Well, many of you heard about the nor'easter that worked its way up the coast late last week. We thought we'd share a snippet of our week with you by giving you a picture of our life last Saturday--during the worst of the storm--so you can glimpse the magic of this experience, even on what started out as a less-than-pleasant day.
Saturday morning we awoke to the sound of freezing rain hitting our tent, dreading the thought of cooking breakfast in the rain. We decided to pack up and hike a couple of miles with the hope of finding an awning to cook under in Pine Grove State Park. Within an hour of hiking we were content cooking under the awning of the park bathrooms (our standards were thrown out the window long ago). After a bowl of warm oatmeal, we commited to taking on the thru-hiker tradition of eating a half gallon of ice cream at the half-way point of the trail, usually attempted at the Pine Grove Park Store. We arrived a few mintues before the store opened and encountered two men waiting. They asked if we were there for coffee too, we quickly replied, "No, ice cream!" which was followed by a chorus of laughter, including ours. Little did they know at that moment we were serious. After a few minutes of conversation, they discovered we were thru-hikers and were intent on eating ice cream despite the cold weather (ice had formed in the gutters of the store at that point). Amazed, one of them instantly insisted on buying our ice cream and the second, a newspaper reporter for his local Florida paper, asked to share and document the experience with us.
The eating began...shortly followed by the shivers. Bite by bite however, we finished our half gallons. While neither of us broke any time records, the store owner did agree that we completed the challenge in the worst weather in memory. In addition to taking away our official "Half Gallon Club Member" wooden spoons, we got a great memory out of it.
Several miles down the trail, we officially crossed the half-way point (mile 1089.1) and continued on our way as the first snowflakes began to fall. We kept moving to stay warm, intent on staying at a shelter. As we encountered several Scout troops, we kept our fingers crossed that we would find room at our destination. Thankfully, not only did we find an empty bunk, but also a warm fire, around which a dozen middle school boys gathered. Their leaders continued the trail magic of earlier in the day, giving us a bag of extra granola bars and hot macaroni and cheese following our first dinner. We spent the night enjoying the company of the boys (most of whom were amazed and inquisitive about our adventure) and the fascinating authoritarian nature of their leaders.
We awoke in the morning to a fresh coating of snow, thankful for making it through a rough stretch of weather, the increasing blue sky, and the memorable experiences of the previous day.
Our newly posted photographs document the dramatic shifts in weather that we've had.
http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/PennsylvaniaMarylandWestVirginia#
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Boiling Springs, PA - Mile 1066
We're enjoying a relaxing night in a local inn awaiting the dinner buffet (our driving force for coming here). Word of this place has spread like wildfire on the trail because they give hikers a room for $25 and offer buffets in both the morning and evening! It is a hiker's dream!
The recent miles have passed quickly, in part because of easier terrain (we have passed the worst of the infamous Pennsylvania rocks) and we have had several days when we have hiked past the 20-mile mark. We are finding the biggest challenge now will be the decreasing daylight. All that said, we are continuing to enjoy ourselves and the flexibility this adventure provides. We celebrated the 1,000 mile mark last week and are looking forward to the half-way point in two days (half gallon challenge here we come!). Surprisingly, we have found this place in the trail to feel a bit daunting, rather than simply a celebration. We have walked so far and yet still have so far to go. We are keeping our focus both on the accomplishment of getting here and the excitement we feel about returning to the mountains in Virginia.
Just when you begin to think we're living the good life--no alarm clocks, buffets galore--check out the weather forecast for the next few days. Freezing rain...fun. We know the sun will come out again, but we wouldn't mind your warm thoughts.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Boiling+Springs&state=PA&site=CTP&textField1=40.1578&textField2=-77.1373&e=0
The recent miles have passed quickly, in part because of easier terrain (we have passed the worst of the infamous Pennsylvania rocks) and we have had several days when we have hiked past the 20-mile mark. We are finding the biggest challenge now will be the decreasing daylight. All that said, we are continuing to enjoy ourselves and the flexibility this adventure provides. We celebrated the 1,000 mile mark last week and are looking forward to the half-way point in two days (half gallon challenge here we come!). Surprisingly, we have found this place in the trail to feel a bit daunting, rather than simply a celebration. We have walked so far and yet still have so far to go. We are keeping our focus both on the accomplishment of getting here and the excitement we feel about returning to the mountains in Virginia.
Just when you begin to think we're living the good life--no alarm clocks, buffets galore--check out the weather forecast for the next few days. Freezing rain...fun. We know the sun will come out again, but we wouldn't mind your warm thoughts.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Boiling+Springs&state=PA&site=CTP&textField1=40.1578&textField2=-77.1373&e=0
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Still relaxing (Thanks Aunt Sue!)
New York brought with it the frequent option of buying food during a day's hike, as there are pizzerias, delis, and farm stands within a mile's walk of the trail. For no other reason, we like New York instantly! We also used this opportunity to each our first shared 1/2 gallon of ice cream in one sitting. Keep in mind this is small potatoes compared to the 1/2 gallon of ice cream we will try to each eat as tradition at the halfway point of the trail in southern Pennsylvania.
Like Connecticut, New York had its share of road crossings. The most significant of which was through the Palisades Parkway (note the crossing was not above or below the traffic but directly through 4 lanes of traffic). We stared at each other in disbelief as we watched the blur of 70mph traffic. Unlucky for us, we hit the crossing at Friday evening rush hour. Thankfully, we found a break and made a dash for it, wondering how crazy we looked to passing motorists.
Despite a lack of true solitude in New York, we did discover one of our favorite campsites on the trip so far. Upon summitting Black Mountain, we enjoyed a clear view of the Manhattan skyline and found a grassy patch nearby for our tent. Watching the sunset to our west and the lights of the city come on to the east was a truly memorable experience.
The highlight of New Jersey, which even outshines some beautiful ridge hiking, was our stay at The Outhouse. The residential home belongs to Dick Ludwig, who is the former small-town mayor of Unionville, NY, just a half mile from the New Jersey A.T. At the age of 70, Dick welcomes all hikers into his home by cooking them meals, doing their laundry, providing sleeping space, and with the help of a witty 81-year-old man who he "saved" from senior housing, he provides an entertaining and warm place to call home at the end of the day. While we greatly appreciated the creature comforts, it was the feel of the place that convinced us to stay a second night. The former Mayor is a strong believer in the ripple effect of positive change and much of his time is spent trying to motivate hikers to achieve their goals on the trail and in life. We enjoyed having the opportunity to reflect on our hike and reconnect with a deep appreciation for this opportunity. Most amazingly, Dick himself has never been a hiker. In fact he often says, "You hikers are fuckin' nuts, but I greatly respect what you're doing." At our stay, he had hosted nearly 800 hikers this year and all solely on donations. We felt lucky to have met him.
Today, we'll return to the trail after two relaxing days with Half Full's Aunt Sue. You can literally see what we've been up to via the links below.
Massachusetts Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATMassachusetts#
Connecticut Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATConnecticut#
New York Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATNewYork#
New Jersey Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATNewJersey#
Like Connecticut, New York had its share of road crossings. The most significant of which was through the Palisades Parkway (note the crossing was not above or below the traffic but directly through 4 lanes of traffic). We stared at each other in disbelief as we watched the blur of 70mph traffic. Unlucky for us, we hit the crossing at Friday evening rush hour. Thankfully, we found a break and made a dash for it, wondering how crazy we looked to passing motorists.
Despite a lack of true solitude in New York, we did discover one of our favorite campsites on the trip so far. Upon summitting Black Mountain, we enjoyed a clear view of the Manhattan skyline and found a grassy patch nearby for our tent. Watching the sunset to our west and the lights of the city come on to the east was a truly memorable experience.
The highlight of New Jersey, which even outshines some beautiful ridge hiking, was our stay at The Outhouse. The residential home belongs to Dick Ludwig, who is the former small-town mayor of Unionville, NY, just a half mile from the New Jersey A.T. At the age of 70, Dick welcomes all hikers into his home by cooking them meals, doing their laundry, providing sleeping space, and with the help of a witty 81-year-old man who he "saved" from senior housing, he provides an entertaining and warm place to call home at the end of the day. While we greatly appreciated the creature comforts, it was the feel of the place that convinced us to stay a second night. The former Mayor is a strong believer in the ripple effect of positive change and much of his time is spent trying to motivate hikers to achieve their goals on the trail and in life. We enjoyed having the opportunity to reflect on our hike and reconnect with a deep appreciation for this opportunity. Most amazingly, Dick himself has never been a hiker. In fact he often says, "You hikers are fuckin' nuts, but I greatly respect what you're doing." At our stay, he had hosted nearly 800 hikers this year and all solely on donations. We felt lucky to have met him.
Today, we'll return to the trail after two relaxing days with Half Full's Aunt Sue. You can literally see what we've been up to via the links below.
Massachusetts Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATMassachusetts#
Connecticut Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATConnecticut#
New York Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATNewYork#
New Jersey Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/emily.dolci/ATNewJersey#
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Delaware Water Gap, PA - Mile 896
The past three weeks have taken us through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and today into Pennsylvania! While the climbs have been less challenging and the camping less remote, we continue to enjoy our trail experience. Looking back, it's difficult to remember each and every day, but the following is a summary of the most salient memories of our recent weeks.
Our knees found relief on the gently rolling terrain of Massachusetts. We found the open farmland the trail followed beautiful and noticed the early signs of fall in the changing leaves. Our favorite town was Great Barrington, a picturesque New England town that we hitched into for breakfast. Just minutes after putting our thumbs out, a car turned around and came back to get us. The driver, Francine, eagerly inquired about our journey and brought us to a great local eatery. The friendliness of those who give us rides continues to amaze us. We enjoyed the feel of the town and particularly the positive curiosity of the locals (not something we experience everywhere). Even strangers who thought we were "certified crazy" pleasantly inquired about our adventures. To contrast the positive of Massachusetts, Half Full had a particularly difficult morning after a poor night of sleep in a shelter (the first we'd stayed in for 200 miles). In a groggy haze, she sent a stream of urine down a slope, which then inconveniently puddled in her Croc. Chomp affirms that she has now officially earned her name of Half Full!
The trail itself in Connecticut was not particularly memorable, in large part because the trail seemed to cross or follow roads (and the associated noise) more frequently. Despite that, we had a great visit with Papa and Mama Chomp--who joined us for a few miles on the trail--and our dogs, who we sorely miss. They treated us to delicious meals, a relaxing hotel stay, and fun game of dominoes. Shortly after saying good-bye to the dogs and dragging our feet a bit in sadness, we met the first southbound couple of our trip, Lefty and Homefry. After our initial conversation, we realized we had quite a bit in common and enjoyed spending several nights with them. The connection with them was a welcome diversion from our departure from the dogs and another reminder of many that the trail continues to provide exactly what we need.
Update on New York and New Jersey are in publication and will be posted within a day or two.
Our knees found relief on the gently rolling terrain of Massachusetts. We found the open farmland the trail followed beautiful and noticed the early signs of fall in the changing leaves. Our favorite town was Great Barrington, a picturesque New England town that we hitched into for breakfast. Just minutes after putting our thumbs out, a car turned around and came back to get us. The driver, Francine, eagerly inquired about our journey and brought us to a great local eatery. The friendliness of those who give us rides continues to amaze us. We enjoyed the feel of the town and particularly the positive curiosity of the locals (not something we experience everywhere). Even strangers who thought we were "certified crazy" pleasantly inquired about our adventures. To contrast the positive of Massachusetts, Half Full had a particularly difficult morning after a poor night of sleep in a shelter (the first we'd stayed in for 200 miles). In a groggy haze, she sent a stream of urine down a slope, which then inconveniently puddled in her Croc. Chomp affirms that she has now officially earned her name of Half Full!
The trail itself in Connecticut was not particularly memorable, in large part because the trail seemed to cross or follow roads (and the associated noise) more frequently. Despite that, we had a great visit with Papa and Mama Chomp--who joined us for a few miles on the trail--and our dogs, who we sorely miss. They treated us to delicious meals, a relaxing hotel stay, and fun game of dominoes. Shortly after saying good-bye to the dogs and dragging our feet a bit in sadness, we met the first southbound couple of our trip, Lefty and Homefry. After our initial conversation, we realized we had quite a bit in common and enjoyed spending several nights with them. The connection with them was a welcome diversion from our departure from the dogs and another reminder of many that the trail continues to provide exactly what we need.
Update on New York and New Jersey are in publication and will be posted within a day or two.
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