Date: 2015-06-10
From: Harpers Ferry/TeaHorse Hostel

To: Hamburg, PA
Miles today: 193.9

Day 27 - Harpers Ferry/TeaHorse Shelter - 0 miles Great Zero day, just seeing the town and lots of relaxing!! Feet are happy! WORD UP!!! Day 28 - Harpers Ferry/TeaHorse Shelter to Dahlgren Backpacking Campground - 19 miles Good day after a zero.Nice views and some easy ups and downs. Did pass the Rockey Run Shelter today due to some homeless guys hanging out and pretty much living there. I prob wouldn't have mind much but they gave me a really bad vibe. I did get water but took my pack down to the water source and saw the old shelter. A couple hiking the AT was in the shelter due to the pending thunderstorm coming later. They had the same feeling about the group at the new shelter. I moved to the campground for bathrooms and pizza. Got there soon as the weather hit, me and "Just Greg" had pizza and set up camp. Did tell the Ranger that came through about the group earlier and he said that the populated areas in the northern states have much more homeless then the south and there is not much they can do other then tell them the one night shelter stay policy. Otherwise a great day!WORD UP!!! Day 29 - Campground to Ensign Cowall Shelter - 14.4 milesHiked out from the campground and was going to hike about 19 miles, but the weather brewing cut my day short well I thought coming at 1pm. I stopped at Ensign around 1, and keep hearing storms, so I stopped. Many other thru-hikers moved on. The storms didn't come until 7, but the shelter was full of section hikers. We had a blast tho. These three ladies (younger then me) had some good laughs, along with a dude names Joey. One of the ladies that showed up later with her dog told me about a tree that was split next to the shelter. This tree is totally going to fall on the shelter if it's not cleared. Just glad it didn't happen on us. The strange thing is that this area of the AT has many trees down and they have to clear trees that look dangerous from the shelter areas all the time according to the ranger from last night. Several accidents have append recently due to this problem. Hate to hear people have been hit and killed by this problem. Now I'm not scared of bears but trees.WORD UP!! Day 30 - Ensign Cowall Shelter to Tumbling Run Shelter - 18.1 milesRain actually made today a lot better. Except for it being to cold but I warmed up the up hills and hiking a little faster. Was going to push to the next shelter 6.6 miles away but decided since it was so nice here that 18.1 was enough. Besides that "Angry Bird" was here and had root beer and apples. Soooo nice!!! Want to make half way mark tomorrow so it will be a long day if I do, but if I don't I will not push myself. WORD UP!!! Day 31 - Tumbling Run Shelter to Iron Mansion Hostel - 29.4 milesWhat a day!!! Milestones!!!!One month on the trail today!!!! First 30 mile day if you count the off trail mileage Passed the Half Way Point on the AT. Almost 450 miles in!!! So left the shelter with only a 19 mile day planed, because of the cool temp, fast time, and great trail I decided to hike on made it to the next shelter and "Wall-ee" said the place on Boiling Spring is full Friday, so I decided to hike the 3.6 miles more to the Ironmasters Hostel. Great place!!! I mean really nice! Like an old hunted Mansion... :-)Great day!! Ended with pizza and root beer!!! WORD UP!! Day 32 - Iron Mansion Hostel to Boling Springs AT campground - 19.3 milesStarted late at 10. Ate a good breakfast and saw the AT museum. Great day was a little warn down from yesterday's 30. Me and Catlin hiked some together then I took off. Had a slow day, bypassed both shelters by 4:30 pm so came to the AT campground in Boiling Springs. Meet nice lady named "Peanut Butter". When I first saw her she gave me directions to food, later she saw me walking and gave me a ride back to the campground. Very awesome lady! She even told me to stop by a cabin off the trail on Saturday to have some food if I'm in the area were it is located. WORD UP!! Day 33 - Boiling Springs AT campground to Cove Mountain Shelter - 21.6 milesFlat then ups and downs!! Rocks were not so bad! According to the book it's really bad, I mean it is worse then any other part but not horrible. Made it to the shelter and got water ate and got ready for bed. The old guy here says there are killer porcupines at this shelter that is why they had to take out the stairs and put metal all around the base of the shelter. I did hear them at the privy chewing most of the night. Kind of glad they didn't come around. WORD UP!!! Day 34 - Cove Mountain Shelter to Peters Mountain Shelter - 15.0 milesSlooooow day!!! Hard ups and lots of rocks.I did eat breakfast in Duncannon at Goodies. Saw the famous Dole Hotel were many a hikers stay, me never!!! But I got a pic and heard lots of interesting stories. Later I did make it to the Cabin, and trail magic from "Peanut Butter". Hotdogs and watermelon. Thank PB!!! It was awesome and had some good conversation with some good folks who maintain in the trail in this area. Made it to the shelter and the area was packed. I did get in the shelter with a pack of scouts, couple of hikers and Yankee. It's been cool to have someone hiking around my speed the last day or so. Makes for good conversation at the end of the day. Meet Bambi a guy who is trying to complete the trail in 3 months, he did the PCT last year in a little over 3. Cool guy I must say. Don't know if I'd want to do 30 mile days every day. Also meet "Momma Bear and her three Cubs". She and her twin 4/5 year olds and older brother (maybe 10) did GA to Harpers Ferry in 2014, this year they are finishing. These kids age great!!! Every day I'm amazed at the awesome people I get to meet. The water source here is 300 steps down a steep hill. I carried water from the cabin. Just say no to step water climbs. LolWORD UP! Day 35 - Peters Mountain Shelter to Rausch Gap Shelter - 18.0 milesAnother good day other then the rocks. Trying not to push it to hard because my feet start hurting due to the lack of cushion in my shoes now. I'm so ready for a new pair. The rocks in PA suck and I'm almost ready to be doing updates and down agains rather then flater rock rock rock areas. Did notice more hikes checking and finding ticks. Lucky I haven't found any yet. First it's bears, then trees, now ticks... The joys of the AT dangers. Got to the shelter and guess what? Homeless people again asking for drugs. This has been like the forth group of people in these New England States. I hear past NJ it's not like this much. I really hate people have to be homeless and such, but these homeless on the AT sometimes are hard to be around due to the way they act and the BIG stories they tell. Well time to sleep. WORD UP!! Day 36 - Rausch Gap Shelter to 501 Shelter - 17.5 milesAnother rocky day and pending thunderstorms so me and "Wall-ee" started a little earlier to beat the weather coming later. I did catch a little rain today but not much. PA = rock hell!! It's funny to see locals who don't mind it tho. I did get some good advice today from a lady and her husband who live in the area. She says just learn to step on all the rocks and not avoid them and it makes it easier to walk. It hurts but seems to help a little. Made it to 501 shelter and guess what? Monday's no one delivers to this shelter. So me and "Wall-ee" went to town about 2 miles away And got Arby's. Yummy!!! So much better then pizza. I did trail magic for Yankee and got him some also since I didn't know when he would be in. He made it right before the storm and love the food. Several other hikers showed up very wet, including "Click-Clack" he was warn out after a 34 and I could tell after about two questions so I left him alone. Nothing worse then a long day, being wet, cold, and 50 questions. BTW under 1000 miles to go!!! Wooohoooo!!! WORD UP!! Day 37 - 501 shelter to tailhead at railroad crossing parking mile 1217.3 - 23.9 milesDecided to hike past Eagles Nest shelter due to me making it there at 1:15pm. Yes that was over 15 miles in 6 hours over killer rocks. Pushed on to town and a nice bed. Didn't do much but go to Taco Bell and lay in bed!!! After shower!! :-)WORD UP!!! Day 38 - Hamburg PA Hotel - Zero day!!!!!! My feet were so sore on the heals from yesterday I'm doing a zero today. Went to Walmart for some supplies and to Cabela's for new shoes!!! Oooo they feel so good!!! Just spending the rest of the day relaxing. Back to the real world tomorrow.WORD UP!!!