Caledonia State Park Hike #9

March 31st brought a gorgeous day for hiking.  It was great to be able to get outside in some decent weather.  Because it was so nice, I decided to take Lucy along to see how she would do on a longer trail.  Plus, she has a new training halter that's supposed to help with pulling.
Because we needed to stop at the Michaux State Forest Office, we headed out that way for a hike.  Our scout troop has a backpacking hike planned for the fall, and we need to get some permits and special permissions out of the way.  Unfortunately, the office was closed so we'll need to head back there again.
Since we were right there at Caledonia, we stopped in at their office and picked up a trail map.  We opted to hike along the Ramble Trail which was listed as a 2.2 mile more difficult hike.  It travels along a small section of the Appalachian Trail near the end.
The Park was full of people because it was the first day of trout season, so there were tons of anglers along Conococheague Creek.  We only passed a few people along the trail along with some dogs.  Lucy did really well on the hike.
She tackled her first stream crossing, though she wasn't too thrilled about it.  She really wanted to stay on dry land, but she did go across though somewhat reluctantly.  She wasn't pulling as much as she typically does, but I can't say for certain if that was the new harness or that fact that she was racing around the yard earlier in the day and was already tired. Either way, it made for a nice hike.  She keeps me moving forward and gives me something to focus on other than my aches and pains.  I had her clipped to my belt with a carbiner to allow me to be hands free.  That seemed to work really well except for the couple of times she heard or smelled something in the laurel shrubs and popped open the buttons on my pants.  Needless to say, we still have some work to do.  She needs to not get so excited about seeing people, other dogs or invisible creatures in the underbrush.
The hike overall was a pretty easy one.  We're thinking the "more difficult" designation was because of the length.  There was only one small hill, and it could barely be called a hill.  Despite not being very challenging, it was a very pretty hike on a very well maintained trail.  Total mileage was about 2.7 miles which included a short amount on the AT plus the walk back to the car.  I would definitely do this trail again despite (or because) it wasn't too hard.  There are a few other trails in Caledonia that are listed as most difficult and we're planning on going to check those out in the future.

And one of the best things about this hike was the stop at the Appalachian Brewing company on the way home.  We each got a beer and shared some spinach and artichoke dip.  

We voted to hike more in areas that let us stop off and grab a beer.

Caledonia to Old Forge Road

This past Saturday, we went on an extended day hike from Caledonia south to Old Forge Road parking area which is just past the Tumbling Run Shelters.  We had originally planned an overnight trip from Caledonia to Pen Mar Park, but Sunday's weather was calling for heavy rains, high wind and temperatures dropping into the low 40's.  I don't know anyone who would willingly sleep and hike in that weather, so we changed our plans and opted to complete the first leg of the journey.  It fulfilled one of Chuckwagon's (my son) 10 mile hike requirements for his hiking merit badge, and got us out in nature away from stress.
We met up with a thru hiker at the bathroom off the parking lot in Caledonia.  He was headed south after reaching Katahdin and finding it closed for the season.  He was heading south to Georgia where he intended to turn around and hike back to Maine.  To each their own.
Our hike started out easy enough as it meandered through some laurel hedges.  I was feeling good.  the weather was great for hiking, and the terrain wasn't too difficult.  But that wouldn't last.  We hit our first gradual incline not long after crossing route 30.  As uphills go, this one wasn't too bad, but I'm discovering that the gradual inclines are the worst for me.  Like old joints can tell when rain is coming, my butt injury can detect even the slightest change in elevation.  I made it to the end of the hill without too much trouble.  I just take my time.  It isn't a race so I just go at a comfortable pace.


Eventually we came to a much bigger elevation change over a short distance.  These I find more fun than overwhelming.  Chuckwagon was the first one to head up.  So we all scrambled up to the top of the ridge.
This is one area that shows exactly why Pennsylvania's other name is Rocksylvania.  There were rocks and boulders strewn every where.  For the most part, the rocks weren't really a problem at all.  It made for some more interesting terrain.
There are rocks all along the ridge of South Mountain, something that must be a common occurrence in the area. These rocks contribute to one of the many paranormal stories I've been slowly collecting over the past few years for a book I hope to manage to one day write.  There was a highwayman known to roam the area of Central Pennsylvania, and he made the caves and crevices in the mountains his hideouts.  He was known to the locals as somewhat of a "robin Hood" character who sometimes used money from his heists to assist those who were less fortunate.  He was eventually captured.  There are two different stories associated with him.  One is that there is a cache of money. around $10,000 worth, still stashed somewhere in the Caledonia/Michaux area.  The highwayman apparently hid the money in one of the caves along the mountain ridge and was captured before being able to claim it.  I considered poking around in some of the crevices, but figured I was more likely to stumble upon a rhumba of rattlesnakes (really, that's the correct term for a grouping of rattlers).
The other story associated with our North American East Coast Robin Hood is that his ghost is known to still ride in the Central Pennsylvania areas where he was known to roam.  So perhaps one night while you're sleeping in your shelter, you might hear horses hooves approaching.  If you're quick enough you might catch a fleeting glimpse of the highwayman riding and protecting his lost fortune.
We never saw a thing, which was disappointing.
We continued our travels on the ridge.  At this point, Chuckwagon was starting to talk about lunch.  Honestly, he was talking about eating after about the first 20 minutes of the hike.  The granola bar he snacked on apparently wasn't enough to hold him over.  We planned on stopping at the Rocky Mountain shelter for lunch, but we ended up stopping at an area off the trail mostly because Chuckwagon was getting a little hangry.  We picked a spot where someone had set up a fire ring and had some log seats.  I don't know why peanut butter and jelly tastes so much better eaten on the trail, but it does.
Once lunch was done, we headed back onto the trail. It wasn't long before we hit more inclines.  Perhaps it was because my muscles had stiffened while sitting and eating lunch, but I was having a harder time during the second half of the hike.  The gradual changes in elevation were kicking my butt.  I was exhausted, and I was in pain.  I was thinking in my head that I was done with the whole hiking/backpacking thing.  We eventually made it to Chimney Rock, and the view was worth the the long hike.  We dropped our packs and climbed up Chimney Rock to see the view.  We took a few minutes to take some photos and rest.  We were nearly back to the car, but we had a steep hill to hike down.  The elevation change is about 900 feet change over about 1 mile.  It was rough going most of the way.  My mom and Chuckwagon went on ahead of my husband and I.  We were losing light, and we were in a bit of pain.  I've never been so happy to see a parking lot in my life.

In total, our hike was actually 12 miles instead of the 10 we thought it was.  We all agreed that the weather forecast that forced us to change our overnight plans was a Godsend.  There was no way my husband and I would have physically been able to hike 10 more miles the following day, especially with 20-25 pound packs.  While I usually struggle with my old injury, it was not the source of my pain- which was new and surprising.  It did bother me while I was going uphill, but it stopped when the incline did, and that's something different- and positive.  My pain stemmed from being incredibly out of shape, and that's something that can be fixed.  Sometimes your life is so busy you feel tired and exhausted like you're doing all this physical exertion, but you really aren't.  So the lifestyle change has commenced, and the treadmill is getting cleaned off.  Our goal is to plan a hike each week/weekend of about 5 miles. Once we master 5 miles without feeling like dying in the woods, we'll add miles.  Here's to many more hikes to come!

Quick Out and Back

This past Sunday, my mom and sister and I headed to Pen Mar Park to do a quick hike.  We headed north on the Appalachian Trail.  We didn't have any specific plan for the length of our hike.  I'm sadly out of shape, so we decided to just hike until we reached a good spot to turn around and head back. 
Before crossing the Mason Dixon Line into Pennsylvania, we had to cross over a set of railroad tracks.  There's just something about a set of railroad tracks in a rural area that stirs the wanderlust.  Perhaps I was a Hobo in a past life, because part of me was thinking it would be pretty cool to hop on a passing freight train and head out to who knows where.


Just past the tracks, we got to the Mason Dixon Line. Now I can really say that I've completed Maryland. Since my previous hikes started from Pen Mar headed south, I never actually hiked this short stretch of Maryland Trail.  Right at the Mason Dixon Line marker is a mailbox covered in stone holding a log book.  I love reading log books.  We looked for entries from the hikers we fed when we did Trail Magic, but none of them took the time to stop and fill out the log.  I imagine sitting and eating with us ate up too much of their time (pun intended).  The log was full, so we weren't able to add anything to it.
We continued on down a hill that I wasn't thrilled about having to go back up on the return, and came to a stream/creek and an area where it looks like people camp.  There was a footbridge crossing the stream and leading to another hill- this one we had to go up.  As some of you know, I'm not fond of going up.  It all has to do with the problem I have with my hip.  Inclines make it hurt more, and after breaking my foot and being in a boot and on crutches, it seems like I've gotten things all out of whack once again.  We kept on going up before finally reaching a point where I felt it was time to turn around.  Just before heading back down the trail, a large group of backpackers passed us one their way to the Tumbling Run Shelters. 


The one great thing about this hike was that I was finally able to have that bear encounter I've been hoping for.  I'm not sure if this is an albino Black Bear or a Polar Bear who traveled to far south.  Or perhaps I wandered into the world of Lost.  Either way we were quiet so as not to disturb his obvious hibernation.
It was a nice 3 miles hike, and now we're planning our own overnight Caledonia to Pen Mar southbound next month.  In the meantime, I have even more motivation to hit the treadmill and lose those extra pounds I've added.
On a side note, we went into Waynesboro to check out an antique store of sorts.  They don't have just antiques, some items are reproductions, but it was a great store.  All three of us picked up some stuff.  It's called James and Jess House of Goods.  If you're in the area for a hike, maybe check them out.  Also, there's a fabulous (though super expensive) chocolatier.  We didn't sample anything, but it was great just standing in there smelling the store.

Hunting the Woo Woo

In June, a group of us decided to head out on a cryptid expedition.  That is, we were looking for a creature known as the WooWoo (AKA the Bighoot). 
I know, some of you are probably scratching your head wondering what in the world this has to do with hiking or backpacking.  If you remember, I've been working on a book of paranormal stories along the Appalachian Trail for a couple of years 3 years long ass time.  The WooWoo is a creature that has been described as a giant owl that lives in the Delaware Water Gap area of the AT.  It's said you can hear it's cries at night, and naturalists have been unable to identify the type of bird making the sound.  So we booked a campsite at Worthington State Park in New Jersey as base camp and headed out into the woods. 

The Delaware Water Gap is actually an active paranormal spot for the most part.  There is the WooWoo, the Messing-W which is a Bigfoot type creature know to the Native tribes of the area (and also thought to possess supernatural powers), Old Red Eyes another Bigfoot type creature and the ghost of an old witch.  I was pretty excited about going on this trip to see what I could find for the book and get some photos.  Unfortunately, I was still wearing a boot because of my broken foot.  No one wanted to head out on the AT without me, so we didn't get to do much in the way of WooWoo hunting.
I did hike a short distance into the woods near our camp.  How did I do this on a broken foot you ask? Well the orthopedic said to "make sure you wear your boot".  So I did.  I wore my hiking boot. It is a boot and it is mine. I didn't make it far before I opted to head back. 


While we didn't spot any WooWoos or Bigfoot creatures or ghosts, we did spot about 30 Red Efts (newts) and a few small toads.  And there were a couple of waterfalls on the short hike.  And I will say, listening to my three year old grandson tell another little boy at camp about WooWoos and the ghost witch on the mountain that they have to stone to kill (I swear that's not what I told him) was pretty amusing. 
We did actually have one strange occurrence with an odd light on the very top of the mountain.  Was it a house, a hiker with a large light, the ghost witch?  Who knows.







Worthington State Park is on the list of places to definitely return to.  I want to be able to hike the AT in the area and spend more time checking out the other larger waterfalls in the area. 

Red light in the woods

Kittatinny Ridge home of the Ghost Witch

Trail Magic Year 2

Last year, my mom, husband and son decided to try out offering some Trail Magic to thru hikers at Pen Mar Park near the MD/PA line.  It was a success and extremely rewarding, so we made sure we planned it again this year.  

Our Trail Magic was planned for June 10th.  It coincided with my unfortunate circumstances.  I managed to fracture my foot by stubbing my toe, and I was on crutches.  It didn't stop me from "hiking" along the trail a bit and taking advantage of being able to get an awesome photo op.  Now my Trail Name "Badass" isn't just because I have one, 

in this photo I look like one hiking on crutches.

When we do Trail Magic, we go all out.

It isn't just a few sodas and snacks, 

we transport our gas grill to Pen Mar Park and grill up burgers and dogs.

There's cheese, sliced tomatoes, onions, 

potato salad, macaroni salad, chips,

fresh fruit, candy, sodas, water, lemonade,

and homemade cookies.

The one thing we were told over and over was that each hiker was afraid to get excited about the Trail Magic signs, because in their experience, the signs could actually be old ones.

They had run into that often.

So keep that in mind if you're doing your own magic,

make sure you take down the signs when the magic is gone!

We served over 20 hikers and 2 dogs.

Gino here was owned by thru hiker Cookie Monster,

who did, in fact, eat the rest of our cookies.

This little Chi-Weenie had a trail name- Drumstick- because of her

very meaty back legs.

Thru Hikers think about food a lot.

It was a great day, and we met a lot of great hikers.

I heard later that we had the most significant amount of Trail Magic.

We've made a few notes for next year

like being there an hour earlier to accommodate the early risers

and have coffee and donuts.

We'll also bring some dog treats and a bowl for water

just in case we get some more 4 legged hikers.

Trail Magic continues to be one of my favorite things to do.

Never have I done anything else that has been so greatly appreciated.

Finally Finished

The last weekend in April, we ladies set off to backpack a section of the Maryland Appalachian Trail.  For one of us it was a repeat section, for another it was a first time ever backpacking trip and for the other two (one being me) it was a trip to finish the Maryland section that was started the year before.  We started from the South Mountain Inn parking area which is where my cousin and I had to stop previously.  We were hiking south to the Ed Garvey shelter and from there to the Weverton Cliffs Parking lot.  I was a little apprehensive about this trip.  Since the previous year, I've been working on fixing an injury.  The short story is that 3 years ago I fell and began having pain in my hip/butt area.  That led to a potential diagnosis of piriformis syndrome which then led to the correct diagnosis of a tilted and rotated pelvis.  Since started treatment for that, the pain has been significantly reduced, however, on my last doctor visit I was told that there was little left to do for the remaining pain as I had arthritis in my lower back that was causing some issue.  So, I was going to learn on this hike just how much the pain and injury were going to screw up my backpacking plans.  I loaded up on ibuprofen and also took along Salonpas pain patches the doctor recommended.

So at the South Mountain Inn Parking Lot, we said our goodbyes to Casserole (my aunt- she has a trail name) who shuttled us from the Weverton Parking Lot, and we headed down the trail.  The weather was a little iffy that morning.  NOAA was forecasting some potentially severe storms with high winds and hail.  This isn't really shocking since every time my cousin and I go on an adventure, something squirrelly happens.  Because there were some rumbles of thunder and a little light rain, we covered our packs and put on our rain gear as a precaution.  We hiked down to the Dahlgren Backpacker's Campground and stopped to use the bathroom.  For those who don't know, Dahlgren not only has a normal flush toilet bathroom, it also has hot showers.  Also note that while it is supposed to be for backpacker's only, it usually fills up in the summer months with non-backpackers who take advantage of the close proximity to parking and the fact that it's free camping (I really wish this was monitored better!).

After our quick pitstop, we headed up out.  Uphills are my enemy.  Added weight and and going up put strain on my injury.  So I was hiking up a mountain with 20 pounds on my back.  Brilliant.  What ended up being surprising was how well I was managing the inclines.  It seemed more like my issues were from being sadly out of shape and not an issue stemming from my fall.  We took our time slowly picking our way over rocks.  I dislike rocks.  It was slow going every time we had an uphill.  I have learned that I need to go slow and stop and take a minute to catch my breath and sometimes stretch out the tightening muscles.  My daughter and cousin didn't mind the breaks.  It seemed we all needed to take a break at about the same time.  I began feeling much better about my ability to hike.  20 pounds seemed like a manageable weight, and taking my time was key to making it through the tougher terrain.

We eventually came to some power lines and a view of the valley. We took the opportunity to stop for a few minutes.  The storm seemed to have missed us, so we all put away our rain gear, and my mom shared her Twizzlers.  We took a few photos of the view before putting our packs back on and heading back along the trail.  I never realized just how loud large power lines are.  It's a constant buzzing, and it even felt like the hairs on my arms were standing on end.  I don't know how anyone could stand to live near power lines like that.
Anyway, we continued on our way.  It was a pleasant hike most of the way.
The weather was decent though a little hot and muggy.  We were lucky enough to have a steady breeze that kept things pretty comfortable for the most part.  As we made our way down the trail, we met up with quite a few hikers.  Several groups passed us, and we began to worry about whether or not there would be room in the shelter for us.  We had opted to leave our tents at home to save on pack weight, and because there was a chance of storms that night. There was an option to stop at the Crampton Gap shelter, and we voted to make the decision about staying there once we got to it. We eventually came to White Rocks overlook and took another snack break.  My mom is always saying that she thinks taking breaks for snacks and to take off your pack for a few minutes is important. I'd have to agree with her.  I broke into my beef jerky and ate some more Twizzlers.  We took several photos of each other up on the rock and of the view.  About that time, a Boy Scout Troop arrived.  We moved our stuff aside so they could all enjoy the view too.  I took a group photo for them so all their leaders could be in the shot.  We learned they too planned on staying at the Ed Garvey shelter.  I mentioned it seemed that was the go-to place for the night and they assured us they planned on tent camping.
We headed back onto the trail after that planning on stopping and having lunch at the pavilion at Gathland State Park. AS we headed off, we all sang Bohemian Rhapsody which sounded pretty darn good if you ask me.  Don't ask anyone else though.  We hiked past the Crampton Gap Shelter and decided to keep going for the day.  There were already some folks there, and we were all feeling pretty good physically.  We reached Gathland shortly after and stopped for lunch.  There we ran into one of the other hiking groups we had talked to earlier in the day.  It was 4 local guys hiking for the weekend.  They were just finishing up their lunch and said they'd see us at the Ed Garvey Shelter when we got there.  Lunch was good even if it was only Kind bars and beef jerky.  There were also Twizzlers.  Gathland State Park is a great place to have lunch.  It's also a great place for a day trip for anyone looking for suggestions for such things.  There's a huge history with the place and it has a little museum as well as actual flush toilets and a water spigot.  Once lunch was complete, we hit the bathroom and filled up our hydration bladders.  I was surprised to see I drank all but .5 liters from my 2 liter bladder.  I was also surprised when I put my pack back on after refilling the bladder with 2 liters of water.  Even though it wasn't any heavier than it was that morning, it felt like I had added about 10 more pounds to it.  After filling up our water supply, we set out for Ed Garvey.
The guidebook listed it as about 3 miles from Gathland State Park.  No problem, we could do that easy peasy.  On our hike to the shelter, we saw a snake, and my daughter nearly stepped on a box turtle.  My mom was quick to tell me to leave it there.  I've been known to bring turtles home that I've rescued on the road.  Not that I keep them- I just let my kids see them and learn about them before setting them free away from the road.  And taking a turtle on the trail would be a serious Leave No Trace no-no.  But I did make sure to take a photo.  We hiked on and on and on.  And we began to seriously worry about whether or not we would have a place to sleep.  We passed several hikers coming from the direction of the shelter who said how crazy crowded it was.  This part of the hike seemed like it would never end.  Then the breeze died.  The heat and the humidity increased, or at least seemed to increase without the breeze and my daughter and cousin started to feel the effects.  Just about the time I was ready to just lay down on the trail, we saw the blue blaze for the shelter.  My mom and I were ahead of the other two and she called me over.  "We are staying in that shelter" she said to me.  I assured her I had her back. 
As we walked up to the shelter, we saw a large group of men sitting around the fire pit.  The guys we had seen a few times that day waved us in and told us we had the whole bottom of the shelter.  It seems when they arrived they let everyone know there were 4 women headed there and needed space in the shelter.  We ended up being the only women there that night.  There were 4 Scout troops.  Two camped around the shelter and the other 2 stealth camped on the other side of the trail.  Plus there were quite a few section hikers.  Not long after we arrived, the guys decided to get a fire going.  Our guy friends from earlier in the day brought hot dogs and offered to share with a couple of military guys if they got the fire going. 
First one man tried to get the fire started with flint and steel.  He regaled us with tales of how he "always gets a fire started".  It was serious work, or so I assumed when he took off his shirt.  Several minutes later, no fire.  So the two military guys tried.  Someone got a lighter and they worked to get something started.  My mom suggested I help but I insisted I was enjoying watching them try to get something going.  Eventually, I just couldn't take it, so I quietly walked to my pack and pulled out my ziploc bag of lint and cotton balls with petroleum jelly (along with matches and a lighter) and I walked over to the men and asked "Which would you like to use?"  They opted for the cotton balls and a fire was started immediately.  One of our guy friends asked why I didn't help sooner and I simply told him I was enjoying the show.  The macho man said, "You sure are prepared." To which I responded, "I'm a Scout leader."  There were other conversations about how my cousin and I have a fire wherever we go since we're "pyros from way back".  All in all it was pretty hilarious.
The stay at the shelter was a lot of fun.  We had conversations with people from Delaware, New Jersey and Connecticut as well as some locals.  Meeting fellow hikers is my favorite thing.  We all eventually turned in for the night.  None of us really got much sleep though.  It was hot and muggy for a while and then the wind kicked up and it got chilly.  I only brought my sleeping bag liner so I was a bit chilled.  Several time my cousin and I had conversations about hiking out at first light.  At one point some coyotes started howling which was super creepy.  Luckily I had already been to the privy. 
In the morning we got up, ate a cold breakfast, packed up and headed down the trail.  We  ended up finishing a little after 9:00am.  We were all beat and really sore, but had a great time.  I was thrilled that while my muscles were screaming, my injury hadn't really caused much in the way of a problem.  Sure I have to go slow and take a lot of breaks, but I still got to the end. A few other thoughts: I highly recommend Darn Tough socks, which I used for the first time on this overnight.  My feet felt pretty good and the socks were comfy.  Gaiters are a good idea.  I don't have Gaiters, and I didn't think they were very important.  However, I ended up with a bunch of dirt and leaves in my boot and gaiters would have prevented that.  And if you're getting tired and you don't want to say you need a rest, take a photo!

First Day Hike

Me: I think we go this way Mom: How do you know? 

For the past few years, my mom and I have made sure to go out for a hike on New Year's Day.  There's a New Year's superstition that says whatever you're doing on New Year's Day, you will do the whole year through.  I want to hike the year through, so that's what we do.  We opted for a hike on the Appalachian Trail heading south from Pine Grove Furnace.
The trail on this stretch isn't too bad.  The start has a gentle incline that works your muscles pretty good without causing too much pain.  I am of course basing that on my own personal injury and issues.  Inclines kill me, or rather, they have me begging to be put out of my misery, especially when I have some weight in my pack.  But this section of the AT wasn't too bad and gave me a work out without needing too many breaks.

Right near Tom's Run, we came across a blue blazed trail called Sunset Rocks.  We decided to take a detour and check out the trail.  It was nearly sunset, and we thought perhaps we might manage to see a spectacular one.  As we headed up the trail, we passed a group of young men, perhaps in their early 20's, coming back down the trail.  They warned us to be careful because the trail gets steep.  We thanked them and we all went on our way.  I mentioned to my mom that my idea of steep and their idea of steep probably aren't the same since they had on skateboarding shoes.  We just figured they saw two women and thought we might be delicate.  Then we came to the steep part.

The photo doesn't do the incline justice.

Steep doesn't even do it justice.  It's around 1,000 feet of elevation gain in about a quarter of a mile.  Parts of the trail require the use of your hands.  I had to stop a lot on the way up, and I considered turning back more than once.  But I was determined to get up the hill.  Especially when I spied two guys below me on the trail (not carrying any packs or extra weight I might add).  They were also stopping often along the way, and not because we were in their way.  We stopped and moved to the side to let them pass, but they were resting (Ha!).  So we continued up and eventually made it to the top of the ridge.  The view was gorgeous, but I was too tired to take a photo, plus there were a lot of trees in the way.  After making taking some time to catch our breath, we started making our way back down.  I was concerned about the descent because the trail still had some snow and ice on it, but we managed to get down quickly without too many problems.  My "Badass" was acting up a little, and my knees were screaming.  By the end I was exhausted, but very pleased with myself.  Prior to getting my injury treated, I would not have been able to make that hike up that incline.  There's no way.  It was worse than anything we had encountered on the Appalachian Trail so far, and the inclines I have done previously sent me off the trail early.  It was a complete victory for me: I made it up a huge elevation gain without too much pain, and at the end when I stopped, so did the pain.  On our overnight trip, the pain never let up and only intensified which is why I had to end my hike.  If the pain lets up when I stop and allows me to sleep at night and rest, I think I can manage.
I wouldn't mind doing this blue blazed trail again.  The trail actually takes you through the former WWII POW camp in Michaux.  I knew the POW camp was there, but didn't realize this was the trail that went by it.  I checked out info on the camp for possible inclusion in my book about paranormal happenings on the AT, but this POW camp wasn't a bad one.  The prisoners were treated well, and they were often plied with liquor to get them to reveal enemy secrets.
All in all, it was a great hike and one I'd recommend checking out.

Hikes and Haunts

This weekend, we headed out to enjoy the unseasonably warm temperatures and gorgeous weather.  Since Halloween was just around the corner, the decision was made to try to check out one of the haunted areas of the trail.  So, checking some options and factoring the amount of time we had before the sun set, we ended up choosing an area known as Dead Womans Hollow.

The Appalachian Trail crosses Dead Womans Hollow Rd as it heads south into Michaux State Forest.  The name of the road is a strange one.  Many years ago, Native Americans encountered the body of a woman who had been bitten by a poisonous snake.  Her ghost is said to haunt the area.

Because the parking was limited for a point-to-point hike, we ended up finding another trail to check  out.  Near the parking area we were planning to use was a trail called the Rocky Knob Trail.  This trail crosses the Appalachian Trail just south of Dead Woman Hollow, and it has its own sinister story.  Back in 1988, two women were enjoying some time hiking and camping on the Appalachian Trail.  The women were camping near a shelter one morning when they encountered a man who asked them for cigarettes.  The man seemed a little odd, so the two women decided to pack up and hike south to find a more secluded campsite.  As they hiked, the man appeared again asking if they were lost and this time he also had a .22 rifle slung over his shoulder.  The women eventually took an off shoot trail called Rocky Knob Trail.  They hiked until they found a good campsite beside a stream and set up camp.  Unbeknownst to them, the man had followed.  He also sometimes lived in the woods around there  and knew the area well.  He was aware that the side trail the women had taken was a loop trail, and he could easily catch up with them.  That evening, the man fired 8 shots at the women.  One woman was hit twice in her head and back.  She died from her wounds.  The other woman was shot five times in her head, neck, arm and face and survived.  She managed to hike out of the woods and back to the main road, approximately 4 miles.  The man was eventually caught after an extensive man hunt and is serving a life sentence. 
This trail seems to have a very heavy feeling.  Perhaps it just comes from knowing what transpired here, or maybe it's from the history itself.  Environments can hold on to energy, whether it's joy or pain or terror, and it seems like this place is definitely holding on to its past.  On a positive note, you can't deny the heroic efforts of the woman who survived.  We hiked out the way she would have gone to reach first the gravel state forest road and then drove the road down to the area where she received help.  It's taxing when you're perfectly healthy, let alone suffering from 5 gunshots. 
My son kept asking about spooky stories from the trail during our hike and wanted to know what was my favorite that I've come across so far.  My answer is that the scariest stories in my opinion are the ones that deal with murder like the story above.  The AT is a relatively safe place to hike.  In fact, walking around a city might be a lot more dangerous that being out in the wilds of the Appalachian Trail.  But the murders that have happened along the length of the trail seem to carry either some mystery as to who committed the crime, or the perpetrator was an odd, creepy person.  Throw in the idea that you're completely isolated in some areas, and it makes for one seriously scary tale. 


Switching gears a bit, Michaux State Forest is also one of the leading areas for Bigfoot sightings in the state.  While we didn't see any  Bigfoot creatures, we were catching a whiff of an odd odor that we described as pungent and musky.  This is a description that often occurs in Bigfoot sighting stories along the trail.  Throw in a couple of trees with scratched areas and you start worrying about bears Bigfoot.  And then there's the Hidebehind which has been talked about since Native American times.  The Hidebehind is a creature similar to a Bigfoot that tends to follow people and peek at them from behind trees.  It's not a good idea to be last in line in Hidebehind territory, and if you are last, don't ever look over your shoulder because you might just end up disappearing. 
We didn't see any Hidebehinds or Bigfoot, but we did do a little investigating along the trail.

All in all it was the perfect pre-Halloween hike and one I'd recommend and plan on doing again in the future.  And I want to stress that while ghosts and Bigfoot and Halloween are all in good fun, never did we consider the loss of life in this area a joke.  We all have nothing but the utmost respect for both women involved: one for her selfless command telling her friend to run and hide while she herself lay dying, and one for having the courage and bravery to persevere and seek help. 

Escaping Stress

 

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

~Wendell Berry

This Hurricane

Everyone is talking about Hurricane Matthew.  Not a surprise at all since it's the strongest Atlantic storm in 9 years and it's a killer.  Three people have died as a direct result of this storm and right now it's bearing down on Haiti- a place still devastated by the earthquake in 2010. 
I should have expected this to happen since there was a backpacking trip planned this weekend to finish the MD section of the Appalachian Trail.  If you remember, something similar happened last year when Hurricane Joachim was set to arrive along with a Nor'easter right when we were hiking for the first time.  That story is here.  You might also remember that I predicted trouble since my cousin and I seem to attract nothing but and you can learn about that here.  So, should this Hurricane be headed our way, we will be canceling the trip.  Sadly, we probably won't be able to reschedule before the weather changes.  Stay safe out there and pray for those in the path of this massive storm.

Backpacking Trip: The Final Push

The 4th and final day of the hike turned out to be gorgeous.  My cousin and I got up and got ready to head out to meet up with my mom and husband.  My aunt decided to join us, so we made our way to Harper's Ferry.
In the meantime, my mom and husband prepared to make their way to Harper's Ferry.  Their breakfast that morning was just some oatmeal (my breakfast was waffles and eggs).  From the looks of their photos, this section of the height is gorgeous.  Both said they were pretty tired on this section.  My mom thinks a lot of their fatigue was because they didn't have a bigger breakfast and what they had didn't offer protein for their muscles.
The views from Weverton Cliffs were spectacular, but the trail down was killer.  After descending Weverton Cliffs, the trail goes under an overpass and follows the C&O Canal footpath.  My mom thought the area under the overpass was creepy, and the footpath seemed  never ending.  This was mostly because they were both tired and ready to be done.  My mom also said that they could see the church steeple in Harper's Ferry so they thought they were close, but in reality they still had miles left to hike.

My husband with my cousin and I photobombing in the background

My cousin, aunt and I were patiently waiting for their arrival.  We were watching the stairs that lead up to the footbridge over the river.  Finally I noticed a familiar form slowly pulling himself up the steps.  We made our way down the bridge to meet them.  They were so tired, they didn't even notice the shenanigans going on just past my husband's shoulder.  We all walked back across the bridge and met up with my dad and son who came to take us all home.  We weren't able to find any parking available, so we said our good byes to my aunt and cousin and headed out to find food. 
I don't think I've ever seen two people enjoy food more.  There's just something about eating a burger when you've been eating your meals out of a Ziploc bag after adding boiling water to them.  I'm hoping to get back and finish the parts of the Maryland section that I missed.  Luckily it's only a two day trip, so I won't miss any time from work plus I'm hoping my 10 year old goes as well.  He recently received his own Osprey backpack so he can start joining us for trips.