Date: 2008-06-11
From: HARPERS FERRY, WV

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 123.8
Weather: broken clouds

June, 11, 2008   10;00 PM   Duncannon, PA   AT Mile 1,135.3      Greetings from the Doyle Hotel;   Hiked into town late this afternoon from Boiling Springs, PA         We are in the Northeast now - over HALF WAY to Katahdin . . .      It may be the 1/2 way mark by miles, but many of us feel it is the 2/3 mark psychologically.   We are much stronger and more experienced hikers than we were in the beginning, and our goal of summiting Katahdin is much closer at hand. Still - we have a LONG ways yet to go.             Rethinker and I hiked together most of this past week. It's been a long hot trip since Harper's Ferry. Temps were way up in the 90's and very humid.   Fortunately, there has been some gentle cooling breezes most days, and plenty of water (springs and streams) to help keep us cool. Looks like temps will cool down a little for a while.   For the past several days the terrain has been mostly smooth, gently rolling wooded trails and open farmland. Easy hiking - but only a few high scenic vistas. That started to change a few miles ago. We are getting back into rough, rocky ups and downs again.   Just after Harper's Ferry we hiked through several Civil War memorial sites dating from Lee's march into Maryland. Very interesting.   Rethiinker and I hiked through several nice state parks with picnic and camping areas.   Also the trail is passing near and through more towns now, so it is getting easier to find resupply food and places to stop and catch a quick meal along the trail. I am eating better now than I have in a long time.   From the week before Harper's Ferry up until the other day, we only came across a few other AT thru-hikers. (Noah John, Candyman, and Beartrap)      Now, over the past few days there have been a lot of thru-hikers on the trail with us. We came across Stomp and Shuffes, Pine Knot, and Stripe at different times a few days ago.       At Pine Grove Furnace State Park and along the trail the other day, then again in Boiling Springs, PA yesterday, we saw Sage, Sailboat, Chef, Alf, Pippi and Hamburgler, Marko-Hangman, General Delivery, Daddy-O, Tangent, Peacock, and others.    Many of those folks are either taking a Zero Day in Boiling Springs, or camping outside Duncannon tonight. Downstairs Dave, Snake and Whitefish are the only other thru-hiker that I have seen in town so far.   As best as I can tell many of my friends from the early days are still on the trail, either ahead or behind me. The AT is an interesting linear community that ebbs and flows at different speeds along its length.   I am sure that I will see some of them again.   Two other things of note about the trail;   - The tree damage from last weeks storms and tornado's stretched for over 20 miles along the AT. Many sections had trees completely blocking the trail.   - There is a huge infestation of both gypsy moth caterpillars and 17 year locusts on the trail in this area, especially between Pine Grove Furnace SP and Boiling Springs.   There is one long section where the sounds of the buzzing locusts and the chewing and pooping of the of the caterpillars is so loud its almost deafening. It also could drive a person nuts after several days. Fortunatly, today was mostly a quiet day.                                        Lastly, I am still feeling good, having fun, and ready keep moving north to Maine.         Next report will be sometime next week.   Bye for now.   -Wes-