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Hiking
the Appalachian Trail
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Fifth
Report |
Well graduation was on May 19, 2000 and it was great to see all my friends again, however, I did get the itch to be back on the trail. I have sent some pictures for you to post on the web site.
I left Shepherdstown on June 1, and headed to Front Royal then I walked to Harpers Ferry, pretty much the same routine. I have done that part of the trail several times since I live in Winchester, Virginia. I got to Front Royal and I called my friends the Monohans. Ms. Monohan was my12th grade government teacher, she and her husband John came to get me and I spent the night Sunday night at their house. They dropped me off Monday to continue my journey. Since this is where I stopped hiking for my graduation from College this is where I wanted to start from. When they dropped me back off at the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conference) I was getting all my food together and everything. I went into the ATC to use the restroom and when I came out I saw this older gentleman sitting over by the table writing something down and for some reason he looked familiar to me, but I couldn't really place it. I overheard one of the staff who works there say that was Earl Shaffer. So I was like, I gotta get a picture of this guy. (editors note: In 1948, Earl V. Shaffer became the first solo thru-hiker, walking the entire Trail from Georgia to Maine. He hiked again — this time from Maine to Georgia — in 1965. On his third thru - hike, in 1998, 50 years after his first hike, he became the oldest thru-hiker at age 79) So I walked over there and he had already started talking to some other guy so I was waiting in line. I ran and got my camera and was just sitting there waiting. He is a very, for 81 years old, very feisty, I guess that is one way to put it. He is a purist, he does not agree with slack packin' (editors note: slack packin’ means you send your full pack ahead and only hike with what you need for one day). He believes the trail should be done all one way. Either south to north or north to south, no flip floping, because he said you avoid the weather and that is part of the element of doing the trail. It makes it a little difficult when you have to face what you are given. Anyway, he was talking to this other guy and when he was finished I went up to him and I started talking to him. At first he seemed kinda like,I don't know, a little bothered, but then when I started talking to him and I told him that he was my inspiration on the trail because he has done it with so little. He used like a WWII knapsack with two shoulder straps. There was an article in Backpackers magazine, probably the latest edition because I saw that at Blacksburn Hostel and it showed all the items he had. Real primitive, no stove, ate peanut butter and jelly, ate his oatmeal cold and I started talking to him and I told him, food, water, and shelter that was all I carried. I told him my little scenario about determination how it gets you to the top of the mountain and how it will get me to Katahdin. He got a real kick out of my shoes. I have these $30 high tech shoes. When I got back on the trail I did have calluses on my blisters from taking the two weeks off. But I got back on the trail and did 10 miles the first day and the shoes started rubbing my calluses and I said screw it, I'm not going through that again, so I just cut the backs of my shoes out and like I said, I think I invented the first hiking clog. Maybe I can market it when I get back. Who knows! He really got a kick out of that. I think he liked the determination factor of whatever it takes you know I am going to get to Katahdin. I told him my mind is already there, I just have to get my body there and he was pretty impressed.
I also asked him what he thought about me taking two weeks off. He said that was not a problem. It was doing the whole trip one way or the other north or south, all at one time, within a season or a year, but he did want to note that he did not take any days of when he did it. So I told him that they don't make 'em as tough as they used to. He kinda laughed. I would bet that he could do it again if he wanted to. I think he said that he was thinking about writing a book or something, but who knows.
Then I left Harpers Ferry and though that the trail did not go through much of West Virginia, then I got into Maryland. I thought Maryland was pretty easy. Like I said I did back down my miles, but I am averaging the same speed that I was prior to getting off the trial. I mean, now I am probably up to 3 ½ miles per hour. Everyone else probably averages 3. But I went on through Maryland. There were no sights. Not the one in DC obviously, but there was some Washington memorial. I took a picture of it and I had someone take a picture of me up on top of it. I hope it turns out. It should be pretty cool. Oh, and I did get a picture of Earl Shaffer, and I hope it turns out.
Then I crossed into Pennsylvania. Got a picture of the Mason Dixon Line and, oh my first stop in PA was Fayettville. I must have a leprechaun around me. But anyway, I have been lucky this whole trip. I went into Fayettville. I got out of the woods. Started hitchhiking and got picked up by the third or fourth car that passed. Ran me into the post office, got my mail drop then went to this little ice cream parlor that served subs. Everyone told me that once I get to Pennsylvania I have to have their hoagies and stuff. So I went in there and ordered this big hoagie, drink chips and everything. I had like $3.00 in my pocket so I started looking around and realized that they did not accept Visa. (most places along the trail do since most hikers do not carry a lot of cash) So I asked and she said they did not accept visa. So I asked if there was an ATM machine around? She said yes, down at the Sunoco gas station. So I ran down there and the ATM was out of order, so I ran back and I told the young lady that I was sorry that I had ordered the sandwich but the ATM did not work so I would have to cancel my order here and go on up there to the Sunoco and get a sub where I can use my Visa card. She was like that's ok, how much do you have and I said $3.00, so she said that was plenty. She gave me what was probably a $7 or $8 dollar meal for $3.00. I thought that was pretty cool. I told her that she was what we called "trail magic" on the trail. I took a picture of them and they said good luck. The last thing I said was "pray for me" when I walked out the door. I took 10 steps, now I am not a religious guy, but I took 10 steps and found a $20 bill on the ground. I couldn't believe it! I went back inside and said you're not going to believe this but I just found the $20 bill on the ground and want to square up with you. She said no that's fine this meal is on us. Have a good time - be safe. Then I walked back out the door to the road and got picked up by a guy that had a truckload of strawberries. I guess he had a strawberry farm or something. He took me to the store and as I was getting out he told me to take a box of strawberries. I thought that was cool and I went into the grocery store and got my groceries. I was sitting there drinking a half-gallon of milk, I always drink milk when I come into town. Milk is one of my biggest cravings. I'm sitting there eating my strawberries and this guy pulled up and asked if I need a ride to the trailhead. And of course I said yes. He said he had to run inside and get a paper then he gave me a ride right to the trailhead. Now all of this took place in about an hour to an hour and a half. I couldn't believe it.
I got out of Fayettevile and hikes probably 2 miles up to the shelter. Everyone there had a good laugh about my good fortune. I went on into Pennsylvania and like I said the ridges were at a gradual incline. The elevation around here is about 500 -700 feet. Some of the trail had pine needle bedding. It was so cushioning I could not believe it. All the rumors I had heard since Georgia about where shoes go to PA to die. But the first half, the southern part was really nice walking. I did come into a section where the gypsy moths or caterpillars had devastated the forest. You could hear the leaves hit the ground, because they would be eating so much of the trees that the leaves would fall off , it sounded like it was raining. When we were hiking through there, me and this guy named Delo, I didn't notice it but he said doesn't this look like Georgia, because there were no leaves on the trees. There were just like 1,000's of these gypsy moths or whatever they were on the bark of the trees and it was really devastating to see.
I made it to Duncannon and stayed at a Dual Hotel. We split the room and it cost me $7.50. The building does have a lot of character and has good beer on draft. The locals like to do it up even on a Monday night. I can't believe these people have to get up and go to work in the morning. I am alive and well and I will call you again within about a week.
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