Day 18 on the Trail

Dave called at 3:30 pm and said he'd been at a shelter for an hour.  He didn't hike as far as he intended, as he was feeling sluggish, and planned to spend the night there.

As of 6/30/11:
Miles today - 10.2
Miles to date - 210.9

To give you a bit of an idea where he is:

The red line is the AT.  The blue arrow points to where Dave is.  It says, "If nobo, we would be here."  Obviously that is someone else's note, not Dave's.  "nobo" means north bound, "sobos" are south bounders.

Re: Dave's sluggishness - Once he stopped, he decided he was dehydrated. Also, he had not made himself a good breakfast, eating only granola bars.  That was a mistake he won't make again.  I asked if he was still boiling water in the morning and letting his dinner rehydrate during the day, and he said no.  When he started on the trail this year, he would be so tired at night he didn't want to have to wait for water to boil, but now that he's in better condition, he's not too tired to make dinner.  He says it takes only about 15 minutes to boil enough water to rehydrate whatever he's having.

He was very happy with the shelter he'll be in tonight.  It has wooden platforms for bunks, it's made of cinder blocks instead of wood, it has a nice veranda, there are picnic tables and even magazines left by other hikers.  He heard this shelter is close enough to a road that a local pizza joint will deliver, but he's not going to order one.  He said he sure would like a Coke, though.  He was feeling better after relaxing for an hour and enjoying the view.

He said it was a nice day, but more humid.  He had his sweaty shirt and socks outside drying.  It's still getting down into the mid-60s at night, which he likes.

The only wildlife he saw today was woodpeckers.  He said they were very big with red heads, but not pileated.  He's been finding blackberries, though they are not ripe yet.  That reminds me, when we had our Atlanta grandchildren visiting, we went to the Bamboo Farm just south of Savannah which grows bamboo for zoo pandas.  They also experiment with many kinds of plants, flowers and berries.  We picked their blackberries and strawberries 4 weeks ago (and the strawberries were past their prime.)

Now for a couple updates/corrections. 1.  The rock formation formally known as the Fat Man's Squeeze is now known as the Lemon Squeeze (not Linen).  2. When Dave couldn't get Cliff Bars for less than $2.50 at the gas station closest to the Holiday Inn Express, he walked a half mile to yes, another gas station (the only places that carried groceries).  That's where the Cliff Bars were $2.00, so he opted for the Nature Valley bars for $1.00 each.  I told him Chad laughed at how he walked a mile - round trip - to save a dollar-fifty, and Dave said, I didn't have anything else to do!  This was on his Zero Day, you may remember, when he was supposed to be resting his feet.

I told Dave Pyro called, and reminded him of the ride in the hearse.  Dave started laughing and didn't stop until minutes later.

By nightfall, there were 6 or 7 people in the shelter, and some of them did end up ordering a pizza.  Dave was still thirsting for a Coke, so he and Buckeye decided to split a 2-litre Coke.  Buckeye is from, surprise, Ohio, and 67 years old.  The caretaker for the shelter, known as Elvis Trailsly showed up, he is 73.  He hiked the entire trail in 1971, and has the distinction of being #311 to have hiked the AT in one year.  Those two "old" guys were asking Dave why his trail name is OLD Granddad.

Dave was feeling much better in the evening.  He thinks he simply needed more calories and more water.

Dave's description of his evening's shelter was so lovely, I wanted to see if I could find a picture of it.  Here it is:

Wow. Not quite what I had in mind, but as long as Dave is happy I'm happy for him!!!

Day 17 on the Trail

I spoke to Dave yesterday evening; this is his Wednesday discussion.

As of 6/29/11:
Miles today - 14.4
Miles to date - 200.7

In spite of it being a rather significant mileage day, hitting 200 miles, Dave did not have a lot to say about his hike today.  He was enjoying his breakfast and coffee so much at the Holiday Inn Express, he had to tell himself to get going. He walked a mile and a half just to get back on the trail.  Then, he crossed the Bear Mountain Bridge.

Here's a snippet form Wikipedia:  "When the bridge formally opened on November 27, 1924, it was the longest suspension bridge span in the world, and the first of its type to have a concrete deck...Construction methods pioneered on the Bear Mountain Bridge influenced much larger projects to follow, including the George Washington (1931) and Golden Gate (1937) bridges."

Dave did meet up with Smokey Mountaineer, the 74 year old hiker, but Dave wanted to hike further than did Smokey.  He learned later in the evening from another hiker that Smokey had lost the trail and spent an hour going his last mile. Dave said he's probably seen the last of that guy.

He was in a rather nondescript campground, having gone a few miles beyond one at a Spiritual Life Center he picked out while planning his trip.  He was in great spirits, and said he feels like he has his legs back - meaning he felt stronger and not tired as he was two days ago.  It was good to hear the change in his voice. He wants to try to listen to his body more, go longer when he feels strong and fewer miles when he doesn't, rather than sticking to the schedule he made in the comfort of home.

About an hour after my phone call with Dave, Pyro the Wise called, to see how Dave was doing!  I got his email address and sent him a link to this blog so he can catch up on more than he'd ever want to know.  I thought it was great that he and Dave were able to connect again this year, and as Pyro said, they picked up right where they left off, as though this past year between hikes just vanished. He told me the story of when he had to go into town to get food, and they arranged a meeting point since Dave was going to keep hiking.  On the way back to the trail, a guy stopped to see if he wanted a ride, and told him to throw his pack in the back of the car.  Pyro did, and noticed there was a single stem to a rose in the back.  As he got in the car, Pyro asked the driver if he was a florist.  No, this was not a floral delivery truck, it was a hearse!

He also had very kind and appreciative words for Kelly, saying he's sure she does not even realize what a BIG favor she did for them, picking them up and delivering them to the trail.  Thanks again, Kelly!  And thanks for calling, Pyro.

Zero Day

Dave had a day off today!  He did all his laundry, organized and repacked his back pack, and shopped for a few more protein bars.  He likes Cliff Bars.  The nearest place to buy groceries was a gas station (ugh) and they wanted $2.50/bar.  Dave normally pays $1/bar so he decided he'd go to the next place - and darn I can't remember where it was, but I do remember he said he walked about half a mile to get there.  Cliff bars were $2.00, so he bought Nature Valley bars instead for $1 each.  When he's paying $250 for two nights at the Holiday Inn Express, I don't know why he worried about how much granola bars cost, but ...  

When he got up this morning, he said he experienced the "hiker's hobble."  After that long hard day yesterday?  Of course he would.  He said his left foot is rather tender but okay.  There was a scale in the fitness center and if it's close to our scale at home, Dave has lost 10 pounds.  His pack still weighs between 30-40 pounds, depending upon how much food and water he carries.

The HIE had a great breakfast, he said, with eggs, sausages, fruit, cereal, etc. etc.  I wonder if they have a bowl of granola bars?

During the rest of the day he took a couple more showers, rested, watched TV and snoozed a little.  He ate dinner at the same bbq joint as last night.  He said there wasn't much choice, but he was happy with it.  He saw a guy that he was certain was a hiker due to his boots, clothes and beard, and started talking to him. The hiker is 74 years old and doing parts of the trail he's not done before.  He said he tries to do about 10 miles a day, so Dave thinks he may be running into him more often.

The best thing about Dave's day in my mind is, he walked very little and propped his feet up.  He needed a zero day!

Day 16 on the Trail

Dave called about 8:20 last night, and I could not believe where he was -- in a motel in the town of Ft. Montgomery, NY.  His plan was to stay at the Bear Mountain Bridge Motel, but it was full, so for twice the price (and a little more walking) he checked into the Holiday Inn Express.

As of 6/27/11:
Miles to day - 18.9
Miles todate - 186.3

About that 18.9 miles -- Dave may have underestimated his mileage the day before, but regardless, he went 29.9 trail miles in two days, with Monday being the longest of the two days.  He walked until after 8 pm, checked in, changed his clothes, called me at 8:20, then went out to dinner.

He said it had been another tough day with more steep climbs and descents, but found some fire in his belly in the afternoon.  He had climbed a rock hill and came across a couple of day hikers.  They offered him beer, water and Gatorade and he downed almost a liter of Gatorade.  He asked how far Bear Mountain was, and they pointed out how he could see it from where they were standing.  At that point, he was determined he could make it and off he went.  Hours later, he was at the HIE.

Dave called me again after he had dinner at the barbecue place next door.  He said it was good Carolina-style bbq, and he also enjoyed a beer, and lots of water.  He was so relieved to have had a shower and be in his cleaner (note I did not say clean) clothes.  He will do all his laundry Tuesday.

When he's not hiking, he takes off his boots and wears his camp shoes.  This year he took his new "monkey feet" shoes - Vibram 5 Fingers shoes.

He likes them a lot, though wishes he had paid a little more to get a thicker sole.

Dave said he still hasn't seen any bears, but in a mud puddle he spotted a big bear paw print.  He's seen a lot of deer, including two bucks in velvet that were no more than 20-30 feet away from him.  He took their picture, but because of the sun is not sure if it came out.  

He met a nice young man about 20 years old, called Milo (Meelo).  Dave said he walked really fast, at least twice as fast as Dave, but then would take long breaks, so Dave kept catching up with him.  The tortoise and the hare?

Dave went though a section formerly known as the Fat Man's Squeeze and now called the Linen Squeeze. (I wondered if he meant Linen Press, but he said the hikers called it the squeeze.)  (Now that I write this, I wonder if he said Lemon Squeeze?  Maybe I'll remember to ask him.)  In some points it was only 18 inches wide, and is a slanted rock formation, so it was very difficult to get through.  Dave said he made it, and by the way he thinks he's lost 8-10 pounds.  

For those of you who have been to Rock City on Lookout Mountain, you've also been through a Fat Man's Squeeze.  It almost gave me claustrophobia!

I was very glad Dave made it to a hotel and will be able to get off his feet for a while!

Day 15 on the Trail

Dave's report yesterday:

As of 6/26/11
Miles today - about 11
Miles to date - 167.4

Dave was a little short of his intended campsite, as he had his toughest day yet. The weather was good, but the rocky terrain was extremely steep, going both up and down.  He said the climbs were like a roller coaster, a steep climb then a steep descent, over and over.  He is tired and said he reminds himself he does not have to stick to a schedule, that it's okay to slow down and not beat himself up.  I agree!

Dave came across some nice campsites about 4 pm, but since he had hoped to get to the Fingerboard Shelter, he kept going.  Later, he was wishing he had stopped as he still had several miles to go and it was getting late.  Fortunately the trail went through another fairly flat area, the edge of a farm perhaps, so he stopped.  He could tell people had camped there before and he was therefore hoping the land owner wouldn't mind.  Of course when Dave leaves a campsite he "leaves nothing behind but footprints" as the saying goes.

I asked him what he had for dinner and he laughed as he said, The first thing that came out of my pack.  Turned out to be his favorite black beans, corn and rice 'stew' that he ate with a tortilla.  He has been very happy with his meals this year, and that's a relief since he put so much time and effort into creating, testing, dehydrating and vacuum-packing his food.  His only disappointment has been the 'brown' trail bars.  They must have not dried completely or ??  He asked me to take them out of the second box I mailed (which I did Saturday).  Even though they, like all the food, had been vacuum packed, the package they were in had blown up like a big bubble.  Hmm I don't think that's a good sign.  I threw them away.

Saturday night he had chicken stew with tomatoes, onions and black beans, and he's also had pot roast, barbecued pork, and lasagna.  Now that I write that, I can't remember him commenting on his lasagna.  I'll have to ask how it turned out.

Dave was hoping to get to the motel by evening today (Monday) but now it's going to be Tuesday, or even Wednesday if the trail continues to be tough.  You can do it, David!

Day 14 on the Trail

It's hard to believe Dave has been on the trail for two weeks.  Here are his comments from yesterday, his 14th day of hiking.

As of 6/2511:
Miles today - 12
Miles to date - 156.4

First I have to correct something.  I said the motel where Dave plans to stay was 30 miles away.  Actually, it was 42 miles away from where he was on Friday, and 30 miles from his Saturday campsite.  I looked at the wrong row on the schedule spreadsheet he left me.

Dave said he had another hard climb on rocks (and we thought he was through with the rocky section!) and is TIRED.  As he gets closer to the motel, he gets even more eager to find it.  He's thinking he will take a "Zero Day" which means 0 miles of hiking and spend two nights at the Bear Mountain Bridge Motel.  It sure sounds as though he needs a day off!

At least he had a sunny day with no rain.  His boots are still wet, though.  In an attempt to keep his feet dry, he hung his wet socks on his backpack so they would dry as he walked.  As soon as they were dry, he switched with the wet socks he was wearing, and hung the alternate pair on his pack until they dried. He went through this routine a few times and said it worked fairly well.  He really needs his boots to dry out, though.  Not all the shelters have a fire pit, and with the rain and wet trails, it will take a while for them to dry.

He caught up with two of his trail friends, Arthur Dent (taking the name of a fictional character I had not heard of and had to google) and his female companion Raindancer, whom he met on the trail.  Hmm I wonder if she is bringing the rain?  Raindancer is going to graduate school in the fall and has a goal of finishing the trail by mid-August.  They intend to set a fast pace.  Dave enjoys their company but does not know if he will be able to keep up with them. He plans to finish by Sept. 12.

The three of them took a little side trip to get ice cream.  First Dave had a root beer float, then he had rum raisin ice cream.  What a treat!

I had a really fun visit with Megan - we shopped and ate out and talked - until she left Saturday afternoon, and I decided it was a good time to cut the grass in spite of the 95º heat.  I had forgotten to plug in the mower after last week's mowing, so it ran out of juice before I could cut the back.  Oh darn.  Instead, I picked up debris from our very short but fierce Thursday night storm.  Do you know how many pinecones it takes to fill up a trash barrel?  A lot.  That's how many I picked up. The other barrel I filled with broken branches.  Hmm compared to what Dave is doing, this is a walk in the park!

Day 13 on the Trail

I spoke to Dave about 4 pm yesterday, so I will be writing about his Friday.

As of 6/24
Miles today - 11.6
Miles to date - 144.4

Dave is on the NY/NJ border, going back and forth between the states as the trail does.  I may have said in an earlier post he was picking his package up in Unionville, NJ, but Unionville is in NY.  Sorry.

The Appalachian Trail is marked with white blazes so hikers will know which way to go.

Dave was hiking along, watching for the blazes when he saw that someone had drawn a smiley face on one.  It looked as though it had a big smile and a white beard.  He walked a bit farther and was looking for the next blaze which he had a hard time finding.  Finally, he spotted it on a boulder about 40 feet above his head. It was another "scrabble" - mountain - of rocks to climb.  He said whoever drew the smiley face sure had a sense of humor!

Not only did he have more boulders to climb, it rained for the 3rd day in a row and Dave said the day "was a hard slog."  The trail had turned into a creek and all his clothes are wet except for one pair of socks he was saving for when he could crawl into his sleeping bag.  (Just shoot me now.)

I asked if he had met any more interesting hikers.  He said he's behind the last group he knew as he took time off to go into Unionville, and they kept going. Thursday there was a very quiet guy in the shelter with whom Dave tried to start a conversation, but he didn't respond.  Dave thought he smelled marijuana.  After a while, the guy said, Do you mind if I smoke?  Dave said no and the guy lit up his bong.  Then a cigarette.  Then another pipeful of -- whatever.  THEN the guy got real chatty.  I asked what his trail name was.  Dave said I asked him, and his answer was "Dave."

Dave (my Dave) chatted with a day hiker Friday who was out birdwatching, as evidently he does quiet often.  His name was Mushroom.

Dave is looking forward to his next motel stay so he can do laundry and dry out. It's 30 miles away, so it will take another couple days to get there.

Dave was able to call Candace and Sandy to wish them Happy Birthday, and was pleased Candace answered her phone!  He was able to talk to Jeff, too.

Megan and I had a fabulous dinner at Circa 1875 with Adriana and Dennis last night.  Adriana asked if we knew what rehydrated meal Dave was having.  I did not know, but I'm sure it wasn't anything like what we were enjoying!

Day 12 on the Trail

Dave and I had a difficult time getting connected yesterday evening.  He called while our power was flickering then went out (as did our phones) and even my cell phone was not getting good service.  I plugged in our old phone that doesn't need electricity and we were finally able to talk.

As of 6/23/11
Miles today: 8.6
Miles to date: 132.8

As I've mentioned before, those are miles strictly on the trail, and do not include additional miles he walked to get to the Post Office and to the grocery store to resupply.

Today is Dave's sisters' birthday and he said he would try to call.  If he does not get through, his message is Happy Birthday Candace and Sandy!

Dave made it into Unionville, NY, yesterday and picked up the first resupply box he packed in advance.  He overestimated his food a little (much better than underestimating!) and asked me to take a few items out of the next box.  Also, he was not thrilled with one type of 'trail bars' he made and doesn't want to eat any more of them. He said his cranberry ones were good, but the 'brown' ones - whatever they may be - were not.

After 5 days of finding wonderful fresh blueberries, there were none to be found on Thursday.  He saw deer, wild turkey and 5 swans yesterday, and told me that earlier on his hike he saw geese flying - below his point on the trail!

If the Maners are reading, Dave wants Mary to know he finished the de- and rehydrated vodka sauce she made, and enjoyed every bite of his flavorful pasta!

He also enjoyed a GOOD cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll when he was in town.  Unfortunately, it was still raining, so he didn't stick around for lunch, he got back on the trail to make sure he got to the next shelter in time to get a spot inside.

Dave was still singing the praises of the privately owned shelter from the night before.  Jim Murray, a hiker himself, built it for the hikers going through his property.  It has solar showers which provide hot water, and he also dug a well so hikers can pump fresh water.  Jim is what you call a Trail Angel!

One of the hikers in Jim's cabin came in totally soaked from head to foot.  He put down his bag, crawled in it, and fell asleep about 6:30 pm.  Unfortunately, he was an extremely loud sleeper, snoring, snorting and coughing.  No one could sleep and one guy actually left the cabin about midnight to pitch his tent outside to get away from the racket.  This caused some noise, everyone was awake, and the hiker was quiet.
Dave: Are you awake?
Hiker: Yes.
Dave: Are you allergic to Benedryl?
Hiker: No.
Dave: Take these.
Dave said everyone slept better afterwards, and the hiker didn't even wake up until after 7:30.  Dave was afraid he might be sick or something, but when he did wake up, he packed up his stuff and left.  Dave was glad he did not find him in last night's shelter.  This is where Dave spent last night - Pochuck Mountain Shelter.  Its style and size is typical of the shelters along the trail.

Dave's biggest challenge now that the trail is much better (goodbye rocks) is that his boots are wet and he needs sun to give them time to dry out.  The rain gear he made is not holding up to the hard rain he's been in, so I will be sending his REI jacket and pants in his next box.  He says he expects to get some rain showers every day, but dry weather is supposed to be ahead.  Keep your fingers crossed.

He mentioned the trail names of couple of hikers - Gypsy who is from Australia, and Mayo (because he loves ... mayo) is from England.  He mentioned a few more, but I was taking notes by flashlight and somehow didn't get all the names down.

Megan is visiting; it's nice to have company!  Tonight we're going out to dinner with Adriana and Dennis, who are here from Atlanta.  

Day 11 on the Trail

Dave had to guess at his mileage again today, as the campground where he intended to stay was closed and he kept going until he found a backup place.  He's in a privately owned shelter, which is much better than the standard 3-sided shelters on the trail.  This one is a real cabin with real showers and bunks.  It does not include mattresses, just wooden platforms where the hikers roll out their pads and sleeping bags.

His guess:
Miles today: 7
Miles to date: 124.2

It rained all day, so the walk was slower and the cabin amenities were greatly appreciated.  The cabin is full of people; Dave called me from outside, in the rain, so he could have a little privacy.  I was at Dana and Bill Boden's, so we talked just a few minutes.  I was enjoying pork chops, roasted vegetables, potato salad, artisan bread and a nice red wine.  I didn't have the heart to ask Dave what rehydrated stew he was eating tonight.

He expects to get to Unionville, NJ, before noon tomorrow and will (hopefully) pick up the package I sent him last week.  He said his food supply held out better than planned, and he even gave some away today.  Dave was in good spirits, very hopeful the rain passes through and he has a dry day to hike tomorrow.  He'll spend some time in Unionville, getting to the PO and picking up additional supplies such as peanut butter and probably pizza!

Day 10 on the Trail

The campground where Dave pitched his tent tonight is not on his chart so he is guessing at his mileage:

Miles today: 13
Miles to date: 117.2

When he gets to a site or shelter that is on his chart, we'll be able to record his mileage more accurately.

Dave had a good hiking day, though the air was muggy and again he is swarmed with mosquitos.  He was looking forward to getting in his tent and zipping up the insect screen!

He happily reported he has been able to find and eat fresh blueberries for the 4th day in a row.  He also came across some "trail magic."  A day hiker had brought 3 gallons of water and put sodas on ice.  The water saved Dave from having to take a side trip to fill his canteen (now called hydration packs), and he sure enjoyed two sodas!

He has not seen a bear, just bear scat.  Another hiker at this evening's camp has seen 14 bears already.  Dave wants to see a bear!

A "Ridge Runner" was in their camp tonight.  Ridge Runners are summer hires who work for the state and hike from camp to camp, making sure the hikers are okay and the facilities are kept in shape.  He had to empty the bear box, as some lazy campers (often weekend campers, not through-hikers) left their trash, including leftover food and the food was rotting and smelly.  Everyone is supposed to pack out whatever they take into a campsite.  A bear had been in camp trying to get to it and made a racket until about 2 in the morning.  Bear boxes are supposed to be used by campers to protect their food from bears, not used as a trash can!

Dave was pleased he knew everyone at the campsite tonight.  It makes the evening more fun when you are with people you know.

He called on my cell phone while I was at a gathering of friends at the marina.  We were having a BYOB and appetizer dinner.  It was hot hot hot but lots of fun.  All the guys that know Dave sent him their regards -- Tim, Peter, Jim, Rick and also JoJo!

Day 9 on the Trail

Miles today - 17.7
Miles to date - 104.2

Another long hike for Dave today, and it was not his intention.  When he called, he was moaning about his hurting feet.  His intended stopping point turned out to be in a swampy area, and he said he was nearly carried off by the millions of mosquitos.  He was out of water and had to go on a mile detour to get some, but he plowed on.  He was looking for the first good campground as he could not pitch his tent just anywhere - this is bear country.  He needed a place to be safe from the bears and to be able to hang his food in a tree (or put in a bear-safe locker).  No luck.  A few miles further he came to a road and knew from his guidebook a couple of motels were not far away.  He stuck out his thumb to hitchhike into town.  An elderly woman, at least 80 years old he said, picked him up.  He was very surprised she would do so, then decided it was because she needed someone to talk to.  He heard her life story - she's German and lived in East Germany but in the Consulate Section so had access to West Germany where she met her husband and since he had grown up in Maine they came back to the US in 1952 and she thinks Mt. Katahdin is an absolutely beautiful place.........

I think it was a small price to pay for the ride into town when your feet are killing you!  He is in Branchville, NJ.

Dave said he had his choice of two rat trap motels.  The only difference between them was their location, one on the south of town and one on the north.  He stayed at the one the woman chose.  For $55/night he doesn't have a tub to soak his feet in, a pen or a Gideon Bible.  He felt cheated!  The one good thing about this motel is it is next to an excellent Mexican restaurant.  Dave had water-diet Coke-water-beer-water-and a chili poblano.  He said it was the best he's ever had.  (Maybe he was just extra hungry??  Maybe not.)

Dave saw a beautiful pond today absolutely filled with lily pads.  There evidently were many large bullfrogs, as the noise was tremendous.

The hiking girls were "Clutch" and "Glad Gal".  He was supposed to meet them at his planned campsite, but the mosquitos must have scared everyone away.  Thank you.

By the way, when he reports his miles, he does not count the detours and side trips required for water, trips into town and re-provisioning.  The miles are strictly miles on the trail.  Today he probably walked at least 20 miles total.

I am still wearing my exercise clothes and need to head to the shower.  I took a cardio-dance class this morning, filled two trash barrels with debris from our Saturday night storm, went to a second dance class, worked on the July-Sept. Flower Delivery schedule for church then went to Molly's for dinner.  I threw a football with Chase for a while, and came home to do more computer work.  Off to the shower!

Day 8 on the Trail

Two posts in one day!  Lucky Readers!  Dave called before 8 pm; tonight I have the energy to write, but sorry, there's not much news.  He had very poor service from the Mohican Outdoor Center shelter, and we lost our connection once.  The second phone call was short.

Dave's report on 6/19:
Miles today - 16.3
Miles to date - 86.5

Dave crossed into New Jersey today.  He had two fellow hikers, both female.  He told me their trail names, which now escape me.  He said they have hiked the White Mountains (in New Hampshire) and were giving him tips.  Good excuse!! For the first time, he commented how pretty the scenery was, then quickly said there was a beautiful glacial lake.  I can't find a map of that area, so I don't know for sure what lake it is.

While I was looking for a guidebook, I came across Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods.  I've not read it but have heard about it for years.  I looked to see if there was a chapter about the area where Dave has been hiking, and found these gems:

"I never met a hiker with a good word to say about the trail in Pennsylvania.  It is, as someone told a National Geographic reporter in 1987, the place where boots go to die. ... (There is) mile upon mile of jagged, oddly angled slabs of stone strewn about in wobbly piles ... a sea of rocks.  These require constant attentiveness if you are not to twist an ankle or sprawl on your face - not a pleasant experience with fifty pounds of momentum on your back.  Lots of people leave Pennsylvania limping and bruised."  It's even more of an accomplishment for Dave who had only flat surfaces to walk on in Savannah as he prepared for this trip.  Good going, David.

Dave carries 30-40 pounds of gear on his back in an Ospry pack rather than the 50 pounds Bryson carried.  Equipment and the availability of dehydrated food have improved what hikers have to carry since 1998 when A Walk in the Woods was published.

Reading further, I believe Dave saw Sunfish Pond - "something of a glorious novelty, since nowhere south of here will you find a body of water on a mountaintop.  It is in fact the first glacial feature northbound hikers come across." When Dave calls next, I'll read him some of Bryson's descriptions if we have a good connection and if his phone battery has lots of charge left on it.

I've learned a lot in the week Dave has been gone.  I can now make my own cosmos, I got the wireless printer working, and I've learned I'd better cut the grass before it gets too long.  It was tough going yesterday - or maybe it's because I did it after playing 9 holes of golf (and walking) in the 90º+ heat.  I sure slept well last night.  There was a lightning and thunderstorm about midnight that had everyone talking today - there were tree limbs down and a lot of debris had blown into the pool.  I never heard a thing.

I was able to wish Dave a Happy Fathers' Day.  He deserves it!

Day 7 on the Trail

Dave's report on 6/18:
Miles today: 17.4
Miles to date: 70.2

It was a long hike for Dave yesterday, but he was fully energized after his night in a motel, a shower and big breakfast in the morning.  He had good weather and was eager to get to the hostel in Delaware Water Gap by late afternoon, which he did.  It's a popular shelter, run by a Methodist Church, and all the beds in the hostel were filled by the time he got there.  Fortunately there was an overflow shelter where he was going to pitch his tent.  The hostel had showers, and that was the real appeal!

He had dinner in another pizza place, ordered a stromboli this time, and drank several glasses of tea.  He decided to skip the beer - but not the ice cream!  He estimates he had at least 24 oz!  As he was leaving the restaurant, the man leaving right behind him (a local) asked Dave if he was a hiker.  When Dave said yes, the man said, I have something for you ... and pulled a big ripe cantaloupe out of the back of his truck.  Dave said he could smell it immediately and told the man he was grateful to have fresh fruit.  Dave plans to share it with the other hikers this morning.

Some hostels are run by nonprofits and/or churches, some are for-profit.  Some provide transportation to restaurants, shops and even back to the trail for a few bucks.  They often have boxes of food and clean clothing left by other hikers and you can take what you need and leave what you don't need.  Occasionally Dave would put on the clean clothes in order to be able to wash all of his, then leave the hostel's clothes for the next guy.

Just Walking is the trail name of the guy sharing the shelter with Dave last night. Dave asked him where he got on the trail, and after listening to a l-o-n-g explanation of how he spent a whole day just finding the trail, Dave thought his name should be Just Talking. Dave left the shelter, made some calls, and wasn't going back until he saw the guy get in his sleeping bag.  Dave uses a Mountain Hardware bag, if anyone has wondered.

Dave said he and Pyro have met some though-hikers that have already walked from the southern terminus in North Georgia!  At this point on the trail, they are in full stride and go faster than Dave.  (Dave is not a fast walker, but he is steady and can go forever.) He thinks that by his 3rd week, he'll be in the kind of shape he needs to be to keep the same pace - and he'll be meeting more hikers that have Maine as their destination.

Pyro met up with his sister who lives about an hour away from the hostel.  Dave is on his own now, and though he will be fine, I'll be happier when I hear he meets someone he enjoys hiking with, or at least seeing at the shelters in the evenings. A guy - a guy!!

Dave said he called Dale, to wish him a Happy Father's Day, and to remind him that yesterday was Rhea's birthday.  Rhea was Dave's daughter (Dale's sister) who died when she was only 6 years old.  Rhea would have been 40 yesterday.

Yesterday was also Jack Terndrup's birthday - a wonderful man who is missed by many.

Today is 2011's Fathers' Day.  Cheers to the fathers who have been, and are, important in my life, especially my own Dad.

Days 5 & 6 on the Trail

I'm a little behind - I stayed with Mr. Coleman Huggins Thursday evening and all day Friday while Molly and Chad went to NC to pick up Chase from camp.  It's a blow to my ego to say that little 3 year old wore me out!  One of the more challenging games we played was "Surfing."  We were at the pool and Coleman wanted to stand on the Spiderman kickboard and surf.  He has picture perfect posture with bent knees and arms stretched out straight.  The only problem was trying to stay upright on the kickboard, so Mimi (yes, that would be me) would hold the board, and swing it around, with Coleman on it, to make the waves.  He leaned his butt against my shoulder and did well keeping his balance, but the wave machine didn't last as long as he would have liked her to.

On to Dave's report:
Miles 6/16 and 6/17 - 13.7
Miles to date - 52.8

He is just a little behind schedule - only 3 miles - due to the steep terrain on Thursday and the rain on Friday.  It rained all Thursday night and was clearing up Friday morning, so they hustled to get going, but then encountered another big storm.  There was a lot of lightning; they sat it out under a bridge that provided a fair amount of shelter.  After a long rest with no let up in the rain, they trudged on.  Three hours later it was still pouring and they were crossing a road with a motel within a short distance, so they decided to detour into town.  When Dave called last night, he was in great spirits.  He had checked into the motel, taken a long hot shower (and said he didn't want to get out!), had done his laundry, eaten a big hamburger with fries and a beer, and later had ice cream.  He said his feet were sore and at 8:30 he was propping them up on the bed.

He said he expects one more day of the rocky trail, then it should get better. Pyro is leaving today, though he may join up with Dave later in the trip.  Dave plans to spend the night in a hostel in Delaware Water Gap if the weather is better and if he can make up the mileage today.  This motel stop was unexpected but much needed.  This is what he usually sleeps in - a Big Agnes UL-1 one man tent.

Dave was very dismayed to discover, as he was doing his laundry and drying everything out, he didn't have the tarp he uses under his tent.  He assumes it didn't make it into his pack when they left their last campsite.  He knows he rolled it up, but it was in a black bag, and he must have overlooked putting it in his backpack as they were hurrying to get going before the rain started again.  He will have to get a substitute, as he likes to have something between the ground and his tent.

I asked if he was drinking coffee in the morning.  He said he has a few days, thanks to Pyro, who brought Starbucks Via packs with him.  He said he hadn't packed any coffee or tea, but asked that I put some in his next box.  He really likes the Via.  I tried it once and was very pleasantly surprised at how good it was.  I'll get enough for both of us.

Thursday night at the campsite he had barbequed pork and mashed potatoes. He said the black bean chili with corn on a tortilla was his best meal yet.  That was before the trip into town for the hamburger and beer, of course.

Let's hope the rain lets up and Dave makes it to the hostel as planned.  It will be no big deal if he doesn't, though, since he's had a chance to clean up and rest up.

Day 4 on the Trail

Dave's report on 6/15:
Miles today - 10.9
Miles to date - 39.1

Dave was planning to walk approximately 10 miles/day when he started out, and he's right on target.  As I sit here drinking my morning coffee in an air conditioned house, I can't help but be happy Dave enjoys drinking his coffee by a fire, outside, no matter what the weather, after a night of sleeping on the ground. Different strokes!  Now I'm wondering - did Dave take coffee with him?  I'm not sure he did. I know he boils water in the morning then pours some in a lexan jar, along with his dinner for the evening.  His dinner at that point looks like dark crunchy cereal.  It's in a vacuum-packed bag the size of a hamburger.  He pours the crunchy dinner into the hot water and screws the lid on the jar.  He carries it with him all day and by evening it's been rehydrated into some semblance of a stew.  Dave is still learning how much water to add.  Too much and the meal is watery, not enough and it can be a little crunchy (like his first dinner) or thick like last night which was black bean chili with corn.  Since the consistency was a little too thick, he spread it on a flour tortilla and said it was delicious.  Okay!

This stove in this picture should look like Dave's - I got it off the 'net.  He carries a Snow Peak Giga Power with isobutane canisters.

I asked if the trail was fairly easy; he laughed as he said NO.  He laughed so hard I asked if he was laughing about something else - ?  He said no, he's laughing because otherwise he'd cry.  He said the trail has been very rocky, and in fact he had just gone across a section called The Knife's Edge.  It was composed of rocks and boulders with a 45º drop off on one side and he had to practically crawl over part of it.  He is really glad he bought the boots he did, as they are keeping his feet and ankles in shape. What about his knees?

Pyro had gone into town to resupply and they had no problem meeting up later in the day. For those of you who know the area, they should be close to Wind Gap, PA this evening.

I asked Dave about his weather, and he said the days are hot but the nights are down in the 50's which is very comfortable.  He's had just a few drops of rain.  And speaking of rain, I am thrilled we finally got rain last night - over an inch. I don't think we've had any rain since March.  Seriously.  

I will be mailing a box of food to Dave today, and I have to go to the Lexus dealership to pick up my new key case - not the whole key, just the black plastic part that keeps the electronics inside safe.  Want to guess the price?  $92.  I guess it's that fancy L on the side. The first one lasted 7 years, and it should!, so I hope this one will last at least that long.

The box I'm mailing today is a Medium Priority Mail box.  Dave packed seven before he left.  Today's box contains 11 dinners, almonds, instant potatoes, 7 snack bars, a bag of tortillas, hot chocolate (hmm, no coffee), drink mixes (for electrolytes), dried fruit, granola, a package of powdered milk and dried tortellini. Since he'll be in town to pick it up, he'll also buy whatever else he needs, like peanut butter.  I'll be interested to see how this system works, as I'm sending it to General Delivery.  I'll let you know!

Day 3 on the Trail

I could probably write "ditto" and you would get the idea of how Dave's day was yesterday.

His report on 6/14:
Miles today - 13.3
Miles to date - 28.2

He has had decent but hot weather, and is feeling more like a through hiker every day.  His hiking companion for the week, Pyro the Wise, has run out of food and will have to take a detour into a close-by town today, but Dave will hike on to the Outerbridge Shelter as planned.  They plan to meet there by the end of the day.  With Dave's lighter dehydrated food, he was able to carry 10 days worth.  I will be mailing a box of food to him tomorrow.

I asked if the Savannah men were still on the same route.  Dave was happy to report they had left a car nearby, so were taking a day off to go into town.  There was a misunderstanding somewhere along the line between Dave and me (surprise surprise) as I learned there ARE two Scouts along with the men.  They are supposed to be earning a merit badge, but Dave said he's not sure how much they are learning -- at least about hiking and camping.  He said the men's skills leave a lot to be desired, especially when it comes to hiking etiquette.

I told Dave about my expensive trip for car servicing and tires and the mundane things I did with my day.  He asked if I had scheduled any golf lessons.  I have not, and I'd better do it; I told him I'd beat him when he got back.  (Big bluff.)  It's a little hard to get motivated in this heat.  It was 102º two days ago, and in the high 90s since then.  I guess a whiner is the mark of a new golfer, right?

Day 2 on the Trail

Happy Flag Day!  I'm sorry to say I wasn't thinking about the date until I was doing errands.  I didn't get home until almost 6 pm - too late to put my flag out.  It was hung on our front fence for Memorial Day Weekend, though!

Dave called about 8:30 last night; I am just now updating.  The time on this post must be Pacific time, as it is 3 hrs earlier than my actual posting time.

His report on 6/13:
Miles today - 9.1
Miles to date - 14.9

The reason the miles are reported with tenths of a mile is because the distances between shelters are shown that way in the guide books.  Dave planned where he will stop every day, so I have that info.  Of course things may change.

Dave said he's feeling better and getting the hang of giving his dehydrated food long enough to soften up completely.  His first night's dinner was still a little crunchy.  Oh my, dehydrated, rehydrated and crunchy?  He's a better man than I.

He said people on the trail have seen rattlers, but he has not.  Let's hope he does not get up close and personal with any snakes!  He also said the group of guys from Savannah again stayed at the same shelter/campground as he and Pyro, and they were louder and crankier this evening.  When Dave called, he was already in his sleeping bag in his tent; and sometimes the guys were so loud he couldn't hear me talk.  That's what he told me, anyway.  Hopefully they won't hike at the same pace for the whole week.

I had an expensive day today.  I took my car in for the 110,000 mile servicing.  I also had a nail in my rear tire.  As it turns out, I also had some bare spots on my tires - after only 30,000 miles.  argh.  A thousand dollars and many hours later --- I was on my way.  The good news (I'm looking under rocks) is that these new tires feel and sound SO MUCH BETTER.  I never liked the previous set, as they seemed hard and loud.  Good thing I had requested a loaner car and was able to get the rest of my errands done.

Dave said Pyro took a picture of the two of them and sent it to me but alas, I never got it. Instead, I'll share a picture of Chase at Camp Sea Gull:

 
For those of you who don't know Chase, he is the kid with the biggest smile - the 3rd boy from the left.

Dave will call (and I will post) as often as possible.  I'm a little surprised he has had cell phone service the last two nights.  It was much spottier when he was on the southern part of the trail.  I know the northern part is closer to civilization, so we'll see how it goes.

First Day on the Trail

I finally heard from Dave about 8 pm this evening.  He and Pyro had set up their tents and were getting ready to hunker down for the evening.  The shelter was full - with 6 men from Savannah!  They were a group that regularly works with Scouts - some Scout leaders, some Scout dads, and a judge.  They are out for a week of hiking and camping without the boys.

Now to explain how Dave got to his campsite.  The Silver Meteor left Savannah over two hours late, but they were able to make up most of the time overnight.  He made his connection in Philadelphia.  Whew.  In the meantime, Kelly picked up Pyro at his hotel (he flew in from Orlando yesterday) then got Dave at the Paoli, PA, Amtrak station, and drove them to Port Clinton.  THANK YOU KELLY!!!!!!

Dave and Pyro hiked almost 6 miles to their campsite.  Dave said he was very tired, partially from not sleeping well on the train, but mostly due to the heat, humidity and carrying his pack.  He said he felt very hungry and maybe even a little dehydrated.  It will take a few days to get acclimated to hiking again.  Kelly said it may rain soon, but I'm hoping it will hold off (for Dave, we need rain).  Last year, Dave had rain the first 10 days of his hike and it was an experience he's not eager to repeat.

Dave ate his first meal of dehydrated food - orzo, vodka sauce, cheese and turkey jerky.  Mmmmm. not. Supposedly his cache of dehydrated food will be better (and lighter weight) than what he had last year.  That's a good thing.

Dave is camping on the AT, and our 6-year old grandson Chase is spending his first week at Camp Seagull in Arapahoe, NC.  It's the same camp Chad went to for several summers when he was a boy.  Molly said Chase was SO excited, he didn't give a backward glance as he rushed off to join the campers and counselors.  You know who cried?  His grandmother (that would be me).  And I wasn't even there -- I cried when Molly told me about it on the phone!  And yes, I cried when I left Dave at the train station.  I'm just glad Dave and Chase weren't the ones with tears!!

I have a correction -- Dave's hiking bud is Pyro the WISE (not the Great).  It's a better name to live up to, don't you think?!

Dave Leaves Savannah

Dave in Savannah - June 11, 2011

I thought I'd start another blog, this time to keep Dave's family and friends updated with his summer adventure.  And since I have a weakness for talking about myself, fair warning, I may get sidetracked ...

Dave has all his gear for a 3 month hike in his backpack.  Amazing, isn't it?  His pack wouldn't even hold the shoes I'd need for 3 months.  I took this picture just before we got in the car for our 20-mile drive to the Amtrak station.  He's taking the train to Paoli, PA, where Kelly, the daughter-in-law of a good friend, will pick him up and take him to the trail in Port Clinton, PA.  Not only is she getting Dave, she also picking up a guy Dave met on the trail last year, who is going to walk with him for a week.  We haven't met Kelly, but we think she's awesome!

We arrived at the Savannah Amtrak station at 6:30 pm, an hour before the train was scheduled to depart.  It did not occur to us to check to see if the train was on time before we left home.  It was not, in fact it is projected to be two hours late - so far.  Not a great start to the trip.  Hopefully some time can be made up tonight.  Dave and his hiking buddy "Pyro the Great" had hoped to get on the trail in mid-afternoon tomorrow in order to have time to hike to the nearest shelter before dark.  

Dave met Pyro at the end of his 6-week hike last summer, and they were very compatible, so made plans to hike together again this year.  Pyro is still working, and was promoted to a manager position, so he can't take off 2-3 weeks at a time as he did last year.  He's going to hike next week, then if he can, join Dave later in the summer for another week.

Through-hikers (as opposed to day-hikers) have trail names.  Pyro came by his name because of his reputation for making great fires every evening.  Dave is known as Old Granddad - not because he drinks the vile stuff, but because, see if you can follow this, Dave's father's friend presented him with a bottle when Dave's son Dale was a bun in the oven. (Get it?  Dave's father was about to become an Old Granddad.)  The bottle was opened when Dale was born, again when Dale turned 21, and it was finished off at the memorial celebration after Dave's father's death.  Dale kept the bottle.

That same bottle showed up again in 2001 when Dave's (our) first grandchild was on the way.  At least Dale had the good sense to refill it with Scotch.  It was filled again upon the imminent arrival of Dale's second child.  Now our 4 grandchildren call Dave Granddad, so it was logical that Dave chose "Old Granddad" as his trail name.