Category Archives: Uncategorized

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AT-PA Port Clinton to Windsor Furnace Shelter 6.1 miles

Day 1: June 20, 2015

Google, Bag Lady, CanDo and I met up at our hotel on Friday, June 19.  We cruised by Cabela’s in Port Clinton since CanDo had a last minute gear issue, then had a great dinner before returning to our hotel for the night.

In the morning, it was raining.  Pouring actually.  Oh, to start a section hike in the pouring rain would be demoralizing, not to mention just plain crappy.  We got in our cars and headed up to Lehigh Gap.  We were leaving two cars at the east parking lot in the Gap.  After getting each car parked and our gear into Google’s car, we headed back down to Port Clinton.

Then, glorious divine intervention! The rain stopped!

Google parked in the lot just south of town on Rt. 61.  CanDo decided to hike the Blue Blaze to the AT, while Google, Bag Lady and I took the longer route through town.  The barbershop already had a few thru hikers hanging out in front and they called out a friendly hello as we passed by.  The barber tried to distract us with cookies, but we were focused, determined, and ready to hike!

Continuing down the street, a cute beagle let us know we were on his territory as we walked by his fenced yard!  Turning the corner we were now on the AT and soon saw CanDo waiting for us at the gate.

Google & Bag Lady

Google & Bag Lady

We were now officially on our way!  The walk along the Schuylkill River is very pleasant, although there were a few muddy spots this morning.  We chatted about Scott Jurek.  He was currently about 35 miles behind us…Bag Lady had been tracking him all week.  We had all been discussing the possibility of seeing him during our trek, and now it looked like he might pass us somewhere on the trail today!!

When we started climbing Blue Mountain out of Port Clinton conversation all but stopped as the terrain became steeper.  Google and CanDo pulled ahead, while Bag Lady and I kept a more casual pace (translation: slow as molasses but not as sweet).

Climbing Blue Mountain

Climbing Blue Mountain

Bag Lady & I found Google & CanDo waiting for us at the top!

Bag Lady & I found Google & CanDo waiting for us at the top!

 

It was a long climb with a full pack, but eventually the endorphins kicked in leaving me giddy! Suddenly, everything was great…the weather, the view, the trail, being outdoors, life, oh…I thought someone was going to slap me I felt so good! 🙂

The trail from the top of Blue Mountain to the shelter was surprisingly decent.  There were some small rocky spots, but plenty of smooth trail too.

Descending around the rocks

Descending around the rocks

Pocahontas Spring sign

Pocahontas Spring sign

Consulting the Map

Consulting the Map

Not a bad trail!

Not a bad trail!

A little more rocky, but still decent!

A little more rocky, but still decent!

Back to sweet trail

Back to sweet trail

Hamburg Road

Hamburg Road

Windsor Furnace Area

Windsor Furnace Area

Our packs were covered in case of rain, but we arrived at the shelter high and dry!  We set up, ate dinner, and checked in to see where Scott was on the trail.  He was approaching Port Clinton!  Then the tracker showed he had stopped for a while.

Waiting for Scott

Waiting for Scott

We checked in a while later, Scott was still in Port Clinton…and it had begun to rain.  Then it started storming…Scott was still in Port Clinton at 8:30 pm…guess he was spending the night.

One more check in…yep, still in Port Clinton!

Headed to bed, but by all means feel free to hike on!

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Great Hike Near Frederick, Maryland on the AT (6.4 miles)

Got a couple of hours?  Have you ever visited the original Washington Monument?

Well, you could just drive up but why???  This is a nice out and back hike to the Monument on the Appalachian Trail (AT).

Park at the Rt 40 parking lot for the AT (new 40, not the old 40 that goes past South Mountain Inn).

Head south on the AT passing over I-70 on the bridge.  I drive under this bridge frequently … it was super exciting to walk across this bridge the first time I took this hike!  You will love it and if you have kids, they will definitely be loving the semi tractor trailers zooming just below their feet! They might even get a few honks! 🙂 🙂

Bridge over I-70

Bridge over I-70

Once over the bridge, the AT squeezes between two houses.  Respect the boundaries for the AT!

Cross the road and continue on the AT as it heads slightly uphill and passes the Bartram Trail.  The Bartram Trail links to Greenbrier State Park.

Many animals make their home along the trail, deer, bear, and even turtles!

What a cute little guy!

What a cute little girl! If the turtle had red eyes, then it would be a boy.

This is also a nice trail for dogs.  Sidekick Pauli loves to hikes here!

After about a mile, the trail crosses Boonesboro Mountain Road.  Be careful! Traffic can come though here pretty fast!
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The rest of the hike is wooded and shady with two power line crossings.  Some of the trail is smooth easy walking while other parts are rocky.
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Most of the hills are small and increase elevation slowly, that is until you get just past the second powerline crossing.  At that point, the trail makes its final climb up to the Washington Monument.
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The first time I did this hike I packed a picnic lunch and walked the 3.2 miles to the Washington Monument.  Sitting in the shade of the apple tree, I ate my picnic lunch while taking in the view of the Monument and Boonesboro in the valley below.  Then I backtracked 3.2 miles to my car in the Rt. 40 lot.  It was very peaceful!
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Enjoy!

Get Outside!

and Hike on! 🙂

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AT-PA Rt183 to Port Clinton 6/6/2015

I’m back Pennsylvania!

Thank goodness I found a hiking pal in PA! It has been a lot of fun hiking these last couple of sections with Cindy, trail name “CanDo”.

This time around, I got to the parking area off Rt. 61 in Port Clinton with no major drama, just a little rerouting around Harrisburg due to roadwork.  It is a nice little lot south of the town and has a blue blaze to the AT.  As soon as I got the car backed into a spot (beautifully I might add), a text came in from CanDo.  “I’m in the Rt. 61 lot.”  Ummm…but I am in the Rt. 61 lot and it was clear she was not.  This was soon sorted out…two lots, different sides of the highway.  My lot was deemed the nicer choice to leave a car, so CanDo picked me up and we headed down to the Rt. 183 gameland parking lot.

Pulled in, gathered our packs, then headed up the gameland road to get to the AT.  It was 8:45 and 15 miles were ahead of us.  I like smaller goals, so I set my sights on Eagles Nest Shelter, about 6 miles in.

Intersection of the Gameland Road and AT...right turn and off we go!

Intersection of the Gameland Road and AT…right turn and off we go!

A deer jumped to the side of the road flicking his white tail before disappearing for good into the woods.  Good morning to you too, little deer!

Reaching the intersection with the AT we also disappeared into the woods, taking a right, headed north.  There were no climbs initially, just a few rocky spots, so we soon found ourselves passing Black Swatara campsite and spring. The campsite looks to be large enough to serve a group comfortably.  Someone has handcrafted a gorgeous sign for the site!

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It was a wonderful day for hiking! The rain had finally cleared out leaving us with a morning of cool temps, blue skies and refreshing breezes! The trail was a regular amount of rocky as we stomped on towards Eagles Nest shelter.

Only another two miles until the shelter!

Only another two miles until the shelter!

Eagles Nest Shelter has windows and gutters!

Eagles Nest Shelter has windows and gutters!

The shelter was 0.3 miles off the trail, which meant we added a little over a half mile to our trip by stopping for lunch there. We opted to pass on another 0.1 mile to see the view since we would get an overlook further down the trail.

What a super respite!  We lolligagged for about 45 minutes before heading back to the AT. I took off my boots, laid back on the shelter floor and propped my feet up on the wall. Ahhhh!!!

This shelter even has a mirror!

This shelter even has a mirror!

Taking a break fooled my mind into thinking I hadn’t actually hiked this morning. So starting out after lunch was like starting anew on a 9 mile day hike, not the 15 we had originally undertaken. “I got this!” I said to myself.

The woods was still carpeted with thick ferns, but now the mountain laurel was beginning to bloom as well.  Just gorgeous pockets of mountain laurel blossoms brightened up the darkness of the forest.  We walked through admiring all of it!

Another little break along the trail.

Another little break along the trail.

The miles were just melting away and I still felt good.  The guide book warns of the severe rockiness of the last six miles.  I found the guide book to be wrong in this case.  There were some spots of heavy duty rock hopping, but most of the trail just seemed like regular old Pennsylvania rocky!

Now this ... this is one of the REALLY rocky sections! :)

Now this … this is one of the REALLY rocky sections! 🙂

Feeling pretty triumphant at Auburn Overlook.

Feeling pretty triumphant at Auburn Overlook.

The hardest part for me was the steep downhill into Port Clinton.  Slow go there for sure.  My knees and thighs were relieved when we were in sight of the bike trail at the bottom of the hill. Then another short down on some very suspect steps and we were at the Port Clinton trail depot.  And since we had not had enough walking on rocks all day long…we proceeded to tramp all over the ballast to look at the trains!! Go figure…we are nuts!

Trail comes out to Fire Road, then turns back into the woods...almost missed this arrow!!

Trail comes out to Fire Road, then turns back into the woods…almost missed this arrow!!

Yay! Reached the rail trail!!

Yay! Reached the rail trail!!

The final assault, I mean descent, to the depot.

The final assault, I mean descent, to the depot.

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As we left the train depot, a guy stops and asks, “hey, you two know about the all you can eat spaghetti dinner?”  WHAAAAAAT?!!!!!  Oh, this was the best end to a hike ever!

Oh Yeah!!!!!

Oh Yeah!!!!!

All You Can Eat!!!! Yesss!!!

All You Can Eat!!!! Yesss!!!

All You Can Eat Spaghetti Dinner…$8.

Feeling like real hiker trash…priceless!

Hike on! 🙂

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First Day Back on the Farm

There are someplaces that just accept, love and welcome you with open arms.
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Home. Here I am, standing in a field I have run through many times before. I am watching my dad steadily make his way over uneven clumps of dried grass and mud. He doesn’t remember who I am, but maybe it’s better that way. I can start over in some respect. I can enjoy the farm with him like I never could as a kid. I can remind him of the wonderful times I had, fill his head with memories of me that make him smile. We pass the corral he built…he remembers building it…says it was for sort of a sad reason. I tell him I remember. I remember yelling “yaw” as we herded the cows. I remember carrying a stick to lightly prod the cows. I remember being so brave. I tell him, “I was so brave back then.” He smiles.
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We keep walking. He is moving faster now.

We pass the old barn he started building, but didn’t finish. I remember there was a nest in the barn with sweet little baby birds. I checked on them every day climbing up on an upside down 5 gallon bucket,tip-toeing to look over the edge. I kept tabs on them until the day when they just weren’t there anymore. A few feathers at the bottom of an empty nest.
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I keep walking in his wake. He doesn’t even pause as we slide around the side of the well house. He built this too. It has a cellar that I was sure we would have to use someday to seek shelter during a tornado…it is Indiana.
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He is headed towards the cabin, I can see that now. He says there is a something falling down up here. I say “you built this, Daddy…look you wrote our names in the concrete between the logs…see here is Priscilla…here is Jessica…my name was over there where the wall has fallen…do you remember putting our names there? That was a really nice idea.”
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He asked me if I can find mine…”no Daddy, the wall has fallen, I think it is down there somewhere” and I point to the left wall that has collapsed into a jumbled heap of wood and concrete. He stands for a minute just looking straight at the cabin. “This is good wood, somebody could use this wood” he says.
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We start back down the drive, walking away from this place. He has picked up two forlorn toys to carry back to the house. I am looking around, for anything and everything from my childhood spent here. My dad waits patiently as I crash around in the brush looking. Not sure what I am looking for…except that it is something I need to find. I am touching everything, old cars, the trees, old toys and glass jars left behind, and now I see it…the survey marker.
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I crouch down and touch the metal marker. As a kid, I thought if I touched it, closed my eyes, and imagined really hard I could transport myself anywhere I wanted to go. Now, with eyes closed, I wish to… to be here.
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I stand back up and follow my Dad back down the drive. I remember his old box camera. “Hey Daddy, you remember that old box camera you used to take pictures with? Those were some great pictures.” He remembers, “That was a good camera. I think it’s around somewhere.” I desperately want a picture with my dad at this point. We are having a wonderful day and I want this moment forever. “Hey Daddy…do you know what a selfie is?” When I tell him he laughs out loud. “So you want to take a selfie?”

Hike on.

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Hiking in Winter by a Chunky Middle Aged Woman

First of all, let me say that I have not always been a fan of winter hiking.  In fact, up until a few years ago, as soon as that first cold wind blew, I went into hibernation mode, staying inside nurturing other hobbies like reading, sewing, drinking hot chocolate…embracing the chunky until Spring came around again.

I don’t know when it changed.  Trail Dames had something to do with it for sure.  I found out I could and would hike in winter IF I just signed up to attend a hike with Trail Dames.  Fast forward to NOW!  I love winter hiking.  The silence, the crunch of snow, the briskness of the air, NO BUGS, NO STICKY HOT HUMID AIR!!!

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Along the Appalachian Trail in Maryland

And the views! I can see through the trees and see the distant mountains!

No "green tunnel" here!

No “green tunnel” here!

And anyone for waterfalls???

White Oak Canyon in SNP

White Oak Canyon in SNP

But to love it I had to figure out how to happy in the cold.  That was my challenge!

Layering:

Everyone tells you to layer in the Winter, but what does that mean?  Well, don’t buy any cotton layers, that is for sure.  No cotton tshirts, no cotton long underwear…Cotton gets wet with sweat, which will chill you beyond belief and possibly right into hypothermia!  No cotton!!!  Here is how I layer…

  • Start with a moisture wicking base layer on both top & bottom.  I have a lightweight base layer and a heavyweight base layer.  If the temps are 30 – 50 I use the lightweight, anything below 30 and I choose the heavyweight.  It is a matter of choice…and only experience will tell what is comfortable for you!
  • For my legs, after the base layer, I put on wind pants (like gym pants).  This is enough on bottom for 99% of my hikes here in the MidAtlantic.  For the other 1% (when it is God-awful skin lashing cold) I put fleece pants on after the base layer, then the wind pants.
  • For my core (top), I follow the base layer with a typical short sleeved hiking shirt.  Then a long sleeved hiking shirt with a hoodie, then a fleece jacket, and finally a wind breaker.  That wind breaker is a key piece of the layering for me.  Wind can flippen freeze me to death…Do not underestimate the power of wind chill.
  • Okay, now let’s talk about head wear, and yes, you better have a good hat.  Not some chintzy piece of crap made out of fibers that won’t keep you warm.  Try a good wool hat…know why? Because wool will insulate even if it gets wet!  Also, make sure that hat pulls down over your ears, or even better, invest in a balaclava because you are going to need something around your neck!
  • My hands are covered with glove liners as well as a heavy glove.
  • For my feet, I just use my usual wool hiking socks with silk liners and a waterproof hiking boot.  My feet generally stay plenty warm (sometimes they even get hot).

So you are all layered up nicely and ready for your first winter hike!  Where do you go? My advice, so you can try out your layers is to pick a route, either on a trail or in the neighborhood, that is around two miles.  In two miles, you will know whether your layers need adjusting.   You do NOT want to find out that you have inefficiently layered on a long hike!!  If you get too warm, that is fine…because you can shed a layer or two as you warm up.  But if you are too cold, then you need to start off with better layers…either heavier weight or more layers.

View from Washington Monument, Boonesboro, MD

View from Washington Monument, Boonesboro, MD

Water:

Okay, the layers are working, yay! What’s next?  Let’s talk about water and staying hydrated.  In the winter you may not feel as thirsty as you do on a hot summer day. You might need to force yourself to take a drink of water as you hike down the trail. Camelbak has a neat hydration calculator you can use to give you an idea of how much water you should be taking in as you are hiking.

Sidekick Pauli and BoobOnARock at Possum's Rest along the AT in SNP

Sidekick Pauli and BoobOnARock at Possum’s Rest along the AT in SNP

Food:

Yes. Yes, take food.  Yummy stuff high in calories…you get to splurge here!  On a five mile hike I usually take a pb&j sandwich on multigrain bread, trail bar, m&m’s, and something salty, like pretzels.  Sometimes I carry a thermos with a hot beverage, which makes my break extra nice. If you hike with a canine companion, then bring snacks for him/her as well.  🙂

Not all winter hikes are snowy...30 degrees...Sidekick Pauli takes a break in Gambrill SP!

Not all winter hikes are snowy…30 degrees…Sidekick Pauli takes a break in Gambrill SP!

Take Breaks:

Definitely!  I usually hike on the Appalachian Trail, so there are shelters where I can stop, get out of the wind and relax while eating my lunch.  Try to plan your hike so there is a good break place in the middle somewhere.  If it is super cold, an emergency blanket can keep you comfortable so you don’t have cut your break short.

Jim & Molly Denton Shelter on the AT in VA...Nice break spot.

Jim & Molly Denton Shelter on the AT in VA…Nice break spot.

In addition, take little breaks along the way.  You might want to take along a pad to sit on…otherwise you could find yourself sitting on an icy log or in the snow!!

Sometimes I get so warm hiking some of the layers come off...like my hat and gloves.

Sometimes I get so warm hiking some of the layers come off…like my hat and gloves.

That’s it!  Seems like a lot, but with each hike out the prep gets easier!  I usually keep many of these items handy, either in my pack or a designated drawer in my dresser so they are ready to go when I am.

Have fun, stay safe and Hike on!

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Kick off the New Year! Annapolis Rocks & Hot Chocolate in the Shelter

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Nothing like a brisk hike in freezing temps to kick off the New Year! I had ulterior motives for this hike…I wanted to try out my new Esbit stove…but I will get to that later. So off we go!  A balmy 25 degrees as I sat and shivered waiting for my car to heat up. […]

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PATC Wilderness First Aid Weekend…Rain, Guys and Gore!

Wilderness First Aid?  Should I do this? Do I need this?

The contemplation of taking this class initially worried me a little bit…what if I was trying to help someone and I hurt them instead?  When it comes to blood and guts I am not squeamish, in fact my curiosity takes over and I actually like it…not that I want anyone to be in that state…but if I came upon someone that had, say, major wounds I am okay with dealing with it in a calm manner.  So if a counselor is needed, I feel I could talk down a patient and keep them calm…BUT…my confidence for being able to actually HELP medically …um…um…well, I could assist them in dying with dignity.

Recognizing this shortcoming in myself meant I needed to do something about it.  So should I do this?  Yes.  Biting my bottom lip and furrowing my brow, I completed the online registration and clicked “Submit”.  Submit, yes, submitting. Submitting to the unknown, the scary, the idea that now I would be truly responsible for helping in a medical emergency out on the trail.  I submitted.

And I DO need this!  I am a hike leader for the Trail Dames of Maryland with basic first aid and CPR.  I need more training.  My desire to keep the Dames safe supersedes my fear that I could do something wrong.

Well, there it is.  I felt like I would do it wrong.  It is that fear that has kept me from so many things.  I have to overcome the fear of failure in order to do every single little thing in my life.  I stayed out of college for far too long because I was afraid to fail (I didn’t), in a partnership with someone for far to long because I feared I couldn’t do it on my own (I was wrong) AND feared I would screw up my kids life (nope, he is awesome)…and here I was again, facing down the fear of failure.  But I did it!! Yay! 🙂 🙂

So off I went Saturday morning to the Emergency Response Training Center.  It was raining. It was cold.  oh joy.  I dressed in layers and rain gear taking my orange Osprey day pack filled with goodies for the day.  I got there with no problem and found coffee cake and coffee! Nice welcome!  Saleena and Dave DeVore, our fearless leaders for the day, welcomed all of us and after initial introductions started instruction. But let me just stop here to say that I WAS THE ONLY FEMALE!!!

Why do I need to say that? Because it matters to me and that is reason enough.  I didn’t mind too much…but felt that at least on one of the training activities I was singled out to be a scout because the designated “leader” didn’t think me capable of carrying the litter.  Saleena turned to me and said “They always do that, they always single out the women.”  I told her that it pissed me off until I saw they had to carry the litter (with patient) down a steep, muddy, slippery hill complete with obstacle they had to go under with patient and litter.  Yeah, go to it guys…knock yourselves out…and you know what? I am secretly hash tagging you, leader guy. 😉

The first day of training ended with a first aid kit shake down that was pretty funny and emasculating!  Very informative and I learned a great deal from Saleena about what is “really” needed and what can be left at home.  Bottom line…my kit needed a little bolstering. Especially for a hike leader!  I added a SAM splint and an emergency blanket with plans on adding better width ace bandage and a variety of other little updates.

The funniest item to add to the kit came on day two when we discussed bleeding.  Saleena asked us what we could use out of our packs to use as a dressing.  Typical answers like bandanas, socks and cotton shirts were thrown out.  Then Saleena whips out a post partum maternity pad out of her kit…oh, the looks on a few of the guys faces!!!!! Too funny, and WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!

The second day ended with a culminating activity to reinforce what we had learned during the previous 48 hours.  Three victims were placed in the woods along the trail.  They had a variety of life threatening injuries as they had been “attacked by a bear”.  My patient had been impaled by a stick (through the stomach), and the bear had taken a chunk out of her arm and shoulder.  Just for kicks they threw in that she was diabetic.  It was tough to think under pressure and not get caught up in the most obvious injury!  Afterward, we had a breakout session to discuss what went right and what could have gone better.  It was a great experience!

I come away feeling more confident for sure and would recommend everyone who hikes to get this training!

My next step is to peruse YouTube to learn more and to practice!! In addition, I am planning to act as a victim for upcoming WFA trainings because I think there is a lot to learn in that role as well…and being covered in blood and guts…how fun!

Hike On!

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Bogs, Fungi and A Really Pretty Pond at Cedarville State Forest 8/30/2014

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I headed down to Brandywine, Maryland this weekend to scout a hike for the Trail Dames (of Maryland) at Cedarville State Forest.  My sister, two of her daughters and I came down to explore this park a few months ago but only saw a few miles of trail before the skies opened up and we got […]

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AT-PA Yellow Springs Village to Peter’s Mountain Shelter 5/26/14

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May 26, 2014 Yellow Springs Campsite to Peter’s Mountain Shelter 13.5 miles,  Staying at shelter   Something like sciatic nerve pain, but down the front of my leg, kept me tossing all night.  Add that to continuously sliding off my mat and you have all the makings for an early rise! I had fallen asleep […]