Halfway Done!

Halfway done!...and still over a 1000miles to go. It's an unbelievable feeling - seems like it took forever yet the passed 82 days also seemed to fly by. So much has happened - we've hiked in 7 states now, through the Mason-Dixon line into the north. For those of you out there hiking you know that Harpers Ferry is not the halfway point. Mile marker 1,090.5 is it! And what a beautiful sign it is.


To celebrate this great achievement...we tortured ourselves by trying to eat a half-gallon of ice cream (that's 1.89L). You may think it's awesome those of you at home, as we did originally, but halfway through the challenge you curse the idiot who started this tradition. 10 of us strolled into Pine Grove Furnace State Park just 3 miles beyond the halfway marker - Short Order, Cotton, Bearbait, Rainbow, Firestarter, Maps, Tomahawk, Stearman, Metric and I to take on the challenge. Only 6 completed it. Hats off to Cotton and Rainbow for eating it all under 45min; to Shorty and Tomahawk for choosing fruit flavoured ice cream; and to Firestarter for getting it done when you didn't even want to participate. And though it took me 1hour 28min I damn well did it - consuming the most calories at a whopping 3520. For any thru-hiker about to attempt the challenge - DO NOT PICK MOOSE TRACKS! The fudge almost had me puking a number of times. All in all the challenge was a blast.

Now we are in Pennsylvania making our way through the "rocks" everyone keeps talking about. It actually hasn't been that bad, but there's lots of PA to go still.

The trail magic continues - thanks to Fin, King Krawler, and Steve & Doris.

Happy trails!

I love Shennies!

Its day 65 and we have covered over 860 miles (1390 kms) on the trail. We are just finishing our resupply in Waynesboro, VA and heading into Shenandoah National Park. We have been anticipating this park for weeks and will be the first to admit that it is not because of the promise of beautiful views and scenery. In fact our 100 mile hike through the Shennies will cross Skyline Drive (a road) about 30 times! The excitment stems from the concession stands that we have been told are at about almost every road crossing along the way. Apparently the blackberry smoothies are a must have! The park also is the beginning of the "easier" terrain that we were promised in Virgina.  Last week, leading up to Waynesboro had four 3000 foot climbs (not something you want to be doing daily) so the 1000 footers in the Shennies are looking pretty darn good. From there we hit some of the flattest trail till we reach the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Its a good feeling knowing that we have some of the hardest terrain behind us and a month or more of sweet sweet flat lands ahead!

A beautiful foggy sunrise somewhere on the trail.

Low X

A trail shelter.

Always following a white blaze.

McAfee knob! This is a classic AT photo.

Celebrating after a climb to the knob.

We believe in magic!

The trail offers so many amazing things, but this is a shout out to all the trail angels! These are the people who for some reason or another give to the thru-hikers in many ways but mostly through food! You can be walking along the trail, reach a road crossing, and be greeted by a cooler filled with pop and gatorade. Or sometimes you suddenly smell BBQ as you walk and low and behold a trail magic feast! Twice now at shelters angels have brought the trail magic right to us. Rico walked in pizza and a case of beer to our amazement and another angle hiked in a cooler of icecream!

This past weekend was Memorial day weekend and the angels were out in full force! On Sunday we were planning on hiking 25 miles. We woke early and were on the trail by 6:30 to beat the scorching heat we have been dealing with lately. Within 2 miles we had reached a road crossing and there to greet us were past thru-hikers with a delicious breakfast of fruit, doughnuts, cakes, and drinks! We stayed and chatted with them for awhile and learned their plan was to serve lunch as well, just 7 miles up the trail. We set off thinking that it would be great to get lunch as well, but we surely would be well past their planned lunch spot by the time they moved.

We hiked up a huge mountain, sweating and puffing. As we rounded the last corner and could see the top we were met by yet more magic. Another former hiker was camped on the hill with coolers of pop and beer! At this point we realized that 25 miles was not going to happen and we embraced the magic of the day. Beers went down really easily, and as noon approached we headed back down the mountain to the lunch we knew was awaiting us!

Trail magic is one of the unexpected and most amazing pleasures on the trail. It always has the ability to uplift your spirit when you are feeling the most down. The people are out here purely because they love the trail and the trail people. We have already started scheming about how we are going to give back in the future.