Appalachian Trail – 2013

Hiking with Don’s Brother and Pilgrim is going swimmingly. These are the only hikers I’ve met that are more restaurant-happy than I am. Pilgrim, who is an emaciated 135 lbs needs to eat at every opportunity. We’re each in the mindset that success on the trail outweighs the financial costs. Thus we’re living it up

I’ve crossed path with Don’s Brother a few times along the trail. I again met up with him yesterday and decided to tag along on his AT plans. Don’s Brother, along with Pilgrim, are planning a hike of slack-packing, shuttles, and hotels. This sounds like a good idea to me. Slack-packing requires a shuttle ride

My beard was growing more sideways than acceptable so I decided to buy a comb. I haven’t owned a comb in years since I generally don’t care about my hair. The beard however was out of control. It tools a few painful passes of the comb but now I look more like an Akkadian king

I’ve hit a roadblock. It is equally physical and mental. On the physical side the trail seems to be moving slow. This may be the terrain itself through New York which seems to twist and turn at every possibility and go over many rock piles. Mentally, I’ve ran out of things to think about on

The mosquitoes have come out in full force. The rocks slowly give way to swamps as you leave Pennsylvania and hike into New Jersey. There doesn’t seem to be enough DEET in the world to combat the bugs. With the 90 degree temperatures our sweat removes any bug spray in about 20 minutes and demands

My friend Mark picked me up at the Doyle Hotel and Bar in Duncannon, PA. He gave me a hug, little-realizing it would be cleaner to dive into a dumpster. He didn’t smell my hiker odor immediately but once in the car was forced to roll down the windows. Even when it started to rain

I don’t have many pictures from the last stretch as it seems I almost always had my camera safely tucked away in multiple layers of dry bags in the frequent rains. It has rained almost every day since I left Harper’s Ferry WV. I’ve still managed to make miles as I hike between rainstorms or

Alright, a new state. Virginia was something over 500 miles. I’m not sure the correct mileage and am too tired to look it up. West Virginia has a total of like 4 miles. And Maryland coming up has only 40. I hiked the last section from Luray to Harper’s Ferry with Jeremiah. I just heard

Along the trail the music best keeping me company has been that of traditional Irish songs. I was just learning the lyrics to “The Irish Rover” – a fictitious story about a massive Irish boat and its absurd crew and journey – when the lyrics of song came to real life: Then the ship struck

I’ve decided to go Aquablazing. This means I’m renting a canoe to travel down the Shenendoah River parallel to the AT for a while. I’m headed out tomorrow with Shaman and Jeremiah and expect to go for maybe 5-7 days to Front Royal VA or thereabouts. Aquablazing is apparently approved by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Down the track came a hobo hikin’ and he said “boys I’m not turning.” I’m headed for a land that’s far away beyond the crystal foundations. So come with me we’ll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains. I’ve been learning the lyrics to “Big Rock Candy Mountain” as it seems to fit well