Wrong sort of fireworks...

7/1/08 - Left the shelter before 7 am (to meet up with me later). Trudged through miles of muddy trails, moose tracks & more moose poop.

• Paralleled Roaring Creek for awhile - looked very kayakable.
• Took a break at Congdon Shelter then up Harmon Hill - which had absolutely no views.
• Finally an extremely steep descent to VT 9 where he waited around with Meltdown & another section-hiker until I arrived on the scene around 1 pm.
• Took Meltdown into town then off to Greenwood Lodge & Campsites for showers and to set up shop (home) for the next few days.
• Followed by THE MOST unproductive scavenger hunt for authentic Mexican food that you could possibly imagine... a good half an hour down the road (and then some) for a tribal-tattooed white guy to throw black beans and a "Mexican pizza" our way. I resorted to refried ice cream- for dinner.
• Exchanged birthday presents while we waited in the parking lot for the faux-Mexican restaurant to open. I scored an iPod nano while Amos got stuck with an assortment of odd souvenirs from Europe which included: Scottish sweater, Guinness tee, deck of cards, Viking helmet, wooden sword & matching wooden shield. I might owe him. Big time.
• Then back to the campground for margaritas & beer.
• 11.5 mi day.

7/2/08 - Woke up. I took what Amos describes as a "long" shower. In reality, I got sucked into talking to the campground owner, Anne & her son Chris, for at least 20 minutes.

• Into town to do laundry in a very smelly laundromat.
• Blue Benn Diner for lunch.
• Picked up Tupperware from the trail.
• As we were driving through Bennington, Tup rented a town bicycle, rode alongside the pretty little luxury SUV that my Dad had gotten for his 50th birthday and had graciously let me borrow for the week, somehow got a little too close, and accidentally scratched the multicolored metallic smoky granite mica paint with the handle of the bike. (I'll admit that was a bit of a run-on.) So, while Amos sipped on microbrews in Madison Brewing Co. (and I on water), Tupp snuck off to the nearest auto center for a repair kit. It didn't quite do the trick but luckily Dad didn't mind (I LOVE YOU!).
• Pizza next door then back to the campground for reheated Patron's, crab rangoons, an air hockey tournament and a game of HORSE - which I WON!!!
• Another campfire, more beer & margarita, to bed.

7/3/08 - Packed up camp. HORSE rematch - Amos won...

• To the library, Walmart, a bad stint at Taco Bell (man, we had absolutely NO luck with the Mexican!) then rented a room at the Best Western with Tupperware.
• Picked up Buns & Roses, Spock & Twiggy, and Cuda out of a soaking rain.
• Once we got everyone back to the hotel, Hearts started feeling ill & noticed a lump on the right side of his hip near his groin. After several phone calls to family pharmacists, two doctors and one dentist - all it took was one alarming allusion of impotence to trigger a trip to the ER.
• When we arrived, Amos told the registration attendant that he had a fever (Roses suggested this trick to get in quicker) - it didn't work as intended - but it did get him a creepy blue surgical mask to wear in the waiting room.
• Waited forever. Doctor finally showed up (maybe 3 hrs later) and instead of inquiring about Amos' symptoms he wound up spiraling into a 15 minute conversation about preferred hiking gear (no wonder we waited so long!). An ultrasound and a debate on appropriate water filtration later we left with a prescription for what the doctor decided -based on extenuating circumstances- was giardia. (NOTE: He had nothing intelligent to say about the lump on Amos' hip and assured us it was a bulging femoral artery - "no big deal"!!! We should have known...)
• Back to the Best Western & off to bed.

7/4/08 - 1st stop... CVS for Tinidazole. The lady who initially set off to fill his prescription somehow forgot all about him & so we ended up waiting about an hour for the drugs.

• Back to the Blue Benn diner for brunch but Hearts had no appetite.
• Dropped everyone off in town where we struggled to say a very long, drawn-out, sad goodbye and then I left.
• Hung out at Chris' house for the rest of the day. Played pool, cards, cooked on the grill, and enjoyed a Spock-led drum circle.
• Tried to fall asleep on the couch but felt awful - very feverish - still didn't think much of it.

7/5/08 - In the morning, he felt really weak but thought it would pass so they packed up and decided to hike out anyway.

• Stopped at the Blue Benn one more time for breakfast, then to the post office to pick up the Therm-a-Rest Half-brew sent in the mail to replace his - which had a small puncture wound.
• Hitchhiked back to the trail.
• Climbed up 1000 ft & immediately started feeling really weak and ill with a sharp/stiff neck pain.
• Took a much needed break at Glastenbury Lookout.
• Arrived at Goddard Shelter but it was full. Some lady pitched an entire tent inside the shelter and slept in it with her dogs! Another man in the shelter was shrouded in a full-body bug suit - which Hearts thought was hilarious.
• Moved on to camp on Glastenbury Mtn. Amos decided to sleep on top of the firetower to avoid setting up his tarp & Spock made him dinner.
• From that point on, his condition deteriorated... he was very feverish and no matter how many or what type of pain relievers he took, the neck pain would not go away. Spent all night vomiting off of the firetower.
• 10.5 mi.

Pure Imagination...

6/25/08 - Woke up in the cemetery to people walking their dogs & staring at the two crazies sleeping in the cemetery...

• Went into Salisbury to resupply at the IGA and then back to the trail to tackle Lions Head.
• Snack time at Riga Lean-to then up Bear Mtn. - which used to be the highest point in CT - now it's not. But it did have some of the best views they'd seen in a while!
• Down a giant hill into Sages Ravine... over a creek... and into Massachusetts!!
• Climbed over Race Mtn where they (Hearts & Tupperware) picked and ate an obscene amount of blueberries.
• Then way down & way back up Mt. Everett.
• Walked along MA 41 into S. Egremont but it was late and everything was closed... luckily local hospitality wasn't...
• Lady driving a Prius (let's call her Lady A) stopped and asked the boys if they needed a ride. They declined but stuck around to chit-chat. Another lady (Lady B - who Amos described as someone who 'could not be more hippie') pulled up an offered to cook them dinner out of her car... which she lives in and which runs solely on fry grease. Lady A then countered with an offer for them to stay at her house for the night.
• It's decided that a combination of offers will suffice. Lady B agrees to cook at Lady A's house. (It's best to keep in mind that they don't know each other from Adam!)
• Back at Lady A's house they (Amos & Tupp) took turns taking showers while Lady B cooked up some 'weird hippie food' which was described to me as a salmagundi of any and everything that came straight from the ground & was edible mixed with noodles - which were really the only distinguishable item. It was also mentioned that there seemed to be a bit of a love-connection between Lady B & Lady A as they did A LOT of hugging & also a few awkwardly placed pecks on one another's cheeks... bouw chicka wow-wow!
• Anyway, they all ate, talked, and then went off to bed. (I know nothing of Lady A & Lady B sleeping arrangements - so don't ask - goodnight!)
• 18.5 mi.

6/26/08 - Lady A gave the two a really early ride back to the trail.

• Instead of going directly to the trail they walked down US 7 into Great Barrington to eat breakfast at a local diner then back MA 23 to find the trailhead.
• Along the way, Tupperware had a #2 emergency and relieved himself in some guy's backyard... I can't believe I just typed that.
• Once they got back to the trailhead they took a break & ate lunch - then found themselves faced with a 1000 ft climb right off the bat - up to The Ledges.
• Then they took a big break at Beartown Mtn. Rd and had about an hour-long contest to see who could pelt a little sign with rocks the most (no clear winner). Entertainment should come so easy to the rest of us stuck out here in the real world...
• Back on the trail between Beartown Mtn. Rd and Jerusalem Rd it was EXTREMELY mosquitoey -loads & loads of them- most they've encountered on the AT!
• Walked along Jerusalem Rd into Tyringham where they bought brownies and soda from the Cobble View B&B and then caught a ride down to the town pavilion where they settled in for the night.
• 23 mi.

6/27/08 - Hiked back up the main road and started with another 1000 ft climb up to Webster Rd (still REALLY bad mosquitoes).

• Arrived at Upper Goose Pond about a mile before the shelter & decided to walk around the whole pond.
• Hiked into Upper Goose Pond Cabin (about a 1/2 mile off the trail) - Amos said it was a 'sweet' cabin and because they were the 1st ones there, he got to choose his bunk 1st!
• Met the caretaker, Nancy, who informed them that she would be making blueberry pancakes in the morning - score!!
• Wandered down to the pond & waded around then Tupperware hiked out to meet his parents in Lee.
• Right after Tup left, Meltdown rolled in with his "friend" Evan. Followed by Maggie & Furniture and then Memphis Tim (who Amos hasn't seen since the Smokys)!
• They all decided to go swimming at the pond. So they swam about a quarter mile out to the island where they were met by Furniture who came & picked them up in a canoe!
• Played some cards, cooked some dinner & then off to bed.
• A leisurely 8.5 mi day.

6/28/08 - Awoke to the promised blueberry pancakes & coffee! Packed up & hiked out.

• Down to US 20 where Tupperware's parents showed up with lunch food because Hearts ran out. Tupp's mom brought everything but the kitchen sink - coffee, cookies, fruit, sandwiches, chips, you name it! Wound up packing-out between 7-10 lbs of food!!
• Of course now that he was good'n fed and completely weighed down, he was immediately faced with a daunting climb up Beckett Mtn.
• Took a break at October Mtn Lean-to where the mosquitoes were bad with a capital 'B' and the logbook claimed a moose sighting the night before!
• Eventually made it to Washington Mtn Road which is known for the Cookie Lady's House!! Turned out not to be a lady at all - her husband was there to pass out chocolate chip, walnut (yum!!) cookies. Amos played with their puppy - the one in the photos and the one he describes as being the cutest dog he's ever seen in his life! (now THAT's a distinction!)
• Hiked up Warner Mtn & picked more blueberries. (I think if Amos were a character in a movie, he'd be the little American girl who ate the Three-course-dinner gum & turned into a giant blueberry - except he wouldn't be a little girl [of course] and he wouldn't incessantly chomp on a wad of gum - yeah, he'd just be a big blueberry.)
• Walked into Dalton with Meltdown & man-friend, Evan, Maggie & Furniture. Headed toward the Shell Station where they called Rob Bird (an infamous trail angel and pseudo-hostel owner in town) who picked them up to stay at his house - The Bird Cage.
• Bird Cage had showers, laundry & free beer in the fridge!
• It was there where he met someone Isaac worked with last year (can't remember his name) and where he slept on the couch with Rob's dog.
• 20.5 mi.

6/29/08 - Walked back down to the convenience store with Meltdown & Evan for breakfast.

• Met a 'slightly disturbed' woman with the BRIGHTEST neon green shoes imaginable on his way out of town. Said she would not stop talking to him and that he had a really hard time getting away.
• Hiked up Crystal Mtn and past a troop of Boy Scouts who looked like the were having the most miserable time.
• Stopped for lunch on top and then walked around Gore Pond where he spotted moose poop & tracks! Then up to The Cobbles which had a good view of Cheshire.
• Down into Cheshire to snag an ice cream cone from Diane's Twist. On his way out of town, he felt a random craving for potato salad so he stopped at a nearby convenience store to pack a container out... boy, I remember the good 'ol days when they used to pack-out beer!
• Once he scored the potato salad he was faced with a good 2000 ft ascent to Mark Noepel Lean-to where he spent the night. (Free Hugs showed up and cooked corn on the cob.)
• 13.5 mi.

6/30/08 - 1st to leave the shelter in the morning.

• Passed the 1st legitimate south-bounder on the trail who spent a good portion of their chat spouting off about how awesome he was...
• Climbed Mt. Greylock - 1st time over 3000 ft since Virginia! Sadly, it was cloudy so there were no views and everything was closed up top due to nearby road construction.
• Started the long long long, very steep descent into North Adams. Once he arrived, he hit up the Price Chopper for a birthday card and then headed next door to stuff himself silly at the Chinese buffet!
• Then back to the trail and onto a 2000 ft climb with an extremely full belly - quickly found out that immediately mobilizing after an MSG gorge-fest was a bad idea...
• Met Meltdown - who seemed a little melancholy because he had just said goodbye to his boyfriend in North Adams - on Eph's Lookout.
• Crossed the MA/VT state line with Meltdown and took their first few steps into the exceptionally muddy and horribly maintained section of trail that runs through Vermont - go GMC!
• Slept at the Seth Warner Shelter with the Unknown Hiker (know-it-all) and another guy that had just started hiking the Long Trail and was carrying with him a full sized blow-up mattress!! zowie!
• 16.5 mi day.

Hold your breath, here we go...

6/13/08 - I left... which was supposed to mean hiking would take place. Alas, it did not.

• First, he hit the post office & mailed home all of the stuff I forgot. (Thank you!)
• Then, they were supposed to hike out & have ChiliMac meet them at Culvers Gap but they didn't get started early enough sooo they decided to jump off a 40ft bridge instead and have Tupperware drive them to the pick-up point. (Which will mean a necessary slackpack tomorrow).
• Hearts, Spock & Twiggy, Meltdown, ChiliMac & Snoopy all gathered together - in a tiny Courtyard Mariott hotel room - with Half-brew, his wife, and friend for one last Eukre tournament in celebration of Half-brew's last day on the trail!

6/14/08 - Continental breakfast followed by 1st round of horrible diarrhea... (don't bother getting squeamish this early in the game - we're just getting started).

• Said goodbye to Chili, Snoopy, & Half-brew.
• Picked up a box of Imodium for the road.
• ChiliMac drove them (Hearts, Spock & Twiggy) back to the trail where they hiked south from Culvers Gap to County Rd. 602 while Meltdown continued north - I'm sure they were a twinge jealous.
• Managed to snag a ride back to Culvers Gap with another thru hiker, Nightterror, and then hiked an additional 3 miles north to sleep in Gren Anderson Shelter...
• On the way, they encountered an amateur ham radio convention on Culver Fire Tower - said it was like walking into a faux WWII control room reenactment... oh those boys & their toys.
• Get out your TI-83 graphing calculators kids it's time for vector trivia: If Amos hikes 14.5 miles due south, catches a ride back to his original destination and then continues to march an additional 3 miles due north and it pours buckets all day, how far has he traveled??!
• I refuse to dignify that with an answer. You figure it out.
• Once at Gren Anderson, they found themselves sharing space with couple called Beans & Benadryl (DYING to know how they got those names) who were less than thrilled to have their new shelter companions show up late & sopping wet but what can I say... thems the breaks.

Where boots go to die...

6/7/08 - Woke up to a big 'ol black snake hanging in the trees above camp... oh hello there!

• The Treat made a campfire to heat up hot dogs for breakfast... don't worry Hearts didn't have one... but he DID LAST NIGHT! And under the guise of 'trail magic' - for shame! (For those who are keeping track - that's 2 hot dogs thus far on the trail and God only knows how much more mystery meat he's consumed & neglected to mention!)
• Hiked up to Pulpit Rock where they stumbled across more Girl Scouts than there are uneaten Tagalong boxes in my secret cookie cupboard. Just kidding... I don't have a secret cookie cupboard - don't bother coming to look for it... seriously you'll never find it anyway...
• I digress. There were a lot of Girl Scouts. Communication with the tribe was a breeze once the group realized Tupperware spoke their secret language... he was up on the Jonas Brothers & Webkinz and all sorts of things only pre-teen girls should know about - if he weren't hiking with his lovely girlfriend, Jen, I'd say it'd be fair to be a bit worried about old Tupperware... again, I digress.
• Hiked onward & upward to the Pinnacle which was supposed to have the best view in Pennsylvania. When asked if it lived up to the hype, Amos replied, "Eh."
• Sounds uneventful, but they did stumble across a HUGE HUGE HUGE rattlesnake - more specifically Amos stumbled across a HUGE HUGE HUGE rattlesnake - it was right at his feet in a crack between two rocks!!
• Tupperware's dad picked them (Tupperware, Jen, Spock & Twiggy, Buns & Roses, and Hearts) up at Hawk Mtn. Road to shuttle them back to Tupperware's house for a Thanksgiving-style feast (I am to place emphasis on the word 'FEAST')! Amos particularly enjoyed the strawberry shortcake and brownies a la mode that Tupperware's mom served for dessert (I guess he's finally over that whole half-gallon challenge ice cream sickness thing).
• Tryptophan and staggering heat forced the group to turn in early for the night. 9 mi day.

6/8/08 - Good thing they got to bed so early...

• Woke up at 5 am to hike 25 miles in 90 degree temps - this is when it's best to take advantage of the wee morning hours.
• Tupperware's parents made eggs & set out all sorts of goodies for breakfast including fresh fruit - yum! Afterwards, Tupperware's dad drove them back to Eckville Shelter to pick back up where they left off... only he dropped them off sans-pack! Yeah, you heard right! The slack-pack's back! In fact, the next few days are going to be spent slack-packing back & forth between the AT & Tupperware's house! (Super nice of the Tupperware's)
• Took a break at Allentown Shelter & then another at a restaurant they found on Blue Mountain Summit. Stopped to enjoy cold beverages from the diner & noshed on the sandwiches T-ware's mom had packed for them earlier- my gosh she sounds like a dream! They also lucked out by scoring free watermelon as they left the parking lot.
• Rest of the day was EXTREMELY rocky - several blisters, sharp pain in right foot (hopefully not a stress fracture), and considerable chaffing due to excess sweat...
• Dad picked them up at Lehigh Gap and they were back at the house by 8 pm for dinner, a quick shower and then right on to bed.

6/9/08 - Pancakes & waffles for breakfast! Hearts adorned his with fruit & whipped cream.

• 1st climb of the day -a steep boulder crawl- was awesome! Reminded him of the terrain in Wyoming.
• Then to the top of the Palmerton EPA Superfund Site - an old zinc mine that completely destroyed the mountain. Said the scarred landscape resembled a barren, rocky desert. This is where Amos chose to eat wild blueberries - wild zinc blueberries - against the wishes and better judgement of his hiking companions who are all convinced he's going to wind up with three-headed babies someday. I think as long as he steers clear of Three Mile Island tomatoes he'll be alright.
• Hiked up ahead of everyone & took a nap while he was waiting for them to catch up. When he awoke he realized he wasn't alone - there was a swarm of ants in his pants... maybe they like zincberries?
• So many rocks.
• Cheesecake and PB & J sandwich for lunch - again, packed by Tupperware's mom. This Tupperware clan has been unbelievably generous & overwhelmingly hospitable! They rock! (bad pun)
• 20.5 mi. Met Tupperware's dad at Hahns Lookout then hiked back to his car for a night out on the town. And by that, I mean dinner at Johnnies and grocery shopping! Another early to bed... and another early to rise tomorrow!

Eukrazy hiking 1100 mi...

5/27/08 - Drove a bunch - Jordan & Colby arrived around 10:30 & on to the big car shuffle...

• Drove back to Md. 17 to snag Momma Ludwig's new ride - stopped on the way to pick up Half-brew's mail drop (in appreciation he treated the group to coffee at Starbucks!).
• Up to Pa. 944 to drop off Jordan's car and then back to Fayetteville to pick up where he left off on the AT the day before. About 4 hrs worth of moving & a shakin'.
• Started hiking through Caledonia State Park just as a slew of menacing storm clouds rolled in so they stopped to play a few hands of Eukre at a picnic shelter.
• Once the weather cleared, the group (Half-brew, Hearts, Jordan & Colby) moved on to Quarry Gap Shelter where they met back up with Meltdown.
• Odd characters at shelter included a socially awkward 90's Calvin Klein model who threw all of his trash in an unlit fire pit (very uncouth) and 2 section hikers who later described their group as "loud & obnoxious"... !
• 2.5 mi day.

5/28/08 - Woke up & hiked all the way to Birch Run Shelter without stopping.

• Hung out, ate lunch & played Eukre for 2 hrs.
• Eventually moved on to Toms Run Shelter where they stopped to play more Eukre... can you say 'stuck in a rut'? If not yet... you will.
• Passed the TRUE 1/2 WAY POINT (!!!!!) (unmarked & at 1087.5 mi by my calculations) then on to Pine Grove Furnace State Park to celebrate with the 1/2 Gallon Challenge - whose rules are to eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream in one setting in honor of arrival at the AT midway point!!
• Amos & Meltdown chose to partake - everyone else "turtled out." (Amos' claims chickens don't scare easily & thus the saying should be changed...)
• They bought 1/2 gallon of chocolate & 1/2 gallon of vanilla - with the skill & precision of a neurosurgeon, they split the two down the middle so that they didn't have to barf up only one flavor.
• Amos said by ~3/4 of the way in he realized he had made a BIG mistake. (Which surprised me because I had seen him house several pints of ice cream at the Naked Ron ice cream orgy of '08 - my last visit.)
• Anyway... he did it! In 48 minutes AND without heaving it all back up!! (Meltdown finished in 1 hr 50 minutes.)
• 17.5 mi - man he made Jordan & Colby work!! (If you recall, I died after 1 measly 12 mi day!)
• Unable to venture beyond the site of the challenge, the haggard crew slept on the porch of the camp store (... after playing more Eukre).

5/29/08 - Woke up at 5 am & ran to the bathroom... expelled about 2 pints worth of last night's "dinner."

• Ate breakfast at the camp store & moved on to a photo op. at the midpoint marker.
• Hiked up to Green Mtn. General Store at Pa. 34 to eat lunch - subs, chips, & 1/2 gallon of "orange drink" (you'd think they'd be done with half gallons). More Eukre.
• Stopped at Alec Kennedy Shelter. Ate dinner - Jordan & Colby already sick of trail food... played Crazy 8's - just kidding - more Eukre... and then off to bed.
• 15.5 mi.

5/30/08 - Left camp at 7 am to hike through 3.5 miles of soggy cornfields and into Boiling Springs.

• Breakfast at JC's Country Time Cafe.
• Left packs at ATC Mid-Atlantic Regional Office & hiked another 12.5 really flat, really hot miles through a lot of cornfields, across a lot of roadways & through countless cow pastures. Smelled like poop all day... yep, all 16 mi.
• Didn't know roadkill was a possibility on the AT... just figured the traffic would be moving too slowly. I was wrong - Amos squished a toad that haphazardly hopped under foot just as he was stepping down - a moment of silence for Mr. Toad...
• Finally arrived at Pa. 944 where they picked up Jordan's strategically parked car, drove it back to Boiling Springs (to pick up their packs) and found the entire crew (Half-brew, Snoopy, Meltdown, Spock & Twiggy, Chief Daddy, The Treat, and Buns & Roses) sitting in the same exact spot they had left them earlier that morning.
• Drove to Chili's for real food & then to Pittsburgh for a surprise weekend visit!!

Ahoy, me Hearties...

5/19/08 - Started with your basic town-type chores: post office (mailed forward iPod & thru-hiker companion, etc.), groceries, liquor store.

• The next three days to be aqua-blazed: 12 hikers, 6 canoes, 1 dog and the Shenandoah River from Front Royal to Harpers Ferry.
• Once each canoe was outfitted with a cooler and all of their packs were tied in, the group - Hearts, Half-brew, Spock & Twiggy, Tupperware, Snoopy, Josh (Snoopy's friend), Buns & Roses, Meltdown, ChiliMac, and his cousin Ian - set sail.
• Amos said it was fun watching everyone get used to paddling but it didn't take too long for them to get the hang of commandeering the boats.
• 5 miles later, they pulled ashore for lunch & Snoopy fell out the back of his canoe trying to get back in! (I guess I spoke too soon...)
• Half-brew & Hearts kept getting too far ahead - show-offs - which made them miss the rope swing (okay by Amos, it was c-o-l-d).
• 17 miles worth of paddling led them to an overgrown field on an island where they were forced to bushwhack a small expanse with their paddles to set up camp for the night.
• Then it rained - which was pretty typical since they are still in Virginia...
• Batten down the hatches - the AW gauge had the river pegged as "high" even before this particular soaking... Luckily they had super-river guide Amos, who made sure to take the easiest lines through the class I/II whitewater - his main goal was trying not to freak Trinity out.

5/20/08 - Avast ye mate, twas still raining when they awoke - luckily it stopped about an hour after they got up. So, they donned soaking wet/cold gear & hit the river... or should I say 'the high seas'...

• 5 miles in, Half-brew & Hearts got ahead again & decided to stop on the bank under a highway overpass to brew coffee.
• It started to pour as the rest of the group caught up so they built a bonfire, tried to dry their gear & ate lunch. Amos said he felt a little homeless...

• 2.5 hours later - the rain stopped.
• Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen, the adventure had just begun...
• Shiver me timbers! With foam swords furnished by ChiliMac - pirate on pirate action ensued as scurvy dogs swashbuckled and pillaged booty from enemy ships - arg! Luckily, no one was sent to Davey Jones' Locker and as for walkin' the plank... it was a wee too cold for these buccaneers. (Man, that was a lot of pirate catch-phrases to squeeze into one entry.)
• 18-19 mi. Ended up stopping short of the island they had intended to camp on & realized they were on private property... oops! Spock & Hearts hitchhiked to a nearby gas station for supplies (s'mores, potato chips, & beer)... I guess those old salts built up quite an appetite.
• While half the crew turned in for the night, the other half stayed up singing songs to the tune of Ian's guitar. Crowd favorites included: 'A Whole New World' from Aladdin, ditties from The Lion King, Robin Hood... and many, many more popular, albeit cheesy songs. Amos found it particularly entertaining when his fellow thru-hikers started ad-libbing...
• Eventually fell asleep under the stars.

5/21/08 - Started out nice & dry. Crossed over the 1000 mile mark and into West Virginia!!

• Amos tried to get everyone to make a 'WV' with their boats & snap a picture, but no one cooperated - another good idea down the drain...
• Saw a ton of birds along the river & spotted bald eagles all three days!!
• Found an old, deserted motor boat around one river bend. A few hikers threw their canoes on the back & hopped-in to paddle it downstream. They eventually ended up beaching it along the left riverbank & had to abandon ship.
• Rescued a baby calf (maybe a week old) that had fallen into the river and couldn't get out because it was too muddy. Snoopy was first on the scene & almost got pooped on because it was so scared! They eventually wrangled it to safety as its mom cried & moo-ed along the shoreline. Well done boys... & Twiggy!!
• Barely made it off the river before the rain but they arrived at the take-out just in the nick of time!
• Shuttle from an old Upper Yough guide to downtown Harpers Ferry where they stopped at the ATC Headquarters to have their photos taken and logged in the Official Appalachian Trail Headquarters Register!!
• Off to dinner and then a room at the Quality Inn. 6 people, 1 room... @ $12 a piece, that's what I call quality (or is it quantity??)!

Duck, duck, duck hawk...

5/17/08 - Woke up to sunshine - finally!

• Ate brunch on the porch of Panorama's - an old, run-down wayside.
• Saw 4 Peregrine falcons flying together - which was neat because the rangers who were researching them a few days ago had only come across 1!
• Stopped for ice cream at Elkwallow Wayside & met back up with Spock & Twiggy (who were taking time off for their 3rd wedding anniversary -Congratulations!).
• Group was serenaded by ChiliMac's cousin, Ian for the remaining 6 mi to Gravel Springs Hut. Hiking with his guitar, Ian's playlist included (but was my no means limited to - I mean c'mon an entire 6 miles of strumming!!): The Doors, Sublime, Hendrix, and even the theme song from Deliverance. You name it, he could play it!
• 23.5 miles for the day.
• Shelter was full of section hikers (25+) so they filled up with water & hiked an additional half mile to camp back an unnamed fire road.

5/18/08 - Really early start with a brief brunch at THE LAST Blue Ridge Parkway/Skyline Drive crossing ever (there have been a lot)!

• Saw another black bear - full grown!
• Hung out at the last shelter in the Shenandoah's for a bit and then headed down to US 522 to snag a ride into Front Royal. On the way they came across a baby fawn - maybe a week old - with its mother nowhere in sight... come to think of it, I hope that bear was headed in the opposite direction.
• Hearts, Tupperware, and Meltdown tried -unsuccessfully- to hitch a ride into town for at least a half an hour. Efforts were thwarted partly because they're a group of 3 scruffy looking guys but also because some jerky section hiker intentionally hiked a half mile up the road ahead of them to get one 1st. No worries though - once Spock & Twiggy arrived, Twiggy flagged down ride in 3 cars flat!
• Front Royal good for Taco Bell, laundry, & resupply. Tomorrow they'll start the aqua-blaze...

Virginia has not been for lovers of cell phone reception...

5/6/08 - I think you'll find a good chunk of this week sounding a lot like the movie Groundhog Day. Up & down. Started with a big 2000 ft climb.

• Came across an ATC ridge runner (the AT's equivalent of police) & Half-brew laid into him about the crappy terrain. The ridge runner retorted something about how the AT's not supposed to be easy.
• Ate lunch at Punchbowl Shelter - pond on top of the mountain was lovely & unique.
• Climbed down 900 ft & took a break by Pedlar River before walking around Pedlar Lake.
• 18 mi day. Arrived at Brown Mountain Creek Shelter where Spock & Hearts took an ice bath in a nearby creek. Brrr!
• New blister... ok maybe that's not new, but an onset of athlete's foot is... probably due to the unrelenting heat & moisture.

5/7/08 - Started day with 3000 ft climb to Bald Knob - not bald.

• 2nd mountain was Cold Mountain. Which wasn't cold, but it was bald... go figure.
• Down to Hog Camp Gap - difficult water resupply - spring was located 1/2 mile downhill. Turned out to be a nice meadow with a tree swing - crew took full advantage of the wooden toy & stopped for lunch.
• Cranked out 9 more miles & passed Seeley-Woodworth Shelter to camp in Porters Field.
• 17 total mi.
• Built a campfire & drank Half-brew's bottle of Dickel's Whiskey to celebrate the fact that Half-brew made it 1 mile further on the trail than he did last year!! (plus the fact that they had all made it over 800 miles!!)... then it rained.

5/8/08 - Snoopy left the group this morning - got off the trail at Montebello to spend some time with family & friends.

• Everyone else climbed to the top of Main Top Mountain.
• Ate lunch at Priest Shelter (just before Priest Mountain) where entirely too many dirty priest jokes were told as Hearts ate oatmeal & coffee.
• Still raining... lets be honest it rained all day.
• Back down to 900 ft (getting old huh) along the Tye River where they'd had enough of the ups, downs, and the rain & decided to try & hitch a ride somewhere... anywhere.
• After a few failed attempts they were finally picked up by a seemingly jovial yet hard-core biker named Seth & his lady-friend (a UVA professor and cheating mother of 2 whose name will not be mentioned to protect her own anonymity).
• 7 people (Tupperware, Spock, Twiggy, Half-brew, Hearts), 5 packs, 1 dog, 1 Toyota Tercel.
• Rode (rather tight) 14 miles to a BBQ joint/convenience store. Ate, bought ice cream, watched Seth pop some pills & drink 6 pack in the parking lot... then things started getting really uncomfortable...
• Seth's drug-induced bipolar disorder began to rear it's ugly head soon after some sort of shady "transaction" with the check-out clerk went down outside. He got pretty antsy -some might argue downright rude or impatient. He yelled "gimme your wallet, woman" to his lady-friend (WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER - go back to your husband!!), grabbed her sandwich, took a huge/sloppy bite, threw it down, and demanded that the group get in the car & get going.
• Death-defying car ride back to the trail where he kicked them out of his car & went on his merry way. (Amos mentioned really regretting this particular hitchhiking experience.)
• Another 3000 ft climb (over 9 mi) to Maupin Field Shelter. 19 total mi.
• Arrived 10 minutes before it started to hail & managed to squeeze 8 people in a 6 person shelter.
• (THIS was the night that EVERY county in western Virginia was being pummeled by severe thunderstorms & tornado warnings... not watches... WARNINGS. All except Nelson County - smack dab in the middle - which listed as having a measly little flash flood warning. Despite knowing they were in that blessed little county, this was the night I was riddled with worst-case-scenarioitis & completely unable to sleep.)

5/9/08 - Started 4-5 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway with Half-brew. Still raining & surrounded by fog - sounds like a good time to walk along the road...

• 16 mi to Paul C. Wolfe shelter for lunch.
• Saw 15-20 BRIGHT orange salamanders with black spots. Trinity kept stepping on them... & Meltdown probably too because he claims to have only seen 1. Which means he must not have been paying much attention...
• 21 total mi today. Hiked the last 5 miles in 1 hr 15 min!! Claimed it was because he knew he was getting to see me - I think it was because he was desperate for a shower & neck shave.
• Trail angel, Bill, took them to the Quality Inn in Waynesboro - where Half-brew, Tupperware & Meltdown remained for the next 3 days.
• I met Hearts at the laundromat & from there we went for Mexican, watched the Pens beat the tar out of the Flyers & camped at the KOA in Verona.
• Time to zero!