5/25/15 Delaware Water Gap, PA (Church of the Mountain Hostel)

     So yesterday didn't go as planned (as you can probably guess from the heading). Yesterday was supposed to be a 12 mile day to just outside of Palmerton, PA. However, the rocks were so unbearable that we were averaging like, .8 mph. We managed 6 miles or so in 7 hours. So I don't have trail legs quite yet but I can still do 13 some odd miles easy. Up, down, stairs, switchbacks, all doable at this point. Rocks? No, not when you have to watch where you step every step. Guaranteed there was less than .1 mile of flat, no rocks the entire day. Now imagine that's the 4th day in a row doing that and continuing for the next week. Yeah, that's how bad PA really is.

     So me and a guy I was hiking with (Rope) were sick of it. We both decided to try and call a Trail Angel to hopefully drive us into town. Not 30 seconds after we put our packs down, a car comes up to the parking lot. as the guy gets out I realized, "Holy shit, I know that guy!" It was a guy I met that I crossed paths with last year by the name of Soul Flute. The three of us get to talking and he's like, "yeah, I'm taking a guy up to Delaware Water Gap if you guys need a ride into town or something." Rope and I just look at each other, "Well, if you have room we are so ready to be in DWG." So an hour later, here we are at the end of PA.

     Thank God I'm done with this shitty state.

-Sam

(a stamp in from DWG)

5/24/15

5/24/15 Blue Mtn. B&B

     It was only 11 miles yesterday but at least 5 or 6 of those were jumping from rock to rock. Literally did not touch the ground during that time. Usually it sounds alright since it's something different that the norm, but add an extra 30-40 lbs and it's killer. Your feet will definitely hate you. 12 more miles hopefully to the shelter right before Palmerton, PA for a quick resupply tomorrow. I want to be done with the rocks already...

-Sam

5/23/15

5/23/15 Blue Mtn. B&B

     I'm not staying at the B&B, just tenting outside it. The restaurant here was fantastic. A couple whiskey sours definitely helped.

-Sam

5/22/15

5/22/15 Windsor Furnace

     Holy shit do I have bad allergies. And that's an understatement. I can't walk more than 10 ft without needing to blow my nose. Not kidding, I've gone through 2 mini packets of tissues and about half a roll of TP. Everything is terrible and I've only gone about 5 miles...

-Sam

5/22/15    Eckville Shelter

     It's not so much a shelter as a shed in someone's backyard. 15 miles N of Port Clinton. I'm still sneezing a crap ton. Everything is terrible.

-Sam

5/21/15 Port Clinton, PA

5/21/15 Port Clinton, PA

     Normally, most towns the AT passes through are pretty nice. They may be run down a bit but that certainly doesn't detract anything from how gorgeous it is. Whatever dilapidated state the town might be in, the people usually make up for it (if that makes sense). You'll never find nicer people who genuinely want to hear about that time you hiked 20 miles, fell down the mountain, and came face to face with a bear. (Even though anyone might want to hear about that). They'd want to know your trail name and how you came up with it as well as where you're from and how you got here and blah blah blah, etc etc.

     Except for one or two people, it isn't the case here in Port Clinton. Most people will straight up ignore you unless you've got money. That seems like a normal American town then, but it's not typical of a trail town. They don't really pander to the hiking crowd, which, unless this is a vacation spot for some unfathomable reason, doesn't seem like a good idea. Unless it's the fact that maybe they realize that, well, where else you gonna go? Since there really is nowhere else easily accessible on foot. And since hitchhiking is illegal in PA, it's hard to get anywhere. Anyone else coming through here should just pick up a mail drop and leave before they receive any dirty looks from the locals. Besides, nothing seems to be open before noon...

-Sam

     PS: Hands down best place is the barber shop across from the post office. One of the nicest guys I met. Definitely worth stopping only in there before heading out!

5/20/15

5/20/15     Eagle Nest Shelter

 15.5 miles over rocks today. My mind may have been ready, but my body wasn't/isn't, whatever. At least one blister and another hotspot I need to let up and not do 15 mile days yet. I have enough extra food that I can stay in a pavilion in Port Clinton. Either that or split a hotel room with another hiker. Also I was too quick to judge PA. Before I was saying how there weren't many rocks since 18 miles or so or through farmlands. Well the last two days straight I've been jumping from rock to rock; most of them slippery wet. PA lives up to 'the ankle breaker' state. 

-Sam 

5/19/15

5/19/15      501 Shelter

 So I had planned to start writing about the last week which my dad and I slackpacked. But to be honest not that much exciting stuff happened. All in all I went over 80 miles that week, most of which seemed uphill. Also most of those miles I did without seeing anyone or anything. I think I may have seen a deer once but whatever it was bounded away rather quick. Most of the interesting stuff I took pictures of and posted to Facebook. However today was a little nuts. First day with a full pack was challenging as it always will be. Had to play 'the floor is lava' to avoid breaking my ankles on rocks; but the steps with which to avoid the lava were wet slippery rocks that would also break your ankles. A couple miles of that we're super fun... This shelter is like partnership shelter where you can order pizza basically straight to it so that made up for rocks... 

Here we go again... 

 -Sam 

P.S. Happy end of Palindrome Week!

Gear List

CLOTHING


Synthetic short-sleeve t-shirt (black)

Synthetic long-sleeve shirt (orange)

Midweight fleece (black)

Rain Coat (scrunched into mesh bag)

Zip-off Pants (green w/ boyscout buckle) 

Beanie (black NYC)

Mittens / Gloves (tan)

Sunglasses (yellow) [in black pouch on side of pack]

Town Clothes (green Tshirt orange/black boardshorts) [scrunched into ziplock]

Crocs (blue w/ carabiner clips)


GEAR


pack (duh)

Jungle sleeping bag (black)

Sleeping bag liner (yellow/gray stuff sack)

sleeping pad (blue)

Camp pillow (green)

tent (brown/tan bag)

Trekking poles (pacemaker)

Headlamp (black)

Water bladder (blue)

Nalgene (blue) [small mouthed]

waterbottle (white/gray)

stove / pot /  lighter (Jetboil)

food bag (red)

Spork (maybe red? dont remember color)

collapsable cup (grey)

Water purifier (black/blue) [small straw looking device: Sawyer Squeeze]

Water bag (blue) [should say sawyer squeeze or something on side]

Single-blade knife (black/white handle)

Small first aid kit (red bag)

Map and compass (Clear compass / AT map book)

hand sanitizer 

Small notebook and pen (black pen/ yellow moutached book)

Appalachian Trail 'Thru-Hike': Take 2

     Is it weird that its been an entire year since any update has been made? Soon after that last post I left the trail, but I never really updated it saying I was leaving. I kinda just left it hanging. At any rate I had to leave last year as I ended up nearly cracking some ribs and never fully recovering. Everyone thinks they can push through it, but going up mountains and breathing hard with an extra 40 lbs on your back can get pretty taxing to say the least. When your chest hurts after every breath its time to call it quits. Sometimes you have the listen to the little voice in your head saying it's a bad idea, I guess. however I believe I have recovered enough to now finish the trail. 

     Quite a few people have wondered 'but MagicMan, didnt you hike enough last year? I mean, you DID hike over 1000 miles...' 

  To which I would respond "Yes, I did hike over a thousand miles, but that's not the whole thing." I know my initial goal was to hike the Trail in its entirety in one go. However I can also totally accept hiking the whole thing over a period of time instead. Sure my status (im my eyes) is slightly less since I've been reduced to a section hiker, but I still want to be able to say "Yeah i Hiked the AT... what part? oh you know... all of it." Besides, I already started it, I have to finish it now. Even if i didn't necessarily want to, it's out of principle at this point. I have so many projects and goals and various other things that I've only half completed. Granted finishing any number of those would be easier than hiking the northern half the AT, But if I can finish this, that I can sure as hell finish anything else.

Hobey-ho, here we go again

-Sam

P.S. My 'normal' journals will resume mid May as I start backpacking 5/18/2015

P.P.S. (6/11/15 - Kent CT) Since writing what was said above I have completely changed my view of things, courtesy of other hikers. My status has is way higher than the average 'true thru-hiker'. As a 'true' thru-hiker you get your trail legs once and spend 4 - 6 months out here. If you do in sections, you need to regain your trail legs for EACH section you start. Since quite a few people don't do bigger than one mother sections, you're barely getting your trail legs back. Then as you can push big miles you have to go back to 'the other real world'. Hence why I think i'm actually better than those guys from GA -> ME. Also I am still doing a thru-hike, just not a 'true' thru-hike. That's the only difference. No matter how many sections, if you walk from GA to ME that's a thru-hike no matter how you complete it. 

6/22/2014

6/22/14                      Rocky Run Shelter(s)

     Today was the most nondescript in the way of miles. 9ish more crossed off the list, but it felt as if I was simply on a conveyor belt walking in place while the belt moved the scenery around me, if that makes any sense. It is nice to walk with Fresh though; company makes miles go that much quicker. The miles were boring but the trail magic sure wasn't today. We got to Gathland State Park and took a break. There was a nice shaded pavilion with a lot of picnic tables. as we hung around for maybe five minutes, a woman who was leaving asked, "hey are you guys thru hiking?" which brought the attention of a couple other people who were just around for the day. Should've guessed seeing as it's Saturday. I naturally answered for both of us confirming we were indeed thru hikers. The woman got out of her car and opened the trunk and produced two cans of Mountain Dew for us. We both thanked her profusely as she explained she was up here for her son or nephew (clearly wasn't paying attention, sorry!) who was hiking as well. She eventually drove off and we finished our delicious liquefied sugar and caffeine. However not ten minutes later another woman drives up and asks us the same question to which we give the same answer. This time however we got more than just a soda. We got to talking and she mentioned a creamery not far down the road; maybe five miles. She offered to take Fresh and I as another big group of slackpacking thru hikers come up to the park. Her offer then extended to the group (made up of Nora V. , The Pope, Rowdy, Weatherman, and others) so four of us piled into her car and went to said creamery. On the way over the woman (who introduced herself as Vicki) was explaining how this is the best ice cream we'd ever eat ever. She wasn't kidding either; it was the best ice cream I had ever eaten. It was more a dairy farm that happened to sell fresh milk, cheese, and of course ice cream and milkshakes. We all got a cone of ice cream as well as some pints for the guys that decided to wait at the park because her car was a bit small for all eight of us. After we all enjoyed the ice cream we (just Fresh and I) hiked the 5 1/2 miles past there to the second shelter, Rocky Run Shelter. There were two shelters there, too; one old one in slight disrepair slightly past the newer and nicer one. The old one was closer to the water source and had a porch swing but the newer one was bigger and slightly cleaner. I might be living in the woods but i manage to have some cleanliness standards. 

-Sam

6/21/2014

6/21/14                      Ed Garvey Shelter

     Being back on the trail is so nice. No more stupid sun and UV heat. Hurray humidity I guess? From Front Royal VA, my buddy Will (AKA Fresh) and I got a ride up to Harper's Ferry to start hiking again after the fantastic fiasco that was our aquablaze. 7 miles out of Harper's Ferry today to the first shelter, and it may have been a bad choice. There are three different boy scout troops we are sharing the shelter with. Yes, THREE different troops here; something like 70 people in and around the shelter tonight. It was slightly overwhelming, but it was also kinda neat to see what I apparently was like. I thought for sure I was not that annoying at thirteen years old, but I'm no judge. It was kinda neat to make the passing remark 'we should start a fire tonight, huh...' and see fifteen some odd scouts run in different directions looking for firewood. Ah, to be lazy and still have your job get done...


-Sam

P.S. Iris and James are a couple of weekend hikers that were also at the shelter last night. very awesome couple indeed; especially if they were serious about sending a care package :)

6/20/2014

6/20/14                      Front Royal

    

6/30/2014

6/30/14                      Ironmasters' Mansion PA

     There's a reason I haven't updated in a few weeks. During our aqua blaze I felt it easier to make a video entry on my ipod instead of writing in my journal. After day one my toilet paper had already gotten soaked and didn't want to risk my journal as well. Plus side i made videos; downside i have no idea how to upload them. I can't do it from said ipod and from computer it seems just as finicky. So until I manage to get my videos worked out I'm gonna get really slow posting updates. I mean more slow than normal, which is already really slow. 


Sorry for the inconvenience! 

6/11/2014

6/11/14                      Waynesboro VA

     (Professor Farnsworth voice)  Good news, everyone! We managed to deliver boats to the post office!

     Made it to Waynesboro Monday and got most of the gear needed to raft down (north) the river 150 miles to Harpers Ferry WV. I still need a map and a dry bag and a cooler for the beer. Other than that I'm ready to kick my boots off for a while. It seems like most people at the beginning near Springer Mountain think, "Man, aqua blazing sounds cool, but that's a lot of trail to miss... nahh I don't think I will when I get up there." However ask the same person 800 miles later, "Dude, let's aqua blaze! 100 miles I don't have to walk!? heck yeah! screw it I'm done walking! lets just float for a while!" 

Who wouldn't wanna float down a river for a while just hangin' out drinking beer?

-Sam

6/8/2014

6/8/14                      Four Pines Hostel (Contd.)

      Zero'd today as well, but for good reason. Joe, the guy who owns the hostel, is going to give Craftsman, Grizz, and I a ride up to Waynesboro VA tomorrow.That's 150 some odd miles up the trail. All we had to do was help Joe cart 3 cords of wood to and from the hostel. I'm also planning to Aqua Blaze when I get up there, which cuts another hundred some odd miles to trail. After that I technically won't be a 2000 miler, but I dont really care. It's just a hollow title. If I still make it to Maine, It's still a thru-hike to my eyes, and that's all that matters. Over 1800 miles hiked is still ungodly and insane anyway.

-Sam

6/7/2014

6/7/14                      Four Pines Hostel

      I did end up making all seventeen miles yesterday but my feet are killing me. Dragon's Tooth was also very misleading. It should have been more aptly named Dragon's Teeth as there were quite a few false peaks. Still sick of the bubble I'm in but i did meet up with Craftsman and Ol' Grizz here last night! I would have though for sure that they were long gone past me. Also managed to go to a restaurant called The HomePlace. It's one of the trail's "must do's" to eat there. In layman's terms it was an all you can eat southern style restaurant. The whole place was inside a rennovated farm house. Man it was super delicious!

     The hostel I'm at is pretty awesome as well. It's a six car garage that's been converted into a massiv hiker community room that has cots and a few beds and couches squashed everywhere. Donation based makes it that much better. To be honest I'm always willing to give someone more is it's donation based as opposed to a $20 fee for absolutely nothing in return. I'm gonna zero here seeing as if I leave today I'll just end up waiting in Daleville on Sunday. I have a package waiting for me there and can't get it till Monday anyway.

-Sam

6/6/2014

6/6/14                      Niday Shelter

      I'm gettin' real sick of the bubble I'm in. It's not making it fun and i should meet some new people. Before I was wishing I was in a bubble. I guess after experiencing both I'd rather be solo; like the lone wolf. He don't need no pack! Trying to push seventeen extremely tough miles today. The last 5 being over Dragon's Tooth. 8:30am let's do this.

-Sam
P.S. Is it bad I left my map book somewhere?

6/5/2014

6/5/14                      Laurel Creek Shelter

      Today marks three months since my dad dropped me off at Springer Mountain in GA. Hoo-ah!

Sixteen miles yesterday, two of them past 8pm. Managed to go up 5.8 miles in a little over two hours. Sometimes you just gotta go beast mode. And thank goodness I did 'cause pretty much as soon as i dropped my pack the sky completely opened up and and rained like crazy. The storm that I managed to hike just ahead of the entire day finally caught up. I also think my sleeping pad has a hole in it somewhere cause it was mostly deflated in the morning. I'll have to get that checked when I blow it up tonight seeing as I do have a patch kit. Let's put some more miles in these boots!

-Sam

6/3/2014

6/3/14                      Pine Branch Swamp Shelter

      Ten miles today and three of them through rain. Once my boots start sloshing I'm going to call it quits for the day. 

     5/23 I got into Marion and split a motel room with Spaceman Spiff. It was the weekend of the Hiker Homecoming, planned a week after Trail Days. It was a good idea, but when most hikers are going to be in motels on one side of town and everything's happening three some odd miles on the other side of town, no one's going to walk that. We get lazy in towns. Especially when there's a 50 cent shuttle during weekdays and not the weekend (The festivities were happening Saturday and Sunday). Spaceman and I did walk down there to see if anything cool was happening. Though there's nothing cool going on when there's more locals than hikers milling about, listening to the band, whatever. We did cross train tracks twice and assumed (incorrectly) if we walked down the tracks it'd be quicker than walking down the road. About halfway back we start to hear a train horn, so we pick up the pace a bit. It blares again and we're thinking 'oh crap...'. There wasn't much room to maneuver either side of the tracks. It blares again and we start full on sprinting down the train tracks trying to find a spot away from the rails. As the train lights start shining 'round the last bend, we find a large gap in the hill to the right of the tracks and quickly hop off. thirty seconds later the trains comes around the corner and cruises past us. We eventually get back to the room safe and sound and watch TV til about 2am.  That night was supposed to be a huge meteor shower - something like 200 meteors an hour - starting at 2am till 4am. We each managed to see a handful of them through the town's light pollution and conked out around 3. 
     The following day (5/24) we get out of Marion and I hike about eight miles while Spaceman Spiff went ahead.  Haven't seen him since then either. 
     The only other thing I've yet to explain is Fort Bastian. It's a campground run by Trubrit, and old SAS guy. It's more of a glorified camp spot that you can charge up your stuff. But he does cook breakfast which is extremely delicious and shuttles you into town.
     Pearisburg was also awesome, but for different reasons. My grandfather decided to come visit / hang out for the weekend! (5/30 - 6/1) It was wonderful to spend some time with him. I also managed to get my replacement Pacemaker trek pole (You guys are fantastic!!) and a summer sleeping bag. I also got a companion for a week or so depending on how tough he is. 
     6/2 I left Pearisburg for an eight mile uphill that was a fresh reroute they opened the day before (6/1). Haven't opened the book for what I'm doing tomorrow.

-Sam
P.S. went the extra mile and change to camp at The Captain's instead. 

6/2/2014

6/2/14                      Random Campsite

      Another new journal, but this one might stand up better than the other very floppy one. Eight-ish miles so far, trying to get another four but this site is nice. The shelter outside Pearisburg didn't have a water source and neither does the campsite I'm trying to get to. I'm going to camel up here then get going. I now know I have a lot to catch up on and will do so shortly (if ever).

- Sam