Some shots from the first couple days on the trail

 Springer Mountain...so glad I didn't end my trip at this spot...

Signing the first trail register

 First AM

WHERE'S MOJO??

20 days ago I finished hiking the AT. I have purposely kept away from the blog since then (sorry to those who miss the updates) because I needed a little decompression time. The AT was my world for 6 straight months. I ate, slept, dreamed, walked, talked all things AT. It took over my life as any big endeavor you wish to succeed at should. When I finished, I wanted to get back into "the real world" before writing any post trail update.

I think I've reached that time. Firstly, since coming off the trail, life has been pretty damn good, just like life was on the trail. I moved in with my awesome girlfriend into an apartment in Hoboken, NJ, a city I had not once before in my life visited. I have a lot of exploring to do here and I'm glad I have my best friend with me and 6 months of top notch exploring experience to do so.

I've also begun working! Yes, this crazy, no longer long haired, no longer bushy bearded, (still a) hippie has turned in his hiking poles for the 9-5. Only its nothing like a typical 9-5. I have the good fortune of working with my dad in a business that I allows me to do one of the things I love most - talking to people. I am working with my pops at his small financial advisory firm, located in Red Bank, NJ. Just like I felt on day one of the trail, I realize I have a very long way to go in order to be "successful", however, just like I said on my "about me" page forever ago, my idea of success probably isn't the same as most people's. I didn't need to finish the trail to have a successful hike, just like I don't need to make a whole boat load of money to have a successful career, life, whatever. Finishing the trail was the cherry on top, just as making a lot of money will be.

I spent a good amount of time thinking, brainstorming, and coming up with ideas for my father and the firm. I am thrilled now to be back and able to begin putting those abstract ideas and thoughts down on paper and hopefully turning them into realities. "Vision, without actions, are nothing more than daydreams."

Finally, I was able to upload the 2000+ photos I took while I was on the trail. I'm looking into ways of making them all available for whoever wanted them, but I was also planning on posting up my favorites and writing up the stories that correspond to each. Some might be long, others short. If anything, it will be a way for me, years down the line, to recall a story with a photo.

Here is the first "story with picture"
Hybrid and I started on April 12th. Literally as we walked out of the parking lot where we left Hybrid's dad, The Tuna, we ran into a couple hikers also starting out on their thru hikes. At the time, their names were Dylan and Reese, just as ours were Frank and Adam. We hiked with them the first couple of days and they turned out to be cool guys we expected to be seeing a whole lot of on the trail. On the second day, while the four of us were stopped for lunch, we noticed a down tree, standing at a 45 degree angle. Adam offered up a burger for anyone who dared to climb.

Dylan walked over, inspected the tree, and figured it was a risk with the appropriate reward. So he climbed...

Well after a couple of days, Dylan and Reese sped up ahead our pace and we didn't see them again until we got to Damascus, about a 40 days later. By that point, Dylan had the trail name of Oatmeal (because he ate instant oatmeal straight from the bag) and Reese was "Chill" (becuase he is so chill?). After only briefly seeing them in Damascus, I wouldn't run into these guys again until I got to Lincoln, NH. After seeing them there, I lost them again, thinking we would never meet back up. As fate would have it, I bumped into them once more in northern Maine and was able to hike most of the way north with them. Even though we were always only a couple days apart from each other, we really only hiked together a handful of times. But the great thing is - we summited Katahdin on the same day! Here is the April 12 summit team picture:

Awesome guys and glad I was able to meet and re-meet them on a couple occasions. Oh, and Hybrid still owes Oatmeal a burger.

Day 179 - Mt Katahdin

Woooooooooooohooooooo!!!

At 11:45am on October 7th, I reached the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. As I approached the iconic sign atop the mountain- a moment I had been thinking about for well longer than the length of my trip-a feeling of accomplishment, satisfaction, and relief swept over me. Some people yelled and screamed. Others cried. It was a wild range of emotions. For me, my arrival yielded a silent smile from my lips and my eyes. I was there. I was done. I was happy.

I snapped a couple of pictures, exchanged congratulations with my friends already atop and sat on a rock. While I was eating my victory twix and drinking my victory PBR, I looked out at the miles of wild, natural, and beautiful landscape. In the time I've been in the woods, a lot has happened to me, you, the world. So much has happened, but it all still seems the same. I'm no different than I was 6 months ago. My hair is longer and beard is out of control, but I'm still the same person. It is now up to me to take what I've learned in the past (about myself, community, nature, anything) and use the knowledge to build my future.

After about an hour up top, it was time to go. I put my backpack on and prepared for my journey back down. Prepared for my journey back to what the thru hikers call "the real world". I may not always know where I'm going here on out and I hope it always stays that way. Live life like the adventure it's supposed to be and you'll always be on the trail. Just make sure your shoes are tied :)

Thanks for reading

-Mojo

100 mile wilderness

Apologies for lack of updates. The service in Maine has been limited, but I kind of like an excuse to be out of touch.

I love Maine. I really, really love Maine. This state has been fantastic. The lakes, the moose, the people, the views, the terrain, the hiking...I could go on and on. It's all been fantastic. I've also had some great, spontaneous adventures, such as swimming in a "pond" (seemed like a lake to me), kayaking in a lake, and whitewater rafting on the Kennebec River. I've run into old friends and made many new ones. It's been a magical experience and its almost all over.

Tomorrow I begin the 100 mile wilderness. Its called the 100 mile wilderness because there aren't any road crossings through the stretch. So I have to carry 100 miles worth of food. Once I am through the 100 mile wilderness, the finish line, Mt. Katahdin lies just about 15 miles ahead. And then this whole journey is over. One week left. A lot of emotions running through my bones right now, but I excitement is most prominent. This has been a wild adventure full of unexpected twists and turns. Lets see what the next 100 miles hold!

-Mojo

Day 163 recap

Yesterday was what I like to call a "crappy hiking day". It was cold, raw, wet, and cloudy. Conditions were unfavorable and when I reached a shelter, 9 miles from the start of my day, I was grateful to eat lunch under a roof. After spending about 40 mins there, I was having trouble motivating myself to continue on to a campsite where I was planning on spending the night. I eventually realized that whether or not I continued on for the day, the outcome the following day would be the same (I was planning on resupplying in Stratton, ME). Thus, if it did not matter if I hiked on, I decided my best course of action was keeping my soul and mind at ease at the shelter, staying warm, and relaxing.

This morning I woke up early and had a beautiful hiking day. I had fantastic views and warm sunshine all throughout the day. My decision to call it a day early the day before was clearly the right one as I easily made it to town today, in fantastic conditions. I really think that knowing your environment and how it affects your mind and body leads to the ability to make the most sound decisions.

The weather forecast isn't pretty for the next week. It's calling for a lot of rain. A lot of it. I think I need to do a little psyche-up session this evening in the comfort of the hostel I'm at to prepare for the "crappy hiking days" that lie ahead.



I know I can. I know I can. I know I can!




Moooooooose!













Hangin out in the shelter on my half day! Cup of hot chocolate. Mmmm

Brrr

Ive been moving inconsistently through maine. I hike a 20 and 17 last week as well as 8-11 mile days. Its been obvious how my food consumption affects my day. On the days I don't eat enough, my legs feel tired, lethargic and sometimes exhausted. I've since decided to buy an extra days worth of food in towns and make sure I am eating enough.

It's also been pretty cold of late. That's fine by me because a 50 degree, sunny day of hiking is about as good as you can get in my opinion. Once the sun goes down the temperature has been really falling and making the whole sleep thing a little chilly. Last couple of nights I have slept in every piece of clothing I have out here.

Maine has been beautiful so far. I really love it out here and am looking forward to pushing ahead to the finish line. Woot woot!

Maine

I made it to Maine the other day. What a feeling. I still have over 250 miles to the finish line, but getting into the final state has a certain mental accomplishment feel. To be completely honest, I wasn't sure how far I would make it when I started. To be in the last state of this journey really feels special. And so far, the trail in the state has been pretty spectacular.

First off, the terrain is tough! It is beautiful, unique, and has a Georgia meets New Hampshire feel. I hiked through a boulder field the other day- about a mile in length - that took me over 2 hours. I was scaling, crawling, and maneuvering through boulders up to 20 feet tall. It was really wild. There were also small crevices where I had to take my backpack off and crawl through tiny spaces that would make the claustrophobic really tremble. Below the boulders, I could hear spring water flowing and feel the cool air from caves still containing ice. In my AT guide, it listed this mile as "either the most difficult or most fun mile on the AT." I think it was both.

Afterwards, I made it atop the next mountain and slept beneath an old fire tower where I planned to catch a great sunset and sunrise. Unfortunately, a cloud formation moved in and blocked that hope. However, at around 10pm, I couldn't fall asleep and got out of my hammock. I walked out to the fire tower clearing and the entire area was illuminated by the nearly full moon. A pretty cool sight. Everything from the mountains across the valley below to the rock formations around me were lit by the clean, white glow of the moon. I don't think I've ever seen something like it.

I still have a lot of miles to log and tough terrain to cross, but I can feel the end getting closer. This trail has already given me so much, I am excited and anxious to see what the next 250+ miles hold. Living life one step at a time!

Through the Whites

Wow. What a range of ups and downs. Literally with the terrain as well as my emotional state. These mountains have provided the hardest mental and physical challenge yet on the trail. The steep ascents and descents challenged my body and the inclimate weather throughout most of my time in here challenged my mind. Like my previous post said, a whole lot of my time hiking these majestic peaks was done in the clouds and later in the rain. I climbed Mt. Washington in 35 degree, 30mph, driving rain and received no views. While unfortunate, I really felt like a mountaineer, braving the elements to reach the summit.

After another bad day descending into Pinkham Notch (my FB friends probably saw my post whining about my day) I needed a break. I hitched about 14 miles to a hostel in Gorham where I could clean and dry my clothes/shoes, take a shower, and sleep in a warm bed. That nero day did me wonders and sure enough, the rest of the time in the whites, I had fantastic weather. I'm talking about perfect, fall hiking weather. Really a 180 degree change from the prior week and it really aided in my mental state. The weather out here really affects my mood, much more so than in the real world. Probably because I'm outside 100% of the time.

Anyway, the last couple days have been fantastic. Met some more cool thru hikers going north, hung out with some awesome hut workers in Cartner Notch, and caught some fantastic vistas of the surrounding area while atop Wildcat. Oh and I loved the climbing at Wildcat. Ascending from Pinkahm Notch provided some fantastic hand over hand climbing.

So now through the White Mountains and heading onto Maine. No more state crossings after this one. Except to go back home. WooHoo!

White Mountains- day 5

Last night I was able to do a "work for stay" at an AMC operated hut, located right below Mt Washington. Until about 7pm yesterday, I was feeling slightly disappointed with my white mt experience. That all changed at around 7 when I came to a stunning realization. More on that in a second.

The whites have kicked my butt so far. I came in here thinking I was going to blaze this place up. I thought, "I'm a thru hiker knocking out 20+ mile days, usually hiking 3mph - this should be cake." Well cake is NOT what it is and humbling is.

The terrain has been steep, rugged and challenging. On more than one occasion I have looked at the terrain that lay ahead and thought there was no way to get by. Slippery, sheer faced rock descents, hand over hand rock climbing, and wet, creek-like trails have slowed our pace significantly.

The weather has also not been on our side. Our day 1 climb of Mt Moosilauke yielded some views, however since then, it's been all in the clouds. And the rain. Oh the rain. Hiking above tree line in cold, windy rain chills you to the bone. We go to sleep wet and cold. We wake up the same way. Not since early on in Tennessee have I considered staying in my sleeping bag all day instead of getting out and hiking.

So it's been hard. But I also knew it would. And I've been trying (successfully) to stay positive. Hell, as we departed a shelter the other morning, with rain dropping on our heads, I thought it best to sing to my dear friend dr pepper, to raise both our spirits. He astutely informed me I wouldn't be on broadway anytime soon.

Later in the day, the rain lifted and we got a few nice views of the surrounding area. But around 7pm is when it hit me.

High up in the whites, in the shadow of Mt Washington, I saw the most amazing sunset these eyes have ever peered upon. It was simply sensational, breathtaking, and trying to capture it's essence in either words or through photography would be fruitless. It was a once in a lifetime event, just as every sunset is.

And as I gazed west, enamored and yet without thought, it hit me like a ton of bricks. As great as this sunset was, even if I wasn't able to experience it, I should have nothing but joy and positive thoughts about my experience in the whites so far. Yeah, the views are spectacular and I would love to see them, but that isn't why I'm hiking. It's the cold and the rain and the difficulty. It's the journey and the challenge and the birds singing in the trees. It's this whole wild experience, bundled up into what has been the greatest adventure of my life. I realized at that moment that sometimes, the reasons you think you are doing something aren't necessarily such. Sometimes, you don't hike to the top of a mountain for the view. Sometimes you hike to the top of a mountain to hike. And that is good.

Location:Lake of the Clouds Hut - Mt Washington

The Whites

Since day one on the trail I have looked forward to hiking in the White Mountains. The hype, the terrain, and the views are all sky-high. It was during my first backpacking trip with Hybrid, all the way back in 2008, that I first had thoughts of trying to hike the AT, while we tromped though the Pemigawasset Wilderness, located in the Whites. You could say that this is the area where I fell in love with the backpacking thing.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I climb Mt. Moosilauke and into the White Mountains. The past few weeks have been grueling, challenging (both mentally and physically) and amazing all in one. I expect all of that to be heightened in this next 8-10 day jaunt through these mountains. It is said that hiking more than 10 miles a day is a difficult task here so the 100 mile stretch that goes through the whites should take some time. But man, I seriously can't wait to get up there.

Hopefully I'll have good service up there and can post some pictures, but lately the service has been sparse so not too sure. Anyway - I'll keep ya posted!

Hurricanes, Vermont, and More

Hi all,
I attempted many posts while in Vermont, but alas, the cell service was rare. Here is a quick rundown of my time in VT:
-Vermont is muddy. Very muddy. And that is Pre-Hurricane
-Vermont is beautiful. Holy crap is this a lovely state. I want to live here one day for sure
-While climbing Stratton Mountain, I got walloped with an intense, isolated thunderstorm, near the peak. I learned many valuable life lessons that day. The most important - Preparation is the key to success of any kind
-The terrain, while beautiful, has included many more climbs and difficult terrain. Only a taste of what lies ahead...
-I climbed to the top of Killington Peak and then rode the Gondola down to the lodge for lunch! Pretty cool experience since I grew up skiing there. Unfortunately that lodge did not fare so well apparently during the storm...-The hurricane was a nasty one as everyone now knows. Dr P and I came up with 5 plans for the hurricane. The one we went with was staying in a barn in Woodstock, Vermont, at the home of Daniel Quinn. He has a brook in his backyard that became a flooded, raging river, rising many feet. Pretty scary, but also an awesome display of Mother Nature's power. I have some photos I must upload when I have a chance (and the internet service)
-I hate hornets. I was stung by another one yesterday and I no longer have a left ankle. Its just a large, swollen stump. Bastard bees!
-Finally - I made it to New Hampshire!! Crossed the Connecticut River and now in the same state as the White Mountains. Can't wait to make it there!!

I'll do my best to post more...its all subject to my internet service on the phone. Hope you all stayed safe during the storm.

-Mojo

More trail love in Adams, MA

Dr P and I waited patiently outside of the Cheshire post office. It was finally a beautiful day and we had no qualms about sitting around in the sun and shade of the new little town we had just walked into. We were waiting because my friend and former WTAS boss, Shamus was on his way out from Boston to pick us up and take us to his childhood home for the night. Shamus had made this offer to stay at the family home in Adams a while back, before I had even started the trail. At the time, I didn't want to jinx myself and say yes for sure (in fear that I might not even make it to Adams, MA)but now, here we were. Over 1500 miles in the book. We had hiked a good deal these past weeks and a little rest (on some grass no less!) while we waited felt good.

Shamus pulled up in his devilishly good looking yellow sportscar. I guess I have to eat my prior words about not getting a ride from people in nice cars. In fact, I might go as far to say that Dr Pepper and I are the only thru hikers to receive a ride in a Porsche this year.

We arrived to the McBride residence (a house that has been in the family since the 19th century) and were greeted so warmly, immediately, by Shamus' parents, Ruth and Tony. It was clear that we were welcomed guests into their home and I can't tell you just how good that makes us hikers feel, since we often time feel a burden on people.

Ruth and Tony filled us up with some DELICIOUS meat lasagna, garlic bread, and fresh veggies. Talk about carb re-fill and carbo-loadng! The food was fantastic and we were even treated with their next door neighbor coming over with some $5 trail magic! Her son hiked the trail in 1999 and she wanted to pay it forward to us, just like so many had done for her son. She clearly got "it".

After dinner, Shamus took us for a little tour around the town he grew up in. Beautiful country out in these parts. Very green and lush. We also had a great view of the next day's major challenge - climbing Mt. Greylock - which loomed over the towns below, over 3,000 feet in the air.

Our time with the McBride's was short, but definitely sweet. They welcomed us into their home and treated us like family. We feel so very lucky to have met Ruth and Tony and are eternally grateful for Shamus' help. I know I have said this before, but it bears repeating. This trail has been special to me for so many reasons, but the emerging storyline is just how kind and generous your fellow American can be. Love, love, love this trail!

The Bird Cage

"You have to go to the bird cage. You just have to."

For the past couple weeks, I have heard these words from hikers going southbound to Georgia. They all spoke so highly of this place called the bird cage that I was becoming suspicious and thought there might be a southbounder conspiracy to trick northbounders into going to some weird, creepo place. Dr p and I were wondering if we were walking into a "Hostel" situation.

"Just walk to the shell station in Dalton. The kid at the desk will see you and call Rob. He'll come and get you."

What in sam hell?! Really? Thats how we get to this place? Well, what the heck. This trail is all about new experiences. Why not?

We hiked 22 miles to get to Dalton and try this bird cage we kept hearing about. We get to the shell station and the kid pumping gas looks at us and asks "You want the bird cage?"

"Yeah" we reply.

"Hold on, I'll call rob" says the kid.

Dr pepper and I lean against the gas station window, munching on trail mix as we sorta kinda nervously wait for rob. Soon enough a van pulls up. No rob. It's Nancy.

Cigarette in hand, Nancy rolls down the mini van passenger window, smiles, and says, "hey hikers! What's your names??" Nancy gave off an immediate warmth and I could tell this was not going to be a scenario I needed to be worried about. Dr pepper and I jumped in the van and we drove off, heading to the bird cage.

On the drive over, Nancy gave us a little background about herself as well as on rob, and the bird cage. Rob has been running this little hiker helpout operation for over a decade. We arrived at the house and met Rob, an older guy with a quick smile and a friendly hand shake.

"We're just about to do a load of laundry if you want to throw your dirty clothes in" he says. "And there are some clean clothes in the other room for you to wear in the meantime. The shower is over there. Fresh towels are on the shelf."

There were about 10 other hikers hanging around as well. Some I recognized, some I didn't. Some northbound, some south. I showered up and threw my clothes in the laundry. We sat around and talked with Nancy, Rob and some of the other hikers. The atmosphere was very comfortable and felt like at home. A great feeling, especially since the last 3 days have been cold and rainy.

At 7 Rob and Nancy took a bunch of us over to the old country buffet. The hungry hikers filled up on plate after plate. Earlier I weighed in at 145 lbs, 20 below what I started at, so I put down 4 plates myself. I think dr p did the same. Afterwards we came came back to the bird cage and relaxed some more. We all watched the film, boondock saints as we digested.

There are some hikers that spent 4 or 5 days here. This place has an awesome vibe and I feel right at home. If I wasn't on a deadline, I might stay a couple days. For me, it's just the night. But I feel so fortunate to have found this place and met these wonderful people. Rob and Nancy welcomed us into their home, treated us like family, and asked for nothing in return. Their hospitality has been second to none and I can't wait to send them a postcard from atop mt katahdin. Truly a special experience with special people.




Rob and Nancy








Dr pepper, at our sleeping quarters




Bird cage!




Fellow Nobos, snags and indy




Hangin out in the kitchen

Some updates

Since leaving hybrid back in bear mtn, NY, I have been hiking with dr pepper, his German friend he met in VA. Dr p and I have been making great miles and having a blast out here. He is a funny guy and I enjoy hiking with him very much. It also helps that he is a marathon runner (26 marathons- wow!) and he can go the extra distances with me each day.

Connecticut has come and gone and we are now hiking through the Berkshires in Massachusetts. I can't believe I lived in this state for 7 years and never made my way out here. The trail is beautiful and the towns are quite nice. Picked up some pizza in great barrington the other night with dr p and fellow hikers Alex and spikey. Such a quaint little town. I'll have to remember to come back for another visit. Thanks to spikey for the coronas!

Caught a great sunrise too the other morning from the riga shelter, just before the MA-CT border. I don't particularly love waking up before 6, but I'll oblige for a sunrise. I'll post some photos I took when I have better service.

Finally, dr pepper and i successfully outran the impending storm that came barreling up the east coast today. We had resigned ourselves to getting wet but we were pleasantly surprised when we made it to the shelter before the storm hit. I write this from the comfort of the drafty, dirty shelter, but hey, we are dry! Tomorrow might be a different story though.

Night!

4 month anniversary!

I have now been on the trail for four months. Crazy to think about especially since I had all of 3 days backpacking experience before I started this adventure. It's a good feeling knowing you can adapt to your surroundings.

What am I doing to celebrate this beautiful, albeit chilly morning (it dropped into the 50s last night - burr)? Oh just killing hoards of mosquitos as usual.

I want to mass murder...

...all mosquitos. Seriously, what would the ecological damage be for these blood sucking pests to go the same way as the dodo? I'm willing to allow some frogs and bats to go hungry so the mosquito race can be ended. For the past week I have been getting munched on non stop. I haven't used DEET products yet on the trail, but I might be ready to start. As I write this, I can hear the little bastards swarming around my hammock. They smell my sweet blood.

Oh yeah, made it to CT!



Dr Pepper and I attempted to walk to a deli that, according to my guide book, was .6 miles off the trail. The deli did not exist and I was none too pleased with my guide author, david "awol" miller. Hey Dave, if you read this, Tonys deli in CT does not exist.

To make matters worse, the good people of Connecticut apparently don't pick up hitchhikers. I guess I can't blame them though. Every other car was an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes, and I'd be damned if I let a dirty hiker in one of those! :)

-mojo

Lots of rain late

I hit Connecticut today! Very excited to have another state done and to begin a new one. Hopefully the recent rainfall holds off for a few days so I can dry out. It's rained a whole lot the last week and I feel like I haven't been dry in awhile. But that's part of hiking the trail. Rain or shine.




Hybrid and I parted ways for good this week as well. It was bittersweet for sure. We've had a great experience hiking together and I'm so glad we were able to take on this challenge as a team. It's sad to see him go, but the real world and architecture school beckons! I am so proud of what he has accomplished and the help he has given me this whole time. I know I have a huge supporter in my friend and one who will always be there for me.


For now, as always...Onward!!

-mojo

The Mojo

I have been making a concerted effort to have restaurants we hit along the trail to name custom meals I order after me. Leave a little legacy in the town I touch. I'm special like that.

Our friend Wren picked us up this morning from Lake Tiorarti and we all went out for breakfast. We had this plan as of last night so while going to sleep I came up with what I thought was a delicious breakfast that would combine my love for sugar with my need for protein.

So if you are ever in Cornwall, NY at the Hudson Street cafe, see if they have the mojo. It's basically 3 pancakes with scrambled eggs and bacon on top of each pancake. Smother that in syrup and mmmmmmmmmm! You are eating the mojo

New York

Recently made it into NY! Normally states "bleed" into each other and you can't really notice an instant change when you cross a border (ie PA bled into NJ and NJ therefore was kind of rocky). Not so with NY. As soon as you hit the state, the terrain changed up pretty significantly and for the better.

Rocky cliffs with tons of views and fun hiking terrain is how I would describe NY so far. Really, really liking it. It also probably helped that yesterday's weather was just about perfect for summer hiking. Cool, partly cloudy, and comfortable.

Also, Hybrid and I met back up! It's great to be hiking with my buddy again and we are psyched to be back on track together again.

-mojo

Rain, sweet rain

Rained for the last 3 hours of the hike today. Drenched, I arrived at a shelter. Met up with some old friends beforehand though and a cold, wet, miserable night has morphed into a cool night. Rain is beating down outside, but we are dry in the shelter. Even the crappy nights on the trail have a way of being awesome.
-mojo

New Jersey

So far I have enjoyed NJ. Yes, it has rocks, but not to the same extent as PA. I may be biased though for a couple of reasons. One, I grew up in NJ and have the classic NJ chip on my shoulder. I love my state and have definitely been looking past it's rocky flaws. The other reason is that so far in NJ, my girlfriend, Sarah, as well as my mom and two sisters have come out and backpacked with me.

Sarah and I knocked out almost 20 miles in our day and a half together. Our first night, we camped atop Mt. Kittatiny and caught an amazing sunset. I also ruined poor Sarah's Mac and cheese dinner with wayyyy too much butter flavoring, but she found it in her heart to forgive me.

On our second day we hiked past rattlesnake swamp and surprise- we saw a rattlesnake. A pretty big one too. Prob 4-5 ft i would estimate. Earlier in the day Sarah had read up on her venomous snakes in the lodge of the Mohican Outdoor Center and she suggested I walk first. As we were strolling down the trail I came about 2 steps from stepping on the fat rattler as he (or she) sunned in the middle of the trail. I instantly jumped back as I realized what was ahead of me and immediately the serpent coiled up in a strike position and shook the big rattle on his tail. He wanted space and we gave it to him. Sarah remembered that we needed to give the snake at least 5 feet of space at all times an we did just that. After a couple minutes the snake slithered off to the west side of the trail, but only about 4-5 feet in. We tried to sneak past and as we did, he rang that rattle loud at us again. So our sneak changed to a run and we were safe from any need for anti-venom.

After our snake encounter we met up with my parents and sisters (Lisa and Amy) and got a bite to eat. Sarah would be going back to NYC and my sisters and mom would continue hiking with me.

The four of us set out around 6pm and I figured we had about 1-2 hrs of hiking before setting up camp. Sure enough, as soon as we walked into the woods, there read a sign- no camping for the next 3.5 miles. This made me a little nervous as I did not know the terrain ahead and 3.5 miles could very well take us past dark- a problem since I was the only one with a headlamp.

We walked the trail and even had to do some light rock climbing at points. Once on a cliff, I noticed a storm off to the west. The combination of an approaching storm and darkness had me in full campsite search mode. Fortunately we found one not too long after and literally just as we had camp setup, the rain began to fall. Talk about good timing!

The four of us crammed into my two person tent and played rummy while the cool rain made pitter patters on the fly (tarp) surrounding us.

The next day we all hiked in some intense heat, but everyone performed quite admirably. I tried giving out trail names but no one really liked theirs. Go figure, my mom didn't want to be called Gandolf.

All in all, had a great time with my backpacking visitors for the weekend and welcome the chance to hike with any other friends who would like to give this crazy trail a try.

-mojo

See ya, PA

I was planning on writing an open breakup letter to the Pennsylvania portion of the AT, letting it know how I really felt about it. My overall experience on the trail in this state has been marked by rocks, blisters, excessive heat waves, more rocks, dried water sources, more rocks, and some of my lowest days on the trail so far. I cursed this state and it's trail on more than one occasion, vowing to never again return to the area where I can only imagine the battle between heaven and hell took place and a rocky wasteland was left in it's wake. I was going to passionately proclaim all of this, but that sort of negativity does no good.

Let's be honest. Pennsylvania has been the hardest state FOR ME so far. Terrain-wise, it is fairly flat. Because of this, I attempted to hike big miles (and I did - in a 24 hr period I covered 34 miles once) and that could have led to some of the pain I would feel. But the rocks. Oh the rocks. They were never-ending. There were large boulders. There were small boulders. There were large trail rocks. There were small jagged rocks. There were slippery rocks. There were rough, shoe chewing rocks. You get the picture. Lots of rocks. Every single day, all day, for over 200 miles.

About two days ago and after what seemed like the 100th rock I kicked while in stride, I felt defeated. I couldn't take it. My feet were horribly blistered for the first time on the trail and each step I took shot alternating numb and sharp pain through my body. I didn't want to go any further. I hated the trail, PA, rocks, the squirrels, trees, etc. I was not in a good place.

I wanted to complain and feel sorry for myself. Woe is me. This is too hard. Wah wah wah was all I was hearing and I was getting sick of it. This trail is hard for a reason. Less than 10% completion rate happens for a reason. "Only the strong survive." I came to the realization that there were two very simple choices ahead of me. Allow the trail to beat me or put your head down, walk, and beat the trail. I chose the latter.

I walked into Delaware Water Gap yesterday in the late afternoon, which is the border of PA and NJ. As a fitting send off, I slipped on a rock going downhill about a mile before town and fell on my back. But wouldn't ya know it, as I walked to the church hostel I was going to stay at, hungry, tired, and sore, I was informed of the Thursday night pot luck dinners at the church where hikers were encouraged to join. A pot luck dinner at the end of a really tough stretch seemed as good of a reward as any in my opinion. Perhaps it was coincidence or plain luck, but I think it was the PA trail cosmos giving me a symbolic pat on the back for not giving up.

I don't know if I will return to hike this portion of the trail again, but I will always remember what this trail has put me through and what I can do when faced with obstacles that seem too large to cross. See ya, PA. Onto New Jersey!

-mojo

Friends on the trail

A whole lot of friends hybrid and I have made along this trail, like us, have their own trail blogs. If you have time, check em out and see how some of our hiking buddies are faring:

Wren:
http://citywren.blogspot.com/

Sage:
www.trailjournals.com/sage

Terminator and Bo Knows:
www.hikeforcam.org

Grasshopper:
www.at-grasshopper.blogspot.com

Next:
www.jhmcknight.blogspot.com

Rolla Coasta

Good morning from West Virginia! About to finish off the "roller coaster". It has been an enjoyable series of up, down, up, down, up, ad infinitum...

enjoyed a relaxed stay at bears den inn where I enjoyed a shower, laundry, meals, and a pint of Ben and jerrys ice cream.

Looking forward to a lot!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Still kickin

Hi! It's been a while but I am still on the trail and kickin. I hiked through the shenandoah national park in six days and emerged in yet another forest in Virginia. The temperature lately has been oppressively hot but today should be nice and cool (only in the upper 80s/lower 90s...)

I am at the very end of the thru-hiking pack and although I miss my friends it is also nice to experience this shift.

I will arrive in Harpers Ferry soon to celebrate the half-way (technically a few miles shy of the "real" half way) and from there I have decided to aero-blaze up north to meet up with Mojo.

This creek here is running clear and cold so it's time to refill my water supply and push up the next ascent, then down it, up another, down, up, down, up, down, and then up again to hit my 19 miles for the day.

Take Care!

Hybrid


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Near a creek

The official half way, the half gallon challenge, an other assorted happenings

Ive been hiking in Pennsylvania for the past few days and have been enjoying the terrain thus far. PA is notoriously known on the trail as the "rocky stretch" and "where good sneakers go to die" as the rocky landscape and boulder fields make for tough traversing. So far it hasn't been too bad, but I hear the stretch coming up is supposed to be pretty rough. Here is a shot of a rock maze I hiked through the other day:




I passed the official half way point the other day.


Felt quite good to get by that marker. A hiker named Grasshopper equated this second portion of the trail to the second half of a football game. You've seen what your up against, you make your adjustments, now go and finish it out. I'm very much looking forward to the next 1090 miles.

Soon after the halfway point, hikers come upon a little place called Pine grove furnace. It is here that AT thru hikers attempt the "half gallon challenge". The challenge is to eat a half gallon of ice cream in under a half an hour. I was considering this test but knowing I can't eat more than a pint of ice cream on my own, I elected for the cheeseburger. A few other hikers were more brave than I and a couple met the challenge, scarfing their half gallon in no time. A few also failed...and it was painful to watch them try.

Met up with some new hiking friends and knocked out 52 miles in a couple days. Tiring, but it wad pretty flat, so nothing too bad. We had to hike across a 14 mile valley and the weather of late had been quite toasty. 100+ degree heat index can really make you sweat. To counter this, we constructed some heat reflectors. Check out our designs:









I couldn't find an umbrella in town, so Sunkist, Sage and I rigged up some cardboard to my trekking poles, which we attched to my backpack. We covered the cardboard in an aluminum emergency blanket (think the kind you see runners wearing after a marathon) to reflect the heat. It worked pretty well actually.

One final note...and a pretty funny one. As evening approached, we continued along this 14 mile stretch of farmland and intermittent tree cover. At one point we had to cross a field where a herd of milk cows were mingled. As the 7 of us approached the herd of about 20, they suddenly became agitated and started to run all together and ahead of our path. Stampede!! But the cows did not keep going. They ran to our direction and literally formed a semi-circle around us, staring us down. They mooed at us while we hurled taunts about the cheeseburgers we just ate the night before.

Uneasily, we walked through the semi-circle of cows they formed across the trail. Sure enough, as we passed, the herd followed us for another 50-100 feet through the field. It was almost as if they were escorting us off their property. A hiker named hawk took a picture, which I must get for you to see. He captured us walking away from the cows in a straight line with the herd behind us, just staring, their eyes lit green from the flash. A truly unique experience!

-mojo

West Virginia + Maryland = Done

Crossed through Maryland the other day. A couple of the guys we were hiking with said the trail had more vistas here than in the shenendoahs. Saw another bear today and a sunset last evening on overlooking Maryland farmland from atop Annapolis Rocks.




Also crossed the mason-Dixon line so officially out of the south. After such a long trek in VA, all these milestones in the past few days are overwhelming.

It is clear that we are at the "end of the thru hiker pack", however my feet and body feel strong and I am ready to do what needs to be done to finish this trail...mainly put the pedal to the medal.

Met up with my girlfriend, Sarah for a couple days in Waynesboro, PA and took her on a day hike. She did great and I'm looking forward to her coming out and getting some backpacking in with me when I'm a little more north. We also went to Gettysburg briefly on her last day. Awe inspiring and sobering at the same time. So glad I got to see my girl though!



Now onto the rocks of PA.

-mojo

Chuggin along

The last few days have been a real blast. Here is a list of some (in my opinion) cool things I've done:

-foraged wild berry bushes and made my own berry infused spring water


-hiked a mile off trail and back to go swimming in Thompson Lake on a 95 deg day
-hiked the "roller coaster" - approximately 12 ascents (and descents) ranging from 200-650 ft in vertical gain over a 13.5 mile stretch.
-found a magical castle-hostel in the middle of the woods named bears den, where captain red beard and I ate a pint of ice cream, a pizza, drank 6 sodas, and watched the 1977 animated classic, the hobbit. It was 99 outside, we deserved the 3 hr break


-reached the 1000 mile mark!!!!
-was downpoured on immediately after reaching 1000 mile mark
-reached harpers ferry, WV, home to the Appalachian trail conservancy. We got our pictures taken and signed in. Harpers Ferry is considered the half way point, even though it's technically not. Guess there not going to put the ATC in the middle of the woods.


-finally left VA! Feels like forever ago we were in damascus. Maybe because that was in may...

I've had a really great time these past few days and hiking with a good group right now. 1000 miles is a long way and I'm proud of that accomplishment. I'll be honest. I didn't 100% believe I would make it this far when I started. Its always a great feeling when you prove the doubter in yourself wrong.

-mojo