Tag: 2023

  • Day 3 – Whiskey Hollow Shelter to Ashby Gap

    Day 3 – Whiskey Hollow Shelter to Ashby Gap

    Wednesday July 19, 2023. Mostly sunny, 87 degrees, humidity lower than previous days.

    Up at 7:00. Decent sleep in shelter.

    Made breakfast Mike’s Recovery Mix (256), Honey Stinger (150), Justin’s Nut Butter (200).

    My feet were hurting a bit and had a bad blister on left big toe. Decided I could not make it through the Virginia roller coaster. Got the number of a shuttle from the guy met last night.

    Packed up, topped water and headed out at 8:53.

    Hiked 3 miles and found a nice rock to take a rest on with 2 base service. Started calling shuttles. Third call with no luck. Finally the guy that I got the number from last night texted me. He had a change in plans can could pick me up at Ashby gap in about 90 minutes If I could be there. I booked the last 2.4 miles to Rt 50 Ashby gap. Waited bout 45 minutes for driver.

    Great guy who drove me to Bear’s Den at about 1:45. 540-830-5778

    I picked up my truck and drove home. Got home about 4:00.

    Did not see another person all morning.

    If not for the blister, I could have hiked the final 3 miles north to the shelter, but my feet would have been really hurting. The thought of 10 miles the following day through heavy rocks in the roller coaster was a no-go.

    Pack was ok, but I think I need a fundamentally different style. Won’t make any changes until I loose a lot more weight however.

    Technical Notes:

    • Water liters: 2
    • Miles: 4.6
    • Time: 4:0
    • Elevation gain: 560
    • Elevation descent: ??
    • Calories consumed: ??
    • Calories burned: ??
  • Day 2 – Denton Shelter to Whiskey Hollow Shelter

    Day 2 – Denton Shelter to Whiskey Hollow Shelter

    Tuesday July 18, 2023. Mostly sunny, 87 degrees, humid.

    Woke about 7:00. Had a cold breakfast, cleaned up, broke camp and headed north at 8:40. Left foot and calf hurt a but in the morning.

    Mike’s recovery mix (256 cal) Honey Stinger (150 cal), Justins Nut Butter (200 cal).

    Hiked 5.5 miles to Manassas Gap shelter. Stopped for an hour and had lunch. Took a good break with shoes off and stretched feet.

    Manassas Gap Shelter on second shakedown hike in 2023

    1/4 pepperoni (175 cal), trail mix (140 cal)

    Topped off water at spring. Great flow.

    Water filtering on second shakedown hike in 2023

    Met a guy my age also headed north. He stopped for water. Hiked about 2.5 miles north with him. Chatted a bit. Helped pass the time. Things got steep and I could not keep pace with him.

    Hiked another 5.5 miles north to Whiskey Hollow shelter. Arrived at 4:00. Group of 15 kids there for an overnight camp. I decided to try the shelter as limited tent sites. Set up camp in the shelter and got water from creek. 

    Whiskey Hollow Shelter on second shakedown hike in 2023

    Mike’s Recovery Mix (256 cal)

    Felt lonely and anxious. Very! Texted with Dana about it. 

    Had a hot meal. Mountain House Mexican rice and chicken (660 cal), dehydrated sausage (220). Boiled 16oz for 4 minutes.

    Guy my age on a section hike arrived about 6:00. Chatted for a while. He tented up on the road and then came back to the shelter to make dinner. Nice guy from Illinois. Talked a while before he went back to his tent. 

    Camp at Whiskey Hollow Shelter on second shakedown hike in 2023

    No cell connectivity. Texting sketchy. Old guy showed up around 8:45 and set up in shelter. I eventually took a xanax and tried to go to sleep.  Maybe fell asleep around 11:00. My damn pillow woke me up with a leak in the middle of the night. Need to contact the manufacturer.

    Glad I sheltered. Thunderstorm and heavy rain in middle of night and early morning.

    Technical Notes:

    • Water liters: 3
    • Miles: 10
    • Time: 7:30
    • Elevation gain: 2157
    • Elevation descent: ??
    • Calories consumed: ??
    • Calories burned: ??
  • Day 1 – Front Royal to Denton Shelter

    Day 1 – Front Royal to Denton Shelter

    Monday July 17, 2023. Sunny, 89 degrees, very humid, smoky from Canadian fires.

    We dropped off my truck at Bear’s Den parking lot and Pitcrew dropped me off in Front Royal on Rt 522 at 4:00pm. Hiked north 5.46 miles to the Denton shelter. Arrived about 6:40. Set up camp. Decent tent sites and a nice shelter.

    Denton Shelter on second shakedown hike in 2023

    Topped off water at spring. Slow flow but not too bad.

    The local ridge runner was camping there. Had a good conversation with him. A father and son showed up later. 

    Had a late lunch at 3:00, so had a light cold dinner. Mike’s recovery mix (256 cal) Hone Stinger (150 cal), Justins Nut Butter (200 cal) and M&Ms (170 cal).

    Went to bed about 9:30. It was very humid in the tent. No way I could sleep. Took a muscle relaxer, partially removed the rain fly to get air, and messed on iphone till real late. Got to sleep around midnight. So-so sleep.

    Had a bit of anxiety that night again. Same old thing…isolated, limited connectivity, etc.

    Technical Notes:

    • Water liters: 1
    • Miles: 5.46
    • Time: 2:40
    • Elevation gain: 1000
    • Elevation descent: ??
    • Calories consumed: ??
    • Calories burned: ??
  • Day 3 – Pine Knob Shelter to Ensign Cowell Shelter

    Day 3 – Pine Knob Shelter to Ensign Cowell Shelter

    Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Overcast, 62 degrees going up to 75, and increasing rain all day.

    Woke at 6:30. Charger at 62%. No rain last night!! Fairly decent sleep for the trail.

    Up at 7:00. Got human by 7:30. Packed up and eating breakfast at 8:00. Cold breakfast today. Bagels and nut butter.

    I woke up all antsy and stressed. It’s 19 miles to Pen Mar Park and one massive uphill in last 6 miles. Gonna rain all afternoon. Given my foot and pack issues yesterday, I am calling it early. Also, heavy rain all day tomorrow. Going to go 8 miles to Ensign Carroll shelter and Pitcrew will pick me up about 12:30 to 1:00. I cancelled the hostel in Pen Mar.

    Tried to poop, but no luck. Put on all my slightly drier clothes from yesterday and treated the chafing in crotch. Will see how today goes. 

    Very tough hike. Feet hurt a lot. Hurt left leg about mile 5. Pack hurt my shoulders…big issues. This was a death march, not a hike. Made it to Pitcrew about 2:00 in a lot of pain.

    Technical Notes:

    • Water liters: 2
    • Miles: 8.1
    • Time: 6:00
    • Elevation gain: 1097
    • Elevation descent: 
    • Calories consumed: ??
    • Calories burned: ??
  • Day 2 – Crampton Gap to Pine Knob Shelter

    Day 2 – Crampton Gap to Pine Knob Shelter

    Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Up at 6:20. Extremely humid, 64 degrees going up to 78. Cloudy with chance of showers on and off.

    I might have gotten 90 minutes sleep. 

    Tent a little damp by the doors. Mainly splash water bounced through doors. Not sure what to do about that. Shirt from yesterday damp.

    Heard back from Zerodayhostile in Pen Mar. Room reserved for Wednesday night! 

    Started packing while breakfast cooked. Boiled water for 4:40. Had a dehydrated breakfast skillet (510) plus dehydrated sausage (240) and tea. Good! Ate at 7:25, finished at 7:50. 

    Great trail magic at Reno Road. Nice family with drinks and watermelon. Chatted a while and they prayed for me and my foot. Nice!

    Lunch at Dahlgren campground and a 30 minute rest. Just a stinger waffle and nut butter packet. 

    Dahlgren Campground Maryland on the Appalachian Trail in 2023

    Rested at Washington monument park shelter for 30 minutes and got water. My pack fighting me.

    Fought with pack all day. Lots of tweaking. Expanded torso on pack today at 4:00. Makes load lifters better but it may be too big as it slides down my hips and I get lots of weight on shoulders. Also my back and shoulders hurt today. I had a lot of weight on shoulders instead of hips. Need a professional pack fitting. 

    Got to shelter at 5:30. Chilled and had recovery drink. Found a tent site and made camp. Took about 50 minutes to fully set camp. I’m trying my quilt tonight. Set tent up better today…lots of tension on all stakes is key. Charged headlamp while chilling at camp.

    Pine Knob Shelter Maryland on the Appalachian Trail in 2023

    My Apple Watch died as I forgot to put it in airplane mode. Charging now so I can get my hike data of it!

    Fully changed clothes including underwear. Got chafing down there:( hiking clothes are all wet from sweat and humidity. It’s gonna rain tonight so I can’t rig a clothes line. Trying to dry them a bit on a rock. 

    Im beat and not very hungry. Eating a bag of Fritos. Not sure I will eat anything else. Got tomorrow’s food ready. Cold breakfast. 

    Got chafing due to humidity. Will try wet wipes and squirrel nut butter later. Should I have kept gold bond powder?

    Tried to sleep about 9:15. Dozed off till 11:30. Eventually got back to sleep.

    Issues and Lessons Learned:

    • add back second pair of underwear
    • need a second sweat band
    • second pair of socks needs to be just like primary socks
    • too much food
    • Need a better system for storing and organizing food
    • Protein shakes good, using camp cup and stirring bad
    • how to prevent crotch chafing when wet, humid, raining 
    • foot pain – talk to doctor – balls of feet, heels, Achilles
    • lighten pack 10 lbs
    • Find a different pack

    Technical Notes:

    • Water liters: 2
    • Miles: 12.5
    • Time: 9:45
    • Elevation gain: 2254
    • Elevation descent: 
    • Calories consumed: ??
    • Calories burned: ??
  • Day 1 – C&O Canal to Crampton Gap Campsite

    Day 1 – C&O Canal to Crampton Gap Campsite

    Monday, June 19, 2023. Overcast, 85 degrees and humid.

    Day 1 of my first shakedown. Carrying my Six Moons Designs Swift X pack with the Vest Harness.

    Ate a big lunch with Pitcrew at 2:00 at the diner in Frederick then drove to trail head. Pitcrew dropped me off for the start of a 4 day hike on the AT.

    Started hiking at 14:40. The climb up to Weaverton was a lot harder with 33lbs! Lots of day hikers.

    From top of Weaverton to Ed Garvey shelter I only saw one day hiker. There were 2 section hikers at the shelter. Took a 30 minute break and had a nice chat with an 81 year old section hiker. Doing same as me, but SOBO from Pen Mar. 

    Oops…I left my reading glasses at Ed Garvey but figured it out in only .25 miles. Went back and got them.

    Headed to Gathland park for water and rest. Passed one thru hiker and what seemed to be a scout group on a day hike SOBO. Loaded up on water including 3 liters in CNOC.

    Gathland park, Maryland and water. First shakedown hike, 2023.
    Gathland park, Maryland hauling extra water. First shakedown hike, 2023.

    Hiked .4 miles to Crampton Gap shelter. There were 2 guys in shelter and 2 tents by shelter. Hiked about 200 yards uphill to the real camp sites. About 6-8 prepared sites with a bench, fire pit, and tent site each. Finished hiking at 19:00. 

    Right heel hurting again and both feet on the balls of feet. I’m wearing my Salomon hiking boots. I think the heel just had too much movement, but if I tie down a lot that hurts my feet worse. Surgery spot is a little uncomfortable but not bad. Almost no swelling!

    Got camp all set up in 30 min. Sent Pitcrew a video of the camp setup. Brought everything inside due to rain. 

    Crampton Gap MD campsite on first shakedown hike in 2023

    YouTube video of camp at Crampton Gap, Maryland.

    Decided to not eat dinner. Just had my recovery drink mix. Just not hungry and it’s getting dark and raining at 8:30. I did have a very big lunch intentionally. Finished cleaning dishes just before rain started! Got my food and other stuff hung on bear pole. Used tent dry bag as second bear hang bag. I have too much food. Will see how wet things are in the morning.

    Rigged up a clothes line in tent for shirt and socks and hand towel. So far it is dry in here, just humid. I won’t need my quilt with this temp and humidity. Should stay above 60 all night. Just using the liner. 

    The camp slippers are working surprisingly well. Probably not as good tomorrow after rain, but will see. 

    Lightning and heavy rain at 10:30pm. Read until 11:30. Pulled on socks and long sleeve shirt around 3:00am. 

    Technical Notes:

    • Water liters: 2
    • Miles: 8.54
    • Time: 4:23
    • Elevation gain: 1625
    • Elevation descent: 
    • Calories consumed: 
    • Calories burned: 175