End of the Trail

Well, after 1500 + miles, duty calls and i am off the trail. my military commitment outweighs getting to Maine. So on August 1st, in Dalton Mass, i got off the trail. had a great time and look forward to finishing it up when time permits. this is just another case of other commitments having priority over the trail. it is what it is. So, i move on. thanks for following and i will continue to post travels and adventures. BluDog

New York

24 July 2007 - mile1375 - Made it to New York a few days ago. ahve seen a group of hiker trash consisting of JB, Director, Unicycle Pirate, Tennesse Jed, Tenacious T, Cocoa, Sven and Uffda. New York has so far been very up and down with elevation changes in the 500s. not too much more. A second Roller Coster. but the trail is not as rocky as PA, Hiking the ridge line for the majority so far, then dipping down into the gaps. Stopped at Tiorati Lake for a quick dip, then called my old trail buddy Sylvan. She had gotten off the trail earlier due to illness, but told me to call her when i got close to NY. and thats just what i did. she hooked me up with a place to stay and the next morning, i went into New York City with her via the train to where she works. I know what your thinking....after nearly 4 months of being secluded and cut off from the civilized world, how would i ever survive and adjust to the sea of people in the big apple. everyone was worried because while she worked for the day, i would tour NY for the day. a lone hiker amidst the designed chaos in NY. Well, all was well. i hit the subway to the WOrld Trade Center, which was the only thing i really wanted to see under such limited time, then i just walked around and got a good feel for the city. Sylvan works at Madison Square Garden so it was the perfect hub to start and finish my outing. Met all her co workers who feared that i had come to take her back to the trail. They were great people and i really enjoyed talking with them. Hi guys! So after a few down days to let my feet heal up, i head back out to the trail in a few hours. its always hard to leave friends, but at the same time, its always good to keep going. friends understand the pull of the trail and the sigh of relief to be back on, putting in miles for 10 - 12 hours daily and slowly hiking to the ending goal. Its countdown mode. Once i hit the hlaf way point, i had to mentally readjust my thinking. so, here it is. Im at Arden Valley Road, and 799 miles to go . The miles are going by faster now.

New Jersey

19 July 2007 - 1330 miles - Some times on the trail, i don't have privy to information about a section coming up. New Jersey was one of those sections. So i just hiked my hike and put in the miles. It was a pleasant surprise to find NJ packed full of bears (they have more per square mile than any other trail state), black berries and blueberries. the entire trail today was covered in blueberries on the side of the trail all day. what a treat on a hot day. around 12 oclock, myself and Lunar from Arizona were taking a break and contemplating when it would start raining, being that the sky had grown dark and the air had grown cooler. Sure enough, as i hiked, it soon began to rain. and the rain got harder and harder the entire afternoon. the lightning would crash in the distance, the rain soaked everything i had, the trail was flooded, so soon i was walking in a rain gutter. as i am in the midst of all this inclimate weather and soggy conditions, i can't help but smile. there is no place else i would rather be. The day prior to, i had seen a black snake attack, and coil around, and crush the life out of a chipmonk. it then began to do what God had designed it to do. it ate. an awesome site to witness. Those powerful images of nature at its finest, uncensored, in raw form, culminated with the rain consuming me at the moment gave me a real good feeling of being a part of this great design. and i was. i had my part to play as we all do. we rule over the animals and in that have a responsibility to the land. A duty to protect, preserve and utilize the resources we have. America has done this better than any other country in the world. Communist and socialist countries have left an incredible blot of pollution in their lands. Because of our wealth as a nation, we have implemented better restrictions and monitoring for our comsumable resources, on our own without the need of an international overseer. America has truly stepped up to the plate of responsibility in this aspect. Wealthier means healthier and cleaner. This applies to us as a individuals also. It takes money and time to be responsible, but with power comes responsibility. We all must learn to consume wisely and act accordingly.
That night, i dried out in a little known shelter with Lunar and Sleeping Beauty. The sun reappeared and made a beautiful sunset. Another great day to be on the trail.

12 July 2007 - mile 1225 made it to Allentown Hiking Club Shelter. my Aunt Deb and Uncle Ron met me here to camp over night, then we hiked a few miles. They are such big fans of the outdoors and the AT that they got married on Bake Oven Knob just a few miles from here. All my AT friends love hearing about that. It was a real treat to have them meet me and hike this section with me. And all my hiking buddies that came through the shelter on this given day were treated also...to pizza and mountain dew courtesy of the family. Even a small shelter mouse made out a with a little powdered cocoa in the middle of the night. All was well though, we interupted his midnight meal and stowed our food higher. no problem for the rest of the night. we hiked to 309 the next morning, then i was treated to a ride in a car, (they let me sit IN the car) a hot shower and good meal. Saw my cousin Era who is the Captain of the Hazle Township Volunteer Fire Dept. and had a real good visit. I hardly ever see these guys since i live in Florida, so the visit was a long time coming. just didn't think it would be a long walk coming also. So with a new set of shoes (the old ones lasted me 1200 miles and were worn smooth on the tread)and a full belly, i say good bye to the last of the family that Ill see on the trail, and press forward to the last 944 miles of the hike. My pack is down to 40 lbs of essential gear to include 1 sleeping bag, 1 short sleeve shirt, 1 longsleeve shirt, 1 set of rain gear, 1 pari of pants, a small 1st aid kit, headlamp 10 lbs food, 6 lbs water and journal. my body is 20 lbs lighter, leaner and meaner, my walk is steady and quick, my appetite is still monsterous and my complaints are non existent. Its is my dialy routine to be up at 6-7 and on the trial by 7-8 hiking all day till dark, setting up camp, eating, going to sleep then getting up and doing it all over again every day for 5-6 months. it is a lifestyle at this point. One I fulyy enjoy and relish. My mind is clear and my thoughts are steady. I am mentally prepared to carry on as long as my body holds out. More hikers have left the trail due to injuries and obligations. So I hike on. Hoping the experience leaves an unexplainable stamp on my soul. Its already left a pretty good stamp on my feet. Until then. Good Hiking

4 July 2007 - 1.133 miles - Happy Birthday USA! made it to past the half way point, through Maryland and half way through Pennsylvania to Duncannon. The trail took me through my first wheat fields and corn fields. I loved the low land hiking through the farm lands. this is the area my dad grew up in, so i was looking forward to this section, even though i heard the rocks were gonna be trouble.
The universe works in mysterious ways sometimes. this time, my folks were going to come up and visit one last time. We visited My Aunt Betty and Uncle Stan and Gram around Allentown. It just so happened Dad wanted to hike a section of the trail with me, so my Aunt Deb (she got married on the AT) researched the area and told us where the easiest part of the trail in Pa was. It just so happened to be right outside of Duncannon, which is on the ridge right above the valley where he was born and raised. Perfect. The night before we are to hike the 10 mile section from Pa 225 to Pa 325, i get a call from a Japanese Filming company. Turns out they are doing a made for Japanese television documentary on the Appalachian trail and are interviewing 4 hikers, one of which happens to be yours truly. So on the 8th of July, on the high ridge around Shikellimy Overlook, dad and i were followed by 4 members from the film crew. That was a good section of trail. We ate blackberries, identified sassafras and saw 2 big rattlesnakes. both of which were great footage for the film crew. We all survived the hike and the rattlesnakes. Lesson of the day. enjoy your friends and family while you can. Make the most of every moment .

Harper's Ferry

June 28th 2007 mile 1,008 - made it to Harper's Ferry, the psychological half way point of the AT. The town is full of history and is especially rich in Civil War history, which just happens to be one of my favorite. My day started with the hike into town followed by the traditional stop in at the AT Conservancy where i signed in, got my official thru hiker picture taken and logged into the archives. I searched the pictures for trail friends to see who made it this far and who did not. thankfully i knew a few of the names and faces. everyone has lost weight since the journey began 1000+ miles earlier. But this is a major step in reaching the end. Up until this point, i have been focused on getting to the next shelter, or just getting out of Virginia. But now, the focus has shifted and for the first time, there is a glimmer of knowledge that I just might finish this thing.its all pretty much count down mileage from here. So with a quick check of gear, and a hot meal and shower, I set out to do what any proud American would do in this area...i jump in the river and relax for the afternoon.
The next day, i was greeted by a friend of the family, Mr and Mrs. Arch Hoxton who opened their home, pool and refrigerator to a smelly hiker. we swam, ate and visited for the evening. The next morning, i had one more thing to do, visit the Antietem Battlefield and museum. it was incredible and a good source of accurate American history. The visit helped me realize that hiking the trail was not just a hike, but also an experience of America's rich history. God Save the Republic of these United States.

Majic

mile 987. Theres something on the trail called majic. in short, its basically something good that happens or comes your way that you are not expecting. I ran across some former through hikers hanging out and they told me they were on thier way to see RUSH in concert the next evening. ....There is only one particular concert i wanted to see this year, and it was be RUSH. However, my AT thru hike would not allow this. so, my good friends GMan and John bakc in florida had planned since March on seeing them when the tour dates came out. a few weeks ago, my buddies did get to see them without me. i know they coulndt enjoy it completley with the knowledge that i coulnt be there to experience it with them, but all is not lost. The gods were smiling down on me and this RUSH tour was written in my stars. For last night, beyond any explanation from science, i , a thru hiker living in the woods and away from civilization for 6 months got a ride to a RUSH concert in VA. VA is truly a great state. Thanks PI and K-ACHE for some great majic. Snakes and Arrows Baby! dont let your fire burn out!