Tag: PA

Thursday, July 4, 2025. Up at 6:30. Cool clear day.

It got down to 61 degrees las night. The new blanket I am using worked perfect for this weather. I got packed up very quickly and walked over to the shelter to say goodbye to the crew from last night. On trail at 7:00. 

Got to Cafe 101 in Boiling Springs at 8:30. Good 4 mile hike to wrap up the week. Juice and Die Hard joined us for breakfast and I treated them to a trail magic breakfast. Exchanged contact into with Juice. He and Die Hard are planning on the PCT next year and I need a partner. This could work great. Also saw Good News and Viking at the cafe and wished them Happy Trails.

Janine arrived and joined us for breakfast before driving me and Ed home to Poolesville starting about 10:00. Janine is spending the holiday weekend with us. Yey!

Overall, a great hike. I felt good-to-great including the 15 mile days and even did some 3 mile per hour sections.

Technical Notes:

• Pancakes x 1 – 110
• Sausage – 200
• Eggs x 2 – 140
• Toast x 1 – 115
• Coffee with creamer – 40
• Coffee with creamer – 40
• Water liters: 1
• Miles: 4.06
• Time: 1:28
• Elevation gain: 441
• Elevation descent: 928
• Calories consumed: 
• Calories burned: 581

Thursday, July 3, 2025. Up at 7:00. Weather looks great…76 degrees when we left the hostel. 

Packed up, ate breakfast, and headed out at 7:45.

Made great time getting to Green mountain store at 10:45 and 9 miles. Just under 3 miles per hour! Got drinks and breakfast sandwiches and hung out for an hour. Had nice chats with 3 locals about hiking and the weather and such. Always love stopping here. 

Back on trail at 11:50.

Fun rock scramble at Rocky Ridge. Ran into Good News, Juice, and Die Hard while taking a break on the summit. Love these rock mazes / scrambles.

Arrived at Alec Kennedy shelter and set up tents by 4:00. Still making great time on a 15 mile day! Tough tent pitch as all the spots are rocky, but the shelter is going to be crowded. Did get the tent pitched well and this is the first time I’ve pitched this new Durston x-mid for real. 

We met a group of 6ish folks at Pine Grove last night and hiked around them all day today. We all stayed at Alec Kennedy shelter: Juice, Die Hard, Viking, Good News. Juice and his wife Juice are about my age. He is retired Navy and had some good stories. Good News and Viking are in their mid-twenties.

We hung out, had dinner, and talked for several hours. Got some great input on hiking the AZT. Just really good conversation and camaraderie this evening. Makes me want to thru-hike again.

Headed for the tent and some reading at 8:00. We need to be up and out at 7:00 tomorrow morning at the latest.

Technical Notes:

• Pop tarts – 360
• Body armor lyte – 20
• Body armor lyte – 20
• Sausage egg muffin – 450
• Sausage egg muffin – 450
• Oreo cookies – 330
• Curry noodles – 450 
• Dehydrated Chicken – 170 
• Water liters: 4
• Miles: 16:43
• Time: 8:00
• Elevation gain: 2756
• Elevation descent: 2671
• Calories consumed: 2250
• Calories burned: 2972

Wednesday, July 2, 2025. Up at 7:45. Clear and warm. Nice looking day.

Nothing dried let night. Hiking in my camp clothes today. Will find a sunny place to dry wet clothes at some point today. 

We have an easy 10 miles today to Pine Grove Furnace where we can get real food. We plan to stay at the hostel which MAY have laundry. I stayed there before. 

Filtered water after, packed up and on trail at 9:00.

We and an annoying scary moment when tow big dogs came around a bend and ran at us barking. Their owner had them off leash on trail. Startled the hell out of Ed who was in the lead. One of the dogs did not listen to the owner. Annoying.

Stopped at Tom’s Run shelter at 11:30 and 6 miles for water, lunch and to dry out clothes. Nice hike so far, humidity is way down and the temps are in low 80s with clear skies. Easy 4 miles downhill to our destination at Pine Grove Furnace.

Mountain biker stopped by on a cross trail and we chatted for a bit. He thinks it’s hot and humid….wimp! 

Clothes dry and back on trail at 12:20.

We arrived at Pine Grove Furnace at 2:00. Got checked in and unpacked.

Met NOBO thru-hiker Good News. She is sharing the bunk room with us. Got showered and generally cleaned up. This place is as I remembered it…old, run down, dirty, but provides all the basics that is nasty hiker trash need. 

Had early dinner at the Pine Grove Furnace store. Their Hiker Burger is monstrous and awesome!! Chilled after that, dried out clothes from today, planned route for tomorrow, semi packed for tomorrow. 

We have 15 miles tomorrow and the last 4 are a bit tough. We have a great general store to stop at around mile 8.6 for cold beverages and lunch tomorrow as well.

Lots of thru-hikers here tonight. Probably 12. They all came in after us.

And back to the store for a buffalo chicken wrap for dinner. Yum.

Ed and i hung out in the lounge and read till about 8:00. I went to the bunk room and read in bed till 10:00 or so.

Technical Notes:

• Pop tarts – 360
• Fatty sausage – 300
• Trail mix – 180
• Root beer – 260
• Hiker burger – 850
• Fries – 200
• Root beer – 260
• Twix – 250
• Buffalo chicken wrap – 500
• Gatorade – 140
• Water liters: 4
• Miles: 10
• Time: 5:00
• Elevation gain: 810
• Elevation descent: 1722
• Calories consumed: 3240
• Calories burned: 1700

Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Up at 7:015. Cloudy with high chance of rain.

Had a hell of a thunderstorm about 9:45 pm last night. Thunder was shaking the shelter.

On trail at 8:20. 

Arrived at Caledonia state park for water, snack, and toilets at 10:00. Took a 30 minute break. Not as hot today but very humid.

Received amazing trail magic from a couple who drove in from the Midwest solely for that purpose. We chatted with them for 45 minutes while enjoying bratwurst and sodas. People like this make the AT experience really special.

Got to Quarry Gap at 12:20. Nicest shelter on the AT. Only rested for 15 minutes sine we spent so much time with the trail magic folks.

Stopped at Milesburn cabin at 3:30 and 10.8 miles to filter water and wait out a storm. Nice primitive cabin owned by PATC and rented to members and guests.

Reached the Birch Run shelter at about 4:50. No cell service. Looks like we have it to ourselves. Rained hard the last 5 minutes to the shelter and continued to rain for quite some time. On the plus side, the rain cooled things off a lot and sucked the humidity out of the air. Almost chilly now.

Glad I decided to bring a pack towel. With the rain today we really needed to dry off once we got to camp. Also, the silk liner is working great. Put my sleeping pad inside of it, instead of me in it. Perfect in this humidity. Really helps with sleeping.

In bed at 7:00.

Technical Notes:

• Pop tarts – 360
• Zero sugar sausage – 120
• Trail mix – 160
• Bratwurst – 350
• Grape soda – 160
• Doritos – 150
• Baby Ruth mini – 80
• Baby Ruth mini – 80
• Payday – 240
• Fatty sausage – 300
• Curry noodles – 450 
• Dehydrated Chicken – 170 
• Crackers – 190
• Water liters: 4
• Miles: 13.23
• Time: 8:22
• Elevation gain: 2083
• Elevation descent: 1919
• Calories consumed: 2810
• Calories burned: 2813

Monday, June 30, 2025. Up at 7:00. Partly cloudy.

Dana dropped us at Pen Mar park at 8:45. Got geared up and on trail at 9:02.

Quick stop at the Mason Dixon line.

Stopped at Deer Lick Shelters at 11:15 and 4.8 miles in for a snack.

Very sticky, but overcast is helping. We have only seen 2 other hikers so far. Will be curious to see how crowded the shelters are. We should be about 2-3 weeks behind the bubble.

Got moving again at 11:43

Filled up on water at Old Forge park. Stopped for lunch break at tumbling run shelter at 1:15 and 8.24 miles. Chatted with a thru hiker who is staying here tonight. 

Filtered water and back on trail at 2:00.

Stopped at Chimney Rocks after a hard climb. 

Took a quick break at 5:05. Thunder rumbling.

Arrived at Rocky Mountain Shelters at 6:15. Good looking double shelter with beat box and picnic table. Long .3 miles downhill from AT to shelter. Water is .4 miles further down, so we carried in extra and hopefully can make it to the next water tomorrow morning.

Ate a good dinner at 7:30. No issues with not being hungry this time. Got things put away for the night about 8:00 and went into the shelter to read at 8:30.

Forecast calls for thunder storms tonight, but it called for them all day too.

Back and shoulders are hurting. Now I remember why I stopped using this pack after 1100 miles last year. Will see how the next 5 days go. 

Overall a good hard day. Have not done 15 miles since I got off the AT last fall. Would not have enjoyed going any further, but we made it. 

Technical Notes:

• Breakfast Sandwich- 300  
• Zero sugar sausage – 120
• Fatty sausage – 300
• Trail mix – 160
• Payday – 240
• Curry noodles – 450 
• Dehydrated Chicken – 170 
• Crackers – 190
• Water liters: 4.4 liters
• Miles: 15.53
• Time: 9:14
• Elevation gain: 2835
• Elevation descent: 2566
• Calories consumed: 1930
• Calories burned: 3754