We've got a lot of new updates for you! The central portion of the trail is going well, albeit not very challenging.
Emily requests that no one plan to send care packages to Kent, which she will be arriving at on June 7th. She has put a forward on any packages from the past few mail sites and expects to receive them in Kent. After that, she will be stopping in Dalton MA June 11th. If you're sending mail, send it there. Remember, the post office will hold mail, so get your letters/packages in the mail with plenty of time to spare.
After Dalton, big brother Rob will be joining Emily on the trail for a while. Many adventures to ensue, I'm sure.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Maryland
Maryland--a flat, easy ridge-walk with VERY nice shelters (Potomac ATC has lots of $$). The hardest part was some super humid days. A lot of people did the 4 state challenge--VA, WV, MD, PA-- in one day. I chose NOT to. The trail in Maryland has a a lot of history...battle sites (civil war), and the first monument to be built for George Washington. Otherwise MD was not very exciting.
Half Way! (physically)
Entered PA May 15 and there was a series of cute little pairs of shelters (2 per site).
May 17 reached the Halfway Point...in the rain. The trail was still really easy. We met a guy heading south who told us the store at the halfway point was closed. This is where the traditional Half-Gallon Challenge takes place--eating a half-gallon of ice cream. We decided to eat lunch on the porch, and the store's door was open. Mellow Yellow ate a half gallon of Cherry Jubilee in about 1hr 30min. I ate 3/4 of a half gallon of chocolate...and was happy to keep it all down, followed by an 8 mile hike to the next shelter. In the rain. We wore fleece jackets and hats during the challenge because it was pretty chilly. Half the trip is over...but Maine still feels ages away. I don't think I'll feel more than half way done until I cross into New England. Stayed in Boiling Springs the next day because we got soaked in the rain. Great deal at the Allenberry Resort and Playhouse (they do dinner theater in the summer for only $25).
May 17 reached the Halfway Point...in the rain. The trail was still really easy. We met a guy heading south who told us the store at the halfway point was closed. This is where the traditional Half-Gallon Challenge takes place--eating a half-gallon of ice cream. We decided to eat lunch on the porch, and the store's door was open. Mellow Yellow ate a half gallon of Cherry Jubilee in about 1hr 30min. I ate 3/4 of a half gallon of chocolate...and was happy to keep it all down, followed by an 8 mile hike to the next shelter. In the rain. We wore fleece jackets and hats during the challenge because it was pretty chilly. Half the trip is over...but Maine still feels ages away. I don't think I'll feel more than half way done until I cross into New England. Stayed in Boiling Springs the next day because we got soaked in the rain. Great deal at the Allenberry Resort and Playhouse (they do dinner theater in the summer for only $25).
Pennsylvania
Southern PA was very flat and easy. It got rocky only in the last couple days, and it was a full variety of large boulders, rocks, and fist size angular cobble. All making it really hard to maintain a steady pace and not stress ankles/feet.
May 20 stayed at Peters Mtn. Shelter. There was a large black snake on the porch all evening. After dark it started crawling inside the shelter to try to get to a bird nest. I knew it wouldn't harm me, but it made me uneasy. LOTS of chipmunks on the trail--shrieking as the run away from you. I've also seen 3 rattlesnakes, all in the middle of the trail...they rattled when they saw me and refused to move, so I had to go off trail to get around them. One rocky ridgeline was COVERED in poison ivy. I tried to use my poles to keep the plants away as I hiked, but I'm sure I hit some. We'll see if I'm immune or not. It was impossible to avoid it.
May 22, Rather than staying at 501 shelter (right next to a busy road, full of boy scouts and thru hikers), I hiked an extra 6 miles to camp by a stream (near some more boyscouts). They saw me go by, and later came down to my site and said, "This may seem weird, but we have too much food, and we thought that since you're a long distance hiker you might want some extra fresh food. Here's a fresh, cooked trout". !! It was DELICIOUS!!! Gotta love trail magic!
"Rocksylvania" lived up to its reputation the last couple days in the state. It helped to pretend I was just walking along the rocky Maine coast, since there were few views from the ridges. There was a really nice climb out of Lehigh Gap (supposedly the hardest climb until New Hampshire...I guess it's going to stay fairly easy until then!). It was steep boulders and ledges...but a pretty short section. Then you get up onto a ridge-line that has been decimated by zinc mining (very little vegetation). The tics are out in full force, as are midges. I've given up staying in shelters because they kept me up a couple nights.
May 27, hiked into Delaware Water Gap with Mouse and Wazi. We got poured on right before town. Decided to split a motel room rather than stay in the crowded hostel (a good thing, because some drunken craziness occurred that night we heard). Showered, then went to Stroudsburg to see a movie (Robin Hood) for a break. Hung around in town until 2pm with Mouse, Yukon, and Litterbox. Good bye to Pennsylvania!!!
May 20 stayed at Peters Mtn. Shelter. There was a large black snake on the porch all evening. After dark it started crawling inside the shelter to try to get to a bird nest. I knew it wouldn't harm me, but it made me uneasy. LOTS of chipmunks on the trail--shrieking as the run away from you. I've also seen 3 rattlesnakes, all in the middle of the trail...they rattled when they saw me and refused to move, so I had to go off trail to get around them. One rocky ridgeline was COVERED in poison ivy. I tried to use my poles to keep the plants away as I hiked, but I'm sure I hit some. We'll see if I'm immune or not. It was impossible to avoid it.
May 22, Rather than staying at 501 shelter (right next to a busy road, full of boy scouts and thru hikers), I hiked an extra 6 miles to camp by a stream (near some more boyscouts). They saw me go by, and later came down to my site and said, "This may seem weird, but we have too much food, and we thought that since you're a long distance hiker you might want some extra fresh food. Here's a fresh, cooked trout". !! It was DELICIOUS!!! Gotta love trail magic!
"Rocksylvania" lived up to its reputation the last couple days in the state. It helped to pretend I was just walking along the rocky Maine coast, since there were few views from the ridges. There was a really nice climb out of Lehigh Gap (supposedly the hardest climb until New Hampshire...I guess it's going to stay fairly easy until then!). It was steep boulders and ledges...but a pretty short section. Then you get up onto a ridge-line that has been decimated by zinc mining (very little vegetation). The tics are out in full force, as are midges. I've given up staying in shelters because they kept me up a couple nights.
May 27, hiked into Delaware Water Gap with Mouse and Wazi. We got poured on right before town. Decided to split a motel room rather than stay in the crowded hostel (a good thing, because some drunken craziness occurred that night we heard). Showered, then went to Stroudsburg to see a movie (Robin Hood) for a break. Hung around in town until 2pm with Mouse, Yukon, and Litterbox. Good bye to Pennsylvania!!!
New Jersey
May 28, State #8 New Jersey. Rocky, but not as bad as PA. Way more views too. I've felt since the end of the Shenandoahs that the trail is just a connector between the southern mountains and New England. I wonder when I'll feel that the trail itself is a destination again. I'm getting tired of these long, view-less ridges and easy walking. I want to do some real mountain climbing again! Passed Sunfish Pond...the southernmost glacial pond on the AT. Very pretty, but plastered with No camping and No swimming signs. I finally met Rocker, Rooster, Snow White, 40oz (they've been just ahead of me the whole trip).
May 30, took the side trail to New Jersey's highest point, home to a large obelisk monument (like the Washington Monument in DC). I climbed up the humid tower but the views were almost the same as from the base. This afternoon the trail dropped off the ridge into farmland and swamps. I got to Unionville NY to resupply and camp in the park, only to find out there's no camping anymore. Luckily the Outhouse Hostel is in town. $10 donation for bunk, shower, laundry, dinner, and breakfast. Sweet deal, plus a southbounder I met on the road right before here paid for me. Trail Magic!!!
May 30, took the side trail to New Jersey's highest point, home to a large obelisk monument (like the Washington Monument in DC). I climbed up the humid tower but the views were almost the same as from the base. This afternoon the trail dropped off the ridge into farmland and swamps. I got to Unionville NY to resupply and camp in the park, only to find out there's no camping anymore. Luckily the Outhouse Hostel is in town. $10 donation for bunk, shower, laundry, dinner, and breakfast. Sweet deal, plus a southbounder I met on the road right before here paid for me. Trail Magic!!!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Edit of an Edit
Apparently when the hiking is easy, it goes faster. Although the previously updated schedule said Emily was a few days behind, she's made it all up and then some. She will probably be at the next few mail drops a few days early. We'll try to keep you as up to date as possible.
(Arrived Sunday May 23) Port Clinton, PA 19549
(Spent the night in the town's picnic pavilion, which is open to AT hikers.)
May 28 Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
June 10 Kent, CT 06757
June 19 Dalton, MA 01226
June 20 Mt. Greylock
June 27 Killington, VT 05751
June 30 Hanover, NH 03755
July 3 Glencliff, NH 03238
July 10 Mt. Washington, NH
July 14 Gorham, NH 03581
August 2 Monson, ME 04464
August 12 End hike at Katahdin, ME
Address Mail to:
Emily Zimmermann
c/o General Delivery
Town, State, Zip code
Please Hold for AT thru-hiker
ETA date
In other news, she has been hiking a lot with Mellow Yellow, a guy from New Jersey. The hiking has been too easy, not much climbing. She and Mellow Yellow feel they are losing their hiking shape because it's just long ridge lines all day.
Emily, I really wouldn't worry too much. I don't see the rest of us getting 8 hours of exercise per day.
(Arrived Sunday May 23) Port Clinton, PA 19549
(Spent the night in the town's picnic pavilion, which is open to AT hikers.)
May 28 Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
June 10 Kent, CT 06757
June 19 Dalton, MA 01226
June 20 Mt. Greylock
June 27 Killington, VT 05751
June 30 Hanover, NH 03755
July 3 Glencliff, NH 03238
July 10 Mt. Washington, NH
July 14 Gorham, NH 03581
August 2 Monson, ME 04464
August 12 End hike at Katahdin, ME
Address Mail to:
Emily Zimmermann
c/o General Delivery
Town, State, Zip code
Please Hold for AT thru-hiker
ETA date
In other news, she has been hiking a lot with Mellow Yellow, a guy from New Jersey. The hiking has been too easy, not much climbing. She and Mellow Yellow feel they are losing their hiking shape because it's just long ridge lines all day.
Emily, I really wouldn't worry too much. I don't see the rest of us getting 8 hours of exercise per day.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Updated Schedule
Waaaay back in the beginning we posted the estimated schedule for Emily's arrival at trail towns for mail drops. It's time to update that schedule. Right now Emily is sticking pretty close to the original plan. She is within 2 days of the old scheduled dates. Here are the most current estimates.
Est. Date / Location / Zip Code
(Arrived) May 12 Harper's Ferry, WV
May 21 Boiling Springs, PA 17007
May 27 Port Clinton, PA 19549
June 2 Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
June 14 Kent, CT 06757
June 21 Dalton, MA 01226
June 22 Mt. Greylock
June 29 Killington, VT 05751
July 2 Hanover, NH 03755
July 5 Glencliff, NH 03238
July 12 Mt. Washington, NH
July 16 Gorham, NH 03581
August 4 Monson, ME 04464
August 14 End hike at Katahdin, ME
Address Mail to:
Emily Zimmermann
c/o General Delivery
[Town, State, Zip code]
Please Hold for AT thru-hiker
[ETA date]
Emily really enjoys home-made baked goods and other things she can't easily buy or make while on the trail. Letters are always appreciated.
Est. Date / Location / Zip Code
(Arrived) May 12 Harper's Ferry, WV
May 21 Boiling Springs, PA 17007
May 27 Port Clinton, PA 19549
June 2 Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
June 14 Kent, CT 06757
June 21 Dalton, MA 01226
June 22 Mt. Greylock
June 29 Killington, VT 05751
July 2 Hanover, NH 03755
July 5 Glencliff, NH 03238
July 12 Mt. Washington, NH
July 16 Gorham, NH 03581
August 4 Monson, ME 04464
August 14 End hike at Katahdin, ME
Address Mail to:
Emily Zimmermann
c/o General Delivery
[Town, State, Zip code]
Please Hold for AT thru-hiker
[ETA date]
Emily really enjoys home-made baked goods and other things she can't easily buy or make while on the trail. Letters are always appreciated.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Halfway! (psychologically)
[In her own words]
So I've now made it through the Shenandoahs. Everyone said the Shennies were easy and flat. Well, the trail was well-graded (few rocks or roots, nice gravel surface), but it wasn't flat. Relative to most of the rest of the trail, yes, but not flat. There were also not very many views. When the trail crossed the Skyline Drive (28 times in total) near an overlook you got a view. But I was hiking with some fun guys--Mellow Yellow and Sockburn. Also known as the Shenandoah National Petting Zoo, I saw a lot of deer who were not timid of people. Lots of squirrels. And 3 bears...cubs. They were up a tree and ran down and away as I approached. My attempts at "yogi-ing" (getting free food from non-hikers by looking hungry) failed. Partly because some of the campgrounds weren't open yet, but mostly because not many people were around. I did stop at one of the many trail-side Waysides (rest stops/cafe/gift store) and had a blackberry milkshake. It was excellent but severely overpriced.
May 10. A Trail Magical Day. I walked into Linden, VA to pick up my mail drop, and I had 5 packages!! The expression on the postal clerk's face as he handed them to me was priceless. I ate a lot of it on the spot, and shoved the rest in my pack for eating on the trail. Thanks everyone! Right before heading into town, there were a bunch of sodas and beers in the stream, but being 8am I decided to leave them for later hikers. I stopped at Manassas Gap shelter for lunch, where a group of Japanese day hikers were having a feast (including fish, seaweed wraps, etc.) and they gave me a short rib. I found a book at the next shelter (I had finished mine last night). Then there were oranges and root beer along the trail in the afternoon. Crazy amount of trail magic for one day.
May 11. 50 degrees and rain and gusty wind. I hiked across the Roller Coaster section (13.5 miles of steep ascents and descents) with tree branches blowing down all around me. The trail corridor is really narrow (hemmed in by private land), so the trail builders had little choice on where to put the trail). It was a harder section, but not too bad overall. I think the hardest part was crossing the 4 lanes of VA 7...in the pouring rain. I stayed at the Blackburn Trail Center (run by the Potomac AT Club), where they have a free hostel with wood stove (Heat!!), and the caretaker fed us spaghetti, home made bread, chocolate cake, and ice cream. It was a good night, even though I slept on the porch because it got way too hot inside.
May 12. Harpers Ferry. The psychological half way point of the trail. The first NOBO to come through this year was Nature Boy (remember him? he got stuck in the snow in VA, and was day hiking in GA when I started) on April 4. I am #55, and the 7th female (3rd hiking solo) to arrive. I toured the historic section of town this afternoon, had a huge cookies and cream milk shake, and am heading to my cousin Sarah's place in Baltimore tonight. I'm looking forward to a shower and laundry!! 1014 miles down, 1165 to go!
So I've now made it through the Shenandoahs. Everyone said the Shennies were easy and flat. Well, the trail was well-graded (few rocks or roots, nice gravel surface), but it wasn't flat. Relative to most of the rest of the trail, yes, but not flat. There were also not very many views. When the trail crossed the Skyline Drive (28 times in total) near an overlook you got a view. But I was hiking with some fun guys--Mellow Yellow and Sockburn. Also known as the Shenandoah National Petting Zoo, I saw a lot of deer who were not timid of people. Lots of squirrels. And 3 bears...cubs. They were up a tree and ran down and away as I approached. My attempts at "yogi-ing" (getting free food from non-hikers by looking hungry) failed. Partly because some of the campgrounds weren't open yet, but mostly because not many people were around. I did stop at one of the many trail-side Waysides (rest stops/cafe/gift store) and had a blackberry milkshake. It was excellent but severely overpriced.
May 10. A Trail Magical Day. I walked into Linden, VA to pick up my mail drop, and I had 5 packages!! The expression on the postal clerk's face as he handed them to me was priceless. I ate a lot of it on the spot, and shoved the rest in my pack for eating on the trail. Thanks everyone! Right before heading into town, there were a bunch of sodas and beers in the stream, but being 8am I decided to leave them for later hikers. I stopped at Manassas Gap shelter for lunch, where a group of Japanese day hikers were having a feast (including fish, seaweed wraps, etc.) and they gave me a short rib. I found a book at the next shelter (I had finished mine last night). Then there were oranges and root beer along the trail in the afternoon. Crazy amount of trail magic for one day.
May 11. 50 degrees and rain and gusty wind. I hiked across the Roller Coaster section (13.5 miles of steep ascents and descents) with tree branches blowing down all around me. The trail corridor is really narrow (hemmed in by private land), so the trail builders had little choice on where to put the trail). It was a harder section, but not too bad overall. I think the hardest part was crossing the 4 lanes of VA 7...in the pouring rain. I stayed at the Blackburn Trail Center (run by the Potomac AT Club), where they have a free hostel with wood stove (Heat!!), and the caretaker fed us spaghetti, home made bread, chocolate cake, and ice cream. It was a good night, even though I slept on the porch because it got way too hot inside.
May 12. Harpers Ferry. The psychological half way point of the trail. The first NOBO to come through this year was Nature Boy (remember him? he got stuck in the snow in VA, and was day hiking in GA when I started) on April 4. I am #55, and the 7th female (3rd hiking solo) to arrive. I toured the historic section of town this afternoon, had a huge cookies and cream milk shake, and am heading to my cousin Sarah's place in Baltimore tonight. I'm looking forward to a shower and laundry!! 1014 miles down, 1165 to go!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Emily Becomes A Song Writer
Hiking the AT
(“Battle Hymn of the Republic”)
Conquered Georgian mountains in just t-shirts and shorts
Then the rain came pouring down and caused us all to frown
But we kept hiking on…
Refrain
Hiking, hiking on the Appalachian Trail
Hiking, hiking on the Appalachian Trail
Hiking, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, in sun, wind, rain and hail!
We started our second state and it began to snow
Trudging up the steep slick slopes with no switchbacks to show
Then ice chunks started falling as the wind began to blow
And we kept hiking on…
Amid the rain we climbed up in the Smokies National Park
Wading through waist deep snow, we got completely soaked
And every night in shelters it got real cold after dark
And we kept hiking on…
After Hot Springs we hiked into the sweltering heat
Sweat was dripping down us from our heads to our feet
Our packs were heavy with the food that we were gonna eat
And we kept hiking on…
We trekked across Roan Mountain’s grassy balds in the sun
More than three hundred miles on the trail we’d done
Enjoying panoramic views in every direction
And we kept hiking on…
In Tennessee, state number three, into the spring we hiked
Along a long flat ridge called the Tennessee Turnpike
While many tried the Damascus Dash I still had a good food cache
And so I moseyed on…
We crossed into Virginia at the start of April
We’d hiked four-sixty miles across the many hills
But VA is the longest state, 500 miles will kill
So we kept hiking on…
The scenic VA highlands where the wild ponies graze
They’d lick your hands and arms and legs, they were so salt crazed
A grassy trail but Fatman’s Squeeze—the rocks were quite a maze
And still we hiked on…
Virginia’s trail, it tracked along the tops of many a ridge
In valleys climbing stiles into cow pasturidge
Crossing streams and rivers there always is a bridge
And we kept hiking on…
I slack-packed parallel to the Blue Ridge Parkway
The trail was well graded and my pack had little weight
A home-cooked meal awaited me to end every day
And so I hiked on…
Pennsylvania's trail had lots and lots of rocks
Halfway to Maine, but we weren't allowed to gawk
Along the ridges soared up high many a large hawk
And so we stumbled on...
New Jersey and New York had a rocky ridgeline
Maintainers had not been out yet in states 8 and 9
We passed at least one deli every day so we felt fine
And still we hiked on....
Lyrics By Emily Zimmermann
Tune by William Steffe
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