popsicles! So good!
Camped in the yard, made our dinner and the rain began to fall. Jumped into the tents and another hiking day closes.
It was four months ago today when we started at Springer! The time does fly out here. October 15, when the park closes in Maine, will be here before we know it. I hope we run out of miles before we run out of calendar.
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Friday, August 6, 2010
July 22 Mile 1208
Sad news today from home. Our cat, Suki, that we have had for 14 years had an aneurism, and my Sweety had to have her put to sleep. This is the bad part about being on the trail. Things happen back home that you want to be a part of, and you are pretty much powerless to do anything. I wish very much that I could have been with my wife during this, but here we are, 1200 hiking miles away. Suki was a very sweet cat, and we will miss her terribly.
Port Clinton is not much of a place, actually. We did walk to breakfast about a mile away, then I spent the morning trying to arrange a ride to the superbig, as it turns out, Cabela outdoor store that is about 2 miles away. It's funny, but I'll hike 18 miles in the woods, but try all I can to avoid hiking miles that don't count in town. Never could find a ride, so walked up busy Hiway 61 to Hamburg. Got to the store and it is massive. Full of all these stuffed wild animals people have shot all over the world- elephants to every bear you can imagine. They even have a setting of animals from every continent. Spent a couple of hours there trying to pick out new footgear. Finally found an sandal type shoe, odd for hiking, but it was the only one where the sole didn't press on my sore spot on my right foot. We'll see how it goes. Just have 970 miles or so to go, I guess I can just keep buying shoes every 100 miles or so.
After the store got a short ride to a Shell station to get some resupply to make the 40 mile hike to Palmerton, starting tomorrow.
Asked a young kid if he could give us a ride back to our hotel, he said he wasn't going that way, but a couple in a RV said, "Hop in" and gave us a ride back. They were super nice and we were super appreciative. To have no car in America is a very weird thing.
Once home I will never take my vehicle for granted again.
Had some good news this afternoon, our supernice hiking friends Tunes and Tootsie Pops are back on the Trail!!
Tunes ankle is all healed and they are here to start back up with us in the morning. It is great to see them again!
We had dinner with them and Tootsie Pops Mom. They are such nice people!
Lots of folks have to leave the trail for a variety of reasons, you just make up the missing miles later. As I mentioned before, you have a full year to be a thru hiker. So I have til March 22, 2011. As much fun as this is, I hope not to be out here that long! It gets pretty cold up north.
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Sad news today from home. Our cat, Suki, that we have had for 14 years had an aneurism, and my Sweety had to have her put to sleep. This is the bad part about being on the trail. Things happen back home that you want to be a part of, and you are pretty much powerless to do anything. I wish very much that I could have been with my wife during this, but here we are, 1200 hiking miles away. Suki was a very sweet cat, and we will miss her terribly.
Port Clinton is not much of a place, actually. We did walk to breakfast about a mile away, then I spent the morning trying to arrange a ride to the superbig, as it turns out, Cabela outdoor store that is about 2 miles away. It's funny, but I'll hike 18 miles in the woods, but try all I can to avoid hiking miles that don't count in town. Never could find a ride, so walked up busy Hiway 61 to Hamburg. Got to the store and it is massive. Full of all these stuffed wild animals people have shot all over the world- elephants to every bear you can imagine. They even have a setting of animals from every continent. Spent a couple of hours there trying to pick out new footgear. Finally found an sandal type shoe, odd for hiking, but it was the only one where the sole didn't press on my sore spot on my right foot. We'll see how it goes. Just have 970 miles or so to go, I guess I can just keep buying shoes every 100 miles or so.
After the store got a short ride to a Shell station to get some resupply to make the 40 mile hike to Palmerton, starting tomorrow.
Asked a young kid if he could give us a ride back to our hotel, he said he wasn't going that way, but a couple in a RV said, "Hop in" and gave us a ride back. They were super nice and we were super appreciative. To have no car in America is a very weird thing.
Once home I will never take my vehicle for granted again.
Had some good news this afternoon, our supernice hiking friends Tunes and Tootsie Pops are back on the Trail!!
Tunes ankle is all healed and they are here to start back up with us in the morning. It is great to see them again!
We had dinner with them and Tootsie Pops Mom. They are such nice people!
Lots of folks have to leave the trail for a variety of reasons, you just make up the missing miles later. As I mentioned before, you have a full year to be a thru hiker. So I have til March 22, 2011. As much fun as this is, I hope not to be out here that long! It gets pretty cold up north.
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July 21 Mile 1208
Today was another similar forest ridge hike, but with lots of rocks in the trail that PA is known for. It's supposed to get a lot tougher as we get closer to NJ, but so far it's really no worse than all he other states we've been through. The biggest problem is my aching feet, particularly my right. I actually wore my right slide for 4 miles today and it felt better than my Vasque hiking shoe.
I find these shoes to be "vasque-ly" inferior- bad pun. Plan to try anything here at a big store near Port Clinton.
We did 18 miles miles today, probably not so good for my feet, but we need to hurry across this state. Not very scenic for the hiker. Really friendly people along the way though.
When we got to the end of the hiking day, which seemed to take forever, we had the steepest descent we have had since we began this hike! About 1000 feet in less than a mile. I pity those going up it. It was actually dangerous coming down. Got to the bottom and we are in Port Clinton. Not really a port I suppose, it's on a river and has a cool old train station that is some kind of tourist thing now. Have a park you hike through with a giant pieces of coal strewn about .
Definitely in coal country here.
Taking a zero at the Port Clinton hotel, a step above the Doyle, but the people aren't as nice. Don't think they like hikers very much here.
Today was another similar forest ridge hike, but with lots of rocks in the trail that PA is known for. It's supposed to get a lot tougher as we get closer to NJ, but so far it's really no worse than all he other states we've been through. The biggest problem is my aching feet, particularly my right. I actually wore my right slide for 4 miles today and it felt better than my Vasque hiking shoe.
I find these shoes to be "vasque-ly" inferior- bad pun. Plan to try anything here at a big store near Port Clinton.
We did 18 miles miles today, probably not so good for my feet, but we need to hurry across this state. Not very scenic for the hiker. Really friendly people along the way though.
When we got to the end of the hiking day, which seemed to take forever, we had the steepest descent we have had since we began this hike! About 1000 feet in less than a mile. I pity those going up it. It was actually dangerous coming down. Got to the bottom and we are in Port Clinton. Not really a port I suppose, it's on a river and has a cool old train station that is some kind of tourist thing now. Have a park you hike through with a giant pieces of coal strewn about .
Definitely in coal country here.
Taking a zero at the Port Clinton hotel, a step above the Doyle, but the people aren't as nice. Don't think they like hikers very much here.
July 20 Mile 1190
Long day 18 miles
Today was a rerun day for the third day hiking. We hike up 1000 feet above the valley, and then hike a trail past old farm roads along the ridge line. Today we were above Indiantown Gap Army base. But we have few views. At one point, late in the day we came our of the forest and there was a view of the valley below- farms and fields- very pretty. The prettiest view we have had in PA thus far. This is rich farm country around here. Nice to see some.
Today we came to the 501 Shelter -pizza! The Shelter is very close to Hiway 501, has a shower, fresh water and a nice bunkhouse. And you can order pizza from the hiway, which wr did at about 4PM. It was our dinner and I carried leftovers into the woods for later. Before coming out here, didn't carry much for cold pizza. Now I love it!
We had a very poignant moment while trying to order our pizza and sitting on the side of the highway where the trail comes out of the woods. A couple, about my age, not hikers, but dressed in regular clothes was walking up to the trail. They saw us and stopped to talk. About 9 years ago their son had thru hiked the AT. He then went on to hike other trails, and eventually moved out to Jackson Hole, WY. While there he was rock climbing and had a fatal accident. They told us that whenever they cross the AT by car, they like to stop and walk the trail a bit and think
of their son, as they know he once passed by this spot years before. The mother looked at Cisco and said he reminded her of her son. I told them how sorry we were for their loss. I know they are inconsolable, and nothing can take away their pain. But the trail gives them a connection to their son. I am a very fortunate father to be here with my son.
PENN is known for it's rocks and there were lots of rocks on the trail today.
One spot the AT crossed another trail. Our trail full of rocks, other trail clear as can be. Why is that?
It was a long 18 mile day, so we didn't
get to our campsite until night was falling. Camped at Heinlein camping area, between a couple of small creeks. There was a huge boulder field nearby that I first thought was a parking lot, due to all the reflected light. Didn't get too near, lots of snakes aboug I am told .
Aching feet! Cutting boots may have done some good. Think my footware is just not working for me. When I wear the slides, they don't push on my sore spots, but the hiking shoes sure do!!
Put up tents, ate leftover pizza. Went to sleep. Mighty good.
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Long day 18 miles
Today was a rerun day for the third day hiking. We hike up 1000 feet above the valley, and then hike a trail past old farm roads along the ridge line. Today we were above Indiantown Gap Army base. But we have few views. At one point, late in the day we came our of the forest and there was a view of the valley below- farms and fields- very pretty. The prettiest view we have had in PA thus far. This is rich farm country around here. Nice to see some.
Today we came to the 501 Shelter -pizza! The Shelter is very close to Hiway 501, has a shower, fresh water and a nice bunkhouse. And you can order pizza from the hiway, which wr did at about 4PM. It was our dinner and I carried leftovers into the woods for later. Before coming out here, didn't carry much for cold pizza. Now I love it!
We had a very poignant moment while trying to order our pizza and sitting on the side of the highway where the trail comes out of the woods. A couple, about my age, not hikers, but dressed in regular clothes was walking up to the trail. They saw us and stopped to talk. About 9 years ago their son had thru hiked the AT. He then went on to hike other trails, and eventually moved out to Jackson Hole, WY. While there he was rock climbing and had a fatal accident. They told us that whenever they cross the AT by car, they like to stop and walk the trail a bit and think
of their son, as they know he once passed by this spot years before. The mother looked at Cisco and said he reminded her of her son. I told them how sorry we were for their loss. I know they are inconsolable, and nothing can take away their pain. But the trail gives them a connection to their son. I am a very fortunate father to be here with my son.
PENN is known for it's rocks and there were lots of rocks on the trail today.
One spot the AT crossed another trail. Our trail full of rocks, other trail clear as can be. Why is that?
It was a long 18 mile day, so we didn't
get to our campsite until night was falling. Camped at Heinlein camping area, between a couple of small creeks. There was a huge boulder field nearby that I first thought was a parking lot, due to all the reflected light. Didn't get too near, lots of snakes aboug I am told .
Aching feet! Cutting boots may have done some good. Think my footware is just not working for me. When I wear the slides, they don't push on my sore spots, but the hiking shoes sure do!!
Put up tents, ate leftover pizza. Went to sleep. Mighty good.
Sent from my iPhone
July 19 Mile 1172
Last night was a beautiful evening. Not a cloud in the sky. I even got a signal on my I-phone and was able to check the local weather- no rain. So I didn't put up my rain cover on my tent. About 4:30 AM I heard it. Boom! Thunder! Jumped out of my tent and got the rain cover on in record speed. Dived back into the tent and the rain came pouring down. And the lightning and thunder put on quite a show. Luckily it was all over by the time we wanted to get up.
Had an ambitious hiking day planned. Wanted to go about 19 miles to a camping area in a state park. But water is very scarce in the area, we are told. Hiking in this part of PA is much like hiking in southern VA. They take you up a mtn, then you walk the ridge for many miles, then they take you down the mtn. Nice thing here is the mtns are between 500-1000 feet high, so it's a lot easier.
Today the long hike on the ridge was very pretty and very flat. Lots of evergreens and old coal mining towns from the 1800s. Hiked for a while on an 1800s stagecoach road. Pretty rocky. Hope the had good shock absorbers. Around 5 PM , after going 14 miles or so, we reached a creek that was to be our last good water source for the day. So we filled up all our containers, about 6 liters, plus our gallon tank and hiked off, carrying our tankful of water foe another 4-5 miles, up over a 500 foot mtn, called South Mtn. Finally getting down to the park and a bunch of highways by 7PM. Found a great site, but it's very near a highway. Can't see the cars but can hear them. Doesnt really add to the camping experience. And at dusk someone decided this was July 4, cause there was quite a fireworks display we could see thru the trees.
Worked on my sore feet all day. But then had an idea. When I put on my Vasque hiking shoes-pain. When I put on my Nike slides- no pain. So for an experiment this afternoon, when my feet really hurt, I took off the hiking shoes and wore the slides for about 2 miles. Don't really recommend it for hiking. But, my feet really didn't hurt. I think the hiking shoes squeeze my toes up way too much, even though I have a wide size, a larger than I normally wear. So I decided to operate on my boots. Took Cisco's big knife and sliced the side near the toes to get some pressure relief. Took my foot out first.
We'll see tomorrow if this works.
Plan another long day.
Last night was a beautiful evening. Not a cloud in the sky. I even got a signal on my I-phone and was able to check the local weather- no rain. So I didn't put up my rain cover on my tent. About 4:30 AM I heard it. Boom! Thunder! Jumped out of my tent and got the rain cover on in record speed. Dived back into the tent and the rain came pouring down. And the lightning and thunder put on quite a show. Luckily it was all over by the time we wanted to get up.
Had an ambitious hiking day planned. Wanted to go about 19 miles to a camping area in a state park. But water is very scarce in the area, we are told. Hiking in this part of PA is much like hiking in southern VA. They take you up a mtn, then you walk the ridge for many miles, then they take you down the mtn. Nice thing here is the mtns are between 500-1000 feet high, so it's a lot easier.
Today the long hike on the ridge was very pretty and very flat. Lots of evergreens and old coal mining towns from the 1800s. Hiked for a while on an 1800s stagecoach road. Pretty rocky. Hope the had good shock absorbers. Around 5 PM , after going 14 miles or so, we reached a creek that was to be our last good water source for the day. So we filled up all our containers, about 6 liters, plus our gallon tank and hiked off, carrying our tankful of water foe another 4-5 miles, up over a 500 foot mtn, called South Mtn. Finally getting down to the park and a bunch of highways by 7PM. Found a great site, but it's very near a highway. Can't see the cars but can hear them. Doesnt really add to the camping experience. And at dusk someone decided this was July 4, cause there was quite a fireworks display we could see thru the trees.
Worked on my sore feet all day. But then had an idea. When I put on my Vasque hiking shoes-pain. When I put on my Nike slides- no pain. So for an experiment this afternoon, when my feet really hurt, I took off the hiking shoes and wore the slides for about 2 miles. Don't really recommend it for hiking. But, my feet really didn't hurt. I think the hiking shoes squeeze my toes up way too much, even though I have a wide size, a larger than I normally wear. So I decided to operate on my boots. Took Cisco's big knife and sliced the side near the toes to get some pressure relief. Took my foot out first.
We'll see tomorrow if this works.
Plan another long day.
July 18 Mile 1154 ( I think)
Day 100! By Cisco's calculation, deducting the two weeks we took off for the wedding and the return to Atlanta, we have been out here 100 days. We have 89 days left, before the end park in Maine closes. That's every North Bound (Nobo) hiker's deadline-October 15. So,
52.9% of the time has past, and we have completed 53.0 % of the trail. Right on schedule, I suppose.
This was not a very interesting hiking day. We felt like we were back in southern VA. After hiking 2 miles thru the town of Duncannon, we crossed the Susquehana River. It is wide! Perhaps the widest river we have crossed so far. Glad there was a bridge.
The town is what I would call one of those northern "hard at work" towns. All the houses and buildings are scrunched together, and most things were probably built pre WW II. The RR track is between the town and the river, so it hard to get a view from town. It was not a village, like Boiling Springs.
After crossing the river, we went straight up the ridge, but it's only about 500 ft up. Then hiked Peter's Mountain all day over boulders and rocks, a fairly level ridge for the entire day. Only one or two views the entire day. The only thing that made it interesting were the rocks and boulders.
I was able to better pad my feet today, after a visit to Rite-Aid, so the hike felt better. Also talked to Winton at Mountain Crossings in Neels Gap, and he is sending me new shoe inserts. That should help too.
After hiking about 15 miles or so, our two guidebooks had different information on where we were. Very frustrating, as water is very difficult to locate here, and we didn't know how much further we needed to go to find a spring. It was about 7 PM and we were tired, we saw a campsite off the trail - no water there- but decided to take it anyway, as we can ration our water tonight, and should be a mile or so from a source tomorrow morning. Just can't turn on the tap out here. Water is key to all your planning.
Warm day- high 80s and warm evening, but no rain tonight, so we can sleep with the fly cover off the tent, which will make it a little cooler.
In bed early tonight, it was a long hiking day for us. Not sure why.
Day 100! By Cisco's calculation, deducting the two weeks we took off for the wedding and the return to Atlanta, we have been out here 100 days. We have 89 days left, before the end park in Maine closes. That's every North Bound (Nobo) hiker's deadline-October 15. So,
52.9% of the time has past, and we have completed 53.0 % of the trail. Right on schedule, I suppose.
This was not a very interesting hiking day. We felt like we were back in southern VA. After hiking 2 miles thru the town of Duncannon, we crossed the Susquehana River. It is wide! Perhaps the widest river we have crossed so far. Glad there was a bridge.
The town is what I would call one of those northern "hard at work" towns. All the houses and buildings are scrunched together, and most things were probably built pre WW II. The RR track is between the town and the river, so it hard to get a view from town. It was not a village, like Boiling Springs.
After crossing the river, we went straight up the ridge, but it's only about 500 ft up. Then hiked Peter's Mountain all day over boulders and rocks, a fairly level ridge for the entire day. Only one or two views the entire day. The only thing that made it interesting were the rocks and boulders.
I was able to better pad my feet today, after a visit to Rite-Aid, so the hike felt better. Also talked to Winton at Mountain Crossings in Neels Gap, and he is sending me new shoe inserts. That should help too.
After hiking about 15 miles or so, our two guidebooks had different information on where we were. Very frustrating, as water is very difficult to locate here, and we didn't know how much further we needed to go to find a spring. It was about 7 PM and we were tired, we saw a campsite off the trail - no water there- but decided to take it anyway, as we can ration our water tonight, and should be a mile or so from a source tomorrow morning. Just can't turn on the tap out here. Water is key to all your planning.
Warm day- high 80s and warm evening, but no rain tonight, so we can sleep with the fly cover off the tent, which will make it a little cooler.
In bed early tonight, it was a long hiking day for us. Not sure why.
July 17 Mile 1137
The Doyle! Hikers have been talking about it since we left Ga. It's said to be the coolest hotel for hikers on the entire trail. Heck, they say there have even been some murders there. How cool is that! It's a 1905 hotel that's barely been updated in Duncannon, PA. The trail goes right by it as it goes through the town after you come down Blue Mtn. Owned by a terrific couple, Pat and Vicky, they take very good care of us hikers. They have a great bar and great food, that plus a room for only $30 a nite. What else could you want? But I wouldn't recommend it for a honeymoon.
Lots of hikers here today, and many will stay for awhile. Good food and beer will tend to keep them in one place.
Had a short day planned to get to Duncannon- about 12 miles, and it was an easy hike, getting here about 1:30. Went straight to the Doyle, checked in, there is no lobby, just go to the bar, pay, and they give you a key. Did a Nero day here- nearly zero - laundry, shower, ( bath down the hall) and eat!
Resupplied at the local grocery, dinner, and to bed. The hiker's ritual, for us anyway. All the young hikers here went out partying to some barn. I went to bed. No AC here, either, but an old fan and open windows to cool us off after a very warm day. Good enough for me and the Doyle. And never even heard a gunshot. Nice quiet evening.
The Doyle! Hikers have been talking about it since we left Ga. It's said to be the coolest hotel for hikers on the entire trail. Heck, they say there have even been some murders there. How cool is that! It's a 1905 hotel that's barely been updated in Duncannon, PA. The trail goes right by it as it goes through the town after you come down Blue Mtn. Owned by a terrific couple, Pat and Vicky, they take very good care of us hikers. They have a great bar and great food, that plus a room for only $30 a nite. What else could you want? But I wouldn't recommend it for a honeymoon.
Lots of hikers here today, and many will stay for awhile. Good food and beer will tend to keep them in one place.
Had a short day planned to get to Duncannon- about 12 miles, and it was an easy hike, getting here about 1:30. Went straight to the Doyle, checked in, there is no lobby, just go to the bar, pay, and they give you a key. Did a Nero day here- nearly zero - laundry, shower, ( bath down the hall) and eat!
Resupplied at the local grocery, dinner, and to bed. The hiker's ritual, for us anyway. All the young hikers here went out partying to some barn. I went to bed. No AC here, either, but an old fan and open windows to cool us off after a very warm day. Good enough for me and the Doyle. And never even heard a gunshot. Nice quiet evening.
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