Rocksylvannia

Pennsylvania...where they bail their hay like cotton. Weirdos.

Today we got 13 more miles under our boots, almost all of which involved rocks in some form or another. The north half of Pennsylvania is often nicknamed "Rocksylvania" by hikers. And it's not because they love Elvis.

Stacked Rocks

Rocks on the sides of hills

Rocks on the top of hills

It seemed like every step we took today was over, on, next to or around a rock. Big rocks, little rocks, rocks that slide when you step on them, rocks that are too big to get across in one step, and rocks you have to use your hands to climb. All kids of rocks. My knees are still hurting from negotiating all those rocks. When I say a little boy about 8 years old with a pack twice the size of mine climbing a rockpile I was trying to climb down without complaint, I felt pathetic for even thinking about complaining. Maybe if I was 8 years old and more flexible it would've been easier. Even though it was some difficult walking, it was still pretty. The Pennsylvania woods are putting on their fall clothes and I love seeing the colors change. We also had a good view or two of the Susquehanna River. We made it to Duncannon, Pennsylvania in about 7 hours. Duncannon is a small Pennsylvania town that has quite a bit of AT hiker legend around it. In particular, lots of AT through hikers have told stories about the supposedly haunted Doyle Hotel and the hiker's toenail that resides in a dresser drawer in one of the rooms there. Trail Angel Mamma found it before she picked us up, and we walked by it on our way to the car. Trail Angel said a bat flew after her when she walked around in this afternoon. I was content to get my picture taken on the sidewalk and move on. After having some "Bunny Burgers" (made of beef, not bunny) at a local drive in, buying some homemade goodies from an Amish man and trying and failing to finish a huge bowl of Moose Tracks ice cream from the most generous general store I've ever been to, I was done for the day. I am legitimately tired. But I think that probably means I'm doing something right.

Unlike the Doyle Hotel, where the only thing they do right is creepy.

PS - It's interview time again, so don't be surprised if it's a little while between posts.

Mileage Update:

Miles from Springer: 1,138

Miles from Katahdin: 1,040

Fields Galore

Agricultural AT

Today we got to do some hiking through rather unfamiliar territory. We hiked through about 12 miles of Pennsylvania farmland. The upside was, it was very pretty to look at, and very flat. So the hiking was speedy and easy. The downside was that it was 92 degrees. In September. And there's no shade in a cornfield. So the hiking was hot. But it was still a beautiful day, and I really enjoyed seeing some things besides rocks and trees. I particularly liked walking by all the old farmhouses, a lot of which are still in excellent condition, and very pretty. Everything in this area seems so old, which fascinates me.

Family Graveyard, with graves dating back to the early 1800s

We finished our miles for the day in time to clean up and go back to Gettysburg for the evening. There was so much to see there, and we all liked it so much, that we felled compelled to go and finish the audio tour we started yesterday. So, as the sun set over the battlefields, we did that.

Pennsylvania Memorial

Little Round Top

We had a bucket of homemade french fries to keep us company while we finished our tour, which was delicious. Even though we spent over two hours driving through the battlefield, I still don't feel like I really "saw" it. There's just so much there, and I still hope to go back again.

Fields of Gold(en Rod)

Gettysburg

From soybean fields to battlefields.

Today we took a short day so we could take a cultural detour. After a little over 8 miles of hiking, which included climbing over some boulders, getting stung by a yellow jacket (which I did not handle very gracefully, I must admit), temporarily losing the trail in the middle of a soybean field and wandering down railroad tracks to find it again, we finally walking into the town of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. The trail runs right through the center of town, which made for a very convenient pick up and lunch spot. After getting cleaned up, we headed to nearby Gettysburg. I am rather ashamed to say, as an American, that I have never been to Gettysburg. But then again, I've never been to the West Coast and I didn't make it to New York City until this year. Gettysburg is one of those things everyone should see in their lifetime, and since it was just down the street, it was an opportunity we couldn't miss. When we first got into town, it didn't look like much. It looked old, but that was about it. Then we got to the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Monuments Dotting the Battlefield

I was not prepared for the enormity that is the Gettysburg Battlefields. They encompass about 25 square miles. The audio tour of the park takes about 3 hours to complete, and it doesn't include the entire park. Hundreds of thousands of Civil War soldiers fought over three days on these fields, and for 50,000 of them, it was the last place they ever saw. The visual, historical and emotional power of the fields is completely and utterly overwhelming.

The Virginia Memorial at Gettysburg

After acquiring one of the self-guided audio car tours (the fields are far too big to explore on foot if you plan to see more than a tiny section of the park) and a couple of books on Civil War medicine (which mostly consisted of amputating whatever wasn't working properly), we only had a couple of hours to explore the battlefields before it got dark. We were able to have dinner at a 200 year old tavern (complete with a natural spring in the basement and a secret chamber for hiding runaway slaves), get some ice cream, and explore the town of Gettysburg a little more thoroughly on a guided "Ghost Tour." I'm not the superstitious type, but if any place in the country is likely to be haunted, it's probably the Gettysburg Battlefields. At any rate, the history and ghost stories from the guide were lots of fun to listen to.

Cannonball lodged inside one of the Gettysburg "haunted houses."

Even though it made for a long day, I was very glad we got to take this detour to Gettysburg. I only wish we had had more time there to really see what the park has to offer. I hope I get the chance to go back one day, finish that car tour, and properly say goodbye to the Rebel and Yankee ghosts I learned about.

Stone Soldier watching over the now peaceful fields.

Motivation

AT "Halfway" Museum at Pine Grove Furnace

Today we moved again, pushing ever Northward. After getting a late start because we moved, we managed to get in about 11 miles of hiking. We actually were able to hike right into the campground where we moved to, since the AT literally runs right next to it, which made things convenient. We started out at Pine Grove Furnace and saw the white sand beach at the other end of the park. Even though we were tempted to stay and sunbathe, we pressed on up the hill. None of the climbs were too steep, but they were very rocky, as I have noticed PA trails tend to be.

Trail or Rockpile? Your guess is as good as mine here.

There weren't any views or other hikers to see today, but there were lots of critters.

Hello Mr. Turtle...

...and Mrs. Toad...

...and Mr. Snake (don't worry, it's a black racer. Harmless.)

There was also leftover pizza from dinner last night for lunch at the top of the hill. Amazingly, cold pizza keeps quite well in a tupperware in a backpack while hiking. A little tip for any aspiring backpackers who also have an affinity for greasy Italian food. It rained for the last 3 miles of our hike, but not very hard. We only got a little wet and dirty. It could always be worse. Besides, we were inspired by a fellow walking through Pine Grove Furnace today, who has clearly found an excellent way to motivate himself when he gets grumpy and wishes he could quit.

New Form of Hiker Motivation: Kick yourself all the way to Maine.

Halfway

Halfway There

Over the past 3 days, we hiked over 30 miles further north into Pennsylvania. I apologize for the delay in posting, but connectivity isn't great in Pennsylvania State Parks, it seems. On Sunday, we moved to a new campground and hiked about 10 miles. It was a beautiful day to be out, for us and the millions of gnats that inhabit the area. For some unexplainable reason, the bugs absolutely love to pester me. I was spending the entire hike swatting gnats out of my eyes, so I had to break out a piece of equipment it took me 1,000+ miles to use.

Dr. Livingstone, I presume?

I know the bug hat is incredibly attractive. It really ups my trail appeal, I think. Even though it looks like something out of a safari movie, it does its job of keeping the bugs out of my eyes, so that's a plus. Two other interesting tidbits from Sunday were that I met a SouthBound thru-hiker from Richmond, who had just graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. And he was a science major as an undergraduate. We chatted for a bit and I marveled at what a small, small world this is. Second was that we passed a Sanitorium/Insane Asylum on the drive back to the campground from the trail. The building was very old and gorgeous, like a mansion out of an old movie, but half of it was abandoned, so it felt a little creepy. You never know what treasures you're going to find out here.

I was expecting Jack Nicholson to show up at any moment. "Heeeeeeere's Johnny!"

On Monday, we hiked about 12 miles and officially passed the AT Midpoint, which means we are now closer to Maine than we are to Georgia. I guess that means we have to finish this thing now. The hiking was all in the woods, and mostly level and pretty easy, but I managed to find a few interesting rest stops nonetheless.

Rock climbing to a good perch.

Quarry Gap AT Shelter. I have really tried to hate this Yankee State, but I'm finding it very difficult to do. So far, everything has been beautiful, and the AT Shelters in PA are by far the nicest ones I've seen on the entire trail. This one may not look like much, but it is immaculate. All the way down to the varnished shelter floors, hanging potted plants, and checkerboard on the picnic table.

On Tuesday, we hiked about 12 more miles, through the state park where we are staying, to another state park a few miles down the road. Pine Grove Furnace State Park is the former location of an iron making furnace from the 1800s, and is very beautiful, and has several gorgeous old stone buildings preserved on it, including one which has recently been turned into an AT Hiker Museum. It's the end of the season, so not much was open, but it was very interesting regardless, and I wish we could've explored it more. We also passed the ruins of an old World War II Camp along the way, as well as several Civil War Battlefields.

Pine Grove Furnace

Overall, thirty beautiful miles of hiking, with lots of interesting things to see and tons of history surrounding us. It's very clear that Pennsylvania takes the management of these historic lands very seriously...

No Fun Lake

...and while we are here enjoying these lovely areas, we intend to take it seriously too.

Having Fun Anyway

Yankee Country

Sign near the Maryland-Pennsylvania Border. The mileage is off by about 180 miles, but who's counting?

Today, we officially left the South. We crossed the Mason-Dixon line into Pennsylvania after about six miles of hiking. There was a sign on the bathroom door at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harper's Ferry that immediately came to mind, and it read: "In about 40 miles, the Appuhlatchun Trail turns into the Appehlayshun Trail. If you still love it just as much anyway, thank a Trail Maintainer." If you don't get the joke, you are clearly a Yankee who has never spoken to a Southerner from Appalachia and you should get out more. The North didn't really look that much different from the South. Except there were more rocks.

Negotiating Rockpiles

There was a park, aptly named Pen-Mar Park, at the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, and I took full advantage of the vending machines and playground equipment to enjoy two things you don't see much of on the AT - Cokes and swingsets.

Playing in the Park.

After taking a break in the park, we only had a couple more miles to go to reach our rendezvous for the day. Trail Angel Mamma and Trail Dog hiked South from the rendezvous for about a mile and a half, so the met us, and we all continued on to the pickup road together.

Hiking Family

At this point, a question may have arisen about our matching shirts. Today, back home, there was a walk organized to raise awareness and money for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. This disease is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, "That Thing Steven Hawking Has," or simply ALS. One of Trail Angel Mamma's friends, named Brad, was recently diagnosed with this incurable disease. We couldn't be there for the event at home, so these 25 miles (9 each for me and Daddy, 3.5 each for Trail Angel and Trail Dog) are in honor of Brad. May there be a cure soon.

Team Brad.

Quote of the Day: "I've got a pint of Captain Morgan's and some really nice single malt in my back pocket. I'm good for at least a couple of days." -"Rough Rider," a hiker we met today. It is perhaps worth noting that alcohol is prohibited on the AT in Maryland. Rough Rider didn't seem like the type to be particularly bothered by such details.

Monuments and Music

Trail Dog leads the way.

Yesterday, we moved base camp to a nearby state park, which is much more serene and quiet than the larger campgrounds we've been staying at. The move took a few hours, and the weather was quickly turning sour, so we hiked a quick 5 miles. Trail Dog came with us for the first half of that short jaunt, and Trail Angel Mamma met us halfway. In the middle of this quick trip was the original Washington Monument, built in 2 days in the 1830s by the citizens of Boonsborough, Maryland. It's a large stone tower with a spiral staircase in the center, and it's pretty impressive to think that it was built in only 2 days over 160 years ago.

Washington Monument - the Prequel

We barely beat the rainstorm to our rendezvous, and had some yummy chicken legs for dinner while it rained. Today, it was a beautiful day. The rainstorm cooled things off to the perfect temperature and there were just enough clouds left to give us some nice shade. We made great time, and went about 13 miles in 7 hours. The hike was mostly flat, rocky and in the woods, but we did find a few good cliffs for resting on.

Blackrock Cliffs

Bird's View

So with the nice views and perfect weather, it was a great trail day. It got even better when we got a message from Trail Angel Mamma saying that she got us tickets to see Randy Travis in concert. I grew up listening to Randy Travis, Allen Jackson and George Strait in my house, so I was pretty excited. We got to put on some nice clothes, go out for some good food, and enjoy some good country music.

Forever and Ever, Amen

Merry Maryland

AT Architecture

Today, we hiked about 14 miles of meandering Maryland trail. The weather was perfect, again, and the trail was gentle and the breeze was sweet. Today seemed to be a day full of knowledge. This section of the trail winds through some very historic country, with some very interesting and important Civil War stories to tell for those who care to listen. We were bombarded with information all day. From the useful...

Battle History

...to the very useful...

Key Trail Skills

We also saw some very interesting buildings and structures as we passed through Gathland State Park, the former estate of a Mr. Townsend, one of the most prolific war correspondents during the Civil War.

Stone Arch

War Correspondents Memorial Arch

GATH's Tomb, which remains empty to this day.

We took our time wandering the trail today, since there were so many interesting things to see. The AT intersects with something called the "Civil War Trail" every now and then along this section, and at the intersections there are always informational signs, memorials and other tidbits to see. The only thing I can complain about is the gnats, which just would not leave me alone today. I think I smashed about 5 dozen of the little pests as they were trying to buzz into my eyeballs today. Daddy tells me it's because I'm so sweet. I'd rather be more bitter and have less gnat wings in my eyelashes. But it could always be worse. We made it to the pickup in time for a nice steak dinner. I met a wolf on a leash in the parking lot of the restaurant. I wish I had a picture of her. She was someone's pet, and he claimed she was "half wolf, half German Shepherd," but there was very little "Shepherd" about that huge dog. She was beautiful and sweet and let me pet her. Just another day of adventures on the AT.

Fall Colors on a Civil War Battlefield

Quote of the Day: "Good Night Gath" - carved inscription above the door to Mr. Gath's empty tomb.

Nano's Raid on Harper's Ferry

Team Nano assembled at Harper's Ferry

Today we hiked a total of about 10 miles, which included walking through the most famous trail town on the entire AT. Harper's Ferry, West Virginia was a very important town during the Civil War and in the early days of railroad transportation. Now, it's mostly a tourist attraction for history buffs and a huge milestone for AT hikers. It's widely known as the "psychological midpoint" of the AT, even though the actual midpoint is about 70 miles further north, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters are there. We stopped by the ATCH to have our picture taken for the official through-hiker log they keep there. They have records going back decades.

Official Picture

Walking through Harper's Ferry was like walking back in time. The town must look almost exactly like it did 200 years ago. It reminds me very much of France, with narrow streets and closely packed stone buildings. It's really a beautiful town.

Downtown Harper's Ferry

Saint Peter's Catholic Church, one of the oldest in town

John Brown's Fort

We also saw some interesting non-town related things during the 7 miles before we reached town. The hike was flat and easy, the weather was perfect, and the trail was quite beautiful. the leaves are turning and falling, and I'm enjoying watching the seasons change. There was also a good view right before we descended into town.

Jefferson's Rock. The Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers converge in the gorge below this rock, and Thomas Jefferson said the view was "worth crossing the Atlantic for."

The AT cuts right through the middle of town, so we ate lunch at a local hamburger/hot dog/ice cream dive in down and wandered around for a bit. There are so many museums and historical things to see there, and the town is so earthy and friendly. I definitely recommend it. We hiked about 3 more miles after lunch and wandering town, and we actually finished the state of West Virginia and passed into Maryland. That means we have 5 states down and 8 to go. Now it's actually sounding like I'm making progress.

Just like Lewis and Clarke