Date: 2018-05-11
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Miles today: 0.0

Spent Wednesday night in Daleville, VA after leaving Leigh Gap at 1030. Another 7.5 hours on the I-slabs and thankfully no issues on the southbound ride got me home Thursday at 1545. Another section in the books.A review and some notes on the hike are in order. Generally, the sections of Maryland and Pennsylvania were somewhat boring, even though the famous "PA Rocks" were encountered over significant areas. The AT for the most part is only made enjoyable by the people you meet. On this trip I made new friends and met some old friends.This is the first time I have used a vehicle to try and make hiking easier. I set the truck ahead for each 50 to 60 mile segment so that I could re-supply about the mid-point, i.e. each 2 to 3 day hike. This allowed me to cut weight for food and clothes, helping me to move somewhat faster than in previous hikes. The folks who provided shuttles for me to collect and move the truck were excellent and deserve a special thanks: (Robert Freeman; Michael Gelinas; Joyce Carlin; Craig at Rock-n-Sole Hostel; and Allen Wejkszner)The AT in Maryland is maintained by the PATC (Potomac AT Club). There had been a lot of trail maintenance prior to my arrival. Many trees from winter storms had been cleared and the trail was in good shape. Thanks to those folks for the work they do. The weather was another matter. Met up with a couple of guys in Harper's Ferry and we hiked for several days. The second night was a gut buster of a storm. After that there were 4 days of small sleet pellets, tiny snowflakes, and drizzle with temps in the 40's. Finally reached Pen Mar on the 18th and collected my truck to shuttle both guys to Waynesboro where they decided to go home. Lost 2 hiker buddies but gained 2 more on the 19th as I was leaving Pen Mar (Johnny Walker and Bangles).Hiking in PA turned out to be 2 different hikes. The first roughly hundred miles is pleasant and much like Maryland. The second hundred or so is different with the rock issues. The Pennsylvania section is maintained by several ATC clubs. Some sections were in good shape but other areas were in need of tree clearing and brush removal. Poison ivy was beginning to sprout in many areas and will need clearing. Long pants are the call for now, or suffer the itch and rash. It is early in the hiker season so I imagine the work will get done soon. I know this is difficult work and the terrain here does not make it any easier. Kudos to those who help keep the trail open and usable.Passing the Mason-Dixon Line on the 19th, we (JW and Bangles) traveled off and on together for 2 to 3 weeks. Sometimes going northbound and sometimes I was southbound passing them on several different sections. I also had a couple days rest at Pine Grove Furnace State Park on the 21st/22nd to attend a hammock hang. My first MAHHA hang with about 100 folks. Great dinner, gear raffle, and talking with old friends and some new ones also. Back to the trail on the 22nd and moved back to Fayetteville, PA to collect my vehicle.After Hwy 309, Pennsylvania brings the "famous" PA Rocks. Sometimes the trail is completely covered in stones and boulders. Many "stick-ups" (those still attached to Mother Earth) and the other stones make for difficult walking as you need to watch virtually every foot placement. It can be slow going at times. The larger ridges, piles, and up lifts were not that difficult and not as bad as I was led to believe. There was one exception - the north face of Blue Mountain at Leigh Gap. Now that was a goat trail with rock climbing required in some sections.  Dangerous but still exciting.I normally travel at about 2 mph on most trails that are in good shape and do not have severe climbs or other issues. On this trip I probably averaged the 2 mph, but there were areas where 1 to 1.5 mph were the norm. Other areas allowed faster travel up to as much as 3 mph. Crossing the Cumberland Valley farm lands was really a joy, while the rocks north of Hwy 309 were a royal pain and frustrating at times. It seems that the AT has been placed in many places that are worthless from a cultural viewpoint, as well as for hiking by the average citizen. Northern PA is one of those places.Over the last week or so, I met with my friends for a few days stay at the Rock-n-Sole Hostel near Schyullkill, PA. This is by far the best hostel I have had the pleasure to visit over several years of hiking. The owners are friendly and helpful, the hostel is clean and comfortable and located at a convenient spot near the trail. Craig and Jody are excellent hosts. The shuttles were great. I rate this hostel as 5-Star from my perspective. Sometimes they slack-packed and I did a southbound, meeting them along the trail before returning to the hostel for the night. I used southbound hikes to help offset the truck movements, as on those days I could hike immediately after getting to the new location versus shuttling back south and wasting the whole day.I used both my hammock and shelters for this trip. As on other parts of the AT, the shelters range from fairly new in good shape to those ancient structures that need replacement. Both states have some of each. Two in particular deserve special mention for their truly good conditions: Tumbling Run, and Quarry Run . These are maintained by caretakers who have dedicated their lives to helping hikers enjoy a nice place to stop. Both are in excellent condition and are well kept. ATC needs to step up and start replacements all along the trail. It appears a lot of money and effort is dedicated to protecting the trail corridor but not so much in maintaining the structures and managing safety/risks along the trail.I used a new boot for this section hike - Hoka One One. These turned out to be a great choice for me. The uppers are a soft leather that stretched when needed, especially in the toe box. This prevented toe issues, especially on steep downhills. The soles are a soft Vibram that had a spring/yield when encountering the rocks. This allowed the boot to flex and the foot to have a soft landing, versus the hard pounding normally associated with stiff soles. A couple of pictures show that they survived extremely well considering the number of toe trips, bumps, and scraps that were encountered over the 265 or so miles on this trip. I think a couple of dabs of silicone will solve the minor separation at the toe where the rand comes up the front of the boot. The insoles were replaced with a Dr. Scholls Active insole which gave a good cushion to the foot.And last but not least, the climb down the north side of Leigh Gap was a thrill. So glad I have had rock climbing experience to call on for this drop off. I suspect the climb up would not be as dangerous since the pack weight will be behind and lower than when coming down. A more manageable situation in most instances. You choose which way you want to experience this rock pile.Finally, thanks to all those I met on the trail for their encouragement and help. People are what make the trail. Not the trail itself.