The Trail(er) Provides

Last Thursday, we loaded up the travel trailer that has basically been sitting in the driveway since March and headed north into PA.  We went back to my old A.T. Museum stomping grounds and had reserved site #6 in the Charcoal Hearth Campground in Pine Grove Furnace State Park.  

My experience in towing has been limited to towing a car behind my 4Runner across country, transporting my father-in-law's boat down to the shore and towing a small flat bed trailer when we moved from Glen Burnie to Pasadena several years ago.  Towing a three ton, 28 foot trailer behind my new Ram 1500 was a new experience, so my stress level was a bit high.  But the best way to learn is to do, so that is what we did.

The agenda included two nights at the campground.  We had made our meal plan, stocked up the fridge and packed a few things that we would need for the three day trip.  It was not unlike preparing for a backpack trip, but weight was much less of a factor this time.  

The drive up started a little stressful as I worried about every strange noise or unexpected pull on the truck as we drove out of the neighborhood and entered the highway.  I wasn't sure what was supposed to be right.  I could tell the truck was making its own adjustments to all of a sudden having to pull this large box behind it.  Taking it slow and just moving along carefully was the rule of the day.  

I have been a little obsessed with trying to learn the best way to back the trailer into a site as that is what we were going to have to do.  I had been up by the Museum about a week or two ago, so I had been able to check out the site and saw that the backing wouldn't be too hard, but the road was one way, not too wide and there were trees.

I had watched every YouTube video I could find and read all kinds of tips and tricks on how to do it and I had practiced a little pulling into the driveway, but it was going to be crunch time (hopefully not literally) in just about two hours.  Just before we left, I had found a blog of a woman called Trailer Girl, who has a lot of good suggestions on storage and other things that an RV'er needs to know.  One of the stories she told was, after a long day of travelling, they arrived tired and needing to back into their site. Another nearby RV'er offered to help with the backing in as he was a retired truck driver.  This made the pull in very easy and stress free.  As we headed around the Baltimore Beltway, I fantasized on the possibility of that happening to us, but didn't have a lot of hope.  

Everything was going ok as we slowly made our way north, each road we turned on to being a little smaller then the last.  After exiting Rt 15 north of Gettysburg, we stopped at a truck stop to stretch our legs and shake off some of the stress.  Also to pee.

Continuing on we entered the foothills of South Mountain and started passing the large apple orchards that dominate the landscape of this part of PA.  Before too long we were traveling down Pine Grove road, passing the A.T. Museum and heading down the access road to the campground.  

We pulled next to a water faucet near the entrance as our site didn't have water and we needed to fill our tank.  In the site next to the faucet, there was a nice couple and their old dog sitting outside their coach.  We struck up a conversation as the tank was filling and we learned that they had been there all week, but were leaving soon.  One other tidbit I learned was that Tony was a previous truck driver....

After talking backing techniques for a few minutes, I mentioned that if you hear a lot of yelling coming from site #6, it would be us trying to figure it all out.  We proceeded on and approached our site.  After a first pass, I decided I needed to back up some and try to swoop in to better align the trailer as those trees were coming a lot closer to the truck than I was comfortable with.  As we were figuring out our next move, Tony came walking down the road and offered to help with the pull in.  

After a few instructions of turn left, go back, stop, now turn right, stop, straighten the wheel, now back... You get the gist.  We were nicely pulled in, perfectly in our spot.  He was an angel, there is no doubt.  We have a saying out on the trail, "The Trail Provides."  Its meaning is that no matter what happens out on the trail, things just seem to work out.  Sometimes in a mystical way.  This was certainly a case of things working out in that magical way.  We were eternally grateful for the help, but I just wasn't that surprised that it happened.  Just like when it happens out on the trail. It has happened so many times for me, it just seems natural now.   

We set up camp and decided to go for a short walk around the campground with Ginger.  As we passed site #29 where Tony and his wife were camped, the site was now empty, with no sign that it had recently had a large trailer, some chairs and a rug all set up.  It made us entertain the thought of "were they really there?"  

Even when you are not on the Trail, it still provides.  

Peace,
EarthTone and LoGear

Sleeping on Ice

For a while now, I have been wanting to do a winter overnight out on the trail somewhere.  To be an Outsider, you must be able to experience all forms of weather and figure out how to handle each.  When we go out on our long distance hikes, we must be ready to function in every way when Mother Nature throws curve balls.  Knowing what it is like to be outside in cold, snowy weather is a must in preparation.

So, with the three feet of snow that Jonas dumped on the East Coast, I had a good back drop for a quick stay in the woods.  I had some business to attend to up at the Museum and I made sure I brought my full pack ready to go.  As the day went by, I figured I could head up in the afternoon some time and maybe make it to a shelter area for the night.  

Even with the melting we had over the past week or so, there was still at least a foot of snow in the woods and therefore on the trail.  I had some slim hopes that the trail would have had some traffic on it and devised a way to use some of the old roads in the area (which used to be the AT) to get me up South Mountain and on my way to Toms Run Shelter.  As I always do, I had alternate plans to the main plan and would change as needed.  That change came pretty quick.

I came very close to chickening out once again after I visited the Inn Keepers at the Ironmasters Mansion (Mike and Mary), but some force made me turn onto Old Shippensburg Rd instead of crossing the street and returning to the Museum.  My back had gone out as I shoveled some snow in preparation for a maintenance visit the next day and the familiar pain was nagging me and my visit to the Mansion had delayed me some (but it was worth it. Had to sample some home brew).  I had almost decided to just stay at the Museum for the night, but after I made that turn, my mind changed and I kept hiking.  As I headed up the old road, which was clear, I figured I could always turn around and just make a nice practice walk out of it with a full pack (plan C).  

When I got to the end of the road, I had about an hour of daylight left.  I left the road and followed the little trail that goes to the AT.  I immediately started post holing.  When I got to the AT, there was one lonely set of prints and they were snow shoes.  I walked to the bridge over Toms Run and decided that plan B will work just fine for tonight.  There is a small (semi secret) spot near here, where I have camped before, so I headed there.  It wasn't a long hike, but I realized quickly that there was no way I would be able to get to Toms Run Shelter in the next hour.  This place would do fine for the night.  

Tent up, wood found.  Time for fire and dinner

I located the place and kicked off the snow that covered the fire ring.  I stomped out an area to put my little one man tent, set it up and did a quick walk around to gather a few pieces of wood, so I could have a little fire before bed.  

The day had been in the low 40s, which had softened the top of the snow, but the night was going to get into the low 20s or even upper teens.  I had what I needed to keep warm and dry.  My socks had gotten a little damp in the day as I shoveled the snow in my trail runners, but I tried out a technique where you put your feet in bread bags as a vapor barrier.  I had one bread bag and one Walmart shopping bag, but it really did the trick.  My feet felt warm and toasty up until bed time.  

I made a small fire and cooked my dinner with my stove.  The fire was for a little warmth and comfort.  I didn't really Need it, but I was glad to stare into its eyes for a short time.  The sun set as scheduled and my belly was full with warm food.  As darkness settled in and the fire burnt down, I decided to retire to the tent and read some.  It was still pretty early.

Hiker box Mountain House. mmmmm

I (wrongly) decided to keep my hiking clothes on, even keeping on my damp socks and not putting on the nice thick wool socks I bring for camp during cold times.  I still felt pretty warm from the hike up the mountain and figured my body heat would help dry the socks (which it did), but I probably should have put the thick socks on and maybe my dry base layer that I also carry in cold weather.  My puffy was standing by, but I didn't feel the need for it yet.  

Snow camp

I scampered into the small Eureka tent and once again realized, that this is really nothing more than a fancy bivy sack and not really a tent.  There isn't much room to do anything in there like change clothes and such, so I just lay down and got out my phone to fire up the Kindle app and do some reading.  Not too long after that, I was ready for a little nap.  This usually happens when I start reading in bed.  I was still feeling warm and comfortable, so I let sleep take me for a time.

If you check my FitBit sleep pattern for that night, you will see A Lot of awake time.  I did a lot of left side, flat on back, right side, flat on back, left side, repeat.  My back was still hurting some, so there's that, but I usually do a lot of tossing and turning when I first go into the bush.  My mattress was working fine, I didn't feel any cold coming up from the packed snow, but I was awake a lot.  I had forgotten to remove my hammock woobie under quilt from my pack before heading out and I used that as a ground cloth in the tent and my sleeping pad fits into a sleeve in my Big Agnes sleeping bag, which went on top of the woobie.  I also had my bag liner, which gives a few more degrees of warmth in my 30 degree bag.  Getting into that while in the small tent was fun.

After a few hours of doze/sleep, I felt just a little cold.  Not too bad, but I knew it was time to put the puffy on.  I usually use it as a pillow, so I replaced it with my clothes bag and struggled into the puffy.  I immediately felt very warm and would for the rest of the night (at least on my upper body).  As the night wore on, my feet began to feel cold.  My socks had indeed dried, but the darn tough socks just weren't as good as my thick wool socks.

As morning arrived, but not light (it is still the dead of winter, no matter if Phil sees his shadow or not), I lay in my bag, feeling warm and not wanting to face the freezing cold day.  I could see with my head lamp that a fine layer of ice now coated the tent walls from the vapor of my breath.  It had cooled off quite a bit during the night.  

Eventually I forced my arising by letting the air out of my sleeping pad.  The cold immediately came through, so it was get up or get cold.  Well, getting up also meant getting cold, but I had to get moving.  At first, I had planned to make some coffee and oatmeal before heading back, but as I started packing up, I realized, I could do that later in the semi-warmth of the Museum.  I needed to get moving.

I had the usual problems.  Try to pack something without gloves.  Hands get really fucking cold, stop and put on gloves for a while.  Try again.  My shoes had frozen solid in the night.  I was glad I had untied them the evening before, but I should have opened them up more.  I basically slammed them on my feet and tied the frozen strings as best I could.  Other than my feet and hands, I was not cold.  I estimated that the temperature had dropped to the low 20s overnight. (Later verified to be somewhere between 18 and 24)

As I was getting everything together, my feet started going numb from the toes back until about half of my feet felt like a block of ice.  I would stomp in place for a while to get the blood flowing a little, then get back to work.  Also, I guess I should have had a footprint below my tent as the woobie and the sleeve on the sleeping bag was wet and so was the pad somewhat.  I just shoved everything into the pack and rolled up the icy tent and put it on the outside of my pack.  I knew I would be in warm(ish) and dry space soon.  I would be "inside".  

Before too long, I was ready to go.  It was still plenty dark and I had done all the work by head lamp so far, even though the waning crescent moon was shining brightly from above.  I retraced my post hole steps to the road and started down the mountain.  After about 1/2 mile, my feet warmed up from the effort of walking, but before they were all toasty, they had some painful moments as the feeling started coming back into my toes and forefoot.

I turned out my head lamp for the walk down the road as the moon was providing all I needed to see the black, clear strip of gravel that was the road.  After a pleasant down hill walk I could see the Museum's light as a comforting beacon to me and shortly after that, I was inside.  The 55 degrees or so it was inside felt like heaven.  

I unpacked and dried out my gear with the little radiator heater and started my day.

Looking a little tired, but none the worse for wear

It was good to get a feel of sleeping, hiking and living in a cold environment.  It raises your respect for your gear (and Mother Nature) and gives you ideas where you can improve things.  Knowing that I was only a little over a mile from shelter felt good, but I can only imagine what the day would have been like if I had to travel all day and deal with still wet gear the next evening.  But that will be a test for another day.

Keep on hiking,
EarthTone

PenMar to AT Museum - Section Hike

It has been over a month since Turk and I hit the trail again, so I better get this written up.

It was time for EarthTone and Kangaroo Joe to hit the trail again. 

This time we hiked on the AT.  I have hiked this section before, some of it multiple times, but it was still a good hike and we met some cool hikers and did some good miles.

Turk (aka KJ) came to the Park and met me at the museum on the Sunday after the Fourth.  We stayed at Junker's place that night.  Junker is the local Ridge Runner and a volunteer at the museum.  He has also offered to shuttle us down to PenMar park to start our hike.  

His place is pretty cool.  He has a part of his land all set up for hikers.  There is a little cabin at the edge of his property with a couple of beds, kitchen and a place to hang out. There is a nice fire ring, privy nearby and he has a shower up by his house that we could use.  

Bear bench at Junker's place

We had headed over there in the early evening and had a little fire into the dark.  The plan was to head out sometime around 8 or 9 in the morning.

Monday, July 7th, 2014

We were up and ready nice and early after a good nights rest.  We arrived at the park and started hiking at 8:45.  Our goal was Tumbling Run Shelter, 8.3 miles down the trail.  This shelter is one of the best. Two structures with a covered table in between.  Also, clotheslines and nice clean firepits.  The shelter maintainers are pretty dedicated. 

KJ at the PenMar Park sign. Ready to start.

The hike that day was pretty easy.  PenMar itself is in Maryland, so within a few minutes of starting our hike, we passed the Mason Dixon Line sign and were back in PA again.  This wooden sign tends to disappear every once and a while, probably stolen by some rebel who is still fighting the Civil War.  Junker had told us that there was a plan to make the sign a little more permanent.  Kind of like when rural people get sick of the rednecks baseball batting their mail boxes and make a box of stone.  At least that is what the plans reminded me of.  From what I hear, it was erected a few days after we hiked by.

Back into the "North"

After the sign we hiked down into the Falls Creek hollow where I had camped on my first section hike.  There was a sign on the bridge over the creek warning you not to even let the water touch you as there was a sewage plant upstream and recent storms had caused escapes of untreated water.  Yuk.

We hiked on and had to detour around a large dead fall.  We made note of the location to report to Junker, so he could come cut it up with his trusty chainsaw.  

The days hike took me past a place where I remembered doing some trail maintenance.  It seems someone likes to dump their used tires over the hillside and the trail happens to be below the road where they dump.  I remember the fun of hauling numerous old tires back up the hill to a truck so they could be properly disposed of.

I helped build these "steps"

Water was plentiful and we passed two shelters before arriving at Tumbling Run at 1:20pm.  It was a beautiful day and the hike was completed early.  There was no reason to continue on, so we stuck with the plan and found a place for our tent and hammock.  This place also has some nice tenting areas and we found a nice place away from the shelter.  

First night's camp

We ate lunch, made camp and started gathering wood.  Tumbling Run the stream was nearby and looked pretty refreshing.  The spring was also nearby, across the creek and it tasted very nice.  We had had a nice first day's hike.

Trail Art

From time to time hikers would come in and hang out for a while and then continue on.  A couple of them stayed for the night and we hung out with them at the table and the camp fire and talked about their hikes.  One was a younger guy, with a spanish trail name that of course escapes me now.  I thought it was the word for sheep, but when I google that, it doesn't look familiar.  (my memory is slow, but it works sometimes.  It was Borrego, lamb, not sheep) Also, I remember that he mentioned that he had to get off trail for a while after a alcohol stove accident and the word Fuego had been added to his name. Fuego Borrego.  He was pretty cool and was a hammock hanger.  He was up and out the next morning before we even got up.

Such a peaceful, easy feeling

Another guy who hung out with us had a name that related to where he was from (Edit: It was Ski, from Colorado I think. Thanks Turk).  Geeze, now I can't even remember trail names.  I need to take better notes, but had forgotten to take my notebook with me.  He was cool, but talked a big talk about sleeping in really late, but still getting his 20 miles in...  We wouldn't see him again until the General Store in Pine Grove Furnace.  He came in behind us.  20 mile days, yeah, ok...

You lookin at me?

In the late afternoon, George and his wife, the shelter maintainers, came by with some trail magic.  Some apples and cokes.  They are very nice people and take pride in their shelter.  We gushed about how great the shelter was and they glowed in accomplishment.  

After sitting around the fire for a while and sipping on some vodka, it was time for bed for me and I headed to my hammock.  As usual, I slept off and on throughout the night.  My usual for the first night out, until I get used to the hammock or my fatigue build up.

My nightly domicile

Tuesday, July 8th, 2014

The next morning was a little cloudy, but it didn't seem that rain was imminent.  We packed up and were on the trail at 7:45am.  Today's planned miles was 12.2, the Quarry Gap Shelter, just up from Caledonia State Park.  I left a little before Kangaroo Joe.  The beginning of the day had us climbing up almost 900 feet to Chimney Rocks, a view.  I thought I would see KJ after coming down from the view, but it was not until later that we would meet up again.  After that climb we headed up Rocky Mountain and ran that ridge all the way to Route 30.  Its name is well earned.  At one point the trail had moved down from the rocky ridge top, but then it took a sharp right and headed back up to scramble amongst the boulders again.  Maybe fun with a day pack, but with 30 plus pounds, not so much.  

Chimney Rocks View

But that is the name of the game and there is no such thing as a Pointless Up and Down (PUD) if it gets you further down the trail.  So we continued on.

Around lunch time we arrived at Caledonia State Park and the snack bar was open.  There were a couple hikers hanging out at the table and we ordered some lunch to go eat in the shade.  We had to wait a while as there was only one girl inside working and the pool people had formed a long line on the other side of the building.  But she did make her way over to us and we placed our order and had some lunch.  

After lunch we made the steep climb (about 500 feet this time) to the Quarry Gap Shelter.  George of Tumbling Run and Jim, the maintainer of this shelter like to have a friendly competition of which shelter is the better and I'm sorry but this one doesn't even come close.  Main evidence is I took no pictures.  I have been here before and it is nice, somewhat.  There are hanging plants and the spring is 10 feet in front of the shelter, but the niceness ends there.  The tent pads are wooden and the group area is down a rocky trail about 50 yards or so.  We arrived at 2:55pm and hung out for a while as this was our planned stop, but KJ had an idea to check out an area about .3 miles down the trail.  

As we hung out, another hiker came by.  Her name was Cherry Blossom (CB) and she was pretty cool.  I think she had gotten off trail for a while too and was just back for as long as she could be, hiking north.  She offered us some berries she had picked and KJ offered her some of his excellent vodka.  A fair exchange.  

She headed out and I took a little nap while KJ went for a walk to scout the other site.  He came back and said it looks nice, so we donned our packs once again and made the day a 12.5 mile day.  The campsite was nice.  Right next to the creek with plenty of flat space for Turk's tent and trees for my hammock.  We set up, cleaned up and I started making my dinner as the wind decided to pick up with the promise of a summer storm coming in. 

Day two camp

Just as I put my food in its cozy to finish cooking the rain started.  I just climbed under my tarp/hammock and sat the rain out.  I should have checked my pack a little better as the downpour let a bit of water into my pack and there was a nice puddle within the cover and some of my clothes got a little wet.  It wasn't too bad and is just part of being out on the trail.  You learn, and re-learn lessons all the time until avoiding them becomes habit.

Wet camp after rain

The rain eventually stopped, but all of our wood was wet, so no fire tonight.  At times like this, I just like to retire to my hammock and read.  KJ hung out for a while around the cold fire ring and had his own adventures.  Night came, and then sleep and then the morning dawned again.

Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

We were up and packed and on the trail at 7:25am.  Today was our biggest planned day of 16.9 miles with a possible stop at Tom's Run if we felt like it.  Today's hike would become very familiar for me as I have hiked the last 8.5 miles numerous times with the Road Scholars.  KJ had even hiked a few of these miles when we stayed at the Milesburn Cabin and hiked to Birch Run Shelter last fall.

In the morning I realized I must have left my AT Guide pages at Quarry Gap.  Oh well, I didn't really need them and KJ had a copy.  I just had to recreate the sparse notes I had taken on them into my phone.  

As we talked to the day's hikers, it became evident that moving on was a good idea.  Quarry Gap Shelter had filled up to capacity and event the group area had hikers.  Don't need the crowds.  

Off we went on easy trail after the usual morning climb.  I stopped at the cabin to wait for Turk and we hung out there for a while talking about our fall stay.  When we were there last fall we rebuilt the fire ring, incorporating a nice grill as a keyhole cooking area, but someone had fucked it all up as usual.  They just pile rocks and keep adding ash until it looks like a pile of rocky ash.  Oh well. 

This year's portable halfway marker.  Hikers are helping me maintain it with their duct tape

The day was beautiful and before long we were at Tom's Run Shelter for another break.  We only had 3.8 miles left and I was ready to get them walked.  I headed out and made my way to the end of the hike.  It seemed, that someone had snuck in and added trail when I wasn't looking.  I would be walking along and would think, I don't remember this part of the trail even though I have hiked it about ten times now.  I think that when I am with the group, I go on autopilot as I talk to them and don't remember all of the trail.  At one point, yesterday's storm had knocked over a Very large tree and it was a challenge to get over it.  There were two hikers right behind me when we got to it and I made my over it using my ass as best I could and they found their own way around.  We all made it over eventually.  When I asked Turk about it later, he said he had fallen off it, but then saw an easy way around it using the nearby road.  

Before too long I was walking into Pine Grove Furnace State Park and the end of our hike.  

A lot of the hikers that we had seen over the last three days were there eating their ice cream and it felt good that we had pretty much kept pace with most of them.  I had a cone and waited for Turk to finish his hike.  

We put our gear into the truck, went and got some pizza at Sheetz and then headed back to Junkers for another night in the cabin.  

In the morning, I headed home and Turk headed to State College to continue his hike.

It was a good 37.7 miles hiked in three days. 

Tracking the Trail

After yesterday's work at the Museum, I did a short trip up to Pole Steeple and back through the park to get some new GPS tracks and some pictures of the areas of interest.

It was a cold day with freezing rain and sleet coming down.  It made for an interesting hike.  Especially near the rocks of Pole Steeple.  All were coated in ice.  I stayed well away from the edge.  I don't think I would have been able to cross any of the rocks anyway, they were so slick.  It was fun coming back down the stone steps.  I had to bypass the trail a lot to stay on leaves.

Any day is a good day to be in the woods.

Here is a visual rending of the hike.

Pole Steeple to Rt 233

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