take a hike with mike: July 2014

Sat 7/5

My friend tony came to visit me on trail. Tony is my friend from Baxter who just finished his triple crown last year on the CDT.

I was with Sloth and Tony got a room at the Doyle for the three us. The Doyle is a historic hotel and a must-stay for hikers. For $25, you get a room at this old, run down hotel with a communal bathroom and shower. The building could use some structural improvements, for sure, and perhaps, a good cleaning. The place was filthy. The carpets hadn't been vacuumed in ages, cobwebs lined the ceilings, and soiled curtains covered the windows. But this place was awesome.

The Doyle was run down, but so is the city, Duncannon. You can tell that this river city was once booming with industry. Tony drove us to Mechanicsville for lunch at an Indian restaurant.

Sun 7/6

We went back to the Indian restaurant again and had the lunch buffet. We wanted the buffet yesterday but missed out because we didn't get there in time. Never give up... If you fail at something, get up the next day and try again! Well that's what we did and this time we succeeded (and it was delicious)! After lunch, we went to see a movie. This was my first time seeing a movie at a theater in a few years. We saw 22 Jump Street. After saying goodbye to Tony, we hiked 12 miles out of town and camped along the trail. It was to rocky to stake my tent down so I just used it as a tarp and slept on top of it. Pennsylvania is notorious for being rocky.

Mon 7/7

We received trail magic in the morning from a couple stationed at Clarks Creek. The man won a million dollars in the state lottery and now comes out here and provides trail magic for the hikers.

In the afternoon I met hikers, Hob and Astroguy. Hob and Astroguy were reunited today after not seeing each other since the Smokies. Here they are together after 900 miles. The trail does this to you and it's not that unusual. You'll be hiking with someone and then not see them for a thousand miles. Then they show up... suprise! Another great thing about the trail is that it is the great equalizer. You'll see millionaires out here hiking with homeless people, PhDs hiking with high school dropouts, 70 year olds hiking with 18 year olds. All kinds of people hike the trail... even retired U.S. astronauts, like Astroguy.

I night hiked in the rain and camped along the trail in a nice field. 21 miles for the day.

Tues 7/8

Sloth and I hiked 14 miles to the 501 shelter. We wanted to continue but held out because a storm was coming through. Besides, the 501 was a nice shelter with a skylight and a shower. Here is another shelter where we can call for pizza. We had some trail magic in the afternoon as well thanks to Rob Bird. Bird used to run a donation based hostel out of his Massachusetts home, known to hikers as the Birdcage. Bird is an ex-cop and a pretty sweet guitarist. And just like Miss Janet, he lives out of a van traveling northbound assisting hikers.

Back in Tennessee, Rob Bird picked us up, drove us to the bluegrass festival, took us out to eat, washed our clothes, let us shower at his apartment, and gave some of us mohawks. Bird has given thousands of mohawks to thru hikers over the years. Here with Southbound and Sprinkleburst back in Tennessee:

After today, less than 1000 miles to Katahdin.

Wed 7/9

We made it to the Hertline Campsite where there is a picnic table, swimming hole with rope swing, and a waterfall. This is definitely my favorite spot in PA so far.

Southbound caught up to us tonight after being in England for a week for his grandmother's 90th birthday. He was putting in 30 mile days so that he could catch us. I night hiked into Port Clinton. It rained for the third night in a row and the descent into Port Clinton was one of the steepest I've seen anywhere. It doesn't rain long- just long enough to get everything soaked. Then it stops. I got to Port Clinton around midnight and slept in a pavilion in town. Did I mention that PA is rocky? Pennsylvania has lots of rocks. Sure, there are rocks everywhere along the trail but PA rocks especially suck! They are sharp, will hurt your feet, and roll your ankles. And some are even slippery.

And they could lead to a shitty situation.

"The privy is closed.

Good news: there is a shovel.

Bad news: rock beats shovel

Affirm,

Good luck."

23 miles for the day.

Thurs 7/10

I had breakfast at a little diner on town. It was mediocre but they claim it's "the Appalachian Trail's best breakfast from Maine to Georgia."

We resupplied in Hamburg, and got a ride back from a local named john. He drove us back to the diner, told us about Jesus, and gave us $47. Thanks, john! That's john with a little "J" because big "J" is reserved for Jesus." We had breakfast #2, thanks to john, and had $10 left over which went into the Piñata Party Posse fund. I enjoyed the views from Pulpit Rock and the Pinnacle in the evening.

14 miles for the day and camped at the Eckville Shelter.

Fri 7/11

I hiked to the Allentown Hiking Club Shelter and took a nap. I'm more than 1200 miles and haven't gotten any blisters yet, but PA might be the state to do it for me. The 7.4 miles this morning is the rockiest I've seen yet, and it's only going to get worse. I think it took me 5 hrs to do 7.4 miles through here. No wonder why Pennsylvania is the state thru hikers like to hate. I ate dinner at the Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant right off the trail. It's hard to resist a meal and a cold drink when there's a restaurant right by the trail. I night hiked until I found Spaceman camped out with his family that was visiting for the weekend. Night hiking over this last section, Knife Edge and Bear Rocks, I would not recommend. 18 miles for the day.

Sat 7/12

Today I hiked over the Palmerton Superfund. This is a deforested mountain resulting from years of zinc smelting.

We can't the toxic water up here, but the berries were great!

If this is the worst that the trail has to offer, than I'd say this isn't so bad. At least it's a lot better than it used to be. Here is a photo from 2003:

There was trail magic for us as Little Gap.

And then, as Southbound was crossing the road, a car pulls over and the man yells out, "Hey, you're a thru hiker! You need a beer!" The man gave Southbound a cold beer and then more for the rest of us.

We just camped there at Little Gap with Spaceman and family. 12 miles today.

Sun 7/13

We hiked to Smith Gap then walked a mile down the road to Mechanical Man's house for our weekly ablutions. He has an outdoor shower that hikers can use. Mechanical Man gave us a ride back to the trail. We hiked into Wond Gap and watched the Germany win the World Cup final. At Beer Stein, where we watched the game, hikers can camp out in the back and then make themselves breakfast in the morning- for free! I chose to hike a mile out of town with Sloth and Southbound and camp on the mountain where it rained all night. Out here, it really is a choose-your-own-adventure! Camp out at the bar and enjoy an all you can eat breakfast in the morning, stay at Mechanical Man's house and let his wife can take you to an amazing water park the next day, take a break along Skyline Drive and get picked up and taken to a resort for the night, etc...

15 miles for the day.

Mon 7/14

With Sloth and Big Sexy, we hiked to Delaware Water Gap in the rain and stayed in a shelter at the Church of the Mountain Hostel. This hostel is donation based offering showers and a bunkhouse.

We took a bus to Stroudsburg were we resupplied and ate at a China Buffet. The food was terrible, nothing like Ming's Garden in Virginia!

Tues 7/15

I hiked out on my own because no one felt like hiking today. I crossed the Delaware River Bridge into New Jersey and stopped at the Kittatinny Visitor Center where I met Ranger Bob and Kathy. The invited me in, talked with me for a while, and gave me a Junior Ranger badge!

I hung out at Sunfish Pond and watched a beaver catch a snake. I didn't even know that beavers do that. Beaver is a bad ass and don't take shit from no one!

I passed the 1300 mile mark and hiked past some swamps at night and didn't finish hiking until after midnight. 16 miles today. New Jersey is beautiful! My feet, however, not so much.

Wed 7/16

I hiked 14 miles to Green Anderson Shelter and had dinner at Kevin's Stakehouse right off trail. There was live music there too!

Thurs 7/17

I got to High Point State Park Headquarters and saw Beanhook and family. This is a family thru hiking the trail together. I met them my second day, back in Georgia. I remember meeting Beanhook for the first time. He was impressed that I was wearing shorts when it was still so cold out (and I was impressed that he was carrying four pairs of underwear with him). I took a little detour and spent some time at the beach.

I night hiked through the Wallkill Reserve which was probably a really cool swamp. I couldn't tell because I was hiking through at night. I got a pretty cool night shot.

The mosquitoes were out in full force tonight. I saw a fox out here too. It ran right up to me, checked me out, then ran off into the bog. I saw a mink earlier today and a possum too. 26 miles for the day.

Fri 7/18

I hiked over lots of bog bridging today.

I hitched into Vernon for a resupy. I hiked 19 miles today and camped along a stream. I saw another bear today too. A thru hiker is more likely to run into a bear in NJ than in any other state (resulting from state hunting regulations). I crossed into New York in the evening. There is lots of bouldering in this section. Up until this point, you see a white blaze and have to decide whether to hike to the left or right. Here, you see a white blaze, then look to the left, right, and then straight up. At one point, there is a ladder to climb!

At the top is the highest point on the trail in NY and is marked by a flag. Awesome 360° views to be had here.

Sat 7/19

I stopped in for a milkshake at Bellvale Farms Creamery with Skippy.

I did some more night hiking (night hiking seems to be my thing lately). I entered Harriman State Park around 11pm and couldn't figure out where the trail went. The trail through New York is not very well marked (at least compared to New Jersey). I walk the park road back and forth looking for where the trail turns off and just didn't find it. It was late already and I was tired. I gave up looking and found a camping spot off the road and out of sight. Being a park road, it wasn't being used much at night anyway. Around 3 in the morning, it started raining and I turned on my headlamp. That's the moment a cop drove by and saw me. It's illegal for me to be camped there. The officer walked down, asked me to get out of my tent, and took my ID. I told him the story and he didn't give me ticket. He suggisted I stay until morning because he didn't want me hiking out at night, but in the time it took him to check my record, I had already packed up. Besides, that's sort of my thing. I waited for him to leave and then hiked 4 miles to the Fingerboard Shelter. In the morning, I passed through what hikers call the Lemon Squeezer, a narrow passageway between two big boulders. 20 miles today.

Sun 7/20

I hiked 8 miles to West Mountain Shelter. The shelter is .6 miles off trail but has views of the Hidson River and NYC.

Skippy and I met some cool section hikers today and gave them "the shakedown" helping them reduce their pack weight.

Mon 7/21

I hiked Bear Mountain today.

There were hundreds of stone steps. The stonework on this mountain was incredible.

I got off trail at Bear Mountain Inn and took the train from Peekskill into NYC with Skippy.

We were off the train for less than 2 minutes when we met Turbo and Windbreaker. Turbo hiked the AT in 2003 and he and Windbreaker, his fiancée, hiked the PCT together in 2007. They treated us to Chipotle. Trail magic in NYC! I love these guys!

We met up with Southbound. Southbound is from Brooklyn and his parents invited us over and made us dinner.

6 miles for the day.

Tues 7/22- Thurs 7/24

Fun times in NYC.

I met up with some old friends too!

Fri 7/25

Siouthbound's dad drove us back to the trail. The trail goes through the Trailside Zoo. At 163 feet, the bear cage is the lowest point on the AT. I crossed Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson, passing the 1400 mile mark.

I ate and hung out at the Appalachian Market.

I camped at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center. This monastery allows hikers to camp on their ball field, which has porta potties, water, and an outdoor shower. 7 miles today.

Sat 7/26

Clarence Fahnestock State Park has a beach. I was looking forward to this beach all day.

But when I got to the beach, I walked past it and headed over to the concession stand. I ate some food and took a nap right there. Then I showered and headed back out on the trail. So much for the beach! On top of Shenandoah Mountain there was a painted 911 memorial flag.

I then hiked to the RPH Shelter where Sloth and Southbound were waiting for me. I ordered pizza from this shelter. This is the third shelter that I ordered pizza from. 19 miles today.

Sun 7/27

I went swimming in Nuclear Lake with Sloth and Skippy. We swam to a little island out on the water and picked blueberries.

This lake is called Nuclear Lake because this is the site of a 1972 plutonium spill. Potential nucular danger aside, this is one of the most beautiful sites on the trail in NY. I camped at Telephone Pioneers Shelter. I camped on a rocky incline since there weren't any good camping spots. And it rained all night. Oh well. 17 miles for the day.

Mon 7/28

We hiked through some more swamp lands and went across some more boardwalks. I found the biggest tree on the AT. I've passed millions of trees so far along the AT. This one, however, is the largest! Dover Oak.

There is a train stop on the trail. It can take you into NYC. Should I go? I just got back from there 3 days ago!