Author: Cicely

March 22 Day 3 Boiling Springs Backpacker campsite

I got up early after a deep, deep sleep and took full advantage of the continental breakfast at the motel. I then walked a few hundred feet down the highway to a truck stop. There I bought a great pair of mirrored sunglasses, and after the lovely hike in the sun today I’m so glad I did. I was breaking trail through anywhere between 8 and 12 inches of snow. There were times when people had gotten on the trail and hiked for a mile or so with snowshoes and that was nice. The snow is so powdery I don’t think snowshoes would be worth it. And the sun is melting the snow fairly quickly.

I got into Boiling Springs around 2pm after an 8 miles hike and I was beat. I stopped into the Appalachian Trail Conservancy office and chatted with the nice folks there while I got my AT passport stamped. There’s a hiker box there too, my first one this hike. Someone left a nearly full canister of fuel so I grabbed that. I’ve been using a lot of fuel lately due to the cold. Hot beverages are so great to have whenever I want one! And here in my tent it’s nice to have my hot water bottles.

I did a quick resupply for 3 days at the mini mart and then walked .2 miles out of town to the backpacker campsite. Nothing here! I did find a flat spot with not that much snow so I cleared it off and pitched my tent. I’m hoping I’ll be warmer in my tent than I was at the shelter a couple of nights ago. The problem is not my sleeping bag, it’s plenty warm. I lose heat through my inflatable sleeping pad. I love it, it’s very comfortable. I wanted to find a foam mat to put under it when I was in town but the outdoor store there didn’t have them. Oh well. I didn’t want to carry the weight anyway.

I’m going to hike 12 miles tomorrow so I’m hoping to get a good rest tonight. I’ll be glad to get out of this valley and the farmlands, back up into the mountains, such as they are.

March 23 Day 4 Tagg Run Shelter

It was a cold night but I was happy to see my shoes were not completely frozen solid. The backpackers campsite is 200 feet from trail tracks. I think seven trains passed in the night. I’ve noticed that snow makes everything take twice as long for me. Usually, my morning routine from wake up to pack on is about 35 minutes. Now it’s about 1.25 hours. Ugh.

Once I got going the sun was just coming up over the pastures and it was gorgeous. Breaking trail was tough due to the sunshine yesterday; no more powdery, easy to shuffle through snow.

I got into a good rhythm and powered up my first ascent of the day in about an hour and a half. Three miles. Down hill, then up. And down again to Alec Kennedy shelter where I had second breakfast. Nice to have a place to sit down for a spell too.

The rest of the day continued in the same way, up and down. Ascending through unbroken snow is exhausting. The lack of sleep kicked in and I decided it would be a good time to start working on my Bear Grylls impressions. At one point I stopped in the middle of the trail laughing so hard it hurt. Oh my.

I got to highway 34 and took a left where I found the Green Mountain Market just up the road. I was a bit short on snacks and so I picked up a few things. Happy to be nearing the end of this day I walked the last 1.3 miles to the Tagg Run Shelter. Whew.

After I had pitched my tent, gotten water from the nearby spring I cooked dinner. Finally relaxing. It felt so good to have, once again, accomplished the goal I set out with in the morning. Setting my intentions is important for me nowadays. It’s a way of holding myself accountable for my decisions.

I was almost finished with my dinner when a couple of backpackers showed up! Aside from the day hikers I saw the first day, these were the first people I have seen on the trail. Ryan and Colleen are section hikers from DC. We chatted and they gave me a chicken tender. I shared chocolate with them and Colleen made a fire. It didn’t last long, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. I retired to my tent and was asleep soon after.

March 24 Day 5 Tom’s Run Shelter

Is it really March 24? It feels like I’ve been out here for weeks.

Last night was probably around 20 degrees and I started to get cold around 4am. Awake by 6 am, I slowly began my morning routine.

I broke trail all morning and made very slow progress. At times the snow was knee deep. I spent some time grumbling to myself and then finally came out of my self imposed snow funk once the trail began to descend down to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. I talked to some nice people, washed my hankie and pee rag in the ladies bathroom and washed my hands in hot water. HEAVEN.

I walked over to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy office and got my passport stamped. Those folks sure are nice; the office wasn’t even open yet for the season and the man running things was in the middle of an orientation when I walked in the open screen door. I sheepishly held up my passport and he stopped his talk and showed the new volunteers how to stamp an AT passport. Cool! Thanks nice guy!

I went happily on my way with only 4 miles to hike to get to Tom’s Run Shelter. I got here to find Ryan and Colleen taking a break; they then left and headed on to the next shelter. I decided to be done for the day. An Outward Bound group showed up and I chatted with them for a bit. It’s so nice to have people around. Now it’s time to read for a bit and sleep soon after.

March 25 Day 6 Quarry Gap Shelter

I woke up to frozen shoes and blue skies. I’m guessing it was somewhere around 20 degrees. My morning routine was faster; I was up and hiking down the trail around 7:15. Icy trail. But broken trail, which was so nice. I had broken trail all day, and saw few people. A Boy Scout troop was camped at Birch Run Shelter and we chatted for a bit. They told me that the other half of their group was going to my destination, Quarry Gap. I was about 2 miles from the shelter when I caught up to them. Very nice folks.

Since there were two shelters at Quarry Gap, I had one to myself and the boys had the other. The adults pitched tents, and I was happy to be in a shelter. The scouts were very generous with salami, baby carrots, Oreos and Girl Scout cookies.

The girls made a fire and I chatted with Carol and Jim about hiking and trails; Carol told me all about her Kilimanjaro hike. I’d love to do that someday.

I fell asleep around 8pm to a quiet camp. A great day.

March 26 Day 7 Tumbling Run Shelter

I hiked 2 miles to the highway and walked a quarter of a mile down to the Timbers Cafe, a very hiker friendly place. I had a very inexpensive breakfast and coffee and chatted with another hiker about trail conditions. I was pleased to learn that the trail south was all broken and that I’d have no problem making the Tumbling Run shelters. Yes!

A the hostel down the street is run by an older hiker named Junker, and he told me that if I wanted a shower and a place to reorganize my resupply that I could go down there and do that. Another local offered to drive me to Dollar General to resupply.

Yes!

So many nice folks. I got back on trail around noon, clean and happy. I put away 10 miles in just a few hours and met Serena Williams and his dog Loki, they are hiking SOBO (southbound) and they are super nice.

Tonight is supposed to be the last cold night. This is good news.

Another amazing day on the Appalachian Trail.

March 27 Day 8 Raven Rock Shelter

I crushed 9 miles out of camp before noon this morning; the trail was mostly ice and snow free and the trail was meandering through hardwoods and sycamore trees. I got to Pen Mar just inside of Maryland and saw Serena Williams and Loki having lunch under one of the pavilions there. I joined them and we talked about how nice the hiking had been. The stop was short, as temps are still in the mid 30s. But, temps are supposed to rise through the rest of the day and night, on into tomorrow and then next few days. Rain is in the forecast. Will it melt the snow? There is still so much up here in the higher elevations (1,600 feet). All I know is that I really, really want the snow to go away. I feel like I have learned a lot this past week with the snow and cold temps. I’ve learned that everything takes longer, and that it is more challenging for me to make decisions and to keep track of my gear. I made the mistake of not picking up an extra fuel canister in Boiling Springs; I thought I would be able to get one in Fayetteville yesterday but none were to be had. I might have enough fuel to get to Harper’s Ferry but only for cooking dinner. No hot bevies. I have also learned that the cold makes me spacy; it is harder to focus and a couple of times I have gotten my mileage off. Which usually never happens.

And most importantly, while I do like hiking in cooler temps, I do not like hiking in snow and the cold. The kind of cold that wakes me up at 4 am shivering and I can’t make it stop. I can feel the shivers like waves through my body, and I realized that they do actually make me warmer.

And I didn’t need to know that.

So, these next few days will be, hopefully, the last of the snow and that is good. I am looking forward to getting to Harper’s Ferry and having a short day of hiking, getting a bunk and the hostel and getting Keith’s insulated inflatable sleeping pad, which will go a long way for keeping me warmer. Why didn’t I take it in the first place? Because I am stubborn.

But for now I am happy to be where I am. I am warm. I have food. There are two other hikers here, and it’a nice to have company.

Oh, and I have seen the last of the rocks of PA. There was an uphill section today of big rocks covered in snow. And it was raining. And I made it.

I did it.

Another brutal and beautiful day on the Appalachian Trail.

March 28 Day 9 Pine Knob Shelter

This morning I woke up warm. A first for this hike. I unzipped my bag and hustled out to the privy and when I got back Old and Slow was awake. He’s a NOBO section hiker who got in yesterday evening. We chatted a little bit and Serena woke up and took Loki out. I was ready to go soon after; my morning routine getting more and more efficient. Must be the warmer weather. And by warmer I mean in the mid 40s. I headed out to the trail and for the first five miles the trail went up and down. The ascents are tough because since I’m heading south the most snow is on the north facing side. The up side. Even though the trail was broken it was still difficult. I was pleased to make one final ascent before getting on a ridge line which I followed the rest of the day. Serena and Loki caught up with me mid day and once it started raining they went on ahead. When I got to the shelter, someone had pitched a tent inside the shelter (not the best trail etiquette), and Serena told me the shelter was leaking all along the back wall. So I pitched my tent, and I’m glad I did. I love my tent and oftentimes I like having my personal space.

It’s been a week since I’ve slept in a bed and I am looking forward to getting into Harper’s Ferry on Friday.

March 29 Day 10 Ed Garvey Shelter

The gentle rain that began in the evening lasted most of the night, however, when I got out of my tent at 6am much of it was dry. It was warm! And the few patches of snow that lingered around the shelter were gone. Sweet, sweet joy. I happily packed up my things and topped off my water bottles before heading out. Today will be my longest day yet, almost 17 miles to my destination. I wanted to push today to set myself up for a short day on Friday into town.

All day the hike was lovely. Long flat-ish stretches of trail with now snow. It’s safe to say now that the snow is gone. The trail goes right by the Washington Monument, the first one. It’s a very interesting stone building that was also used as a look out point during the Civil War. I was thinking, if I were in a car and I saw a sign directing me to this monument I probably would not stop. But since it’s right on the trail, I got to experience this little bit of history. I love that about the trail. Things like this are most accessible. Funny, because it would be easy to think that cars make things easier to reach. Which is true in some cases.

Serena and Loki caught up to me in the middle of the day and they went on ahead. I caught them just before Crampton Gap and we had a second lunch by the water pump (delicious well water) and hiked the three miles here to Ed Garvey Shelter. It’s a great shelter with a loft second level. There’s a staircase on the back of the shelter and a small balcony with a door leading to the sleeping loft, where I am now.

Happy to be here.

March 30 Day 11 Teahorse Hostel, Harper’s Ferry

Happy to be here. Got into town around 10:30 and had a nice breakfast at the local coffee shop and hit up the outfitter for some canister fuel (I had just enough gas to make it here, yay!) and some odds and ends. I checked into the hostel at 1pm, Serena and Loki are here too so we split a shuttle over to Walmart. Trailboss was out driver and he and his wife do lots of trail work in the area. Very nice older gentleman who obviously loves the trail. I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it again, one of the things I love most about the trail is the people.

After eating half a frozen pizza, I’m lounging around waiting for laundry downstairs to finish. The hostel is a private residence, the downstairs being Benjamin’s (the owner) private quarters. The upstairs is the hostel; two large rooms with bunks each with a bathroom, a living room and full kitchen. Maps of the area cover the walls and it is all very clean. Benjamin asked us what time we would like him to come upstairs and cook waffles. Wow! We decided on 7:30am. There is also a small store downstairs where he sells all hiker foods and items like fuel and batteries.

So now I’ll update this, as it has been awhile. Tomorrow afternoon I’ll hike out of West Virginia into Virginia. Progress.

Cougar out until next time!

Day 1

I took a Lyft from the Harrisburg airport up to Duncannon to pick up my box at the post office and begin my trek. After the long overnight flight I was beat, but enjoyed chatting with my driver and answering his questions about the trail. He then told me that he was going to pick up a couple of hikers several miles down the trail from Duncannon at Miller Gap road. He offered to drop me there after I retrieved my stove and canister at the PO. I don’t like to skip miles but with the weather coming in I wanted to get to the shelter as soon as possible. And I’m glad I did. After my quick hike up the snow started and did not stop. After a hot meal I settled into my cozy sleeping bag and had a fitful night’s rest. I woke up in the middle of the night and heated up two liters of water to put in my water bottles, inside my sleeping bag. I put my waterproof socks on them. So nice!

Day 2

I stayed warm and dozed off for several hours and woke up to the wind. I heated up a bagel over my stove and make a trail mocha (hot chocolate and Starbucks Via coffee), all in my sleeping bag.

I took my still warm waterproof socks off my water bottles and got dressed. Quickly. These were a last minute purchase and I was curious to see how they would hold up after a day of breaking fresh trail. I was not disappointed! When I got to my motel 4 hours later, after plowing through 7 inches of snow, my wool socks that I wore under the waterproof ones were bone dry. I had warm, dry socks all morning and it was glorious! Glorious! These babies have now become my #1 favorite piece of gear. After my rain gaiters and rain mitts, of course. Being dry is so important in this kind of weather.

I wasn’t planning on getting a motel but the lack of sleep for two nights in a row and the weather made the decision an easy one. I have plenty of trail food to eat and the snow is supposed to cease this evening. It’lol be a nice 8 mile hike down to Boiling Springs tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll be able to slowly build up to bigger mileage days. But for now I am content plowing through this gorgeous winter wonderland and having the trail to myself. It’s luxurious and I feel like I have my own little world.

I have so many feelings right now and I can hardly write this without crying. And rightly so. It has been made clear to me that I will have to finish this hike next spring. The phrasing here is important to me and my bruised ego. I am not leaving the trail. I am not quitting. I need to take a break so my knee can heal, and so I will be back here in April to finish the AT.

A brief history: in January I sprained/mildly hyperextended my right knee. With the help of yoga and my amazing coach Henry I strengthened my knee and after several months it was better and I was ready to hike. The day after I met Skyman, hiking down Saddleback Mt. to Rangeley in Maine, I slipped and fell, injuring it again. I told myself that it would be fine. Even when it swelled and in the Whites it was very painful. I took Vitimin I every day and told myself whatever I needed to hear to keep hiking. I got a compression sleeve in Gorham before the Whites and I thought I’d be fine. Nope.

As I was hiking into Duncannon yesterday I was feeling good; I had done big miles to get to this point and the infamous rocks of PA were about to end. Then I hit a rocky section and slipped. While the rest of my body fell forward my right knee went out to the side and I knew I had fucked it up good. The muscles in my calve cramped up and my knee started swelling. I gimped the last 4 miles into town and by the time I was 5 blocks from the PO I was crying and could barely walk. I knew I was done.

I got a room and the Doyle Hotel, a landmark of sorts for AT hikers. After a huge burger with Milkshake, Bog Angel and Hot Mess, I did some laundry and tried not to cry. I went to the mini mart for a bag of ice and some ice cream and tried not to cry. As I opened the resupply box from my friend Cindy I cried and knew that I wouldn’t be eating any of the food on the trail. I gave it to other hikers, who were very grateful.

So for now, I won’t be hiking on the AT. But I’ll be back to finish it in seven months. I’m devestated but I know that, eventually, my hike will work out. And my knee will get better.

I have not been very diligent with my blog lately and this unplanned zero is giving me a chance to get caught up. I got bit by a wasp on the ankle several times Sunday morning and by the time I stopped for the day it had swollen up my leg to mid calf and down to my toes. The next morning I walked 5 miles into Hamburg and it got much worse. So here I am; sitting around staying off it as much as possible. I’ll head back to the trail tomorrow morning and I hope it will be ok.

When I started hiking this trail I had no idea that one of the most challenging aspects would be insects. Psychologically speaking it is the most difficult aspect of this hike. I’ve heard from many NOBOs that the rocks of PA are tough, and they were right to an extent. Of course now that I think about whether I’d rather have bugs or rocks, it’s a tough choice!

However, getting through this section of the trail is strangely empowering. I’ve been hiking bigger miles (18-20 miles per day) and it feels good.

And I’ve had time to think about the future, and one decision I have committed to is moving back to CA and working of the family farm. It’s something I’ve been digesting, so to speak, since Maine. I love Astoria but I don’t have anywhere to come home to now that my folks sold their place. Sure, I could get my own place but it would take some time and would be expensive for me even working two jobs. If I ever want to get serious about building the tiny home of my dreams it would be in Ukiah. And I can make more money than I would in Astoria.

I do dislike how money tends to make decisions for me, but I really don’t see it like that. I’ve chosen my lifestyle and with that choice come sacrifices and compromises. I do what I have to do in order to live my life the way I want.

Isn’t that what everyone does? To some extent.

So tomorrow morning I’ll get back on the trail after the continental breakfast here at the motel. And I’ll hike through the rocks. And the bugs. And I’ll hike to Duncannon where a package from my generous and lovely friend Cindy will be waiting. And I’ll hike through the changing seasons. Until I am done.

August 21 Mile 871.4 Brink Road shelter

Mosey was up at 6am cooking breakfast for Slow n’ Steady and myself. Coffee, pancakes, bacon and eggs. Wonderful. The SOBOs who arrived in the evening, Mary Poppins, Rare (and her very anxious and hungry dog Luna) and one other woman slept in a bit. Mosey drove us up to the trailhead after breakfast and I said goodbye to my new friends. Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated I crushed 15 miles to Culver’s Gap where I sat on some lawn chairs behind a bar next to the lake. The bar was closed and the sun was out. I texted with Skyman for a bit and with full water bottles and a full heart I hiked the last 3.5 miles here to the shelter. A nice day hiking, good trail, minimal rocks and good water. Water is becoming scarce now that summer is almost over and I anticipate water carries in the future. Fortunately the spring here at the shelter is not dry, so I was able to find a secluded spot in the woods behind my tent to strip down and pour a bottle of water over myself and wipe he sweat and dirt off. What luxury!

Most of the day today I listened to Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s podcast StarTalk, which put me in a very good mood. What a delightful podcast. Of course my crush on Dr. Tyson probably has something to do with it but hey, whatever gets me down the trail, right?!

Time to read for a bit before the antihistamines kick in; a giant horsefly bit me this morning and I have a welt the size of my hand on the middle of my back. At least it’s not on my face like last time!

Another amazing day on the Appalachian Trail.

Oh, and there was an eclipse. I got to borrow some glasses from a day hiker to take a peek, mostly just to see it.

August 22 Mile 885.3 Mohican Outdoor Center

I spent time this morning thinking about the Native Americans of this region and how the heck they dealt with the mosquitoes and biting flies. I’ll bet they had some remedy, some kind of repellant.

After being bit yesterday by a horsefly the size of my thumb this seemed like a worthwhile topic to ponder. The gnats and mosquitoes were not too bad, until I stopped for the day.

The Mohican Outdoor Center is .3 of a mile off the AT and offers tenting, showers, food, ice cream and they also have a little gear shop. Since I’ve been using one trekking pole and a wooden staff since Connecticut, I happily bought some new trekking poles. Now I match!

I spent 15 minutes in an ice cold shower that felt good on all my bites. Not to mention it was 90 degrees today with very high humidity. I have a towel and the main room here at the center is open all night, so I can take another shower whenever I like. There’s wifi here too which is nice. But I think I’ll wait until town tomorrow to upload this blog.

Upcoming stretches in PA have little water and it will be slow going due to the rocks. Maybe there will be less bugs? One can hope.

I am exhausted after only 14 miles, the heat really takes it out of me. So I’m thinking another cold shower, some antihistamines and bed.

Not to keep on with the bug talk but in the time it took me to set up my tent and organize my gear in it (less than 5 minutes), I sustained over two dozen mosquito bites. I had bug spray on too.

This is my life on the AT. Somehow I’m still laughing at myself and having fun. Tomorrow is a new day.

August 23 Mile 896.1 Delaware Water Gap

After a huge thunderstorm around 9pm last night I slept well and woke to a mud splattered tent. It dried off a bit in the night after the storm passed and I packed up the tent hoping I’d have a chance to wash it off and dry it out when I got to town.

It was a lovely 10 mile hike to town and I wasn’t sure if I was going to stay the night but once I got to the hostel here at The Church of the Mountains and met Pastor Sherry I felt comfortable and happy to be here. I found a hose and water faucet and washed off my tent and rain fly and set both in the sun to dry. I washed some of my clothing in a bucket outside with some soap and hung those out to dry too.

Next stop was the PO where I picked up a package from my friend Anita. Wow! Thank you Anita! I also got some chocolate from my dad and I’ve been eating my way through the afternoon.

DWG is a nice little town and I walked down to the pizza place to get a sub sandwich for dinner. The thing is the size of a baseball bat! I ate half and I’ll save the other half for an hour or so from now.

Feeing ready for the next stretch through the famous Northern PA rocks. Flat trail, but rocky. Heck, I made it through Maine and the Whites so I know it will be fine.

Another amazing day on the AT!

August 17 Mile 815.7 Wildcat shelter

Exhausted. But what a great day. Amazing trail magic, new friends, beautiful trail and lots of miles. Would write more but I have to sleep. It’s going to rain tomorrow and I am so happy because that means no bugs. Yes!

August 18 Mile 827.8 Wawayanda shelter, NJ

I was up early and on the trail by 6am hiking in the rain over rocks. After about 20 minutes I hit good trail and got to the highway in 25 minutes. I walked the 2 miles down into Greenwood Lake and found the cafe Skyman recommended to me and settled in for a good breakfast, external battery charging in the outlet next to my table. I love going out to breakfast, it’s something my dad and I do whenever we can so it’s special to me. And since I knew Skyman had been here I thought of him and when he was here, in this space. So far away now.

After eating I prepared to leave and went to pay my bill. The server/cook told me that a regular had come in and paid for everyone’s breakfast. People never cease to amaze me with their kindness and generosity.

The rest of the day passed and I found myself at the Wawayanda State Park visitors center where I filled up my water bottles and took advantage of the restroom to wash the sweat off myself and rinse out my socks. I got a sticker from the park ranger for my AT Passport, which was nice.

I got here to the shelter and set up my tent when two NOBOs walked up and asked if I had any bug spray they could use. Fortunately, I had several DEET wipes John the trail angle gave me yesterday so I passed them on and the NOBOs were happy.   We chatted about bugs and the trail for a bit and then they were in their way. Fern and Gully got here a bit ago and Milkshake, whom I hiked with yesterday afternoon, should be here later.

It’s raining and there is a severe thunderstorm warning for the area in effect until 9pm. I’m cozy and dry in my tent and should remain that way, whatever the storm brings!

August 19 Mile 844.7 Unionville, NY

Back in New York again; the AT goes in and out of NJ for a few more miles then I’ll say goodbye to New York mid morning tomorrow.

Today I saw my first black bear on the AT; a huge one that ran across the trail in front of me and then kept on through the woods. I love the way they move, a kind of lumbering waddle, bear butt shaking and nose up in the air; it smelled me and turned around to check me out and then kept going.

I also saw a bunny, four king snakes, several herons and a great blue heron and all kinds of other birds. A good day for fauna. I hiked with Milkshake on and off for most of the day, and we are camped here in town with Kanga, Roo and Sherpa.

Another brutal and amazing day on the Appalachian Trail.

August 20 Mile 854.8 Mosey’s Place

It was nice to sleep without my rain fly last night and tris morning when I got up at 5:15 to use the Porta-Potty  in the park there was no dew on my tent at all. Nice. I slept well despite the orange glow from the lights in the park and by 6am I was walking back to the trail.

I made quick work of the 8 or so mile to the New Jersey High Point and by 11am I was drinking a free Pepsi (third soda on the trail) with George the Ridgerunner at the High Point State Park Headquarters. We talked about the eclipse and just he was leaving Mosey pulled up. Mosey is a thru-hiker from 2015 and she opens her home up to hikers. For $25 she’ll offers trail pickup/drop off, laundry, showers, a bunk and a huge breakfast. She’s highly recommended by numerous NOBOs and so far I am very glad to be here. There’s a NOBO named Slow n’ Steady here and looks like some other SOBOs may come in later. It is so nice to be clean and have clean clothes. I don’t think I’ve ever been as smelly as I was when I got here.

Looks like we’ll be getting pizza tonight and I plan on getting a large so I can pack some out tomorrow for lunch.

Another beautiful day on the AT.

August 15 Mile 785.7 Hemlock Springs campsite

Well, I somehow lost the last three days of my blog and I do not have the energy to go backand recount everything yet again. WordPress vexes me sometimes and I wonder if my entries are out there somewhere lost in cyberspace.

Big miles yesterday and today; today I was tired all day due to poor sleep last night at the campground, which was next to a freeway of sorts. But it was nice to see Kanga, Roo and Sherpa there. Roo is walking and talking. Hats off to parents who do things like thru hike with their children.

It was a sweaty, buggy humid day and I cannot wait for cooler weather to come. I know I am a very patient person but on trail sometimes it’s hard. I need to remind myself that I am a patient person. I can wait for all the bugs to die, die die!

Tomorrow morning I’ll walk across the Hudson River and climb up Bear Mt., with views of the NYC skyline. And I think tomorrow is supposed to be clear. Fingers crossed.

Sticky and dirty and grumpy and tired. That about sums up today. And I’m ok with that. Some days are like that and I don’t fight it. Tomorrow is a new day and maybe I’ll find my blog posts. Maybe not.

August 16 Mile 796.1 William Brien Memorial shelter

What a difference a day makes. And what a day! Didn’t sleep too well again but slept in until 5:45am to make up for it. Faulty logic. I could have used another hour but I was excited to get over the Hudson. So much fun! The sun was out but it was still cool and some clouds lingered on the mountains around the river. Lovely. I got to town and decided to walk a mile up to a mini mart and get a hot cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. A great idea.

I got back to the trail and it wound around a little park next to an inn. I wanted to jump into the small lake that is in the park but I remembered that I am in a public place and I probably would get in trouble. Then I saw the No Swimming sign and was glad I didn’t go in, even with clothes on.

The climb up Bear Mt. was nice due to the excellent quality of trail; granite steps the whole way up, perfectly spaced. I go to the tower and could see the NYC skyline 34 miles away. Pretty cool. Then I looked down and saw my friends Fern and Gully. What a pleasant surprise! We sat in the shade and drank ice cold water from a vending machine for about an hour before heading 7 miles to this shelter. On the way I saw a rattlesnake! Then a black snake and a lizard. Fabulous. I love reptiles and it was nice to see them. The rattlesnake was young, only a couple of rattles. The black snake was a good four feet long. So elegant.

Once I got here I set up my tent and wandered around a bit when I saw a second rattlesnake, this one much bigger than the first. Many rattles, probably about 8. I walked back over to my tent and sat on a rock to cook dinner. 15 minutes later I heard a faint sound just to my right and saw the rattler cruising by me. It went right by my tent and kept going. It was really neat to see one so close that was not agitated; I would never intentionally get close to a snake like that. This was a once in a lifetime kind of encounter. For me anyway.

And now here I am resting in my tent, dirty and sticky, but it’s not so bad. Oh the difference a day makes.

August 11 Mile 740.9 Tony’s Deli

I woke up not feeling so great; a bit of a sore throats and such. Once I got going I felt better; the sky was clear and I had a couple of climbs which made me sweat out any bug I may have. Or at least that’s my logic. After about 6.5 miles I saw Atlas and Matchmaker again in their van; they’re a couple from Texas hiking the trail, they started out as NOBOs. Matchmaker quit after 800 miles and now she drives the van to support Atlas. Super nice folks. Gear Rat and Tumbledown are traveling with them too. They’re actually here tonight at the Deli which is nice. I’m waiting on the rest of my tramily although I already ate a massive sandwich about an hour ago. 

Most of the day the trail went up and down, gently at times and the hiking was pleasant. I love hiking through the meadows and even hiked by some cows today! There were some babies; so cute! 

Two more big days and then a zero at the Hudson, that’s the plan. I can’t believe I’m in New York. I want to eat everything and sleep at the same time.

August 8 Mile 694.2 Limestone Spring shelter

Well, I somehow deleted the last few days of this blog, and even this entry; I’m rewriting a lot and so please forgive me for my brevity. It’s been a long day and I am exhausted. 

I left the odd and discombobulated energy of the East Mountain Retreat Center yesterday morning and had a tough day hiking. I had very little energy and took lots of breaks and had a hard time keeping a good pace. I was happy when I finally made it to the Hemlocks shelter, 18 miles down the trail. I set up my tent just as it started to rain. Feeing very PMS-ish, grumpy and yet somehow content I burrowed into my sleeping bag after dinner with my tramily. 

And slept for 10.5 hours.

So today was a great day. I had lots of energy and crushed 14.5 miles into Salisbury, Connecticut in 6.5 hours, which is a good time for me. I went to the bakery and got scones to pack out and picked up a few things at the store. I had some great late afternoon views from a spot called Rand’s View, fields and the mountains I had just climbed in the background. 

Progress.

August 9 Mile 712.4 Silver Hill Campsite

Ah, today. Got going early and got a great shot of the morning fog down in a valley, small green hills peaking up, the sun through the trees. 

After a few miles I arrived at the hydroelectric dam at the Housatonic river. AWOL’s guide book says there’s an outdoor shower on the side of one of the buildings, a power outlet and a garbage can. Everything a hiker needs. Almost! AWOL was not wrong. I stripped down to sports bra and panties and took a luxurious semi warm shower. I had planned accordingly, so I had travel sized shampoo, conditioner and soap. These are things I never carry, but I wanted to have them for this shower. Small luxuries.

As I was getting ready to leave two NOBOs, Cookie Monster and Dirty Hairy walked up with their dogs and we talked trail for a good half hour. Super nice folks from Alabama. We parted like old friends. 

After a flat stretch close to the river and through some corn fields the trail was up and down for the rest of the day. Exhausting. I was very glad to see the side trail leading here to this lovely campsite. Picnic tables, a bench swing and plenty of tentsites. I was here about 45 minutes when my friends rolled into camp. Tomorrow is Fern’s birthday and I have a small lemon pie for her; I’ll make a little card and give it to her first thing tomorrow. Trail birthdays are very special. 

August 10 Mile 722.3 Kent

Hiked 10 miles here to Kent, just ate a huge ice cream cone and now I have wifi so Incan post this and sync my Fitbit before I do laundry. So much to do! It’s hot and sunny with thunderheads on the horizon. Need to check the weather. Hiker chores.

Tomorrow we hike into New York. 

Boom! Progress is a beautiful thing. This is something I have thought about a lot these last few days. That, and Skyman. And newts. Always the newts.

August 3 Mile 624.1 Kay Woods shelter

I woke up to sunshine and warmth early this morning and packed up my dry tent; a pleasant surprise after the thunderstorm yesterday evening. Once trail joined with the road I took a short cut down to the community center in Dalton for a free shower. I was covered in sweat once again and stood in an ice cold shower for a good 10 minutes. Felt so good! I walked down to the PO and picked up a fantastic care package from my friend Cindy. Thank you Cindy! 

I hung out in a cute little coffee shop charging my devices and ate a huge burger/sub at the sandwich shop next door. I ran into Nil, whom I have not seen since Little Rock Pond shelter. I took off ahead of me and unless he stops for a day I probably won’t see him again. I did see Fern and Gully at the ice cream shop at the end of town, and they’re here at the shelter this evening, along with the Counselor, whom I have not seen since Rutland. My new tramily! 

Tomorrow I’ll hike to Upper Goose Pond shelter which has great swimming and lots of tenting and mattresses in the bunks. What luxury! I’ll find out when I get there. 

August 4 Mile 641.7 Upper Goose Pond Cabin

I rolled ontonthe trail just shy of 6am after a fitful night of sleep in the shelter. Mosquitoes. I wonder when there will be no mosquitoes. No matter what I wear, how much big spray I use, my arms and legs are spotted with bites. 

I tell myself it’s all part of the experience. 

Around noon the thunderstorms started and the rain came. I was prepared although I soon realized it was too hot to wear my raincoat. And so it goes! I felt tired all day and realized that it has been two weeks since I’ve taken a zero. Soon, I tell myself. Maybe in Connecticut, which is coming up soon. 

I got to the cabin, which comes highly recommended from Skyman and others. It has not disappointed. I was greeted by Gus Two Socks, a young man who is the caretaker along with his father. I got a nice little bunk (with a mattress!) upstairs next to a large screened in window. I’m resting now after eating a fat dinner and I plan on putting in my earplugs and watching the trees sway in the breeze until I nod off. 

I’ve been waiting for this moment since 10am.

Oh, once I got settled Gus directed me to the dock on the pond where I  stripped down and spend 20 wonderful minutes floating in the bathtub warm water. Just what I needed. 

A good day, a long day, and exhausting day. Another brutal and amazing day on the Appalachian Trail. 

August 5 Mile 657.7 South Wilcox Mountain Shelter

Woke up to blueberry pancakes and coffee. What a way to start the day. 

It was raining and no one wanted to leave the cabin. I reluctantly put my rain cover on my pack and left. It was a nice day of hiking, Fern and Gully caught up with me and we hiked together for a bit. We found some watermelon trail magic next to a road and stopped for a bit while Mr. Whiskers, Smeller and Counselor caught up. We hiked together to the AT Snack Shack, a little shack on the side of the trail with snacks, a power outlet for charging, cold sodas and books. So cool! We sat at the picnic table and drank Orange Crush and relaxed. 

The rest of the hike to the shelter was lovely, if a bit humid. We’re all looking forward to getting into town tomorrow for laundry, showers and resupply. Sometime in the next couple of days we’ll hike into Connecticut.

Progress. One step at a time.