The Diversity of Trails on the AT

Adam sent photos home covering July 6 to Aug. 26.  I don't really know what all the scenes are, but I've selected these photos to share.   They give a pretty good picture of the many types of trails he's walking during his AT journey.

Trail runs for nearly 2200 miles, switching from meadows to forests, from rocky to dirt paths, going up and down mountains, over rivers, beside major highways, rock climbing, through a zoo and through a “squeeze” between massive boulders.  It challenges everyone who hikes it, just by its numerous variations.

I was especially surprised to learn that the trail goes directly through the Trailside Zoo in New York, and that hiking in Pennsylvania is often rock climbing.  In much of New Jersey, the AT runs beside rivers, and in NY, you can see New York City in the distance.

I've also learned that the lowest point on the Appalachian Trail is 124 feet about sea level (in New York) and the highest point is Clingman's Dome in Tennesee at 6,643 feet.

Green Mountain House Hostel

http://www.greenmountainhouse.net/Home_Page.php

Adam stayed at Green Mountain House Hostel for two nights earlier this week.   Said he needed a down day following some tough trail days in Vermont - was mentally exhausted - and this place is really nice.

Recovered, though, and hit the trail again.  About 500 miles to go.

New York City

Aug. 4 – 6:  Warwick, NY to RPH Shelter, NY – Mile 1424.6

 Guest Poster – the Mom

 

These days were highlighted by surprising views of NYC in the distance.  Adam said he was surprised to be able to see it so clearly – and was even more surprised that while his camera could not capture the skyline in the distance, his cell phone camera made it very visible.  

 

There are two places along the trail with good city views:  Black Mountain and Bear Mountain.   After the 1300-foot elevation at Bear Mountain, the trail passes its lowest elevation of  124 feet.

He also passed a large boulder with an American flag painted on memorializing 9/11.

Adam stayed at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, a monastery near the trail which allows thru-hikers to camp on their ball field and use the shower and privies.  He next stayed 19 miles further up the trail at the RPH shelter . 

 

His shoes were holding out, even with the sole flapping, and his pack continued to need the extra cushion Adam placed between his back and the frame.   He was just trying to make it to Pawling, NY, where both manufacturers promised to have new items waiting for him!  

 

Forward to New York!

Aug. 1-3:  Branchville, NJ to Warwick, NY – Mile 1367

Guest Poster – the Mom

 

OK, here’s the story as Adam gave it to me:  He stopped in Vernon, NJ on Aug. 2, headed into NY, and then missed NJ so much that he turned around, hiked back and spent another night in NJ!  

 

Even I know that’s not the whole story – Adam stayed at a hostel in NJ, then caught a ride to a trailhead in Warwick, NY, and hiked back 15 miles to the same hostel.   That meant he was able to “slack pack” or hike those miles without his tent, sleeping bag or extra food, which made it an easy 15-mile day.

 

The hostel in Vernon, NJ was a very thru-hiker friendly church, St. Thomas Episcopal Church.  The church opens its fellowship hall, showers, kitchen facilities and even internet service and a television to hikers, asking only for a donation as they are able. 

They also invite hikers to their Sunday morning worship services, so Adam woke up early on Sunday and went to the 8 a.m. service.  It was an unusual service – the church makes its early service a spoken one, no music, just the spoken liturgy.   He did say it made the service shorter!

 

He then had breakfast at Dunkin’ Donuts, and caught a shuttle to the Warwick trailhead, heading north this time instead of south.

 

So another state has passed!  New Jersey is behind him.

July 31: Branchville, NJ

July 31:  Branchville, NJ -Mile 1,320.7

Guest Poster – the Mom

 

Adam called from Gyp’s Tavern near Branchville, NJ.  Trail passes very close to this place, and he stopped to enjoy the cool indoor seating and nachos and a soft drink.

 Was planning to continue about three more miles to Gren Anderson Shelter.  All is going well.   

July 29: Another State - Into New Jersey

July 25 to 29:  Pine Grove, PA to Delaware Water Gap, PA and the NJ State Line -Mile 1,289

Guest Poster – the Mom

 

Adam survived Pennsylvania, the 230 miles of jagged, rocky trails, often walking on solid multi-sized rocks and boulders with no dirt in sight.   I’ve read that PA has the Appalachian Trail nickname of Rocksylvania, and is known for ruining hiking shoes and causing twisted ankles.

 No ankle problems for Adam though – he said that the years of soccer have given him strong ankles.  However, the trail was tough on the shoes he started wearing in Virginia.  The front of the shoes have started “flapping,” making it more difficult to walk. 

 If the shoes are not enough, his backpack has also started falling apart – the frame has cut through the fabric and is rubbing against his back.  He is using a foam-type seat between his back and the pack.

 It helps, though, to have good quality gear from great companies.  Adam called both his shoe company and the manufacturer of the backpack, and both said they would ship him replacement items to a NY trail stop about 10 days ahead of him.

 Adam caught up with Avo (aka as Bill from his early Virginia trail days) around Wind Gap, PA, and stayed at his home overnight, even enjoying some relaxing time in Bill’s family’s hot tub.  Avo is still a couple of days ahead of Adam on the AT, and after their visit, they both returned to the spots they left the trail.

Adam stayed in Delaware Gap, PA, where the Presbyterian Church of the Mountain operates a hostel (I am so impressed with how churches in every state reach out to thru-hikers!), and then crossed into New Jersey at mile 1289.5, 896.4 miles from Katahdin, Maine.

 

July 20 to 24: Another 100 Miles

July 20 to 24:  Duncannon and Pine Grove, PA

Mile 1189

Guest Poster – the Mom

 

Adam has logged another 100 miles through PA, and is starting to experience on the AT the notorious rocks the state is known for.  The weather has also been hot and humid – and all combined, the hike has been draining.  He said that he also knows the worst rocks are ahead of him, but he’s hanging in there at mile 1189.

The first two days beyond the halfway point took him to Boiling Springs and then to Duncannon, where he spent the night at the Riverfront Campground.   He has not been alone at shelters at all.   There are usually six thru-hikers or so in each shelter, but he has been hiking such long miles each day that he’s ending up outpacing other hikers he meets.   That means he’s staying in shelters with different people almost every night.

Leaving Duncannon, he was caught in a tremendous downpour, soaking his pack, his sleeping bag, tent, and worst of all, his shoes and socks.   Two days later, in the humid weather, his shoes and socks were still wet, and his feet were wrinkled and starting to blister.   After sleeping at the 501 Shelter, still waiting for everything to dry out, he decided he had to take a zero day, a dry out day and a foot recovery day!

He called ahead to a Comfort Inn in Pine Grove, PA (different from the halfway point at Pine Grove Furnace State Park!), and asked if they had a thru-hiker rate.  They had a GREAT discount for thru-hikers (and they had showers, a pool, a breakfast and food close by), so he headed the four miles to the hotel.

While he was walking along the road, a car pulled up beside him, and an older man asked, “Can I give you a ride?”

Adam gratefully said, “Yes!”, and hopped in.  

They talked along the way about hiking, and the man said he had met a lot of hikers, and he just couldn’t understand why people wanted to thru-hike the AT.   He told Adam, “I think people are just crazy to want to do that!”  

And when Adam recounted this to me tonight, he said, “Sometimes, I think the same thing, and I wonder why I’m doing this.”  He added, “But I only have 900 miles to go, and I’m going to finish it!” 

As the man dropped Adam off at the hotel, he gave him his phone number and said, “If you need a ride back to the trail in the morning, just call me and I’ll come pick you up and take you back.”   More trail magic in PA!

Adam spent the day “chilling,” resupplying, doing laundry, taking a nap, watching television, and drying out those shoes and socks.  He’ll have a giant breakfast in the morning, call his friendly driver and head back to the trail.

With luck, the PA/NJ state line is only 100 miles and five days away!

 

July 14-19: Two Halfway Points on AT

July 14 to 19, 2013:  Snapshots of the AT

Guest Poster – the Mom

 

Adam arrived at the psychological halfway point of the trail, in Harper’s Ferry, WV, on July 14, but got to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters after they closed that evening.  The ATC takes a photo of all hikers who pass through during the year and saves their photos in a book which is archived at the AT Museum.  http://athikerpictures.org/searches/welcome  

 Adam didn’t want to miss out on this official recording of his hike, so he hiked two miles ahead to a shelter, then found a shuttle to return the next day for his official photo.  His photo will now be posted and archived at the Appalachian Trail Museum with the 2013 thru-hikers.

On July 17, Adam arrived in PA, making it the sixth state he had hiked, with only eight more to go.

The second, and real halfway point for the trail, was in Michaux State Forest, several miles south of Pine Grove Furnace State Park in PA.   Adam made it to the halfway point at 10 a.m. on July 19.  When they arrive at Pine Grove, it is a hiker tradition to participate in the half-gallon challenge:  Hikers eat a half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting.  Adam will never let a challenge pass him by, so he enthusiastically took it on!  He finished the first three pints in 20 minutes, then slowly consumed the final pint over the next 35 minutes.   (Given the heat in this area, that final pint may have turned into a melted milkshake!)

At that midpoint, Adam had hiked every step of the Appalachian Trail, 1,092 miles, starting in Springer, GA, to Pine Grove Park, PA, with his eyes set on Mt.Katahdin, Maine, mile 2,184.

July - Bears and the "Roller Coaster"

July, 2013:  Snapshots of the AT

Guest Poster:  the Mom

 

Adam spent a couple of days slack packing  and visiting the family over the 4^th of July holiday, but then headed back to the trail full force.  In the first seven days after he left us, he hiked 160 miles through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. 

After the continuous rain around the 4^th, he had great weather, and even started to feel the summer heat in the middle of the day. The Shenandoah Valley, starting with the Skyline Drive, was very open to hikers, with many waysides, restaurants and campgrounds for a “real meal.”  Food was readily available, and the hikers ate well at such places as Big Meadows, Loft Mountain and Elkwallow Wayside. The trails throughout this area were well-maintained and graded, with only a few up and down climbs.

The Shenandoah National Park has an unusually dense population of black bears and during his week there, Adam saw 10 bears, seven of them in one day.  He came upon an adult bear first, and knowing that the best way to approach a bear is let it know you’re there, making lots of noise, showing it that you’re powerful and not weak, he did just that -- until he saw two adolescent cubs jumping around and climbing trees.  At that point, he knew he was dealing with a Mama Bear who would protect her cubs at any cost, so his approach changed and he gradually backed away.  As he did, he saw a third cub playing and jumping around in the woods.

Between Front Royal, Va. and Harper’s Ferry, WV, there is 13 ½ mile section of the trail known as the “roller coaster.”  This is a notoriously difficult up and down and rocky part of the trail.   With the changes in elevation and the rough terrain, the 13 miles requires about the same amount of hours to hike as a 20-mile section. 

Someplace along this time, Adam passed the 1,000 mile point of the AT, walking along the border of VA and WV, sometimes stepping in both states. 

Adam stayed at the Bears Den Hostel located about halfway on the “roller coaster.”   Bears Den is one of the nicest hostels on the AT, with 66 acres, a building with bunkbeds, showers, and a community computer.   It also has a “hiker special,” which is a bunk, a shower, laundry, a soft drink, a frozen pizza and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Red Velvet ice cream.   Yes, he took them up on it!

Along the way, Adam has been texting the people he previously hiked with, and they’re keeping him informed about the hiking conditions ahead.  He is hoping he can do some 25 to 30 miles days.  He also says his feet feel “amazing,” – the new hiker socks he bought in Waynesboro are doing the job. 

When we talked, Adam was looking forward to getting to Harper’s Ferry.

May 26 - Day 41- Relaxing in Damascus (a catch-up post!)

May 26, 2013

Day 41 – Damascus, VA

Zero Day, 467.1 in total

 

Woke up this morning and went straight to Mojoe’s Coffee for breakfast.  I got 5 (!) blueberry pancakes and hot cocoa.  Afterwards, we hung out in the outfitters because the hostel was closed off for cleaning.  We also sat outside at the pavilion next to the hostel.

Unfortunately around that time, Frodo started to get sick.  An illness called Norovirus has been going around on the trail.  It was worst in Hot Springs, but I guess now it has been moving North with hikers.

Bill finally got a trail name today.  Trail names are just nicknames everyone on the trail has, and you earn your name.  Bill’s is now Avo, short for avocado, because he typically packs an avocado for each day.  I don’t have a trail name yet.  ( NOTE: See post on Day 46 – he didn’t go much longer without a name!)

Avo and Alana headed out, while Frodo decided to stay and rest.  I stayed to take a full zero.

I had BBQ for lunch from a local restaurant, and then resupplied.  After I resupplied, I had a wonderfully healthy dinner consisting of Hot Pockets, Doritos and Sunny D.

I was even able to watch some Ultimate Frisbee today!  The national semifinals were streamed live on ESPN3 so I was able to watch a game on my phone.  (UNC Darkside made it to the national tournament for the second year in a row, but not yet to the semifinals – maybe next year.)

 

May 29th - June 4th, Day 44-50: Marion to Pearisburg

So for these next couple of posts, I am just going to do multiple days at a time. I will definitely try and put up full posts at some point, but right now I am just a tad busy, you know, hiking.

May 29th, 2013 to June 4th, 2013
Day 44 - Day 50
Marion to Pearisburg
119.9 miles, 630.8 miles total

At this point, I am hiking with Avo, a guy in his 30s, and Roam(e)(?), previously mentioned as Alana.

Day 44 and 45 - Marion and onward - 19.8 miles, 7 miles

We hiked 19.8 miles to the Mt. Rogers Visitor Center outside of Marion, VA. There is a really nice shelter there called the Partnership Shelter, and it has showers (!), but it was being taken over by some rather sketchy people, so we decided to get a motel room in Marion. After a nice night of resupply and A/C and TV, and some time the next day at the library, we headed out and hiked a short 7 mile day to the next shelter.

Day 46 - Officially Zeus - 18.4 miles

Today we passed the old Lindamood Schoolhouse on our hike as well as a restaurant called The Barn, where our meals were paid for by some section hikers just being trail angels. That is one of the reasons I love hiking the trail. People are so nice to you because they truly want to help you on your journey. Today, we also reached the 25% mark! Woohoo! Still a ways to go, though. But I also solidified my trail name today.

Trail names are usually given to hikers by people with whom they are hiking, and they come from something they do or something they said. For example, when Avo resupplies he always gets an avocado for each day he will be on the trail. Rome says "when in Rome" a lot, and also likes to say she is just roaming the AT for six months or so. Anyways, my trail name is now Zeus, for multiple reasons. First of all, Avo says that I simply hop on my lightning bolt to get to the next shelter. Secondly, we like to joke that I can summon trail magic at will because there was a time today where we didn't really want to go any further, but still had some miles to the next shelter. Avo requested that I summon up some trail magic, since he had been calling me Zeus all day. I said, "Don't worry about it. I got you." Surprisingly, at the next road crossing, there were sodas and snacks waiting for us. So there you go, I'm Zeus, I can summon whatever you need, and use my lightning bolts to travel the AT.

Day 47 - Just another day - 19.1 miles

Today was just an average day: some uphill, some flat, rocky terrain, and some downhill. Although near the end of the day, the downhill felt like it would never end. We thought we were going to be at the shelter around an hour before we finally arrived. That was rough. Even worse, just before the downhill, there was trail magic, but it was all gone! That really gets you down when it's getting late and you're tired.

On the upside, we passed a pretty cool shelter called the Chestnut Knob Shelter. It was completely enclosed, had a door, and was on top of a bald with a great view. It was an excellent lunch spot.

Day 48 - Rain, and more rain, and 24 miles - 23.8 miles

So it was pouring all day, we were all completely soaked by the first shelter, but we had already hiked 14 miles by 1PM, so we decided to push on even through the soggy shoes and clothes. But there was something really cool that happened today, I saw a baby deer. The fawn couldn't have been more than a few hours old. It was still walking pretty awkwardly, getting used to its legs. But the exciting part is how I encountered it. We were hiking uphill, naturally, and I saw a deer and its fawn up ahead, but they ran away down the trail. Luckily, about 50 yards later, I see them again, and the fawn runs again, but this time, towards me! It was almost as if the fawn was trying to bluff charge us! It stopped literally a foot in front of us and just stared up at us. Avo got a really good picture, and I'm trying to get him to send it to me. I could tell the mother deer was freaking out, trying to decide whether we were a threat or anything, but eventually they both just turned and started climbing uphill to the right side of the trail. It was such an amazing experience to see young fawn so up close!

Day 49 - Woods Hole Hostel - 21.4 miles

About six miles after we started, we crossed a road that led to a convenience store half a mile away. After a nice late-morning chocolate milk and snack, we headed to Dismal Falls, which is a really nice swimming hole with a small waterfall leading into it. After a brutal uphill, the trail flattened out a little and we dragged our tired legs into Woods Hole Hostel, a hostel that places an emphasis on sustainable living with bee keeping, farming, organic gardening, and yoga. They also have an excellent breakfast.

Day 50 - Pearisburg, VA - 10.4 miles

We spent most of the morning just hanging out at the hostel, eating breakfast, relaxing, drying out clothes and such. The hike today was quite nice and mostly downhill into Pearisburg. There was a really nice overlook called Angel's Rest about 2.5 miles outside of town. Once we got into town we ate dinner at an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet place called Lucky Star, and then we resupplied from the Food Lion next door.