Week 17: More Rocks and No Water

Day 113: The Car Didn’t Start

Saturday, June 29th

0 miles today

1220.3 miles total

Another late morning sleeping as much as possible. Just ate leftovers and candy for breakfast/lunch, I was planning on just getting cheap fast food while we were out running errands. However when we got in the car and tried to start it, it didn’t. A quick check online and we saw the ups store would be open tomorrow anyway so we just decided to do it tomorrow. The rest of the evening we tried to calm joes dog down because she’s scared of storms and could feel the pressure drop before it even started to rain. We thought she had to pee so I took her outside in the rain but she was just too scared to go. We watched some TV and got as much rest as we could. Another very…eventful day.

Day 114: Last Day at Joe’s

Sunday, June 30th

0 miles today

1220.3 miles total

Joe treated us to breakfast this afternoon (for taking care of his pup while they were at the wedding) at his favorite diner after we dropped his old car off for a new battery. Then Spencer and I shipped some stuff home to save weight and got food for resupply. Then Mandi made tacos for dinner again with rotisserie chicken yum yum.

Things haven’t been too exciting lately, we haven’t been that remote, we have had a slow pace, the heat has made the hiking uncomfortable as well. But it’ll get better. There’s no destination or one decision or something I can buy that’s going to give me peace. That’s something I’ve been meditating on recently in this part of the hike. I just have to keep going, take another step, get to the next spot. Finishing this hike or any other big goal won’t give me peace. I have to find it within myself to enjoy every moment whatever that is. Sometimes you spend more money than you plan, things go wrong or they’re harder than you expected. That’s life. To get mad at these things outside of my control is a waste of my time. I could be reframing my thoughts to live in these moments I’ll never get again.

Day 115: Cowboy Camping

Monday, July 1st

Eckville Shelter

15.1 miles today

1235.4 miles total

I can’t believe it’s already July!

Back on trail at nearly 1pm because we didn’t leave the house until 10, had to stop a few times to pee and by the time we got to the trailhead it was lunchtime. It was a nice day too, high in the 70s the low will be in the 50s it’s like the old days. The climb was a little brutal though with the rocks and this pain in my foot isn’t going away, probably from new shoes.

We stopped a couple times for some good views and I stopped at a shelter privy for an emergency poo. We saw the view from the pinnacle today, fairly popular among the Pennsylvanians. I thought it was alright, worth stopping for a few minutes before carrying on. Lots of rocks today but not as bad as the day we came into port Clinton. I’m getting ready mentally for the worst of it to come. We got to the “shelter,” a glorified shed with bunks in it which was full and went down to the tenting area which also had 6 tents and no room at alll for hammocks. So Joe and i decided to laid our stuff out on the ground and cowboy camp since it’s not going to rain tonight.

These new light weight camp shoes that weight one ounce each are not made for much walking. The gravel tore em up a bit and my feet are sliding around everywhere, I kinda miss my bedrock sandals (not sponsored) but I can’t complain when they weight next to nothing.

The dew is already soaking everything and the sun hasn’t even gone down yet. When I wake up in the middle of the night all damp the view of the stars should be pretty good.

Day 116: Walk For Water

Tuesday, July 2nd

Bake Oven Knob Shelter

17.4 miles today

1252.8 miles total

I slept better than I expected inside my hammock on the ground but that dew point was low! Everything was soaked from the morning dew. I waited till the sun was high so I could dry my stuff off before packing it up. If i left it wet it would’ve gotten moldy and would weigh more than it does dry. It took us a little longer than expected to get going. I got caught up filming the hummingbirds at the nectar feeder.

When we did leave around 9:30 there was trail magic up the road. Brownies and zucchini bread with fresh fruit and salty snacks. Truly wonderful. We met some new people, Oscar and Emily sharing the good food too. It was a good 1,100ft climb coming out of that gap though over 3 miles. I was huffing and puffing but we did it in less than an hour. Then it was walking over rocks and boulders for the next 8 miles to this hostel I stopped at for lunch. They had some ramen for sale so I picked up a couple more of those and met the owner yardsale and her husband. Then a couple hours later the guys  pulled off at a picnic area just down the road so I went over there to reassess our plans. I didn’t think we could do another 13 miles in a reasonable time and neither did they. We’ll have to do 24 miles tomorrow though to stay on schedule.

On the way to the shelter there was a lot more rocks, one section called knife’s edge I’m sure you can picture what that looked like, and a cool rock scramble up to 360 degree views. Then it was more rock walking down to the shelter which is apparently the oldest in PA. Now the shelter maybe be just off trail but there are 3 springs, the first two are dried up and the 3rd one is .3 down the mountain on the outskirts of private land and several hundred feet down. Longest walk for water yet. And coming up there is a section for 20 miles where the only water (if there is any) is at least .4 and some are .6 one way.

I don’t like the blister forming under my pinky toe but it kinda distracts from the foot pain. Dinner was lime chili shrimp ramen and morale is pretty good right now.

Day 117: Skiing in the Summer

Wednesday, July 3rd

Smith Gap

21 miles today

1273.8 miles total

There was what we think to be a porcupine running around camp all night last night. It didn’t hop around like a deer, had eyes low to the ground but not as swift as a bobcat and people have left comments about porcupines in the area. It didn’t keep me up though I slept pretty good. It got down to 58 and it didn’t even feel like it because I was already bundled up.

Moonshine left super early and I didn’t even notice. Joe left just shortly after I packed up around 6:30 and we left around 8. And sweet relish was still there when we left. 24 miles was the goal. A couple miles in someone left some water and soda for us and that sugar gave me some pep in my step for sure. I got to the George w. Shelter but the one ran out of ink so I couldn’t write anything and went to the spring farther down. I sat there for well over an hour and listened to some music. Spencer came down just before I left.

After that was the decent down to the bridge and then straight back up 1k ft to the next ridge. This one was way steeper, most of it I couldn’t use my trekking poles I had to actually climb up it or there was so many rocks that my trekking poles would just get stuck and it would slow me down. Absolutely tired out my legs and then it still kept going up. Then it was a walk through tall grass for a quarter miles to make my legs itchy then more exposed ridgeline with more rocks and a sun beating down a 9 UV index.

I caught up to Joe at the next gap where someone put out two big jugs of water, I had a little lunch there. Soon everyone else was there and we all cam up with the brilliant idea to take this side trail coming up down to this ski resort and get some food! Absolutely brilliant. Coincidentally it was 1/2 off wings  on Wednesday and we showed up 10 mins before happy hour! If that isn’t a sign idk what is. So we hung out there a couple hours eating food having laughs and the manager came out to tell us to put away our socks we had up drying.

We debated sleeping there or at a tent spot nearby but decided to keep hiking to the next gao where some locals leave water for hikers. (This is the 20 mile section where there’s not a lot of water and if so it’s .6 one way down the side of the mountain) there wasn’t a ton of water left here just under a gallon but it’s enough and we can make it to the shelter tomorrow morning.

No matter how far I walk I’ll never know what’s coming ahead even with the knowledge of what I’ve hiked so far. And no matter where I go those thoughts stay in my mind.

P.s. There’s a weird local here named mechanical man that dumps out all the water caches and isn’t nice to hikers, I’m hoping we don’t meet him… for his safety.

Day 118: A Taste of NYC

Thursday, July 4th

Super 8

8.1 miles today

1281.9 miles total

Luckily nobody came to get us in the middle of the night and when we woke up we saw tag along who gave us some Gatorade and then waterwoman showed up with 16 gallons of water and some snacks in a hiker box she had. So that was a blessing.

It hurt bad with all the rocks and this rash on my thighs but eventually I made it to the gap. We started talking about what we were going to do, when this lady drove up and asked if we needed a ride somewhere. So that settled it. We decided to go to Allentown and get a hotel close to the airport so we could rent a car from there to take to the city for fireworks. I’d never been to the city before and Spencer and I really wanted to see the “best show.” So eventually we got the hotel booked and Shelly drove us 30 minutes to Allentown and gave us Cokes and chips for free! What a nice lady.

The hotel was a dump. There was a sign with the “if you want a refund it better be within 15 mins” sign so we had low expectations. Our first room had a bed with a big dip in it and cigarette stains so we asked for another room. Then we got the car rental sorted out for 4pm but realized the roads would be closed and parking would be a nightmare so we had to take the car an hour to a train station in Jersey and then take another hour train ride to the city. We stopped at BK for some food and Giant for some snacks and rash cream.

We made it to the train station then had to pay to park there. We thought about meeting Spencer’s friend in the city so we took the train to Penn station instead of Hoboken (mistake). It was cool to walk around the city, see Times Square and broadway for a little bit. You really feel small in that city the buildings are so tall. Almost no New Yorkers were there it was definitely just tourists. When it was time for the fireworks we started walking towards the river but found most of the roads blocked and it got more and more crammed and eventually we were surrounded by people on all sides.

We got to W 35 st on 11th ave and called it a day. Eventually the fireworks started and we had a decent viewing of them but everyone put their phones up in the air to record something they’ll probably never sit down and watch again. Meanwhile Joe was having a drink and eating food at the hotel with a great view on the TV. It went on for about 30 minutes or so and it was hot with all the people around I was sweating and then it just abruptly ended. No big real finale or anything, people clapped then the herd of people turned and headed towards the city center.

We got some water cups at Starbucks and caught the 11pm train back to Jersey. A drunk group of people sat next to us so we heard them argue all the way back. When it got to our stop we went down to open the door, the conductor said something over the intercom and then the train started moving again.

We told the conductors and they said “oh well” and we had to walk 2.6 miles back to our car at 1am. So we didn’t get back to the hotel until 3am.

Day 119: A Wash

Friday, July 5th

Detzi’s Tavern

0 miles today

1281.9 miles total

I didn’t care for the hotel breakfast, I needed some sleep. Good thing I didn’t bother either because apparently they didn’t have any food to eat just a coffee machine, so Joe went across the street to get Taco Bell. I slept till 10:20 because I knew we wouldn’t get out at 11 anyways and we didn’t. We drove down to the laundromat and Joe kept watch while we walked around the busiest Walmart of my life. I got some swim shorts so I have a pair to go swim or wear when my shorts are disgusting. Even with the wash they are still stained from being dirty for so long. We’re planning about a 4 day resupply to a town on the boarder of NY. Once that was all sorted we got back, picked up Joe and dropped the car off at the airport but then we were stuck there for a while. We tried calling all the local shuttles/businesses but because we were 30 minutes away from the trail it was an awkward spot to be and we had to take a Lyft. Since there’s no shelter close to trail and it was already 4:30 we went to this tavern known to let hikers camp out. So we ate here and hung out behind the place until it closed at 9pm so we could sleep on the porch out of the projected rain tonight. So our ambitions of hiking today turned out to be a wash (washing our clothes instead haha).