I’ve just added a New Jersey collection under “Mike’s Galleries”. The variety of terrain and scenery in New Jersey surprised me!
Two things that we found extremely disturbing about our hike through New Jersey were the inescapable swarms of killer mosquitoes and the horizon-to-horizon carpeting of poison ivy (and they call it the Garden State???!!). We couldn’t do much about the poison ivy. I seem to be immune, but CLiCK! has a case of weeping blisters here and there on her arms and legs. To combat the mosquitoes, we doused ourselves with 100 % DEET, trying not to get it on our lips (tastes nasty and makes you mumble).
We think that the effect you see below is from the DEET. Thank goodness we’re in New York State now, where the high taxes have given the state the revenue it needs to eradicate both of these banes. Our lips have since returned to normal. CLiCK! is still treating her blotches of blisters.
A while ago, we changed the banner photo at the top of the webpage with no explanation. No one commented or asked about it. The current photo is a view of the Potomac River, taken as we crossed from West Virginia into Maryland (leaving Harper’s Ferry).
We’ve been talking about changing the banner photo again from time to time, and we’ll try to mention it when we do.
I’ve added “09 – Pennsylvania” to the drop-down under “Mike’s Galleries”. Unfortunately, though we have completed the state, the gallery is NOT complete, since most of my PA photos have been transferred to my home computer (and I’m not there!). I’ll work that out later somehow. In the meantime, enjoy these from the northern end of PA’s section of the trail!
Pennsylvania is the 7th state that northbound trekkers pass through. It has a reputation (we heard it way back in Georgia!) for being so rocky that you need to watch your feet with every single step. One often hears the nickname “Rocksylvania”, but we found that it really wasn’t so bad. Well, let me correct that! The first two-thirds are not so bad – north of Duncannon (or so), the name is well-deserved. We left PA thinking that the northern portion deserves a much harsher name – use your imagination!
We entered PA on June 7th, and left PA (crossing the Delaware River into New Jersey) on June 24th, covering almost 230 miles in those 18 days.
It’s 10:15 AM on 6/29, and we just crossed over from NJ into NY (somehow certain to be our favorite state). So, altogether, we’ve covered 1,357.8 miles! A mere 823.2 to go. On Friday PM we’ll be off-trail in Brooklyn. Expect lengthier posts then.
…and it smells wonderful! Surprising I know, but first thing tomorrow morning we’ll be crossing over the mighty Delaware into northern New Jersey and I couldn’t be happier. Yes, really. Of course if the trail went through Elizabeth, the smell factor would be a whole ‘nother story…
It is nearly indescribable the feeling I got today when hiking downhill into Delaware Water Gap, PA and I caught my first glimpse of I-80 over the river. Finally, after 3 months and 12 days on the trail, after 1285.3 miles on my feet with a heavy pack strapped to my back and a big camera on my front, up big mountains and down them, through rain, mud, snow, sweltering heat and loads of sweat, did I feel like I’d really gotten somewhere. Who would think that after all this time spent living outdoors, I would find the sounds of interstate highway traffic so soothing?!
I know for a fact that it’s because I’m so close to home now. The northeast! The blue states! It feels good, it feels right. Pennsylvania may be north of the Mason-Dixon line, but off the trail and out of hiker related circles, I didn’t feel like I quite fit in. And it didn’t really hit me until last weekend, when I got to spend a brief day or so with my man, just how homesick I was. Or maybe it was when he dropped us back off on the trail after the wedding last Sunday, that I really took notice. I was so bummed out and so physically and mentally https://sdarcwellness.com/ambien-zolpidem-online-10-mg/ tired from the rock and boulder filled hiking that the AT in PA is chock full of, that two days in a row I actually contemplated quitting this thing.
But now, now that New York is in my sights and a trip home to Brooklyn is in the works, I feel rejuvenated. Biscuits and gravy for breakfast and all-you-can-eat buffets for dinners were a nice novelty and a must-do for fun and caloric intake while hiking in the South. But now, to be back in the land of egg sangwiches, good pizza and caw-fee…my spirits have soared! That and the fact that in a mere 107 miles I’ll be able to see the New York City skyline from the top of Bear Mountain…I’m seriously giddy.
So I’m breathing a sigh of relief (and yeah, some more car exhaust) to know that I’m close to most of my friends and family. And to look back at how we’ve actually walked here all the way from Georgia — it just makes me want to keep going. Lobsters of Maine, lookout! Thru-hikers are comin’ and they’re hungry!
Thanks to all for the awesome comments we got this week! We do eventually comment back, so be sure to take a look back under the old posts to look for our replies. And Hatchet, we miss you out here on the trail too! Hope your back is doing better. As for photo updates, I know I’m behind – there just haven’t been any libraries lately to upload from. Soon, I promise.
I’ve just added 19 more photos to the Wildflowers gallery. Lately, we’ve noticed a change, as the weeks go on, from springtime to summer flowers. There are not many left in the woods (where now it’s too shady for flowers to thrive), but the open fields and sunny edges are coming alive with color.
Under the “Mike’s Galleries” drop-down, scroll to the bottom for “Wildflowers”. The latest flowers are at the bottom of the page-
About a week ago, on Saturday June 11th, it was very hot and humid, and we stopped for a lunch break at a footbridge over a stream. Gravelly bottom, not very deep. Great place for a dip!
As much as we’re enjoying this long hike, it was our extreme pleasure to get off the trail for a couple of days to enjoy the wedding festivities of my brother-in-law (CLiCK!’s uncle) Gordy and my new sister-in-law Terry. Doni picked us up in Port Clinton, PA (approximately 1207 miles along the trail) on Friday afternoon, and got us to the rehearsal dinner while there was lots of great company (and food!) still there.
Saturday, after spending the morning cleaning my pack, washing my sleeping bag, doing some seasonal chores around the house (like cleaning the gutters again), we were off to Highland Park in Rochester, NY for a sunny ceremony. The weather gods got together and put on an awesome day!
It’s back to Port Clinton and the trail Sunday evening, after brunch at Aunt Mary Kay’s and Uncle Chuck’s … more great family time, and another chance to gain a bit of weight back!
I’m sitting in the morning sun, enjoying a breakfast of fresh fruit (a rarity out here) and coffee on the balcony of the (in)famous Doyle Hotel in Duncannon. PA. It’s mile 1138.5, we’re 52.2% complete and I’m feelin’ fine. And why wouldn’t I? There were no drippy walls or mysterious smells, no mushrooms growing in the shower or old resident drunks who had died in bed but nobody noticed for a few days – all rumors I had heard about this joint along the way. The accommodations at the Doyle are bare bones and worn, but the place is full of fellow hikers, the staff is super supportive, it’s right on the trail and the price can’t be beat. Oh yeah, and the bar downstairs has Tröegs on tap – not too shabby.
I think what I’ve learned most over the last 1000+ miles, and continue to be reminded of, is to be grateful for the little things, to just take it as it comes and be happy with what is provided. I can’t change the trail. I can’t change the weather. I can’t smooth out the rocky parts. So why get frustrated?
It sounds like a simple way to be and I usually can attain that kind of nirvana, but this week I faced some realizations about speed and mileage that were/are tough to deal with.
One fact that is coming to light, is that hikers who started the trail in Georgia a full month after we did are catching up and blowing by us. We’ll likely never see them again as they are pulling 25-30 mile days consistently. Generally these guys are 8-10 years younger than me, but some are older. I don’t know how I feel about this. At first I was just telling myself that all these dudes are passing me because I stop and take so many photos or that they just hike longer hours in the day and that’s how they’re burning up the trail….really, it makes me realize that my 32 year old body has limitations.
But Long Time is 55 and now he’s going faster than me too! We’re still doing the same miles per day, still meeting up at the same place every night and sharing equipment, but bitter pill number 2 for the week is that my old man is now most definitely faster than me! No offense, dad, but what gives?!
The thing I’ve really been reminded of this week is kind of a mantra for all hikers on the trail and that is HYOH, “hike your own hike.” After 3 months of living outdoors I still don’t rise with the sun. I’m just too sleepy to pop up at 5:30 like Long Time and some other hikers can. I could try to go to bed earlier or set my watch to get up early, but I just don’t think it’s in my nature. Or I’m just lazy. Either way, it doesn’t matter. I’m generally satisfied with my daily mileage and I’m having a good time. I take breaks, I take time to talk to curious weekend hikers and I am getting some lovely photos. And I don’t mind walking alone for much of the day. It feels better to go about it at my pace than to try to go at Long Time’s, or to have him hike with me and feel like I’m holding him back.
The biggest lesson as of late is that though we’ve embarked on this adventure together and are sharing in so many awesome experiences, this hike is an individual journey. Just as life itself…
Thanks as always to our subscribers and commenters. I truly appreciate all the support and interest!
~Click! Mel
