"I am a human. Nothing that is human can be alien to me." --Terentius Afer, c. 154 BCE
The above quote is one of my favorites. It was passed down to me by a famous teacher who I had in college, Maya Angelou. Anyway, I think upon this statement quite often. Professor Angelou's prayer for all of her students was that we would never say, "Oh, I can't or wouldn't ever do that." Because here's the thing: if other humans have done it, you probably can too.
Angelou liked using the example of learning a foreign language when she quoted "Terence", and I've personally taken it to heart in the ways of making my living as an artist, living out my dream of hiking all of the Appalachian Trail, and challenging my body in other physical ways (like the 1/2 Ironman).
But the reason I bring all of this up today is because I think some folks in my town have labeled me as alien. I will not let it get to me, because there is nothing I want to change about my behavior, but it does kind of not feel great when people stare at you like, "What planet did you come from?"
Today, the quizzical look came from a female stranger at the post office. My golden retriever, Buttercup, often accompanies me on errands to the post office. She has a doggie backpack that will carry small packages, so I make her carry the mail. After all, we pay for the kibble and vet bills, so she ought to earn her living somehow! Seriously, though, Buttercup needs companionship and exercise, I need fresh air and exercise, and the mail needs to get to the post office by some means. So why not knock out all 3 tasks at once and save some money by not consuming gas? That's easy logic, if you ask me. But if you ask the woman at the post office, all she could wonder is why I wasn't terrified that my dog was going to get stolen for the less than a minute trip that I abandoned her to take the mail inside. (If you're interested, by the way, Buttercup is snugly leashed right outside the P.O., so she can't run away). The woman could not go on with her business of the day, apparently, because after interrogating me on how I could do such a thing, she just stood still and stared at me while I rejoined Buttercup and continued home. Is it really so uncommon or nonsensical that I might walk my dog on an errand run? Now I understand I'm not in Europe, where nearly everyone takes their dog to the P.O., but still, it doesn't seem to me like such a horrible idea.
Likewise, folks have also given me the weirdo look for choosing on lovely weather Sundays to walk to church. They've given me the look for saying that I'm an artist, too, because that is just not a career. And of course, there's all the honking we get while we're out biking.
I don't mean to be condescending, but if anyone actually paid attention in Drivers Ed., they should know that bicycles are considered vehicles just as much as cars are, and they are legally entitled to (and for safety reasons need) the entire lane -- not just the shoulder. In fact, a relative of mine, who interestingly is a lawyer, asked me once if we ride our bikes in the shoulder. Now, if shoulders were designed for road biking, I'd be the first one to take advantage of that, but unfortunately, until civil engineers take action to implement separate bike lanes, the oh-so-rushed rest of you Americans will just have to wait a few seconds until the opposite lane is clear for you to pass. And I know this all comes off bitchy on my part, but you should take it to heart anyway, because I know two people whose lives have been nearly ruined by their accidental killing of road cyclists, and my mother herself can testify to the immense pain in the ass you will experience if you injure a cyclist and get sued.
Maybe I deserve all the honks and stares, though. I try my best not to give others the treatment I've received, but I, too, probably deliver the look. At a large group supper this past Sunday, I went through a buffet of pig-in-a-blankets, potato chips, mac-and-cheese, soft drinks, and icecream, wondering who must have taken all of the vegetables.
And we wonder why our country has an obesity epidemic? Geez.
Believe it or not, the person who I feel most influenced me to become an artist is Ludwig van Beethoven. I was learning about him whilst studying abroad in Vienna my sophomore year at Wake Forest, and found myself completely moved not only by his compositions, but by his personal story as well. It was not really that he was deaf as much as it was that he nearly gave up on life all together. Can you imagine a world without Symphony No. 5 in C Minor? It struck me that I related so much to Beethoven, because although I have no expectation to ever become as famous or influential as he, I was at the time really struggling with the decision of what I wanted to do with my life between doing what I felt I was totally called to do and doing something else. My "something else" was not anything remotely similar to suicide, as was Beethoven's consideration, but it doesn't even matter what it was now that I've abandoned it for my passion. Of course, this is still a struggle I face daily as there are always other things to do besides make art, but nevertheless, it is a life decision I have rested on. So, to the point, I was reminded of all of this as I saw an article, or slideshow, rather, of visual artwork made by blind artists. I liked most of what I saw, but some of it simply did not seem to me like it possibly could have been made by someone without sight. What do you think?
After my remarkable night alone, I relished a serene morning. I woke up with the sunrise, enjoyed no hassles of packing up the tarp or retrieving food from a hanging spot, and savored my solo breakfast. Just as I began to gather my belongings, Cyborg and Hardcore walked up to me from the South. It was nice to be reunited, though I treasure having experienced the 3 a.m. bear scare on my own.
We walked together for a while, and then parted when we came upon the rather nice RPH shelter, where we encountered trail magic! Cyborg and Hardcore needed to resupply at an upcoming road, and thus pushed forward, but I lingered with the kind-hearted trail maintainers who cooked me "BBQ," which was actually a cheeseburger (as well as potato salad, fruit, chocolate, tea, etc.). I guess that's how it is in the North, but I'll try not to make fun of them too much. Anyway, lovely time.
I proceeded solo hiking again, and then I came upon Morgan Stewart Shelter, where I heard the joyful laughter of Cyborg! I'd perceived Cyborg and Hardcore to be in a rush, though I had personally decided to take my sweet time, so I didn't expect to see them until the very end of the day. What a wonderful surprise to have company again!
At a road crossing in late afternoon, we got another surprise! FlyBy, who we'd been so tickled to hike with earlier in the summer, was trying to hitch into nearby Poughquag to gather beer and pizza. He was unsuccessful in his attempt, but that didn't matter.
With the sun falling, Cyborg, FlyBy, and I went for a swim in Nuclear Lake, which was beautiful and refreshing, although definitely not clear. As we crawled out of the lake covered in small plants and muddy thingies, Hardcore looked delighted that she had watched us from a rock instead of joining us.
We did a brief twilight hike to Telephone Pioneers Shelter, where we reunited with Joker, Ewok, and several other hikers. I met a couple of new hikers, including "O.G." (short for "Old Gear"), who was one of the characters from Early Bear's famous rabid skunk story. It was a splendid gathering of people. After supper, I cowboy camped again next to the campfire, and admired the stars.
July 11th
Distance travelled: 21.1 miles
Cool sight: Dover Oak, the largest oak tree on the A.T. (girth 20'4"). It is estimated to be more than 300 years old. However, I thought that Virginia's Keffer Oak (the 2nd largest oak on the A.T.) was far more beautiful.
We hiked into a new state, Connecticut! Most of my hiking today was with Ewok, Joker, and O.G. We had a memorable time together.
Twice we received trail magic! The first time, it was goldfish, candy bars, and other snacks. The second time, we got sodas from a former thru-hiker named "Stripes."
4 Southbound thru-hikers crossed paths with us today, and we shared many notes about what to anticipate in the coming miles.
The Ten Mile River area in CT was beautiful. We tried to take a dip, but determined the water was too frigid (despite it being mid-summer). My favorite moment in this area was going over Bull's Bridge. I'd never been on a single-lane, old-fashioned covered bridge, and considered it picturesque enough for a jigsaw puzzle! Best of all, while we traversed the bridge in direction of the nearby village, a wedding party crossed in the opposite direction! (This is the 2nd time I've bumped into a wedding while hiking this summer) They did not seem perturbed by the fact that we were dirty and smelly, while they were perfectly polished, but rather gave us friendly greetings and asked us about our hikes. When we got to the other side of the bridge, we delved into some Ben&Jerry's.
We climbed Schaghticoke Mtn today. None of us could really figure out how to pronounce it, so I decided to rename it Spaghetti Artichoke Mountain.
July 12th
Distance travelled: 13.9 miles
Highlight: Kent, CT.
Our brunch at The Villager Restaurant in Kent was so fine, we practically decided to stay there all day, hence our low mileage.
I met an African-American thru-hiker, going Southbound. It is pretty rare, I've found, to meet black folks on the trail to begin with, but thru-hiking?! I was really stricken. He was a cool guy, and went by the name "Parrot."
Magical Moment: a shower. It had been an entire week since my last shower, and that is pretty disgusting, considering we sweat all day and spend all our time outdoors. Coming and going from various places on the trail, today, I received 4 different hitches! Amazing! The last one was given by a very interesting young lady named Danielle, who took us to her tiny living quarters and granted us her shower. I'll say, this was an educational experience for me, as she happened to own some special pet toads whose milk is turned into some substance I should probably not talk about here on my blog, but the main thing I learned (for the nth time this summer) is that hospitality comes from the most surprising sources.
We twilight hiked the final 3 miles of the day. I've decided it's more fun when you're in a group.
July 13th
Distance travelled: 17.7 miles
Highlight #1: At one point on today's hike, we came upon "Hang Glider View." Here we rested and noticed in the valley below a racetrack! Upon reaching the base of the small mountain we were on, we found detour signs for the A.T. (I'm not sure why), and thus a few miles of our hike followed a road. And guess what? That road led to the very racetrack we'd been observing. There weren't any real races -- only classes and practice today -- so we were admitted for free. We got up close to the zooming cars and talked to some racers. It was rather fun. Then, since the concession stands were closed today, random folks gave us a bunch of Sprites, white cheddar popcorn, and bags full of the most delicious cookies!
Highlight #2: The wonderful thing about hiking in CT is there are so many places to hop off the trail and get a delicious bite to eat. Well, today we had multiple such opportunities, except in every attempt to find food, all we found was that no restaurants in these tiny villages are open on Monday. Nevertheless, a kind man loaded a large group of us in the bed of his pick-up and took us to a deli, and then returned us to the trail.
Highlight #3: Rand's View. The shadows of the late afternoon defined grand mountains in the distance. It was a breathtaking sight.
Not a highlight: We "stealth camped" (perhaps illegally) along the trail approximately 1 - 1.5 miles before Salisbury, CT, in an undesignated camp spot that we have now named "Slugtown." I hope I will not have to elaborate on why we gave it that name. You can figure it out.
July 14th
Distance travelled: 15.1 miles
MOST PERFECT DAY OF HIKING EVER!
this day included a bounty of delicious wild blackberries and blueberries along the trail, a charming and memorable visit in Salisbury, CT, the crossing into a new state, Massachusetts, the most beautiful weather, gorgeous views, a wonderful conversation about philosophy with another hiker, and a beer at the end of the day. Does it get better? Yes. After our beer and picnic with Joker's parents and uncle at the end of the hike, we were shuttled into Great Barrington, MA, where we were given motel rooms, and were taken out to a pub.
July 15th
Distance travelled: 16.8 miles
Joker's parents slackpacked us today! They also treated us to another night in the motel! We also did much needed laundry and ate pizza!
Cool reminder of history on the trail: Shay's Rebellion Monument
The hike today was buggy, rocky, and rather warm, but otherwise lovely. There was really only one nice view, at East Mountain, but I much enjoyed it and enjoyed meeting the hikers Bearpaw, Moose, and Lumpy.
July 16th -- Happy 24th Birthday to my dear husband, "Mad Hatter"!
Distance travelled: 19.1 miles
Highlight #1: Joker's mom slackpacked us again! Today, it was only for a portion of our hike, but when she met us to return our gear, (Highlight #2:) she had delicious buttercream frosted cake and mimosas! This was to celebrate Hardcore's birthday, which was coming in a couple of days, but I couldn't help think about the man whose birthday it really was. I tried many times to get in touch with him, and left messages, but it was just one of those days when our calls never worked out :-(
Highlight #3: Upper Goose Pond Cabin. Upper Goose Pond itself was a sight to behold -- completely pristine. We went for a swim and paddled on the canoes. It was perfect. Then the sky signaled a storm was approaching, so we cooked over a fire outside until the buckets tipped upside down. At this point, I perched on the covered porch to enjoy supper, and greeted less lucky hikers who arrived drenched. Among these hikers were BonBon, a brilliant wildlife ecologist with whom we'd previously hiked in Virginia, as well as Angry Beaver and Prairie Dog, who were involved with O.G. and Early Bear in the awesome rabid skunk event. It was the perfect evening to have a comforting cabin; the heavy rain lulled me to sleep immediately.
July 17th
Distance travelled: 20.6 miles
Highlight #1: blueberry pancakes and coffee, generously cooked by the cabin's caretaker, "Grampy."
Highlight #2: seeing Mad Hatter again! He joined me for my final 10 miles
Highlight #3: The "Cookie Lady" who baked us cookies and whose young son sold us (for a rather good price) loads of hard boiled eggs and fresh lemonade.
Highlight #4: other trail magic. It was phenomenal. Trail Magic happened so many times today, I may have lost count. It was somewhere around maybe 4 or 5 loaded coolers that were placed along the trail, plus the previously mentioned pancakes, coffee, cookies, oh! and Rob Byrd.
Highlight #5: Rob Byrd, owner of "The Byrdcage," a secret-to-thruhikers, free, in-home hostel. This dude is very good friends with the "Mayor," Dick Ludlum, who I described before. Rob slackpacked all of us for the final 10 miles of our hike today and then slackpacked everyone except me and Mad Hatter for a couple of days after we parted with the group. Rob gave us rides to and from the house, a pub/bar, and made us shower, did our laundry for us, gave us "house clothes" to wear while our laundry was going, gave us beer and soda, and pretty much did anything else you can think of. I asked why he does this, and his answer was, "I dare you to try and find a happier man than Dick Ludlum or me." He also remarked about the fact that thru-hikers have learned to be independent as they have simultaneously learned their need to depend on others, and I thought that was an enlightening and very true comment.
The final hours & goodbyes...
July 18th marked Hardcore's 25th birthday. In celebration, FlyBy woke up bright and early to cook the whole Byrdcage gang a scrumptious batch of breakfast burritos. It is kind of meaningful, I think, that I decided to leave this day. Had it not been for Harcore's suggestion to hike with her this summer, I would have hiked from Georgia up to probably the Harper's Ferry area, and I would have not been with the thru-hikers at all. Nature is absolutely what made me captivated by the idea of doing a thousand-plus mile trek this summer, but the people I encountered made it the experience that has shaped me into a more compassionate human. I think Hardcore and I were at a point where maybe we'd spent enough time being close to each other, and I'd gained a sufficient amount of whatever I was looking for in hiking with these folks, so it was fine to separate. I am, in retrospect, so grateful for Hardcore's request to hike with her, even if she ended up having no real need for me to accompany her. I gave hugs to Ewok, Joker, Joker's family, and others. Rob Byrd told us to stay with him again when we returned next summer to finish the trail. (As an expectant mother, I don't see that happening now, or next summer, anyway). I've thought of these folks so often since I left them, and I know it is nothing less than a divine plan that made our lives coincide this summer. I will never forget it.
Several times since I left the trail this summer, I have completely lost control of myself at the sound of certain hymns. It probably doesn't help that I have surging hormones, thanks to the growing human inside my womb, but they all remind me somehow of the magic of being in the Appalachian world and its transcendental beauty in both nature and people. One of my recent episodes occurred at a Thanksgiving service during the following song:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring!
My native country thee, land of the noble free, thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, thy woods and templed hills; my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.
Let music swell the breeze, and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song; let mortal tongues awake; let all that breathe partake; let rocks their silence break; the sound prolong.
Our fathers' God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing; long may our land be bright with freedom's holy light; protect us by thy might, great God, our King.
Samuel F. Smith, 1832
I can say much about how meaningful and true this song is for someone who spent an entire summer in the woods, and I can also say much about how the adventure of hiking the A.T. is best related to a pilgrimmage, but I believe I'll just let those verses simply rest on my heart. And with that said, I will now attempt to recall the events that follow my last recordings of the summer hike...
I have an excellent excuse for neglecting this blog for so long. Although hiking the AT this summer was so meaningful and transformative for me, something else has recently happened that is even more life changing...
Since my last post on this webpage, I hiked forward through New York and the lower parts of New England, where I had a simply joyous time, and then reunited with Mad Hatter (my husband) to go home temporarily. I then finished hiking Georgia and did all of the southern part of North Carolina and Tennessee up to about the midpoint of the Smokies, at which point I'd finally hiked more than half of the trail! Retrospectively, I can now say that this milestone came rather too quickly. Time flies. I came home for a little while and one of the first things I did was buy a half gallon of icecream. I may not have hit my halfway point at a traditional spot on the trail, but I was still going to follow the tradition that all of my buddies attempted. As I was downing my icecream, I had to take a potty break. Now, what I've omitted is that I had a little secret: I was waiting to see my Aunt Flow, who was a few days late. When I bought my icecream, I also bought a little test in the pharmacy department. So, I brought the test with me to the bathroom, and upon less than a minute of waiting, was stunned by the result -- positive. I didn't go back to the icecream; I'd observed one of my friends vomit after completing his half gallon challenge, and suddenly it seemed like a reckless thing to do to my body, well, and the body growing inside it. Hiking more than a thousand miles was no longer a thing to celebrate. However, I did go back out not much later and in a single burst finished the 30-something miles that remained of the Smokies. I think I'm most amazed at my hiking in the Smokies, because although the terrain itself did not compare to the challenges faced in other parts of the trail, my body was really, really tired. I'd heard about morning sickness and other symptoms of pregnancy, but fatigue -- not. And interestingly, fatigue is almost the only symptom I've experienced in the 4+ months I've been pregnant. Go figure.
So, that's all I've got the energy for typing tonight. In the future, you can look forward to hearing about my crazy experiences in New England and the Southern Appalachians, as well as the HALF IRONMAN TRIATHLON that I miraculously relished doing a couple of weeks ago. And of course, there will now be a baby for me to babble on about. If you're interested, I am still painting and working in the school library, though less of the former and more of the latter than I'd really like, since I don't have the same energy that I used to have in a day. Perhaps I'll elaborate on the details of my work sometime. For now, so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, und gute nacht! (Ok, maybe I get slightly weird when I'm tired, sorry).
Wildlife: 1 rabbit, several deer, several red efts, 1 black & yellow snake, and my first RATTLESNAKE! I was so startled to see it, a huge and dangerous beast, hanging out smack in the center of the trail, that I almost fell over. However, the snake itself was cool as a cucumber and actually allowed me to approach it pretty close, without coiling or rattling. I was awed.
The most beautiful moment today was when a great storm came right as we were walking through the middle of a big valley with lots of water and grassland. I wish I could better describe how gorgeous and peaceful it was, even though we were getting soaked.
The rain paused while we took a nice break at a wonderful farmer’s market in Vernon, NJ. As luck might have it, the rain resumed just as we left.
Hardcore got a wicked and painful bee sting that caused us to take a long break. The swelling and discoloration wouldn’t leave for days. I felt sorry for her.
We crossed the NJ-NY border!
The terrain changed as we approached NY. It was challenging and full of large boulders, but there were awesome views, too, especially of Greenwood Lake.
7/ 8
Distance travelled: 19.6 miles
Wildlife: 2 sightings of a BEAR CUB! Plus 2-3 deer, and red eft
Little Dam Lake was so pretty and peaceful. Rock cliffs went straight into the edge of the water, and made a nice reflection.
The “Lemon Squeezer” is one of the funnest little challenges I’ve faced yet! I had to remove my sleeping pad from my pack and take that in a separate trip to the Northern side. Then I returned for my pack and did literally squeeze between the rocks. I was walking on a diagonal. It was cool.
At another point, were were literally rock climbing / rappelling. The rocks and all of the up and down of NY were something we’d not been forewarned of, but even though they slowed us down, they were fun!
7/9
Distance travelled: 22.4 miles
Wildlife experiences: Ohhh yes. Read on.
I hiked out sooner from camp than the others and enjoyed a gorgeous morning, tons of blueberries, pretty sights along the Hudson River, the conveniences of a brilliantly placed “Appalachian Market” that was right on the trail, and best of all, the Trailside Museum and Zoo.
Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mtn, NY: I never thought I’d find myself crying at a zoo, but my perspective of animals must have changed a bit this summer. It was great to get close-up visits with fox, bobcat, bear, coyote, otter, beaver, deer, bald eagle, red tail hawk, owls, other birds, salamander & red eft, frogs, snakes, et cetera, but it was so sad, also. Ah, the look on the face of the coyote said it all! I feel like the sight of hawks and eagles soaring through the sky will never get old to me; to see these creatures in cages was fundamentally unnatural and plain wrong. I hold nothing against the zoo, since all of the animals there were native, injured, and rescued, but that still didn’t keep me from getting emotional. An employee told me how the bald eagle had been mistaken for another bird in its youth, before it’s “baldness” appeared. This is why it had been shot. It was such a beautiful bird.
In the afternoon, I rejoined everyone at Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, where another hiker planned a big trail magic event with hot dogs, watermelon, fresh cherries, beer, soda, indian/vegetarian food, cake, brownies ... the works. It was great! I was amused watching one of the friars drink a beer.
To be environmentally friendly, the organizer of the event didn’t bring paper products. Instead, we all used our cooking pots as dishes and used our own spoons. I ordinarily only take out my pot and spoon while I’m at camp, so I forgot that I’d taken them out, and ended up leaving them behind. It was only after about an hour of hiking that I remembered, dropped my pack, and started running South again to retrieve the pot and spoon. Running without a pack is really fun, by the way. However, I got well behind Cyborg and Hardcore. Fortunately, though, we’d already chosen a camp spot, so no worries. Or so I thought.
My directions to the campsite were very incorrect. I never found my hiking partners. I hiked alone in the dark in the woods. Then I got tired and slept alone in the dark woods. Didn’t bother setting up my tarp, as the sky was clear, and didn’t bother hanging my food, because I was tired. ... 3 A.M. I’m accustomed to ignoring noises in the woods, since its usually just little branches falling or something harmless like that. So the footsteps didn’t wake me at first. Then I felt the ground -- shaking. This was a big, very big animal, and it was close. It was a bear! Hungry for my food! All at once, my body shot up, I flashed on my light, and I screamed as loud as I could manage. I was terrified. Not as terrified as the bear, though. It immediately retreated, breathing loudly with a sort of wheezing sound. I was edgy for a little while afterwards, but I also felt so amazed and awed. I’ve never felt so close to nature and so well protected and loved by my Maker. It is about the coolest experience I’ve ever had.
We left NYC in the morning, resupplied food near the trail, had a final meal at DQ before hiking on again. I sadly hugged my husband goodbye. He was such an angel and, after parting with me, shuttled some other hikers to other destinations.
Although we’re still hiking in NJ, the trail runs very close to the NY border. When we ended our day, we were right next to a town Unionville, NY. Here, we called the number of a trail angel we’d heard of, and this person came and picked us up and gave me one of the most memorable treats I’ve had yet....
THE OUTHOUSE
As soon as we loaded into Dick Ludlum’s Toyota Prius, the first words we heard were, “Everyone take a deep breath.” We did as he instructed. “You smell that? It smells like shit. And it ain’t me. The first thing you’re going to do when you get to my house is take a shower.” This was funny to us, as we’d actually showered the day before and had a short day of hiking. We didn’t think we smelled that bad. Still, at his house, we showered and followed further orders to throw all our stinky clothes into a laundry pile (the clothes were magically clean the following morning). We were fed a delicious meal of homemade chicken soup, salad, fresh bread, beer (seconds and thirds on all of this stuff), and banana bread for dessert. I noticed Mr. Ludlum had a vegetable garden in his yard as well as a large composter. We were told anything we didn’t eat was going to the compost pile, so we should eat up! The following morning, we were fed omelets, coffee, and other food. The food (and beer) were so abundant that I think we still had leftovers, even though there were at least 15 hikers at this man’s house, plus 2 friends of Mr. Ludlum who helped him cook and clean, and a dog. They called his home “The Outhouse,” and this was the second year of its operation. Last year, it was called “the Mayor’s House,” because that is literally what it was. Mr. Ludlum had recently retired from his position as Mayor. The Outhouse only had 2 requirements for stay: shower and watch a couple of short films.
The first film was of Paul Potts on the U.K. equivalent of American Idol, Britain's Got Talent. Potts is a former cell phone salesman who decided to pursue a dream of singing opera. The film included both his first audition and his final victory performance on the show, both for which he chose the aria Nessun Dorma, from the opera Turandot. The final words of the aria are "vincerò! vincerò, vincerò!" which translates to "I will win! I will win! I will win!" His singing was phenomenal and brought Mr. Ludlum, myself, and others to tears.
The second film was a slideshow from a couple of thru hikers last year who found victory as they made it to Katahdin by their 60th birthdays. It was fun to see pictures of the sights we have already passed, plus sights to come, and the accompanying music was a combination of fun and encouraging tunes.
Mr. Ludlum informed us that the purpose of these movies was to make sure that every single one of us “finishes this damn trail.” He said he thinks we're all incredibly stupid for doing this hike, but then added that it's important we finish anyway. He told us how inspired he was by the teamwork and love that we demonstrate, even though we each started our hikes saying “me” and “I," and that is why we must finish -- so we can move on to more important things and share the spirit we’ve found with the rest of the world.
Specifically, he told us he hopes we all find folks to share the rest of our lives with, like his wife, “the bitch” who is responsible for this “Outhouse” operation. This woman has been deceased for some time and spent her last 15 years in a wheelchair with a musculoskeletal disease. Upon hearing some fascinating stories of the thru hikers who would pick up parcels at her town’s post office, this woman once said, “Wouldn’t it be nice, if our car broke down in a remote place, if a stranger came upon us and took us to their house, told us we looked and smelled like shit, made us shower, gave us a place to sleep, gave us something to eat, and got our car fixed up for us to move on our way? Wouldn’t it be nice?” Dick said that’s why he started the Outhouse. He loved his wife so much and just couldn’t get “that bitch” and her words out of his head.
I felt like I’d never been cussed at and cared about so much at once. It was magical.
Mad Hatter took Cyborg, Hardcore, and myself to a nearby train station, where we boarded an iron horse to the island of Manhattan.
When I emerged out of Penn Station, tears immediately started streaming down my face. I wasn't completely crying, because I was quiet and still, however, the tears rolled anyway. They didn’t stop for 15 minutes. To have had mountains, trees, rocks, water, animals, only sun, moon, and stars for illumination, and all the sounds of nature being my environment for more than a month, there was absolutely no other place that could have been more shocking than NYC. My new environment was full of flashing lights, artificial colors, concrete, glass, straight-edged, manufactured towers, wurstel stands, and advertisements, with honking, shouting, accents I'd never heard before, and people, people, people! Everywhere! Another thing, which was super exciting to me, was the surreal fact that I was in the middle of the community that is and has been for the past century the most prominent in the world for the visual arts. I have never, never been more overwhelmed in my entire life.
The rest of the day, we met our hosts, Hardcore's brother and one of her friends, who granted us much needed showers in their little apartments. We found a laundromat, ate deli sandwiches in a little park in Hell's Kitchen, found our way to Central Park, and then found our way to Magnolia bakery, where I ate the best cupcake I've ever had. We did dinner at a place in little Italy, and then stupidly tried to go to a bar when all I could manage to do was fall asleep. Somehow my body ended up in its sleeping bag at the apartment. I was super tired.
7/4 – 7/5NYC… (“zero days” in which I still walked many miles, just not on the AT)
Happy Independence Day!
Not having researched the city beforehand, I had no plan for how to see it. We kind of just wandered around. It wasn’t perfect. There was some confusion on the subway, a lot of long walks, making it to various museums on the wrong days or at too late of hours to be admitted, but that’s ok. It was wonderful to be spontaneous and to simply enjoy being there.
The highlight of the trip, for me, was the art. I loved MoMA. I feel like I could go back there everyday. We also glanced at some art in some galleries, and I was surprised by the quality of work. That is, I guess I was surprised that it (the quality of the contemporary paintings, specifically) wasn’t any better. Not that it was bad, exactly. I’m sure I just missed the best galleries, but it was kind of encouraging to me to think that the artists whose work I was studying could actually survive here.
Besides that, we ate lots of food and celebrated 4th of July. The city had one of the largest fireworks shows in the country, but we were only able to see a tiny bit of it, thanks to our being blocked from getting close to the Hudson River, where the show was. Though I feel unspirited complaining, I’ll say I was also let down by the fact that we’d been informed that the fireworks had been synced to music. Did I hear music? No. I did, however, hear a woman next to me express her contempt at me for standing next to her, because she almost burnt me with her cigarette and I should have given her more space (never mind there was nowhere to move, as the streets were packed with spectators shoulder to shoulder.) By the way, the only other folks I heard talking were not speaking English. They also weren’t wearing red, white, or blue. While I’m on a rant, I’ll add that Mad Hatter and I attended a service the following morning at Trinity Episcopal and there was not a single national hymn. I’ve been to a lot of different churches, and this is the first one that has ignored the national hymns on the Sunday closest to Independence Day. I was really disheartened by that, but oh well. I hope you can forgive me for being a whiner.
Day One in New Jersey was just dreamy. Views and blueberries abounded along the ridgeline, and a little lower, there were beautiful spots such as Sunfish Pond.
Despite having once lived in coastal, lowcountry South Carolina, I have never met as many mosquitos in a single evening as I did this night. It was miserable.
I caught up again with Squeegie and the other Babes in Boots, and was invited again to share the 2-man tent. There was no way in this big itchy mosquito nest that I was passing up on that opportunity. We sleep-talked to each other again and woke up in the middle of the night when Squeegie had a nightmare of a bear being right outside the tent.
7/2
Distance Travelled: 15 miles
Wildlife: mosquitos, again
Highlight: Mad Hatter (my husband) returned!
We shared the tarp, and I regretted for the first time not having bug netting. I doubt Mad Hatter got a second of sleep. My deet bottle was almost empty in the morning, and at one point in the middle of the night, another hiker apparently squirted some of the deet in his eye, which made everyone just about die laughing, even though it wasn't funny at all.
In Palmerton, I worshipped at the 1st United Church of Christ, which was next to the “jail house hostel,” and after the service, a lady there offered me a ride back to the trail. I was so grateful!
I hiked up out of the Lehigh Valley Gap into some famous terrain in what's known as the "Palmerton Superfund Site." Here, zinc smelting had killed virtually everything that once lived. The land was very barren and rocky, but I found it to be quite beautiful anyway. I enjoyed lovely views, and where new life was emerging from restoration efforts, I was surrounded by stunning flowers, butterflies, lots of blueberries, and my first blackberries on the trail!
At night, I camped with the "Babes in Boots" gang of hikers (a really fun crew of mostly girls, all who just met on the trail). I'd gotten behind my normal group of hikers because I'd gone to church. As I was setting up my tarp, one of the babes, Squeegie, invited me to share her 2-man tent, and so, what the heck, I did. We had a ball together and laughed a lot. I'll always remember how we sleeptalking conversations, and how, in the middle of the night, I feared that a fictitious nearby snake was coming to steal my pear, and I had to run to find it and secure it. Have you ever heard of a snake eating a pear? Ah, how dreaming makes us think!
6/29
Distance Travelled: 17 miles
Today I made it to the end of PA! As I moved into the beautiful Delaware Water Gap area, the notorious rocks of Pennsylvania were replaced with blooming rhododendrons and refreshing streams.
In town, we found a church-run hostel where we dropped packs, showered, and set up camp. Everyone's favorite thing about the town (Delaware Water Gap, PA) was the bakery, where there was a $1.99 special for a hot dog and a slice of apple pie. I opted for an entire Pecan Pie, which, of course, I ate all by myself (in 2 sittings, though).
At night, we went to Stroudsburg, PA, where we celebrated hiker Joker's birthday at a bar. (Joker, a 26-yr-old girl, later becomes one of my best hiking friends, by the way). This is one of the funniest nights of my life...
One of the funniest nights of my life...
At the bar, it would have been a calm boring Tuesday night were it not for us hikers -- all 15 of us. We were silly, loud, and strange-looking. A number of the hikers had "town shirts" which were hawaiian shirts found at Goodwill in Waynesboro, VA. One dude, FlyBy, couldn't find a hawaiian shirt, so he chose a plus-size ladies blouse that had a pattern of collaged animal prints. He then cut off the sleeves. It was a hilarious garment. We all drank and sang tunes from the jukebox at the top of our lungs, and danced also. Although I originally wasn't going to be the designated driver, I somehow ended up being the most sober person at the end of the night. Keep in mind, I haven't driven a car in an entire month. I also have never driven or even been a passenger in a car in this area, and it's completely dark outside. Oh yeah, and the car is a Rent-a-Wreck Dodge Stratus that is literally held together with duct tape and has numerous other problems. On the way back to the hostel with my first load of drunk hikers, guess what? Blue lights. Apparently, I "went off to the shoulder," though it was a barely noticeable mistake that was absolutely the result of the vehicle's terrible handling. It was terrifying. I had no idea where any of the important papers where, and when the cop asked who rented the car, I had to stop and think for a minute before I could only come up with the dude's trailname, "Rainman." Of course, Rainman wasn't in the car. So, the cop didn't believe that I was sober, made me follow the tip of his pen with my eyes, and then breathalyzed me. Fortunately, the machine read "000" and the cop sent me off. However, when I returned to the bar for the second group of drunk hikers, the same cop called me out for jay walking. Then he told me he was joking. I did not want to laugh. Also, I'd almost hit a deer on the way back to the bar. That would have sucked. In the meantime, a couple of hikers had gone into the Dunkin' Donuts, shortly before closing, and somehow convinced an employee there to secretly give us all of their leftover goods from the day, so I was met with 2 enormous garbage bags loaded with donuts, bagels, muffins, and cookies. One hiker offered the cop a donut, haha. (The cop refused). We ate a ton of donuts and had no more trouble the rest of the night.
6/30 -- My One Month Trailiversary!
Distance travelled on the AT: 0 miles(this is called a "zero day," and its my first one!)
However, I did run around a lot today, and I rarely sat down. This is because I went to Dorney Park, an amusement park in Allentown, PA. It was a continuation of Joker's birthday party. I almost didn't go, because I'm a cheapo and make little money anyway, but another hiker, Pretty Pretty Ewok, offered to buy my ticket, and I was moved by his generosity. I didn't let him pay for me, though. Anyway, thank God I went! Let me tell you, if you really want to get bang for your buck at an amusement park, just spend a few weeks beforehand torturing your body in the woods. It will be the most unbelievably thrilling, exciting, fun experience you've ever had! It was better than the orphan Annie walking into Oliver Warbuck's mansion! Here's some moments I'll never forget:
walking into Dorney Park, we gathered for our picture. The photographer said, hey you all (except for the 4 girls, including myself) have beards! You should be called "Team Beard!" I thought she said we should be called "Team Weird," which also would have been appropriate. We laughed at and embraced the name, and several times throughout the day huddled together with our hands piled in the center and cheered out "TEAM BEEARD!" before dispersing to the various attractions. Our best huddle break was at the end of the day. First, we all ran in and gave a surprise group hug to Joker, for her birthday, and then a hiker named Ahab commanded, "Team Beard, 'Big and bushy' on three... one, two, three!" And we all hollered "Big and bushy" at the top of our lungs. We're planning team jerseys now.
At one point while it rained, we went inside a theatre and watched "Snoopy On Ice." It was my first ice show ever, and I was mesmerized.
Speaking of ice, at one point while the rain turned into hail. God only knows how, as it is summer. Anyway, we were riding on a roller coaster at the time. That hurt.
At one point while it rained, we hopped on the carousel. I'd thought that I'd outgrown such rides, but it was so fun! I was sucking on a ring pop at the time, and we all did silly things like slapping our ponies' rear ends to get them to giddy up, lassoing, yee-hawing, hopping up and down, and best of all, making all the other folks there join us in doing the wave over and over and over.
Being like a child
Joker once said something about how we each have to be our own women, I think referring to how we have to do what we each feel compelled to do, regardless of the wishes of others, including family or spouses. All I could think to say in response was that "I feel like all I'm doing is just being a kid, though." We laughed, because we truly have turned ourselves into silly childlike kids. You should see us when we're on a pedestrian bridge going over a major highway, jumping up and down and raising our arms in the air to try and get every truck and car to honk at us. This summer has taught me how to make fun when I have nothing. I've been shown the purest joy while doing the simplest things, like eating berries straight from a bush. I am so content to just be out in nature, and to be in the company of all these other random folks who I'd otherwise have never met. Although I've grown my independence this summer, I've also learned how much I really need to depend on others sometimes. I am really happy :)
Wildlife & Plant life: several deer and a tree with 7 trunks
Wilderness?I encountered 4 flush toilets today!It was nice!I think Maryland might be my favorite state so far!
There were many historical markers along the trail today.My favorite was the original monument to George Washington.It was wonderful having my historian husband hiking next to me today!
6/17
Distance Travelled: 22.7 miles
Weather: cold & rainy all day long
Highlight: at Pen Mar park, my husband “Mad Hatter” and I rewarded ourselves for enduring through the rain by ordering pizza.The park was right next to a road and our supper arrived in about 15 minutes.We were delighted!
Disappointment: there was no sign indicating we crossed the Mason Dixon line.
6/18 (Happy birthday to my grandmother, Sam!)
Distance Travelled: 23.2 miles
At one point today, we came to a place called Caledonia State Park.Here we found a snack bar where I ordered cheese fries, chicken nuggets, and a cone with 3 scoops of cookie dough ice cream.After eating, I got to swing on a grown-up sized swingset for a while as I looked out over a large creek. I was really happy.
6/19
Distance Travelled: 9.9miles
Mad Hatter returned home today L
Why I had such a short day: Hardcore got behind me when she took a “zero day” at Bears Den Hostel south of Harpers Ferry and then planned to attempt what is called the “4-state challenge,” in which one must place a foot in VA, WV, MD, and PA within 24 hours.This stretch of the AT is 43 miles.Hardcore is not usually one to pass up any challenge given to her.However, as she was doing the 4-state challenge yesterday, she actually met the man who invented this challenge.He informed her of the “Connecticut in a day” challenge, which is 51 miles in 24 hours.Upon hearing about this, Hardcore determined it’d be ok if she did not actually do all of the challenges on the AT.So she stopped a little short of her 43 mile goal and remained behind, and I allowed her to catch up.
Funniest thing I’ve ever witnessed: HALF GALLONCHALLENGE!Today we reached the half way point of the AT, where the tradition is for thru hikers to attempt to eat an entire half gallon of icecream.This was very good entertainment!As I waited for Hardcore to arrive, I watched 12 hikers try this challenge.Most succeeded.The funniest person was “Stud the Dud,” a 19-yr-old guy who is recovering from a tick illness, therefore having a decreased appetite and weak stomach from his medications.S.t.D. would quickly shovel several spoonfuls into his mouth and then the ice cream would run straight back out into the carton, and he’d slump over defeated and wait a few minutes before trying again.At one point, he plopped on the ground next to his back pack, which had a “fun-o-meter” button attached.Stud turned the meter down to below “low” and then started to cry.He actually ended up completing the challenge though, after which he immediately threw up.Those who joined him in completion received small wooden spoons stamped with “half-gallon club.”
Most incredible trail magic ever: As we sat around eating ice cream, a man came up by the trail name of “Hijack.”We’d met his wife “Rusty” a few days ago, and learned that she was a thru hiker.Hijack only hiked sections of the trail, but he lived close by.Everyone was dismayed by the fact that they’d made themselves sick from ice cream and still had to hike 7 miles to the next shelter, with a bad storm coming in.Hijack said that we could just stay at his house and we were shocked!8 smelly hikers in his house?!He shuttled us there in 2 trips, gave us showers, laundry, internet, beer, his hot tub, mattresses and sofas to sleep on, and Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Arc.
6/20
Distance Travelled: 19.4 miles
Hijack amazingly offered us another night’s stay this morning, and explained that we could slackpack to Boiling Springs where he could pick us up and then drop us off again tomorrow morning.We could not refuse such incredible hospitality.When we returned to his house at the end of the day, we again got showers, laundry, internet, beer, the hot tub, and the movie Transformers.It was pretty awesome.
I hiked with a ringpop on my finger today and really enjoyed it!It took my mind off of the rain.
My worst fall yet happened today.I got several scratches, scabs, and bruises.It hurt.
As we strolled into Boiling Springs, PA, we almost walked right through the middle of a wedding that was taking place at a pavilion next to the trail.We had to laugh at the fact that these folks decided to have their nice little wedding right where dirty, smelly hikers were walking.
Hijack dropped us off at Boiling Springs again today where there was more trail magic – fresh fruit and bagels – waiting for us at the trail.After enjoying these treats, we marched on towards Duncannon, PA.I did not see anyone hiking naked today, though I met some folks who claimed to.One girl apparently found large leaves to pin to her sternum strap for some privacy.I think she somehow covered her rear and groin areas with a bandana or two.When I made it to Duncannon, I checked in at the Hotel Doyle, a legendary lodging place for hikers.I enjoyed eating pizza on the porch with other hikers and talking to my dad on the phone (happy Father’s day), and I was thrilled to see my darling husband Mad Hatter, who greeted me with a rose, but as for the actual interior of Hotel Doyle, I cannot say I was pleased.It is the most laughable business that has ever received my money.Holes abounded the ceilings, floors, and walls.The bathroom should be renamed the moldroom.When we rested on our mattress, we completely sank.It is a wonder to me that this place is not condemned by the state.Anyway, it is something I can proudly say I survived, and I suppose this experience of staying at Doyle is just one of many that unites the hiking community.
6/22
Distance Travelled: 11.3 miles
After errands, resupplying food, and enjoying the town of Duncannon, Mad Hatter and I got to hike together.It was great to be with him!
6/23 (my 2 year anniversary!)
Distance Travelled: 17.5 miles
Today was the perfect anniversary hike.The weather was lovely, we saw lots of wild roses, and we slept near a stream under our tarp.
6/24
Distance Travelled: 17.4 miles
Wildlife: tortoise, snake
Trail Magic: we found some freeze pops in a cooler next to the trail J
Most of today was disappointing – Mad Hatter left the trail to go home, there was a ridiculously long section of the trail that was both very rocky and completely taken over with poison ivy, and worst of all, the shelter where we stayed, contrary to what was written in my guide book, did not have a rope swing.We’d feared someone may have cut the rope swing down, and planned to braid all of our bear lines together and make a new rope swing if we had to, but alas, there was not even a pond over which to hang the rope.I really can’t tell you how terribly disappointing this was; it was bad.
6/25
Distance Travelled: 23.7 miles
Wildlife: deer, rabbit, 2 snakes, toads, chipmunks… everyone else seemed to see rattle snakes
Historical highlight: Fort Dietrich Snyder Marker.This man operated a lookout post on the AT (before the AT existed) in 1755, during the French & Indian War
Another cool thing: I crossed Reading Railroad!I used to love playing Monopoly, so this was very exciting to me.By the way, we crossed the B&O in Harpers Ferry.
Also, we got to slackpack today.A local lady, in exchange for a small sum of money, picked up our gear from the shelter where we slept and delivered it to Port Clinton, PA, our destination for the day.
In Port Clinton, I enjoyed the candy shop, taking a dip in the river, “cowboy camping” (sleeping under the stars), and hanging out with a local old man on his porch while he told me stories of other hikers and gave me soda and water.
6/26
Distance Travelled: 22.6 miles
Wildlife: red epts, toads
Weather: Raaaaiiiiiin
Terrain: rockiest I’ve seen yet!
Lowpoint: I slipped on a wet rock and tumbled and bruised my rear end
Mistake: Somehow I missed a shelter where I intended to stop to wait on my friends to catch up.So I ended up getting way ahead of them – 7 miles.It turned out great, though because I got to camp with other hikers who I’d not yet met, and that was fun.
Highlight: Early Bear’s stories.This hiker, with whom I camped tonight, has had all sorts of crazy encounters out here with bears, raccoons, and most famously, a rabid skunk.The story with the rabid skunk is really awesome but way too long for me to type here right now, so I may just have to type it later or tell y’all in person the story.
6/27
Distance Travelled: 17.7 miles
Wildlife: copperhead, I think?I didn’t get too close to it.
This was my favorite day of trail yet!It started with the most challenging trail I’ve “hiked” yet.Actually, “bouldering” is a more appropriate term for this section called by some “the cliffs” and by others “the knife blade.”I struggled and had 2 bad falls, but enjoyed the exciting landscape.Afterwards, I got to climb the “bear rocks” and rest at “bake oven knob.”The views of the Pennsylvania countryside were lovely today, and for once, it actually didn’t rain at all today!By far, though, the best part of my hike today was the blueberry paradise that I encountered for my final miles of the day.I’d thought the knife blade was my slowest mile I’ve ever done out here, but that changed once I started picking handfuls of blueberries between every couple of steps.
Something fun: Palmerton. The city operates a hostel in what was once a jail.It was fun leaving a message with my parents that I was sleeping in a jail cell.Actually, the hostel was pretty nice. Here I became friends with another group of hikers that is mainly girls (unusual for the trail).Their collective name is “Babes in Boots.” We went out to eat and then went out for drinks.Some locals at the bar decided to pick up our tab J
