Start: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Crazy thunderstorms last night, but our new tent held up well and kept us dry!! We woke up at 6 am and left camp at 7:15 (we're getting quicker at that routine). Unfortunately, we had a mile to walk to the trail from our campsite. With bathroom stops (always nice to use flush toilets when given the chance) and the walk, we started hiking at 8:00 am. We had a nice flat section where Brian got some awesome pictures of the sun rays coming through the trees and mist. After a flat section though, there must always be a climb, so up we went. About 4 miles in we ran into Easy Nomad. He warned us about a bee hive in the middle of the trail. He had just been stung A LOT of times! Brian and I decided to bushwhack around the hive, so off trailing we went. We watched for animals, especially snakes, but the off trailing was uneventul and back on the trail we went. After a total of 7.6 miles, we sat at a spring and relaxed for a few minutes. I pumped some fresh cold water for us... So refreshing!! I could taste the difference in the water from the spicket at the campground and was happy to have filtered spring water! The Green Mountain General Store was just another 1.2 miles up the trail, so we decided to go there for lunch. We arrived at the store at 1:00 pm hungry and tired. I had a cheese, lettuce, and tomato sub and chips and Brian had a peanut butter sandwich (from his own food) and chips. Later on I had Nutter Butter Cookies and Brian had some more snacks. I guess our metabolisms are starting to speed up from all this walking! We spent 3 hours there because it was so hot and threatening thunderstorms. About 30 minutes before we left, we met thru hikers Range, Cheetah, and Honest Abe. They told us their favorite part of their hike so far was the Grayson Highlands in Virginia because of the wild ponies. They showed us pictures where the ponies seemed more like lap dogs! I can't wait to hike that part next year!!!! At 4:00 pm we started our 2.7 mile trip to the campsite. It was difficult for my knee because most of it was a descent, but overall, my knee did feel a little better. We arrived at camp at 5:15 pm. Brian made me a knee brace out of a stick, a piece of our water filter tubing, tape, and a bandana (MacGyver???). Cheetah had told us that he suffered from similar ailment at the start of his hike and the runner band type brace worked best for him. Now I have my own home made one. Thanks B!
Our campsite is an unmarked site just off the AT. It is a half mile from a campground so we can hear the country type music concert they are having.
Tomorrow, we will get into Boiling Springs, PA. We will spend the night in town because we have a mail drop of supplies to pick up at the post office at 9am on Monday. We are both looking forward to real laundry and a real shower!!
End: Unmarked Campsite 8.1miles south of Boiling Springs, PA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
June 29, 2012
Start: Toms Run Shelter
This morning at 4 am, we awoke to some intense thunder and lightening. Luckily, we had our tent pitched next to an empty shelter. We got up quickly and moved the tent into the shelter. Two minutes after we did, it started to pour!!! Awesome storm and even more awesome that we didn't get wet!! We woke up at 7 am and left camp at 8:30 am. We had 3.6 miles to go until Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Just about .2 miles after the shelter, we hit the half way sign. Such an accomplishment for the thru hikers... Katahdin is now closer than Springer! Most of the way to the park was some sort of descent, so it was hard on my knee, but the COOLEST thing happened! We saw 2 bears!! About .25 miles from the road where the park is, Brian spotted a bear in a grassy clearing. He didn't seem aggressive (more curious) so we were able to get a picture!! There was a second bear in the brush off to the side that was moving in our direction so we banged our poles together and made lots of noise. I told Brian "Go! Go! Go!" But, then there was a GREAT photo opportunity so I said, "Wait! Wait! Wait! Come back!" We got an awesome picture!! SO COOL!! When we got to the park, it was time for the half gallon challenge. Brian got vanilla and I chose some vanilla and mint chip. Brian finished in 30 minutes and earned a wooden "Member of the Half Gallon Club" spoon. I failed MISERABLY!! We hung out and relaxed for the rest of the day so I could ice and rest my knee. We hung out with thru hikers Beast Mode, Tall Oaf, Lucky Ten, Hot Feet, Dingo, Embassador, Simple C, and Easy Nomad. Eventually, we made it to the AT museum and then the lake. We went for a very refreshing swim (which doubled as doing laundry) and it felt great on my knee. We are camping in the park and are sharing a site with Hot Feet. It's hot and humid and calling for some thunder storms tonight!
End: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
This morning at 4 am, we awoke to some intense thunder and lightening. Luckily, we had our tent pitched next to an empty shelter. We got up quickly and moved the tent into the shelter. Two minutes after we did, it started to pour!!! Awesome storm and even more awesome that we didn't get wet!! We woke up at 7 am and left camp at 8:30 am. We had 3.6 miles to go until Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Just about .2 miles after the shelter, we hit the half way sign. Such an accomplishment for the thru hikers... Katahdin is now closer than Springer! Most of the way to the park was some sort of descent, so it was hard on my knee, but the COOLEST thing happened! We saw 2 bears!! About .25 miles from the road where the park is, Brian spotted a bear in a grassy clearing. He didn't seem aggressive (more curious) so we were able to get a picture!! There was a second bear in the brush off to the side that was moving in our direction so we banged our poles together and made lots of noise. I told Brian "Go! Go! Go!" But, then there was a GREAT photo opportunity so I said, "Wait! Wait! Wait! Come back!" We got an awesome picture!! SO COOL!! When we got to the park, it was time for the half gallon challenge. Brian got vanilla and I chose some vanilla and mint chip. Brian finished in 30 minutes and earned a wooden "Member of the Half Gallon Club" spoon. I failed MISERABLY!! We hung out and relaxed for the rest of the day so I could ice and rest my knee. We hung out with thru hikers Beast Mode, Tall Oaf, Lucky Ten, Hot Feet, Dingo, Embassador, Simple C, and Easy Nomad. Eventually, we made it to the AT museum and then the lake. We went for a very refreshing swim (which doubled as doing laundry) and it felt great on my knee. We are camping in the park and are sharing a site with Hot Feet. It's hot and humid and calling for some thunder storms tonight!
End: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Thursday, June 28, 2012
June 28, 2012
Start: Fayetteville, PA - Caledonia State Park
Our longest day so far!!! 16.2 miles! We woke up at 6:15 am, got a ride back to Caledonia Park and started our day at 8:15 am with a steep climb right out of the park. On our way up, we walked though rhododendrons that formed a tunnel over us... Beautiful! After 2.2 miles, we stopped at a spring just past Quarry Gap Shelter to get another liter of water each since it was going to be a hot day and the next water source was 5 miles away. The rest of the way to Birch Run Shelter was a mixture of flat ground and ups and downs. Sometimes we walked on small, sharp rocks, other times large rocks and sometimes even a bed of pine needles! On one of the downs, I felt a pain in my right knee cap. I didn't do anything to injure it and it came on suddenly so I'm not sure what it is. After 10 miles, we ate lunch at Birch Run Shelter. Brian had some trail mix and peanut butter and I had (you guessed it!) a fluffer-nutter tortilla. We relaxed for almost 2 hours to stay out of the heat. At 3 pm we left to finish the 6.3 miles to Toms Run Shelter where we are spending the night. Three miles before the shelter we saw the old half way point where someone used rocks to spell out 'HALF WAY.' Very cool! This year, the half way point is a half mile north of the shelter. We will pass it tomorrow morning. Part of the AT tradition is that hikers do the "Half Gallon Challenge" where they eat a half gallon of ice cream in under 1 hour. Brian and I aren't sure if we will attempt it tomorrow since we've only been on the trail 6 days. If we don't try it though, we will miss our chance since we will not be crossing Pine Grove Furnace State Park (where the challenge takes place) on a thru hike for a long time. We'll see what tomorrow brings when we get there.
My knee continued to hurt the rest of the day, especially on downhills. All of my other ailments are feeling much better so this is very frustrating to me. On a positive note, we are sleeping in our tent right next to a creek. I love the sound of running water!!
The trail leaves a lot of time for thinking. I realized today that even after only 6 days out here, I am appreciating the simple things. A cool breeze when it's hot, shade after a climb in the sun, cold, fresh water pumped from a spring, peanut butter, pine needles!!, showers, laundry (I HATED doing laundry a week ago!), and sleep!! The simple things can make all the difference... That's lesson #1 from the trail.
End: Toms Run Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Our longest day so far!!! 16.2 miles! We woke up at 6:15 am, got a ride back to Caledonia Park and started our day at 8:15 am with a steep climb right out of the park. On our way up, we walked though rhododendrons that formed a tunnel over us... Beautiful! After 2.2 miles, we stopped at a spring just past Quarry Gap Shelter to get another liter of water each since it was going to be a hot day and the next water source was 5 miles away. The rest of the way to Birch Run Shelter was a mixture of flat ground and ups and downs. Sometimes we walked on small, sharp rocks, other times large rocks and sometimes even a bed of pine needles! On one of the downs, I felt a pain in my right knee cap. I didn't do anything to injure it and it came on suddenly so I'm not sure what it is. After 10 miles, we ate lunch at Birch Run Shelter. Brian had some trail mix and peanut butter and I had (you guessed it!) a fluffer-nutter tortilla. We relaxed for almost 2 hours to stay out of the heat. At 3 pm we left to finish the 6.3 miles to Toms Run Shelter where we are spending the night. Three miles before the shelter we saw the old half way point where someone used rocks to spell out 'HALF WAY.' Very cool! This year, the half way point is a half mile north of the shelter. We will pass it tomorrow morning. Part of the AT tradition is that hikers do the "Half Gallon Challenge" where they eat a half gallon of ice cream in under 1 hour. Brian and I aren't sure if we will attempt it tomorrow since we've only been on the trail 6 days. If we don't try it though, we will miss our chance since we will not be crossing Pine Grove Furnace State Park (where the challenge takes place) on a thru hike for a long time. We'll see what tomorrow brings when we get there.
My knee continued to hurt the rest of the day, especially on downhills. All of my other ailments are feeling much better so this is very frustrating to me. On a positive note, we are sleeping in our tent right next to a creek. I love the sound of running water!!
The trail leaves a lot of time for thinking. I realized today that even after only 6 days out here, I am appreciating the simple things. A cool breeze when it's hot, shade after a climb in the sun, cold, fresh water pumped from a spring, peanut butter, pine needles!!, showers, laundry (I HATED doing laundry a week ago!), and sleep!! The simple things can make all the difference... That's lesson #1 from the trail.
End: Toms Run Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
June 27, 2012- OUCH!!!!
Start: Deer Lick Shelter
Today was a painful day!! Some hills, some rocks, some blisters, some sore neck muscles (from looking down at the rocks for each step) and ending the day with some sun burn... That is the recipe for pain!!! But, there still is no place I'd rather be! Our day started at 7 am. We left camp at 8:30 am and headed 3.6 miles to Tumbling Run Shelter where we pumped some water from the creek. There is nothing like cold, fresh water pumped directly from a spring! We were in for a long stretch without a convenient water source, so this was a good place to stop. We then climbed 1.3 miles to Chimney Rocks. There was a side trail that took us .25 off the AT, but the view was worth it! We ate lunch with a GORGEOUS view of the surrounding mountain ridges and a lake. After the short break, we hiked 5.3 miles to Rocky Mountain Shelter where we cooked some delicious food. Chicken fajita for Brian and veggie lasagna for me. While we were at lunch/dinner, we decided to alter our plans and camp at Caledonia State Park which was 3 miles away to cut down our day by 2 miles. Just before we arrived at the park, we met thru hiker, Machine,who is doing the trail in 100 days. He started May 7th and is already in PA... He is a machine! When we arrived at the park, I had a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich and Brian had a hotdog and fries. We shared a soda. The hiker "food mood" is starting to kick in. We are eating a lot, but burning a lot. The scale at the hostel a few days back was down 8 lbs!!! As we ate this delicious food, we saw a motel that was 2 miles down the road and offered a ride to hikers... We gave in to the temptation. We are spending the night at the Scottish Inn and Suites in Fayetteville, PA. The total mileage for today was 13.2 and for our trip it is 58.6. Tomorrow, we will be at the "less than 1100 miles to go" mark!
End: Fayetteville, PA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Today was a painful day!! Some hills, some rocks, some blisters, some sore neck muscles (from looking down at the rocks for each step) and ending the day with some sun burn... That is the recipe for pain!!! But, there still is no place I'd rather be! Our day started at 7 am. We left camp at 8:30 am and headed 3.6 miles to Tumbling Run Shelter where we pumped some water from the creek. There is nothing like cold, fresh water pumped directly from a spring! We were in for a long stretch without a convenient water source, so this was a good place to stop. We then climbed 1.3 miles to Chimney Rocks. There was a side trail that took us .25 off the AT, but the view was worth it! We ate lunch with a GORGEOUS view of the surrounding mountain ridges and a lake. After the short break, we hiked 5.3 miles to Rocky Mountain Shelter where we cooked some delicious food. Chicken fajita for Brian and veggie lasagna for me. While we were at lunch/dinner, we decided to alter our plans and camp at Caledonia State Park which was 3 miles away to cut down our day by 2 miles. Just before we arrived at the park, we met thru hiker, Machine,who is doing the trail in 100 days. He started May 7th and is already in PA... He is a machine! When we arrived at the park, I had a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich and Brian had a hotdog and fries. We shared a soda. The hiker "food mood" is starting to kick in. We are eating a lot, but burning a lot. The scale at the hostel a few days back was down 8 lbs!!! As we ate this delicious food, we saw a motel that was 2 miles down the road and offered a ride to hikers... We gave in to the temptation. We are spending the night at the Scottish Inn and Suites in Fayetteville, PA. The total mileage for today was 13.2 and for our trip it is 58.6. Tomorrow, we will be at the "less than 1100 miles to go" mark!
End: Fayetteville, PA
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
June 26, 2012
Start: Free State Hiker Hostel- Smithsburg, MD
Today was AMAZING!! It was the type of day I have dreamed about on the AT. The sun was shining, the temperature was a perfect 75 degrees, and the breeze was blowing. We woke up at 6 am and took our time leaving the hostel. We began the .3 mile road walk at 7:45 am. We had a short climb and then the trail opened to beautiful rolling hills with fields that seemed to go on forever. Just as the trail fell under tree cover again, we met a trail cat. I named him Whiskers. Friendly little guy. We continued to Raven Rock Shelter. By 10:45 we had walked 5.1 miles with a few stops to talk to some fellow hikers. Raven Rock is a BEAUTIFUL shelter!!!! I had a fluffer-nutter tortilla again... YUM!! I think that my favorite thing about our breaks isn't the food, but the fact that I get to take my feet out of my boots!! We left the shelter at 11:45 am and continued 4.6 miles to Pen-Mar Park. We ate pizza from the park concession stand and I called a few friends to say hello. We ate lunch with a fellow section hiker, Tech-Trekker (hiking from Harpers Ferry to the NY/CT border). After an hour, we started our final leg for the day, 5 miles to Deer Lick Shelters. Just .3 miles out of the park, we crossed the Mason-Dixon Line. Of course to commemorate the occasion, Brian and I had to do a dance. Good thing we were in the middle of the woods because we probably looked like crazy people : ) When we arrived at the shelter, we met a thru hiker, Hot Feet (named for his hot pink croc camp shoes) and Tech Trekker was also there.
The total for the day was 14.7 miles. Our longest day yet! We have started with lower mileage to get our minds and bodies used to the toll that daily high mileage hiking can take on you. We will gradually be increasing the distances in order to make our date with Mount K.
During the 14.7 miles, I had a million thoughts going through my head. My favorite thought of the day was that there was no place else I would have preferred to be. Days like today, with perfect weather, beautiful scenery, a landmark (crossing the MD/PA border), and meeting great people make me think we may just make it to Maine! ; ) My second favorite thought of the day was that all I had to worry about was what time to wake up, how far to walk, and what to eat. How lucky am I that I have no deadlines and no busy-ness?!?!? It is so freeing! I am loving trail life.
Tomorrow, we will set out for Quarry Gap Shelters which is 15.8 miles away.
End: Deer Lick Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Today was AMAZING!! It was the type of day I have dreamed about on the AT. The sun was shining, the temperature was a perfect 75 degrees, and the breeze was blowing. We woke up at 6 am and took our time leaving the hostel. We began the .3 mile road walk at 7:45 am. We had a short climb and then the trail opened to beautiful rolling hills with fields that seemed to go on forever. Just as the trail fell under tree cover again, we met a trail cat. I named him Whiskers. Friendly little guy. We continued to Raven Rock Shelter. By 10:45 we had walked 5.1 miles with a few stops to talk to some fellow hikers. Raven Rock is a BEAUTIFUL shelter!!!! I had a fluffer-nutter tortilla again... YUM!! I think that my favorite thing about our breaks isn't the food, but the fact that I get to take my feet out of my boots!! We left the shelter at 11:45 am and continued 4.6 miles to Pen-Mar Park. We ate pizza from the park concession stand and I called a few friends to say hello. We ate lunch with a fellow section hiker, Tech-Trekker (hiking from Harpers Ferry to the NY/CT border). After an hour, we started our final leg for the day, 5 miles to Deer Lick Shelters. Just .3 miles out of the park, we crossed the Mason-Dixon Line. Of course to commemorate the occasion, Brian and I had to do a dance. Good thing we were in the middle of the woods because we probably looked like crazy people : ) When we arrived at the shelter, we met a thru hiker, Hot Feet (named for his hot pink croc camp shoes) and Tech Trekker was also there.
The total for the day was 14.7 miles. Our longest day yet! We have started with lower mileage to get our minds and bodies used to the toll that daily high mileage hiking can take on you. We will gradually be increasing the distances in order to make our date with Mount K.
During the 14.7 miles, I had a million thoughts going through my head. My favorite thought of the day was that there was no place else I would have preferred to be. Days like today, with perfect weather, beautiful scenery, a landmark (crossing the MD/PA border), and meeting great people make me think we may just make it to Maine! ; ) My second favorite thought of the day was that all I had to worry about was what time to wake up, how far to walk, and what to eat. How lucky am I that I have no deadlines and no busy-ness?!?!? It is so freeing! I am loving trail life.
Tomorrow, we will set out for Quarry Gap Shelters which is 15.8 miles away.
End: Deer Lick Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Monday, June 25, 2012
June 25, 2012
Start: Pine Knob Shelter
What a great day!!! We woke up at 7:30 am, packed up camp, and pumped water from the spring. We had our first encounter with rain today... some light scattered showers, but enough to make us put our pack covers on. After 3.2 miles, we rested and ate lunch at Pogo Memorial Campsite. It felt incredible to take my socks and shoes off for a while! After a peanut butter and fluff tortilla, we continued 4.8 ROCKY miles to Wolfsville Road in Smithsburg, MD. The section gave us a preview of the rocks to come in PA! Rocks suck! Once we arrived at the road, we walked .3 miles on the road to the Free State Hiker Hostel. The hostel and the pizza delivery were well worth the work today! This amazing hostel is run by a 2006 thru hiker and his wife. We were able to get a shuttle into town to get some supplies, and then shower, do laundry, and we'll sleep in a bed tonight! AMAZING!! Staying at the hostel with us are two section hikers, Morning (going from VA-ME) and Gingersnap (HF-PA), and One, a thru hiker. Great people to have great conversation with! Tomorrow, we will cross into PA. After 3 days, I am feeling so great! My legs feel strong and my head feels strong. Aside from the blisters on each of my pinky toes, I have no complaints. I just keep thinking how lucky I am to be doing this. How many people dream of doing this or some other adventure and never get to?!? And who gets to embark on a journey like this with their husband (wife)?!?! This is the life!
End: Free State Hiker Hostel
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
What a great day!!! We woke up at 7:30 am, packed up camp, and pumped water from the spring. We had our first encounter with rain today... some light scattered showers, but enough to make us put our pack covers on. After 3.2 miles, we rested and ate lunch at Pogo Memorial Campsite. It felt incredible to take my socks and shoes off for a while! After a peanut butter and fluff tortilla, we continued 4.8 ROCKY miles to Wolfsville Road in Smithsburg, MD. The section gave us a preview of the rocks to come in PA! Rocks suck! Once we arrived at the road, we walked .3 miles on the road to the Free State Hiker Hostel. The hostel and the pizza delivery were well worth the work today! This amazing hostel is run by a 2006 thru hiker and his wife. We were able to get a shuttle into town to get some supplies, and then shower, do laundry, and we'll sleep in a bed tonight! AMAZING!! Staying at the hostel with us are two section hikers, Morning (going from VA-ME) and Gingersnap (HF-PA), and One, a thru hiker. Great people to have great conversation with! Tomorrow, we will cross into PA. After 3 days, I am feeling so great! My legs feel strong and my head feels strong. Aside from the blisters on each of my pinky toes, I have no complaints. I just keep thinking how lucky I am to be doing this. How many people dream of doing this or some other adventure and never get to?!? And who gets to embark on a journey like this with their husband (wife)?!?! This is the life!
End: Free State Hiker Hostel
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
June 24, 2012
Start: Crampton Gap Shelter
This morning, we woke up at 7 am and left camp at 8:30 am. We walked 5.5 miles to Rocky Run Shelter for lunch. We arrived there at 11:30am. It is a BEAUTIFUL shelter with a loft and polyurethane floors!!! We ate some trail mix and I had a peanut butter and fluff tortilla. YUM!!! After an hour (with my boots off!!!), we began the 1.8 miles to Dahlgren Campground. As we left the shelter, someone hiking southbound asked Brian where we are headed. His answer was, "Maine." Wow!!! That really put this in perspective for me. We are ACTUALLY hiking to Maine!!!! Once we arrived at the campground, I got to shower and wash my clothes... All with the same soap :) Before we left, I decorated my feet with a patchwork of moleskin to cover my two blisters and several "hotspots." We then continued 2.2 miles to the Washington Monument (the one in Maryland). Just before the monument, a huge, beautiful deer ran across the trail right in front of us! Beautiful! One we were at the monument, we were able to find the energy to climb to the top. Gorgeous views! We cooked dinner at the monument... Mountain House chickcn fajita for Brian and garlic mashed potatoes for me. We met a really nice couple and talked with them for a while. It is alwyas so nice to meet people who share our love of the outdoors. We left the monument and hiked the 3.5 miles to Pine Knob Shelter. Just before the shelter, we crossed the footbridge over I-70. It was so weird to walk over the bridge that just 48 hours prior we were in a car going under. Once we got to camp, we set up, hung our bear bags, and relaxed a bit. Another great day!! 2 days and 22.9 miles down!
End: Pine Knob Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
This morning, we woke up at 7 am and left camp at 8:30 am. We walked 5.5 miles to Rocky Run Shelter for lunch. We arrived there at 11:30am. It is a BEAUTIFUL shelter with a loft and polyurethane floors!!! We ate some trail mix and I had a peanut butter and fluff tortilla. YUM!!! After an hour (with my boots off!!!), we began the 1.8 miles to Dahlgren Campground. As we left the shelter, someone hiking southbound asked Brian where we are headed. His answer was, "Maine." Wow!!! That really put this in perspective for me. We are ACTUALLY hiking to Maine!!!! Once we arrived at the campground, I got to shower and wash my clothes... All with the same soap :) Before we left, I decorated my feet with a patchwork of moleskin to cover my two blisters and several "hotspots." We then continued 2.2 miles to the Washington Monument (the one in Maryland). Just before the monument, a huge, beautiful deer ran across the trail right in front of us! Beautiful! One we were at the monument, we were able to find the energy to climb to the top. Gorgeous views! We cooked dinner at the monument... Mountain House chickcn fajita for Brian and garlic mashed potatoes for me. We met a really nice couple and talked with them for a while. It is alwyas so nice to meet people who share our love of the outdoors. We left the monument and hiked the 3.5 miles to Pine Knob Shelter. Just before the shelter, we crossed the footbridge over I-70. It was so weird to walk over the bridge that just 48 hours prior we were in a car going under. Once we got to camp, we set up, hung our bear bags, and relaxed a bit. Another great day!! 2 days and 22.9 miles down!
End: Pine Knob Shelter
Peace Be The Journey
~Flicka
Saturday, June 23, 2012
June 23, 2012- I Now Walk Into The Wild
Start: Harpers Ferry, WV
Finally, the day is here!!! We woke up and it felt so surreal. We have been counting down, planning, and preparing for this 1200 mile journey for so long! After breakfast, we had our picture taken at the ATC headquarters to officially designate us as 2012 AT section hikers We are numbers 146 and 147. Next, was a quick trip to the outfitter and then we were off. Our first steps on the AT were on the bridge that crosses the Potomac. Just a short walk and we already crossed our first stateline!!! We left West Virginia and were now in Maryland! Brian's parents walked the bridge with us and then it was time to say goodbye. As I said "See you in New York," it hit me. We would see them in New York, but we will have walked there!!!! This caused a surge of emotions. Again, I felt extremely excited at the thought of walking the AT with my husband. I felt anxious that we were leaving all of our family, friends, and luxuries. I was in awe that the day had finally arrived. As Brian and I walked along the AT, with the Potomac River to our right, hand-in-hand, I felt as though life couldn't be more perfect. After walking 3 miles on the C & O towpath (probably one of the flattest sections of The AT), we took a short break to eat some snacks. We then continued, climbing up Weaverton Cliffs. We arrived at the Ed Garvey Shelter after 6.1 miles and rested. We ate lunch at the shelter- a delicious Mountain House Mac & Cheese! We took a look at the guidebook and saw vending machines were only 4 miles away at Gathland State Park!!! It wasn't long before that information had us hiking on!! We reached Gathland and both enjoyed a Diet Coke. We each filled up with 4 liters of water because the water source at Crampton Gap Shelter is noted as unreliable in the guidebook. After a short climb out of Gathland, we arrived at the side trail. We hiked the quarter-mile to the tent sights, set up camp, ate a quick snickers bar, hung our bear bags, and climbed into the tent. Day 1 of 70 complete and it feels amazing!!! Tomorrow it's 12.5 miles to Pine Knob Shelter with a shower at Dahlgren Campground in the middle of the day!!!! Something tells me that I shouldn't get used to daily showers on the trail.
End: Crampton Gap Shelter, MD
Finally, the day is here!!! We woke up and it felt so surreal. We have been counting down, planning, and preparing for this 1200 mile journey for so long! After breakfast, we had our picture taken at the ATC headquarters to officially designate us as 2012 AT section hikers We are numbers 146 and 147. Next, was a quick trip to the outfitter and then we were off. Our first steps on the AT were on the bridge that crosses the Potomac. Just a short walk and we already crossed our first stateline!!! We left West Virginia and were now in Maryland! Brian's parents walked the bridge with us and then it was time to say goodbye. As I said "See you in New York," it hit me. We would see them in New York, but we will have walked there!!!! This caused a surge of emotions. Again, I felt extremely excited at the thought of walking the AT with my husband. I felt anxious that we were leaving all of our family, friends, and luxuries. I was in awe that the day had finally arrived. As Brian and I walked along the AT, with the Potomac River to our right, hand-in-hand, I felt as though life couldn't be more perfect. After walking 3 miles on the C & O towpath (probably one of the flattest sections of The AT), we took a short break to eat some snacks. We then continued, climbing up Weaverton Cliffs. We arrived at the Ed Garvey Shelter after 6.1 miles and rested. We ate lunch at the shelter- a delicious Mountain House Mac & Cheese! We took a look at the guidebook and saw vending machines were only 4 miles away at Gathland State Park!!! It wasn't long before that information had us hiking on!! We reached Gathland and both enjoyed a Diet Coke. We each filled up with 4 liters of water because the water source at Crampton Gap Shelter is noted as unreliable in the guidebook. After a short climb out of Gathland, we arrived at the side trail. We hiked the quarter-mile to the tent sights, set up camp, ate a quick snickers bar, hung our bear bags, and climbed into the tent. Day 1 of 70 complete and it feels amazing!!! Tomorrow it's 12.5 miles to Pine Knob Shelter with a shower at Dahlgren Campground in the middle of the day!!!! Something tells me that I shouldn't get used to daily showers on the trail.
End: Crampton Gap Shelter, MD
June 22, 2012
What a crazy day of emotions! After Brian finished work and I finished with a job interview (for the fall), we packed up the car and headed to Brian's parents house. That's when the emotions really hit. I was excited to begin this adventure with my best friend, anxious about what lies ahead, so happy and thankful that I have the opportunity to do this, and sad to leave my friends, family, and kitties (in the words of Winnie the Pooh "How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?"). We loaded up the car and started the journey to Harpers Ferry. As we sat in traffic and I watched the rain fall (Hard!), I found myself thinking "How long until I'm in a car again?" "How many days will I hike in the rain?", "Do I have everything I need?", and biggest question of all, "Are we absolutely insane for doing this?" The answers I came up with were "a long time," "a lot," "probably not," and "YES!," respectively. My mind continued racing until we arrived in Harpers Ferry. At the hotel, we emptied our packs, made sure we had what we need, and cut some last minute weight (or at least tried). I am sure I have too much food, but I think it will take a little while until I know how much is the right amount. After reassembling our packs, we spent the last night in a comfortable bed for a while. Tomorrow I will take my last shower for a while. I'm probably more exited about both of those things than most people would be! Tomorrow, we hike!
Peace Be The Journey
Flicka
Peace Be The Journey
Flicka
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Brian's Blog
So we're less than a week out from our departure. Friday, we leave for Harpers Ferry, WV and Saturday morning, we hike. This week is filled with shopping, packing, and getting the house and cats ready to be left for 10 weeks. We are so excited!
Brian has decided to keep a blog of our adventure also. I'm sure it will be quite entertaining for those of you who know us to read our different perspectives of the same hike. His blog is
http://www.appalachiantrail-daddylonglegs.blogspot.com/
Peace Be The Journey ~ Flicka
Brian has decided to keep a blog of our adventure also. I'm sure it will be quite entertaining for those of you who know us to read our different perspectives of the same hike. His blog is
http://www.appalachiantrail-daddylonglegs.blogspot.com/
Peace Be The Journey ~ Flicka
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