tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2290561849721478892024-03-13T18:48:09.307-04:00Here There and EverywhereA blog that includes trip journals of meanderings across this planetJonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-29683691902869443222020-01-03T12:54:00.000-05:002020-01-03T12:54:06.708-05:00Tuscarora Trail<iframe src='https://www.gaiagps.com/public/Is5wz4HDQes7Ip7Mkkm6L6Y6?embed=True' style='border:none; overflow-y: hidden; background-color:white; min-width: 320px; max-width:420px; width:100%; height: 420px;' scrolling='no' seamless='seamless'></iframe>Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-27680500010433273682017-02-06T08:15:00.002-05:002017-02-06T08:15:55.355-05:00Using Google Maps offlineQuick and dirty tutorial on downloading and searching coordinates on Google Maps. It's not totally intuitive, and it's changed recently.<br />
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This guide is written for Android, though iPhone I would hope is similar.<br />
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Open the Google Maps app. Tap the 3 horizontal lines in the upper left of the app (I've heard this symbol called the 'Hamburger')<br />
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Touch the 'Offline Areas' menu option<br />
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Touch 'Custom Area'.<br />
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Use the box to download a selected area. Pinch to zoom or expand the area as needed. Touch 'Download'<br />
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Watch the progress of the download.<br />
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Once the area is completely downloaded, you can test the process by going to your phones settings and putting it in 'Airplane' Mode, even in airplane mode the GPS should still work (if not, go to the settings option 'Location' and turn just that option back on). Search for a known GPS coordinate within your downloaded area, and it should display on the Map. Even without cell service you can use maps!<br />
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While this doesn't give you turn by turn navigation, it does give you the ability to search coordinates.<br />
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Other mapping software uses similar methods for offline use of maps. Personally, I have the paid version of Gaia GPS, which has USGS maps, as well as some open source hiking trail maps.<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-11200433537588121672016-12-09T11:44:00.002-05:002016-12-09T11:44:41.177-05:00I May Run Like a Turkey......but at least I don't sound like one (usually)!!<br />
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Run Report Card<br />
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Friday Nov 18 - 20 - nada<br />
Monday Nov 21 - 2.38 miles running<br />
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Tuesday Nov 22 - 2.21 miles running<br />
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Wednesday Nov 23 - 10.5 mile section hike on the Appalachian Trail. My dad and I hiked SoBo from Wolfesville Rd to Rt 40 in Maryland.<br />
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Thursday Nov 24 - Turkey!!! (and Sloth)<br />
Friday Nov 25 - 2 miles walking - Opted Outside - Went to Bears Den and took a friend out on a small section of the AT. Drank a beer outside of Dirt Farm Brewery, since I was in the area. Flew drones with my buddy.<br />
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Saturday Nov 26 - 1 mile walking - Christmas tree hunting, mostly.<br />
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Sunday Nov 27 - 1 mile walking, 3.25 miles running<br />
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<br />Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-30323354624279164802016-11-21T08:35:00.002-05:002016-11-21T08:47:09.168-05:00Mov-ember!Challenges this month will be a few. The days continue to get shorter, and shorter still after Day Light Savings takes effect. Colder temperatures will insist I stay indoors, a notion I will need to ignore and go outside anyway! I traveled for work for a week and a half. And I got sick (booooooo to whoever hand this off to me).<br />
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I am hopeful I can overcome these hurdles and continue progressing and maintaining. I am feeling better every run, stronger, faster. On travel, I'll be in San Francisco, right on Fisherman's Wharf - there's plenty of places to run right out the front door in either direction on the San Francisco Bay Trail.<br />
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But I digress! That's last week, here's the last several weeks:<br />
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Tuesday Nov 1 - 3 miles walking, 1.43 running<br />
Wednesday Nov 2 - 1.92 walking, 1.09 running<br />
Thursday Nov 3 - 1.74 walking, 1.4 running<br />
Friday Nov 4 - Sunday Nov 6 - A slovenly waste of nothingness<br />
Monday Nov 7 - 2.52 walking, 2.05 running<br />
Tuesday Nov 8 - 4.68 Running<br />
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Wednesday Nov 9 - Friday 11 - Traveled on Wednesday, worked early to late Thursday and Friday, plus sick!<br />
Saturday Nov 12 - Walked 2.37, Ran 1.13<br />
Great run in Los Gatos with Daniel, my cousin. He knew of some great trails right by Testarosa Winery. Great views, nice trails. Beautiful day for it.<br />
Sunday Nov 13 - Walked 2.65<br />
Monday Nov 14 - Walked 1.89 <br />
Tuesday Nov 15 - Walked 1.71<br />
Wednesday Nov 16 - Walked 3.75, Ran 2 <br />
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Thursday Nov 17 - Walked 3.63, Ran 1.8<br />
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While in San Francisco I got the City Pass and on Sunday went to the <a href="http://www.calacademy.org/" target="_blank">California Academy of Sciences</a>, and took a boat tour with <a href="http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/" target="_blank">Blue and Gold Fleet</a> from Pier 39. The following day took the <a href="https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/transit/how-ride/how-to-cable-cars" target="_blank">Muni Cable Car</a> to work and went to the <a href="https://www.aquariumofthebay.org/" target="_blank">Aquarium of the Bay</a> in the evening. I wanted to also go to the <a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/" target="_blank">Exploratorium</a> but ran out of time to get down there.<br />
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I really enjoyed the Californian Academy of Sciences - the planetarium show was very engaging, the Earthquake house, the aquarium, and the green roof were all very cool exhibits.<br />
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The Blue and Gold Fleet boat ride was great, especially the timing. I went on the last ride of the evening - sunny on the way out, and the sun set just as the boat was going under the Golden Gate, then the Super Moon was coming up over Alcatraz as the boat was coming back into port.<br />
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The Muni Cable Car wasn't a bad option for a commute - though Uber is faster, the view was way better as the Cable Car goes up over some hills. The operators are all very good at their jobs, for a task that takes a lot of skill and practice.<br />
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The Aquarium of the Bay was smaller than I envisioned, but in that small space they crammed a lot of decent exhibits. The aquarium tunnels were very cool, being able to see fish in all directions was awesome.<br />
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<br />Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-56018987771808410012016-11-01T13:31:00.000-04:002016-11-01T13:31:28.337-04:00Crispy, Crunchy, Dash thru Autumn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another wonderful autumn week, full of chills and thrills - and some ghouls and goblins. I always say, run like death is chasing you. Ok, I've never said that, and death would've caught me long ago. More like run like a crippled ground hog with a bad attitude is thinking about eventually starting pursuit.<br />
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<b>Tuesday Oct 25th</b> - 2.8 walking, 1.3 running<br />
<b>Wednesday Oct 26th</b> - 1.3 walking, 1.4 running<br />
<b>Thursday Oct 27th</b> - 1.6 walking, 2.1 running<br />
<b>Friday Oct 28th </b>- Trail Run!<br />
Route 9 Keys Gap crossing of the AT SoBo<br />
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This turned out to be a great part of the AT to run. Forgiving, in that it's not too rocky or rooty. Most of the inclines and declines are shallow enough that you can keep running up them without getting really winded.<br />
I ran up over the high hill beyond the David Lesser Shelter cut-off, onto Buzzard Rocks and down the hill beyond that. I was running to 4 miles, then turning around and heading back.<br />
I have noticed that it takes me a solid 3 miles to warm up; the first 3 are torturous, my shins just really hurt and it's really a mental battle to keep pushing. Once I'm warm though I don't want to stop, I'm able to pace myself and not get my heart rate up too high.<br />
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<b>Sunday Oct 30th </b>- 1 walking, 1.8 running</div>
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<b>Monday Oct 31st</b> - A nice cool day, I decided to try the W&OD. The main multi-use path is blacktop, but right next to it the is a dirt/gravel path that is perfect for trail running. The other nice part of the parallel path, beyond staying out of the bikers way, is that it gains and loses elevation way more than the blacktop path. I appreciate an incline and decline occasionally! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">Google Fit<u><br /></u></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MapMyRun (by Under Armour)</td></tr>
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I'm testing different apps side-by-side. I'll write another post on my finding and review several before publishing my findings.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-91459653882006958792016-10-31T07:26:00.001-04:002016-10-31T07:30:54.003-04:00A Shoes Post - Brooks Cascadia 11I've not run for... awhile. I've hiked, oh how I've hiked, but running - not so much.<br />
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In fact my running shoes are from 2009. Saucony Omni 8's. Since then the world has changed, I've changed. I've hiked a few thousand miles, I even jogged a few of those miles. But most of those miles have been on trails, and many of those miles were in the Salomon X Ultra 2.</div>
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For the past couple weeks, I'd broken out my old running shoes. The rubber on the bottom felt a bit odd, like it had hardened over the years. The running itself felt good though! On my trail runs I've been wearing my hiking shoes - Salewa Wildfire. The Wildfire is a great shoe, but it's an approach shoe, not designed with trail running in mind. Both, while comfortable enough, leave something to be desired.</div>
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Songbird and I went to <a href="http://potomacriverrunning.com/location/leesburg/" target="_blank">Potomac Running Store</a> yesterday at the Village of Leesburg to browse some shoes. Fortunately this store has a good selection of trail runners too, unlike their other stores. I tried a few on, while also researching online and I found the Brooks Cascadia 11 to be the most comfortable. I'll give a decent review of the shoe once I've put a few miles on them. The employees at the store were super helpful too. Songbird also got a pair of shoes while we were there, and I think she may have tried on every pair they had available! But I think she did great to find the perfect pair to meet her needs.</div>
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Of course, when you get some new kicks, you also need to get new Green Superfeet insoles and some awesome new Swiftwick cushiony socks too!</div>
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And it's a great day to throw out some OLD shoes!!</div>
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-78028513393344991002016-10-25T08:40:00.002-04:002016-10-27T10:21:06.142-04:00A New HopeSince the trail run a couple Thursdays ago, I've been slowly training and upping my activity levels (going from a stroll around the block to anything is upping!). First couple days after the trail run my muscles were awesomely sore! I rested a day and dove back in.<br />
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Below is my weekly(+) summary of activities.<br />
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Friday Oct 14 - 2.3 miles walking, .4 running<br />
Monday Oct 17 - 1.3 walking, 1.2 running<br />
Tuesday Oct 18 - 2.8 walking, 1.6 running<br />
Wednesday Oct 19 - 2.5 walking, 1.2 running<br />
Thursday Oct 20 - 1.8 walking<br />
Friday Oct 21 - 1 hour stationary bike<br />
Saturday Oct 22 - 1 hour stair-climber<br />
Monday Oct 23 - 3.1 walking, 1.2 running<br />
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Not a terrible start to do after work, and on a cruise in the Bahamas. Definitely need to begin extending the runs, but it for sure feels better already. Plus the cooler weather is awesome to run in! This week I'll see some time to do another trail run on Thursday or Friday.<br />
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Some challenges up-coming will be a bunch or travel, cold weather, and shorter days. I'll negotiate them all and keep posting progress!! Songbird and I will be doing cross fit which will definitely help get us through both dark and cold times! Work travel, I'll need to very actively set time aside in the morning or evening to hit the treadmill or find area close to the hotels to run.<br />
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On the note of the cruise, went out of Miami for a work knowledge exchange. Good to see a lot of familiar faces, really good to catch up with everyone! While only a long weekend, the trip was enjoyable! <br />
<br />Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-69383518367984114552016-10-13T12:21:00.000-04:002016-10-27T10:20:24.471-04:00Trail RunnerI've been needing a personal physical goal for awhile. After completing the Appalachian Trail in 2012, it took me a year to not have incredibly vivid flashbacks pretty much all the time. So that was really a recovery year.<br />
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Lately I've been way less active than I've wanted to be; hiking on the occasional weekend, backpacking a few times a year, a very infrequent bike ride. Goal-less.<br />
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When Songbird asked if I wanted to join Crossfit, I said "No", I didn't feel like doing that. When she alluded to it in conversation I didn't respond, when she asked again more adamantly I began to introspect as to why I had no interest. I found that I didn't want to do it just for the 'health' of it. I would, however, want to do it had I a goal. I am very goal oriented.<br />
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Well, the last hike I did was nearly 25 miles - 16 miles the first day, the rest the following day. We'd started at 10am and finished by 4. We had 30+ pound packs. And WOW was I sore the few days afterward. Really muscle sore. But the thing is - I LIKE muscle soreness. Maybe not that sore though. I began thinking about that trail in particular. We could've done it in a day. Easy(-ish). Started earlier, carried less. If I could've <i>easily</i> (I say that sarcastically because it would've whipped my butt, more so I know I could've been <i>able</i> to to complete it - I would've had to dig deep though) done that trail in a day, could I go further? Could I go <i>much</i> further? Could I do the Four State Challenge VA to PA (43+ miles)? Could I do 50? Could I go all the way around the Massanutten Trail (71 miles)? Could I do the entirety of the AT in Shenandoah (105.3)? I might be able to - with training.<br />
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Karl Meltzer is 48, and a bad-ass. Anish is just an ultra-bad-ass.Jennifer Pharr-Davis. Scott Jurek. All recently have beaten the AT speed record. Now I'm not saying I'm going to try to attain that, or even any Long Distance hiking trail. I don't have the desire to do that for 48 days. But if they can do it for 48 days consecutively - I might be able to do it for a SINGLE day, right?!<br />
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A did a few marathon+ plus days while hiking the AT. My training ground was... every day before that. I can't train that way any longer, I've obligations, an awesome understanding wife that I like to see, a wonderful house that I like sleeping in, and great friends I get to see on the weekends and during the week. Doing Crossfit as part of the equation makes sense. I've got my goal now. I want to see how far I can go on foot, more importantly, on a trail.<br />
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To that end, I began today. I went for a 5.5 mile run according to the mapped mileage (5.9 mile run according to GPS, which is what I'll be posting). It felt GOOD. After I warmed up. I walked up the hills, and ran on the flats and downhill sections. I trip less and have a more surer gait when I'm going fast. I focus on the trail in front of me, get into a zone, and feel like I'm floating over the terrain - rocks roots and all.I've done bits like this before, but never in a premeditated way with a goal.<br />
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I'm going to begin posting here weekly with stats for the week, including when I start Crossfit with Songbird, and what other activities I'm doing. I'll be using this as a log for myself, as well as a convenient (and public!) place to track progress. Also, to tell others a goal is a way to keep focused and to keep training! I'll also use this as a place to rate the trails I'm training on, when I'm able to actually train on trails.<br />
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I ran from <a href="http://www.hikingupward.com/OVH/RavenRocks/" target="_blank">Route 7 to Raven Rocks</a>. I actually really like this for this type of training. At close to 6 miles out and back it can be done fairly quickly. It also helps this is the closest nice trail to the house. It has a lot of roots and rocks, with some nice gentle grades, as well as some steeper sections. And the view at the mid-way point is great, with some nice rocks to lay down on and stretch out on, if need be (I needed it!). It took me about 3 miles to warm up, but on the way back from the view after the short rest, I felt awesome, really loose and limber. A wonderful fall day, with squirrels everywhere, deer, and a few backpackers that offered to be my support staff when I go to break the record (whoa there fellas, don't put that on me!!)<br />
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<br />Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-43789731961648976362016-10-13T11:10:00.003-04:002016-10-13T11:10:40.023-04:00North Fork Mountain TrailFlip came to visit and suggested we go for a hike. Not one to back really ever say no to that, we made plans to go to North Fork Mountain Trail in WV very close to Seneca Rocks.<br />
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I'm actually very surprised that I'd never seen or hiked this route previously, as it's very close to many favorite spots, including: Spruce Knob, Seneca Creek, and Dolly Sods. I may have viewed it briefly but decided that being a Point-to-Point hike made it logistically more difficult. Regardless, upon reading the description on Hiking Upward, I was sold!<br />
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<i>Hikers describe the North Fork Mountain Trail (NFMT) as having "relentless views".
They are correct, there are so many overlooks we couldn't mark them all
on our hike map. If you want a view, walk no more than 25 yards to the
west off the trail and you will find one! <a href="http://www.hikingupward.com/MNF/NorthForkMountain/" target="_blank">HikingUpward</a></i></div>
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I was excited to get out and see a new trail, and to see the back of Seneca Rock. One caveat was that the trail was mostly dry, maybe a flowing spring about half way through, but not to be counted on. I decided to carry enough water for 2 full days - just over 6L, close to 14 pounds. Even with the water weight my pack was ~32lbs.<br />
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We drove separately to accommodate the Point-to-Point hike, leaving before first light on Sunday. We arrived at the northern terminus on Smoke Hole Rd right in Cabin, WV at around 9am and made the 40 min drive down to the southern terminus at the top of North Mountain. The weather had started foggy and misty as we had been driving, but quickly cleared and the temperature was wonderful for hiking. <br />
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The trail follows the ridge-line for most of the 25 miles, dropping off for short periods of time. Often the trail is only 25 yards away from the ridge top, as the description above states, however, it's still 25 yards off! I wondered why the trail didn't follow the ridge and provide continuous views. But there were plenty of overlooks all the same - the valley overlooking I've driven many times on the way to or from Dolly Sods, or Seneca Creek.<br />
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We made very quick time, making it to a great campsite at mile 8 and walking a few more miles to have a great lunch overlooking the western views and Seneca Rock from the reverse side.<br />
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At mile 10 we made it to a gas pipe line/forest road and evidence of 4-wheeling, partying, and general red-neckery was clear evident. Beer cans (and shitty beer at that) littered the road for the next two miles, along with other debris. At mile 12 we came to the 12 mile mark and the suggested campsite on Hiking Upward. Keep walking! The campsite is on the road, on a hairpin turn. Littered with piles of beer cans and piles of empty water jugs - evidently people stash water for the hike and then leave their garbage instead of packing it out. Additionally there was a semi-permanent looking tent there with water jugs hoarded around it, so it may be a vagrant living here.<br />
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The next few miles the trail left the ridge by a few hundred yards and went through a burned out, eerie section of new growth and charred standing trees.<br />
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Mile 16 we found our slice of heaven. A fantastic campsite a ways off the trail, right on a cliff edge. there was a buffer of rocks on the cliff top that acted like a great wind break for the fire.<br />
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The following morning, after a great night sleep in the hammock, we made short work of the remaining 8 miles - the last couple of which dived steeply down into the valley and back to my vehicle. The views were again amazing and plentiful! A strenuous but rewarding day hike could be had by parking at the bottom and coming up to Chimney Rock, about a 6 mile out and back.<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-54035954352373515752016-07-11T12:04:00.002-04:002016-07-13T06:52:11.513-04:00Alaska 2016It's been awhile!<br />
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Back in 2015 my wife and I were told of a family trip for a cousin turning 40. The trip was to be a cruise to Alaska. We pushed back our plans to go to Portugal by a year and decided to go on this adventure instead! We were able to invite friends on this trip as well, so we asked around and got a few takers to share in the trip with us.<br />
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The progression towards the beginning of a trip always seems the same: initial excitement and research and planning, then realizing the trip isn't for another year. Finally, and slowly, all the preparations are made: How many days are we going early to Seattle? What excursions are we doing? What's the daily average temp/precip? What's the rest of the family doing (since we can't snub them the entire time and do our own thing!)? The preparations phase still leaves a long time before the trip, a few months, those emails Starred in my Inbox, reminding me of how long I have to what. The day finally comes to start packing (which for me is two weeks before the trip!). And the day finally comes for us to take the dog to the kennel, secure everything at the house, and head to the airport!<br />
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We flew from IAD to SeaTac on Wednesday June 8th, a couple days before we were meeting everyone to go on the cruise. We figured a bit of quiet time before the boat might be required! This was to be Songbird's first cruise.<br />
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<b>Mount Rainer</b><br />
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We landed, rented a car and began the short drive to Ashford, WA close to the Nisqually Entrance of Rainer. I'd rented a small cabin at Copper Creek Inn & Restaurant. The place looked amazing, Muir Cabin, tucked in a temperate rain forest, private hot-tub on creek. Surrounded by green forest, and wild flowers.<br />
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Sometimes expectations don't hold a candle to reality. Conceptually I imagined a cute cabin in the woods; reality blew away my conception, and replaced it with a lasting loving life-long impression. The peace of the place was overwhelming. The sound of the creek, swollen by recent rains, the smell of the forest, even the feel of the cool humidity pressed against the skin all imprinted this on my memory.<br />
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The cabin itself was stellar, very high quality with nice homey touches. The fireplace inside was much appreciated after sitting in the hot tub and needing to dry off!<br />
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Our first night there, we arrived and went to sleep seeing only darkness outside our door, but with the promise of beauty! We woke with excitement, brewed some coffee and had a morning soak in the hot tub, we ARE on vacation! After a leisurely morning we got ready for a day of hiking in Rainer, and on our way to the entrance stopped at Alexander's Lodge & Restaurant for a quick breakfast. The day was to be a cloudy day, and the forecast mentioned periods of rain, but this is Washington right?! Can't let that stop us. Though I was hoping it would clear enough for me to see the massif that I knew was hulking over us. We winded our way ever upward, passing a few overlooks and a few gorgeous cascading waterfalls by the road. The sky began to sprinkle on us, but we could still see mountains across the valley, so it wasn't totally socked in. No sign of THE peak though.<br />
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I had a vision in my mind of what this place was going to look like. I imagined a sunny day, with a field of wild flowers nodding in a gentle breeze, the squeak of randy marmots, all over-shadowed by a massive ever visible hulking mass of the pinnacle of the mountain. While I knew the sun was wishful thinking, the rest I took for granted! As our elevation grew, patches of snow began appearing, by the time we got to Paradise, the ground was more snow than not!<br />
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Being the adventurous type, we weren't going to let a little snow get in our way! We went into the welcome center and noticed they rented snow shoes; just what we needed! So here we are in mid June, snowshoeing! Not on the East Coast anymore, that's for sure!<br />
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We made a fun day of tramping around on the Skyline Trail, though we by no means did the entire 5 mile loop. The upper section goes across a mountainside that we had no intention of falling off and snow shoes aren't as good as crampons and ice axes would've been! We got up fairly high, I saw a marmot (bigger and scragglier than expected), saw decent views back behind us down valley. We never did see Rainer, the clouds thickened as the day progressed, and a misty rain started falling a bit more incessantly. Blissfully sore and slightly soaked, we turned and made our way back down to the visitor lodge.<br />
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After our hiking was done, we rode back down the mountain, stopping at the Copper Creek restaurant for a bottle of wine. We soaked more in the wonderful hot tun, enjoying the wine and the peacefulness of the woods around us!<br />
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The next morning we woke to sunshine streaming through the trees. Excited to possibly see the mountain we packed up and left the cabin, with the promise to ourselves that we would come back and enjoy this spot again in the future! <br />
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We headed into Nisqually entrance, at one bridge we could fully see the mountain, if only for a moment! There were clouds in the area, moving lazily through the valleys, and we were trying to get to the mountain before those clouds cloaked it in misty gauze. As we went higher the sky darkened little by little. On the last section into Paradise, the sky cleared for one glorious pristine, mind-blowing moment - a hole in the clouds above us showcased the peak of Rainer, framed on all sides by cloud, a floating mountain. Then it was gone. We parked at the lot there and waited to see if the clouds would decide to move on - after seeing them thicken, we decided to travel on. The temps had dropped quite a bit since the previous day, hovering right around freezing, the mist had frozen on to the limbs of the evergreen trees, giving a white frostiness to the forest.<br />
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We drove through the park to exit the other side and stop at Grove of the Patriarchs - unfortunately the bridge over the river to the actual grove was out so we were only able to do the lovely approach trail.<br />
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<b>Seattle</b><br />
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We drove back to the airport and dropped off the car before getting an Uber to the Edgewater in downtown Seattle. There we met up with family and headed over to Pike's Market to be crushed in by mobs of tourists to see some fish getting tossed around, before finally settling down at a Mexican joint in an alley close by. That evening we met up with family friends deeper in town at a brew pub to catch up with everyone.<br />
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The following morning, cruise day was upon us. Our ship, the Norwegian Jewel, was departing from the dock right next to the Edgewater; easy commute! We dropped our rolling bags, boarded and got situated, finding a group of family to sit with. There were 70 people in our group, most of which we didn't know! But as the week went on, we got to know everyone, at least by sight, if not more detailed.<br />
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The ship departed with little fan fare, barely a feeling of movement at all. Seattle grew distant quickly and the shoreline became sparsely peppered with buildings. The wilds creep in quickly.<br />
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The first day was a day at sea, the boat rocked a bit, and quite a few people became sea sick. I've never had that problem, fortunately<b>. </b>This day passed in a blur, at sea days are the dead zones in a story, we were very ready to get off the boat after this day!<br />
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<b>Ketchikan</b> <br />
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We woke to pulling into port. We had made no excursion plans in this town, but I'd researched a trail just outside of town that sounded like it would be perfect. We and 2 others grabbed a taxi to the trailhead of Deer Mountain. The sunny weather and temperature was perfect! As we climbed and gained the elevation we were surrounded by enormous trees covered in moss, large ferns, and dense under-growth. The forest was beautiful, dappled in sun light. Ravens called curious 'water-droplet' calls among other hauntingly beautiful calls echoing through the under story.<br />
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The views at the overlooks were well worth the elevation gain, We saw sea planes and bald eagles flying below our position. We only saw less than a dozen people. After the amount of humanity on the cruise ship and in town, it was very nice to be away from the crowds surrounded by nature.<br />
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Back in town we split ways from our friends and met up with Songbirds' parents for some lunch and a stroll around town for some light shopping. This town wouldn't exist as it is without the tourists, it would be a salmon fishery and not much else, however, with the amount of cruisers that come here, everything is affected. Of course there were tourist "traps" like the lumberjack show and Dolly's house of prostitution, but both looked like a fun way to pass the time, the shopping district around the creek had local artisans as well as the typical t-shirt shop found where ever cruises stop. Soon enough it was time to get back on the boat with our prizes (a couple unique local artisanal pieces).<br />
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<b>Juneau</b><br />
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The following morning we found ourselves mooring at the shores of a State Capital. A capital that cannot be driven to! This day we did have an excursion waiting, so we had no time to explore the town. We got off the boat and onto a bus that delivered us a mile away to a dock and our float planes flotilla!<br />
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We did the Taku Lodge excursion, in which we flew over 5 glaciers on our way up river to a lodge where we would have a fresh salmon bake with the opportunity to hike around the property. The flight up was amazing! Songbird scored the copilot seat, so she got the royal view! Alaska must be seen from the air! The glaciers are so large and winding away into the distance, even at 3000 feet.<br />
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Once landed at the lodge we were greeted by mosquitoes and bears. The "real" Alaska! As the salmon is being baked, there are a couple resident black bears that roam the grounds waiting for a chance to get the drippings. While they are wild animals, they are also well fed and very used to people, it's part of the package. There's a few employee's waiting around with long sticks to stop the bears and they place themselves between the guests and the bears. After the salmon is taken off the bears disappear, probably to wait on the next tour group. The food was delicious! And after the meal we walked around the property, viewing some moss covered trees, a glacier across the way, and some cliffs in the back of the location.<br />
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After a few hours we boarded our float planes and had the wonderful re-experience of flying back to Juneau over the glaciers, rivers, and mountains once again. We landed with just enough time to walk back to the cruise ship and meet up with some friends coming from their canoeing adventure.<br />
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That evening the ship cruised slowly past many glaciers, at one point going up a dead end and spinning so everyone could get a magnificent view. I am very glad we had a balcony!<br />
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The sheer size of everything, and the amount of miles we went still surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, was hard to grasp.<br />
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<b>Skagway</b><br />
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The following day Songbird, Anthony, Liz, Katie, Graham, and myself had a long hiking excursion up to Laughton Glacier. We met our guide, Ruth, right off the ship and we walked a mile through town to get to a train station. We rode on the train with our other guides Wyatt and ***(space cadet). The train stops, apparently in the middle of nowhere, at Laughton Glacier trailhead. From there we began a 4 mile hike to the glacier. The trail beagn nice and soft, with little grade and many beautiful features to distract - little streams winding away, meadows of flowers, mossy and fern filled glades. We stayed up front with Wyatt chatting with him and Amy (another hiker). Until what seemed like no time at all, we arrived at a places where the trail had an overlook up the glacial valley and where the nature of the trail changed drastically.<br />
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Rather than soft treadway, the path became rocky and steep, leaving the river valley and following a receding glacier. Every step up the land changed, the plants smaller, the dirt thinner; we reached an area where there were no plants at all yet growing. Ahead and up still a dirty mound of ice and rock, glacial moraine, waited. We picked our way up and then out onto the ice. We donned our micro-spikes and kept going another half mile. Here we took a break and ate lunch, drinking glacial water straight from the stream. The immensity and the breathtaking vistas all around us was a great treat to have with lunch! To move up almost through time, from the pine forest, to the alders, to the grasses and lichen, to the bare rock and on to the ice! Amazing!<br />
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The wall of mountain and ice at the head of the valley really became apparent when a helicopter flew over us and close to the mountain. It appeared to be a speck against the enormity of the mountain!<br />
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We said our good byes to the mountain and the glacier and hiked down, though I could've stayed longer and explored more. On the way back we noticed a bear and been using the trail as a bathroom.. a lot! We didn't see the ursa though. We made it back to the train stop, but the train was a bit late, and we were getting back into Skagway just in time to make it back on the ship. We were supposed to walk the mile back to the ship, but they provided a bus for us since we were cutting it extremely close - which worked out, because it started pouring down rain just then!<br />
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<b>Back on the Boat</b> <br />
The following day was another day at sea, this is the day we celebrated Daniels birthday, roasted him, ate drank and were very merry! Also we dressed up and danced the night away.<br />
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<b>Victoria BC</b><br />
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We had no plans for this stop, none of the excursions were very adventurous, so we walked off the boat and into downtown to see what we could see. Victoria is a nice town, cute small clean inner harbor, framed with a few artists selling their wares. Totem poles seemed to be in quite a few locations, including Chinatown, which was more like China-block sans Chinese, add totem poles, Scottish fiddlers, and Thai food - odd that. We ended our foray at a upscale bar called Canoe, which had good gravy fries and beer. Songbirds' dad didn't want to walk back across the city so he found a water taxi that docked right next to the restaurant, so we got a boat ride most of the way back to the cruise ship. All in all fun and relaxing day hanging out with loved ones!<br />
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<b>Seattle Part Two</b><br />
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Back on the boat for one more evening. One more night of open bar, too much food, and a nice watery view from our balcony. We docked in Seattle and took our time to leave the ship, letting the lines dry up. We walked a block down from the terminal and got an Uber to our hotel by the airport to drop off our bags.<br />
We got an Uber back in town to go to REI, Feathered Friends, and walk back down to see some family friends by Pike's Market. We headed back to the hotel later in the afternoon and concluded our tip the next morning with a flight home.<br />
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I liked the trip! The excursions were definitely exactly what I wanted to be doing, possibly a bit more intense - however I understand that they must be at a level most cruisers can enjoy. I would've liked if the time in ports were longer, Juneau and Skagway seemed like they would be fun towns to explore but the excursions were appropriately long and took all the time in port. I liked the cruising portion, in that we always had a view of mountains from our room, and that we woke up and were somewhere different with no effort. I loved Rainer and would like to go just there for a long time; in fact Songbird said she would hike the Wonderland Trail with me in its entirety as long as we can stay at the Muir Cabin before and after - easy!<br />
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Our good friend Katie's take on the Alaskan Adventure and a great blog to follow:<br />
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<a href="https://myvirginiadiary.com/2016/07/01/the-emerald-city-a-virginia-writer-goes-west-part-i/" target="_blank">Part 1</a><br />
<a href="https://myvirginiadiary.com/2016/07/08/the-last-frontier-a-virginia-writer-goes-west-part-ii/" target="_blank">Part 2</a><br />
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<br />Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-70167235638302102602014-06-04T22:00:00.000-04:002014-06-04T22:00:00.864-04:00Review: Pat's Backcountry Beverages Part 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqFzLWvE82hTzXhVZ1fZocZvzUfuwXEM0P6taH_WqJz1sAFryXwpZd3I9V6d5vXnO5KjO2J-A_tYc1gPc4PfKYE9hYLaAZ1WHt3_8JAcYb_QzlycG0TJeLHLcd6yvy0MP_BmLkrYfEmsJ/s1600/Vert-Small-2x2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqFzLWvE82hTzXhVZ1fZocZvzUfuwXEM0P6taH_WqJz1sAFryXwpZd3I9V6d5vXnO5KjO2J-A_tYc1gPc4PfKYE9hYLaAZ1WHt3_8JAcYb_QzlycG0TJeLHLcd6yvy0MP_BmLkrYfEmsJ/s1600/Vert-Small-2x2.jpg" /></a><b>Product review</b><br />
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We can always dream, right? Or maybe carry a heavy bottle or can in and pack that same heavy vessel back out.<br />
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There I was in an outdoor store in Springdale, UT - the gateway to Zion National Park - and saw a sign for beer, but all I saw was a plastic bottle. The shop owner was quick to enlighten me. <a href="http://www.patsbcb.com/" target="_blank">Pat's Backcountry Beverages</a> is a carbonation system. Add two dried activators (Citric acid and Potassium Bicarbonate) flavoring and water, pump and shake; viola! A carbonated beverage.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oqXdDb6aSIc/U491KlCYuTI/AAAAAAAAnqM/QTvjHhTu1hU/s1600/Carbonator-Kit-Family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oqXdDb6aSIc/U491KlCYuTI/AAAAAAAAnqM/QTvjHhTu1hU/s1600/Carbonator-Kit-Family.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></a></div>
Not a bad deal if your idea of a treat after a long day is a soda. But they also have beer. Not just flavoring. It is honest to goodness, needs-to-be-sold-in-a-liquor-store, <b>beer</b>. Looking at their website, they have Pale Rail and Black Hops as options, with (I'm sure) more coming. In fact the state of Utah had just begun allowing the sale of the Craft Beer packets days prior. They can't sell alcohol over state lines so they re-direct you to somewhere that can if you are lucky enough <b>not</b> to live in Massachusetts, Kentucky, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Texas.<br />
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I purchased the product, post-host, with a few extra activator packets for good luck. The directions seemed straight-forward but said it would get easier with time and practice.<br />
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Once home I tested out the product, and found the instructions very easy to follow and could imagine myself doing them at a shelter quite easily. Put a small amount of water in the bottle, flip and pump a couple times to get water in the cap. Add the activator to the activator cup and attach to the lid. Add water and flavoring to the bottle and attach the lid assembly. Shake and carb shake and carb for 2 minutes and it's that easy. I tried the root beer for my first beverage and I used faucet water to simulate water temperature of the backcountry, though having a nice cold spring would be preferable. The drink was really really good! It could have easily been poured out of a can or fountain bought from the store. It's really the same exact way fountain sodas come, just on a much smaller scale.<br />
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I will be using this in the backcountry. The bottle looks to be Nalgen size and thread, so a Katahdin Pump may be able to be attached and a Nalgen lid used when not carbonating. I would probably use the bottle as a water bottle so as to not be carrying an extra 1-use piece of equipment. It's still A LOT lighter than a six pack of brews.<br />
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Part Two will cover the beer once it arrives!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_lEy9KWZbwE/U491KY4-3-I/AAAAAAAAnqE/DRaQZH-EEHY/s1600/Carbonator-Bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_lEy9KWZbwE/U491KY4-3-I/AAAAAAAAnqE/DRaQZH-EEHY/s1600/Carbonator-Bottle.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Full disclosure: I've nothing to disclose. I have no affiliation with Pat's Backcountry Beverages, I review products to spread word about good and bad. And this one is good!!Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-52788684893384993442014-05-13T22:00:00.000-04:002014-05-14T08:23:41.761-04:00Pack BreakdownLet's be clear. Packs are for carrying stuff. The things in your pack should make you feel happy, safe, secure, and full. Each hiker must choose their comfort level. This is my take on when and why you should take a certain pack... and why I have so many packs!!<br />
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<b>The Daypack</b><br />
This pack type will consistently get more use than all other packs. You'll use it to go on the day hike, to go to the beach, to go traveling overseas or to festivals. Basically a man-purse (but for women too), but much more... manly (or womanly)!<br />
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If you pack correctly, the day pack can be used for a weekend overnighter too. Super UL and you'll have room to spare in your gunny.<br />
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The size comfort and cost of a day pack is really negligible. I wouldn't stress about this at all. I have one that was ~$90 with padded straps, bladder pouch, cinches, waste and chest snaps. And I have one that packs down to a small size with no frills at ~$25. Both work exactly the same - fits on the back to carry a snack.<br />
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Shoe pairing: Lightweight tennis shoes, flip flops, dress shoes, bare-feet!<br />
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<b>The Weekender</b><br />
The weekender might surprise you. I'd go for anywhere from 10 to 40 lbs. So a day pack could work if you're going for speed and distance, a 45-60 L pack to test out gear, or for winter camping, or bringing that 6 pack of beer or bladder of wine, and packing in your kids or girl-friends gear just to be chivalrous.<br />
Miles are low, and sore shoulders expected, so I see no reason not to bring some trial gear, chairs, whatever. Just realize, it'll be painful!<br />
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Shoe pairing: Trail Runners for sub 35 lb loads, boots with ankle support for packs of greater weight.<br />
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<b>The Thru-hiker</b><br />
I would go with a ~20 lb pack or less if you can. If you are carrying gear day after day for weeks or months your body can't handle extra weight, you have a higher chance of injury for every pound extra, you have a higher probability of quitting. Besides rain gear and first-aid, if you're not using something everyday or every couple days, get rid of it or bounce box it ahead. A 24 - 30 L pack is all that should be needed. On the AT, and I would hazard any Long Distance Trail in the east, you can easily resupply every 5 days or less. If it's easy to re-supply in less than 5 days, carry less food. The store is a better place for food than on your back!<br />
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This is a comfort balance. You <i>could</i> send home the stove and go cold. You <i>could</i> send home the sleeping bag and just use a sheet. You <i>could</i> send home the tent and hope there is always shelter space. And if you do all those things you'll have a really light pack, and it might be enough for you. Or you could be prepared for many different situations, like the desire for a warm meal or coffee, or a desire to be warm on a cold night or have a roof over your head when miles away from a lean-to. You can still have a really light pack and have all those comforts.<br />
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Shoe pairing: Trail runners<br />
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<b>The Expedition</b><br />
Ya know those behemoth packs that every outfitter in the world has dozens more of than anything else? The 65-75+L packs? The ones that 97% of outdoor enthusiasts don't need. But they can charge the most for them, and people seem to love to buy them. Outdoor stores are doing a disservice to people by selling and promoting those packs for non-specific purposes. Take a person that never has backpacked. They walk into REI and the sales guy sells him a Baltoro and enough gear to fill it, so upwards of 50 lbs and $2000, this person puts this enormous load on, back creaking before ever stepping foot on the path. But, "hey, this is what backpacking is supposed to be, this is how it always looks on TV" and they groan and get blisters and are forced to wear huge heavy expensive ankle supporting boots. The get blisters, they get back pain, they put that gear in the attic and forget about it. That's not a good business model. You get someone a right sized pack, so they can enjoy those views they climbed so high to see, you get someone lightweight gear, and there's a much better chance they'll come back again and again for more stuff.<br />
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When will this pack come in handy? When you are going to Alaska or Canada and have no resupply points for 2 weeks. I see no other use for actual backpacking with a pack this large. Maybe to put rock climbing gear in, ropes and such the capacity would come in handy. Other than that, it's a scam.<br />
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Shoe pairing: Boots with ankle supportJonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-50651789421592598802014-01-25T02:11:00.000-05:002014-01-25T17:09:17.593-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Appalachian Trail Statistics</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Preface:</b> I wanted to see how much I remembered of my journey, so I looked in the AT Guide and started writing. I remember, vividly, all but 2 or 3 campsites. I remember something from each and every day for 130 some days. When in your existence has life been so memorable, so remarkable, that a year and a half later you can remember exactly what you were doing day after day for 4 months?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That was the point of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Lifelong memories made. I have a couple sections to go back and revisit, and I'm glad. I may add pictures to this, match up the camera roll to dates.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 1 April 10th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Springer Mountain Parking lot - 1 mile south to Southern Terminus</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Justus Creek campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles hiked: 16</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Very excited to be hiking, gorgeous day, hardly any leaves on the trees yet. Helped a couple guys change a tire on their Mustang in the parking lot.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z_T0lEZT1E/T9iPp3T3iXI/AAAAAAAAWes/Q5BwADIGkAI/s1600/P1030190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Z_T0lEZT1E/T9iPp3T3iXI/AAAAAAAAWes/Q5BwADIGkAI/s1600/P1030190.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 2 April 11th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting Point: Justus Creek campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Lance Creek</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles hiked: 9.3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Wanted to go further, but I didn’t have the required bear cannister, so I took it easy so I could skip the entire bear cannister section. Probably should’ve taken it easier the first day.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvPm2pQfkSU/T9iUvHgvu-I/AAAAAAAAWhc/TsTUHNnHRMQ/s1600/P1030210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvPm2pQfkSU/T9iUvHgvu-I/AAAAAAAAWhc/TsTUHNnHRMQ/s1600/P1030210.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 3 April 12th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting Point: Lance Creek</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Just beyond Hogpen Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles hiked: 14.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Had a great morning going over Blood Mountain. Knee began hurting a bit on the way down, enough that I bought a strap to relieve pain. Didn’t stay at Mountain Crossing for long, enough to eat a snickers and pick-up my first drop box. My pack now weighs 50+ lbs. The first few days I’ve found I’m eating less than half what I’ve packed so far. Met a couple guys that hiked the PCT, less than 20lb packs, already doing 20+ mile days. I shoulder my way too heavy pack feeling tired, worn out, beat up for the second half of the day. I drag into Hogpen Gap feeling very down and dispirited - which is what happens when you carry 3 weeks worth of food… I buried several meals to lighten the pack. All alone in a stealth site, first time sleeping with no other folks within ear-shot. No cell service either.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 4 April 13th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting Point: Just Beyond Hogpen Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Blue Mountain Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total Miles: 11.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: In the need for human interaction, so I stay at a shelter. Meet some faces I’ll see a few more times, learn about a pancake breakfast a few miles distant for the following day. Meet a cab driver that hadn’t ever hiked before trying the Trail in jeans and cotton hoodie and a massive pack - good luck!! Got in early and mingled. Heard a guy died of a heart-attack and was found in this shelter. Slept in my tent.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 5 April 14th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Blue Mountain Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Deep Gap Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 15.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Got some Trail Magic in Unicoi Gap. Got pancake breakfast at Tray Mountain Road from the ‘B’ Team - the ‘A’ Team is a group of section hikers. I can only remember Traumatic the ER nurse. Borrowed TP from the ‘B’ Team, running low. Easy hiking most of the day across the Swag of the Blue Ridge. Kelly Knob, right at the end of the day was a very hard climb, but Traumatic and I passed an 80+ year old woman slowly making her way up. Hippy on top watching the sunset smoking. Down at Deep Gap shelter lots of the younger crowd, took them 2 weeks to get here, had visited every town in GA (apparently there are towns in GA, I didn’t stop) they also had a bottle of liquor. I tented away from the noise. Older lady got there before the hippy. One kid helped her set up her tent.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tYCk5zf-lOA/T9idFpHnRwI/AAAAAAAAWlY/2_xlj8jqiQI/s1600/P1030236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tYCk5zf-lOA/T9idFpHnRwI/AAAAAAAAWlY/2_xlj8jqiQI/s1600/P1030236.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 6 April 15th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Deep Gap shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Muskrat Creek shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 15.4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Started off hiking with Traumatic until Dicks Creek Gap where the ‘A’ Team knocked off. Started hiking with a guy from Maine that smoked every 10 minutes. Crossed over into NC, kept gaining lots of elevation to make it to Muskrat Creek. Tent camped. Kind of a spread out campsite area.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mtBHH8vhOkU/T9ievCJCQvI/AAAAAAAAY6o/IBczruesbHE/s1600/P1030241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mtBHH8vhOkU/T9ievCJCQvI/AAAAAAAAY6o/IBczruesbHE/s1600/P1030241.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 7 April 16th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Muskrat Creek shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Big Spring shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19.3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Good weather to begin with. Standing Indian was a surprisingly easy mountain to climb despite the elevation gain and loss. Rain and fog as I passed Carter Gap Shelters. Thunderstorm as I climbed Albert Mountain, very step, rack stairs. After the storm I got in touch with my dad, they will meet me at Stecoah Gap in a few days. Climbed Albert Mountain fire tower and got a very brief break in the clouds. Made it to Big Spring Shelter just before more rain, hung the bear bag in the rain, first stay inside of a shelter, only 2 other guys there, Crawfish??? 3rd night I’ve stayed at the same place as him, and a guy from TN getting picked up at the NOC.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKDOsw-eDbg/T9ihYwn8GoI/AAAAAAAAWnw/rFpAqpEXnWw/s1600/P1030252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKDOsw-eDbg/T9ihYwn8GoI/AAAAAAAAWnw/rFpAqpEXnWw/s1600/P1030252.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 8 April 17th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Big Spring shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Siler Bald shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Made really good time, ended early. Hot Shot was at the shelter. Dried out some stuff and laid out my sleeping stuff. The shelter got really full quickly. One guy, Teddy Bear was really low, hadn’t talked to his wife in too long, I let him borrow my phone to call her. I saw him again months later in Maine doing a flip-flop. I remembered why I hate shelters, too crowded noisy stinky but it started misting so at least I was dry and warm.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f9KPaMC9bEE/T9ijrsGVWJI/AAAAAAAAWpQ/HWsaqTpRjd0/s1600/P1030262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f9KPaMC9bEE/T9ijrsGVWJI/AAAAAAAAWpQ/HWsaqTpRjd0/s1600/P1030262.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 9 April, 18th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Siler Bald shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 23.3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Passed Hot Shot early, he caught up at the tower on top of Wayah Bald, a deer had been stalking him up the mountain. At some point during the day I decided I would push on to the NOC to try and get a hamburger or other made food - 9 days on Trail food, and a couple pancakes. Knee hurting and shin splints hurting losing all that elevation. Made it to the NOC just as the grill was closing. Got hooked up. Server offered to have me stay at his plce once I found out the bunk rooms were full. I got a bed, some beers, a pizza, and a ride the next morning - fantastic.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PsKTDWoilxM/T9iljDDDRJI/AAAAAAAAWrA/fM2xzWgN3nU/s1600/P1030272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PsKTDWoilxM/T9iljDDDRJI/AAAAAAAAWrA/fM2xzWgN3nU/s1600/P1030272.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 10 April 19th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: NOC</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Just Beyond Simp Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 11.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Lots of elevation out of the NOC, took my time, tried to smell the flowers. Meeting my parents tomorrow so I can take the day slow and easy. Made a dry camp on a ridgeline beyond Simp Gap just a few tenths shy of Stecoah Gap.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hHub4ftvDGU/T9inLYPL0qI/AAAAAAAAWso/yblXa4-JUBk/s1600/P1030282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hHub4ftvDGU/T9inLYPL0qI/AAAAAAAAWso/yblXa4-JUBk/s1600/P1030282.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 11 April 20th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting Point: Just beyond Simp Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Stecoah Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 1.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Broke camp leisurely. Met my parents at 11am at Stecoah Gap. Went to McDonalds, drug store, grocery store, and hotel. Went out to eat at a buffet in the next town over. Slept in a bed.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 12 April 21st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Stecoah Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Fontana Dam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Mom and Dad hiked the first couple miles, turned back right before the start og Jacob’s Ladder. Meeting Jim tomorrow to hike the Smokies, supposed to meet tomorrow at noon at the Post Office in Fontana. Made better time than expected. Was at Fontana and decided to splurge and go to the lodge. Got a shuttle ride to the lodge, had a room, and a nice meal and yet another show - really having a run of those lately. Shin splints and knee still hurting continuously to some degree or another.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rQfbws_KUC4/T9iosOBj03I/AAAAAAAAbqE/OrGu6ayWdmM/s1600/P1030291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rQfbws_KUC4/T9iosOBj03I/AAAAAAAAbqE/OrGu6ayWdmM/s1600/P1030291.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 13 April 22nd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Fontana Dam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Birch Spring Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 7.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Got to the Post Office early and went through the mail drop carefully, getting better at not carrying extra food. I gave my parents some stuff to take to lighten my load too. Met Flip (Jim) around noon and hiked over the dam and up into the Smokies - stopped and looked at the sketchy Shuckstack fire tower - the wind was blowing like crazy and the things was swaying and groaning. Steps were missing. I went up one flight of stairs and turned back. We made it to the campsite (water was flowing) and had backpackers pizza, first of several good meals Flip had meticulously packed.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N2zE4E4T_rw/T9ipGqfxtEI/AAAAAAAAbqQ/Gyx6O-3BBpc/s1600/P1030292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N2zE4E4T_rw/T9ipGqfxtEI/AAAAAAAAbqQ/Gyx6O-3BBpc/s1600/P1030292.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 14 April 23rd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Birch Spring Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Derrick Knob shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 17.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Today we saw snow flurries on top of Thunderhead Mountain, as well as view back to Shuckstack and Fontana - wow how far you can go by foot in a day and ½! Got to a very full shelter and camped out away from the TP field - there was no latrine. The group here was about 25 to 30 thru hikers that were traveling 7 miles a day, shelter to shelter, and having a ball doing it. One guy bragged he had a bottle to pee in so he didn’t need to get out of his tent at night.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k7xMgimlfdM/T9oCSoex9zI/AAAAAAAAWwE/xNZULqkk-Ns/s1600/P1030304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k7xMgimlfdM/T9oCSoex9zI/AAAAAAAAWwE/xNZULqkk-Ns/s1600/P1030304.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 15 April 24th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Derrick Knob shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Icewater Spring Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 21</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Saw a bear first thing this morning after I climber from the tent. After we packed up and bolted we saw a wild pig and then got stalked by a wild turkey. We made it to Clingmans Dome by lunch and made a hot lunch. Flip went in search of a water fountain or a soda machine, we were running low on water. No go. On the blacktop summit trail a hover round was struggling up the incline, the gentleman's wife was pushing and no one else was offering a hand. Backpacks donned, Flip and I pushed the hover round to the top. As we descended some day hikers offered us some ice water since we were nearly out, they also offered orange juice and beer - declined the beer! Around the next corner we found a spring of course. Just as we got to Newfound Gap the sky opened up. We hiked up to Icewater Spring shelter in a torrential downpour. Nearing the top it slowed to a drizzle. We found the shelter occupied with no one willing to move over and make room for two more. We setup the tent under a leaden sky. Flip and I decided my Trail name is Johnny Walker Black.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ble4DBy390/T-RmziwZqCI/AAAAAAAAW-I/u31TMT01ZeE/s1600/P1030312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ble4DBy390/T-RmziwZqCI/AAAAAAAAW-I/u31TMT01ZeE/s1600/P1030312.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 16 April 25th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Icewater Spring shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Tri-Corner Knob shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 12.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: As we broke camp the sky opened up, we grabbed all the gear before it could fly away and hide in the shelter. Very strong sideways gusts, rain, hail, lightning and thunder. If we’d left 20 minutes before we’d be out in that mess! We packed and when a break in the storm presented itself we split. Hiked some with Hot Shot, passed the people we were with the night before. It hailed while we hiked, some hail golfball-sized, hunched over with our packs to protect us. There were some trees down over the Trail. We made good time and were the first to the shelter. A cold misty night, we made sure that everyone that showed up stayed in the shelter, upwards of 20 - all the same folks that wouldn’t shove over for Flip and I plus more. Very wet night.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 17 April 26th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Tri-corner Knob shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: I-40 underpass</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 17.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Started out kinda rainy and patchy fog, hiked with Hot Shot for awhile again. Went down down down out of the Smokies. Passed a couple of guys I’d see later, can’t remember their Trail names. We got in touch with the owner of the hostel and got a ride to Hot Springs to Flip’s car. Once there he drove us to Asheville where we got a hotel at a lot of food and dried our soggy gear.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifp1viSfqq0/T9oIB0EBMZI/AAAAAAAAWx8/ZYxGrlD2Q6M/s1600/P1030317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifp1viSfqq0/T9oIB0EBMZI/AAAAAAAAWx8/ZYxGrlD2Q6M/s1600/P1030317.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 18 April 27th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zero day - Asheville, NC</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 19 April 28th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: I-40 underpass</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Walnut Mountain Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 20.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Gorgeous spring day. Run into Hot Shot early in the day and hike out with him. Find Trail Magic at Brown Gap. Have a awesome day to go over Max Patch. Make it to Walnut Mountain as it gets dusky. Only Hot Shot and I there, very small shelter, so that’s a good thing. My shin splints have gone away and never come back.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6tMgZ9YduA4/T-RoUzd7cKI/AAAAAAAAW_A/wtUdG5Mpeqo/s1600/P1030320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6tMgZ9YduA4/T-RoUzd7cKI/AAAAAAAAW_A/wtUdG5Mpeqo/s1600/P1030320.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 20 April 29th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Walnut Mountain shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Tanyard Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Hot day - oi - doesn’t help Hot Shot likes to walk in front and farts a lot… Made it down to Hot Springs and found Elmer’s is full, I picked up a drop box from Cara and found her fun pictures and coconut water!! Went to a brewery in Hot Springs and had a beer. The Steripen gave up the ghost (POS) so I sent it home and got Aquamir drops. Lovers Leap in the heat was rough, evening began to fall and couldn’t find a good campsite. Right after Tanyard Gap Hot Shot and I camped right on the side of the Trail. Annoying car alarm bird was above my tent. Jerk!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fnbGDE-dq04/T_e5peZiNbI/AAAAAAAAXLs/QDI1kMwL-0U/s1600/P1030325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fnbGDE-dq04/T_e5peZiNbI/AAAAAAAAXLs/QDI1kMwL-0U/s1600/P1030325.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 21 April 30th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Tanyard Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Log Cabin Drive</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 9.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Made it to Hemlock Hollow hostel, Hot Shot had to go home to GA for a day or so to get some personal stuff in order so he can continue receiving unemployment. Hemlock Hollow folks are very nice but seem like some hikers have taken advantage of them. Met a kid I see again up in PA. I decide to do a Slack Pack the following day and stay here again, great place.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--vjbvBQRgcM/T-RqqUNUdiI/AAAAAAAAXAo/ASkDdclbWDg/s1600/P1030332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--vjbvBQRgcM/T-RqqUNUdiI/AAAAAAAAXAo/ASkDdclbWDg/s1600/P1030332.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 22 May 1st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Devil Fork Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Log Cabin Drive</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Great slack, great day to not have a pack on. I just flew along. Nice open rocky ridge that had a foul weather re-route if needed. I did not! On the final descent back into the hollow Hot Shot was on his way out.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IRIN3t1ms5s/T-RsHuTZoTI/AAAAAAAAXBk/kd86GO7Zjv0/s1600/P1030339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IRIN3t1ms5s/T-RsHuTZoTI/AAAAAAAAXBk/kd86GO7Zjv0/s1600/P1030339.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 23 May 2nd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Devil Fork Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Bald Mountain shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 16.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Climbing Bald Mountain had many spring flowers growing. You could see a housing development on the next ridge over and the largest mountain on the east coast beyond that, Mt Mitchell. The trail skirted a road on the ridge going along Bald Mountain to a water tower. Bald Mountain lived up to it’s name, quite pretty. Going down the other side was surreal, lots of pretty flowers and twisted trees. Honest Abe was at the shelter. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_olPRqgyvGY/T_e9rcJszeI/AAAAAAAAXPU/-HlSn8yA6SM/s1600/P1030348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_olPRqgyvGY/T_e9rcJszeI/AAAAAAAAXPU/-HlSn8yA6SM/s1600/P1030348.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 24 May 3rd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Bald Mountain shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Curely Maple Gap shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles:21.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Trail side slabbed a bunch of valleys, small elevation gains and losses. Started raining at No Business Knob Shelter for early break. Made it to Uncle Johnny’s by early afternoon on a humid cloying day. I was feeling worn down and anti-social. Uncle Johnny’s gave off a bad vibe, grabbed a soda and left. I was glad to be out of that town. Curely Maple water source had TP all around it and seemed to be down valley from where everyone went to the bathroom. I didn’t get water here and stayed healthy. Shelter was fairly empty, can’t remember if I stayed in our out. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7ZPBnYdSMI/T_e9-UDoI7I/AAAAAAAAXPc/m80AZQjwjPQ/s1600/P1030350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7ZPBnYdSMI/T_e9-UDoI7I/AAAAAAAAXPc/m80AZQjwjPQ/s1600/P1030350.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 25 May 4th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Curely Maple Gap shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Clyde Smith shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 22</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Unaka was a tough climb, but gorgeous on top, seemed like I was in the north country. Kept pushing on, I remember passing the cut-off for Greasy Creek Hostel, but I have no recollection of the shelter area where I stayed.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfTWLjCGJUs/T_e__8GbW7I/AAAAAAAAY8A/Pd-zg3A9rMw/s1600/P1030358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hfTWLjCGJUs/T_e__8GbW7I/AAAAAAAAY8A/Pd-zg3A9rMw/s1600/P1030358.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 26 May 5th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Clyde Smith shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Doll Flats</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 20.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Took a wonderful crap before the second climb of the day. Strange what one remembers two almost two years later… Climbed Roan on the new trail, not too steep and quite pleasurable. Gorgeous forest, great tread-way. The highest shelter on the AT, Roan High Knob, had a door against the elements and smelled of urine. Carvers Gap, Round, Jane Balds were all awesome. I debated and decided to skip Overmountain Shelter and push on to Doll Flats. As I climbed Big Yellow Mountain it rained. Had I gone to Overmountain I may have regretted it - apparently around 30 through hikers were there, being Cinco de May, there was a huge binge drinking, pot smoking fest that I didn’t go to. Actually very glad I skipped on that!!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KPTlJBn0bY4/T_fCVlKVHSI/AAAAAAAAXSI/B3t89-Xh8mE/s1600/P1030368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KPTlJBn0bY4/T_fCVlKVHSI/AAAAAAAAXSI/B3t89-Xh8mE/s1600/P1030368.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 27 May 6th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Doll Flats</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Upper Laurel Fork</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 15.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Felt very lethargic all day. All the nearly non-existent hills were flagging my strength so quickly. It was also a very hot day. The trail passed around old farmers fields, around old cemeteries, skirted mountain laurel groves and had numerous country road crossings. At Jones Falls I met up with 3 hikers, 2 dating, that I would see again over the next few days and then again in Damascus. I had no intention of stopping at the hostel, I wanted to keep going, but my energy level and general malaise drove me to the hostel. The hostel owner had had a concussion so was very drugged up and out of it, going through the motions but not really there. That night I tried and failed to eat dinner but ate a pint of Ben and Jerry’s - sometime during the night I went and puked everywhere in the outhouse.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwqXgFC4M9g/T_fEH7KkGjI/AAAAAAAAXT4/MzD165aWRi0/s1600/P1030378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwqXgFC4M9g/T_fEH7KkGjI/AAAAAAAAXT4/MzD165aWRi0/s1600/P1030378.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 28 May 7th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Upper Laurel Fork</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Kincora/Dennis Cove Road</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: With an empty system, I was even more lethargic this day than last. Started hiking with a guy right at the end of the day that I’d met at the end of the Smokey’s. At the road crossing to Kincora I had the choice to go to a private cabin to the right, a hostel to the left, or my tent straight ahead. I was exhausted and followed the guy I was hiking with to Kincora. Mistake. It was just beginning to rain and the place was packed. I got a bunk in the bunkhouse. The place was noisy and packed. Baltimore Jack was there helping the owner of Kincora. Cats infested the place, while I love cats, the ones that have fleas, not so much. That night I was kept awake by Tree Piper that idiot hippy playing his recorder all night, as well as the broke hippy that loved telling stories about herself and how she would brusk (aka beg for money) to be able to keep hiking but broke her instrument. On top of this unfortunate choice of not getting any restful sleep, I was supposed to meet my friend Dan in Damascus in 2 days, so ~60 miles to go in two days while feeling this sick. I set a too ambitious pace and was wearing myself thin.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 29 May 8th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Dennis Cove Road</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Side trail to Hampton, TN</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 2.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The day began grey and soon began raining. I made my way to Laurel Falls and through these deep pine forestts echoing with rushing water. The rain fell harder and as I apporoached the ascent to Pond Flats I decided there was no way I would meet my deadline with Dan and then be able to continue hiking. I took a side trail to Hampton, called a shuttle and got taken to Damascus. In Damascus I rented a room in a house downtown, I ended up being the only hiker there, so I basically rented a house. I ate a lot of food and watched TV. It rained all day and into the next.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Skipped: 47.9 miles from Side trail to Hampton, TN to Damascus, VA south</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 30 May 9th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zero day</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I bought a new tent, the rain was leaking into my tent. I sent the HubbaHubba home and purchased a Black Diamond UL tarp tent along with a piece of Tyvek for flooring. I sent home more stuff too. I dream about a lighter pack.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 31 May 10th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Damascus, VA north</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Saunders shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 9.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Met with Dan (named himself Woodteeth) and hiked out around noon. The day was perfect, nicely warm but not too warm. We hiked on the Creeper Trail then side slabbed a hill making it to the shelter. An older guy was there that we would see quite a bit over then few days. The campsite was under pine trees and provided a soft bed and good experimentation of the new tarp tent I had purchased in Damascus.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNR8MIWe750/T_fEmWuP9MI/AAAAAAAAXUc/qudhz-YBQvg/s1600/P1030382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNR8MIWe750/T_fEmWuP9MI/AAAAAAAAXUc/qudhz-YBQvg/s1600/P1030382.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 32 May 11th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Saunders shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Whitetop Mountain Road</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 11.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Didn’t want to break Woodteeth with too many miles. We took our time and enjoyed the walk and the talk. Joined the Creeper Trail again for a bit before ascending a good sized, but fortunately steady incline up Whitetop Mountain. The older guy from the night before kept pace. Camped with Cheddar for the next few nights.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IDDjUZgBCm8/T_fFLXppnbI/AAAAAAAAXVM/k22j3Z7hLWE/s1600/P1030387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IDDjUZgBCm8/T_fFLXppnbI/AAAAAAAAXVM/k22j3Z7hLWE/s1600/P1030387.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 33 May 12th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Whitetop Mountain Road</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Wise Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 11.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: These low miles days are great for me, I feel like I’m getting stronger again by degrees. This day brought rain and mist, and also ponies. Grayson Highlands in the fog seems like the Scottish Moors. We met some very muddy trail maintainers that had just put in some steps and water bars, we were the first hikers to traverse the new trail. Can’t remember if it was just a lunch spot, or if this was the place we stayed, lots of rain.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A3Fnm1l820I/T_fGSyFGDvI/AAAAAAAAXWo/XJJFuyOuDWQ/s1600/P1030397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A3Fnm1l820I/T_fGSyFGDvI/AAAAAAAAXWo/XJJFuyOuDWQ/s1600/P1030397.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 34 May 13th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Wise Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Hurricane Mountain shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 10.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Sodden day, crossed some fields, I remember ‘The Scales’ paddock and crossing through some horse fencing. In the shelter that night I was reminded yet again why I hate shelters. Eight people snoring and farting all night. I didn’t sleep. But it rained and I was dry.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YTiIRoB8nbM/T_fJDUAXvfI/AAAAAAAAXZ0/xMmmpb51Xuw/s1600/P1030417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YTiIRoB8nbM/T_fJDUAXvfI/AAAAAAAAXZ0/xMmmpb51Xuw/s1600/P1030417.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 35 May 14th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Hurricane Mountain shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Partnership shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Pushed over easy terrain and made it to Partnership early enough to get sodas from the visitor center and ordered a pizza to be picked up by the park entrance a tenth of a mile away. Set up under some pine trees, had enough time to explore the area, see a frog pond, mingle in the very festive mood that was leading up to everyone heading to Trail Days the next weekend. Some girl carved interesting designs onto Woodteeth’s hiking sticking.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9ZMO9bu6Do0/T_fKz71uP9I/AAAAAAAAXbA/CaVJ-Clz7xg/s1600/P1030426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9ZMO9bu6Do0/T_fKz71uP9I/AAAAAAAAXbA/CaVJ-Clz7xg/s1600/P1030426.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 36 May 15th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Partnership shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Chatfield shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 7.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Very leisurely morning. Looked at the frog ponds again. Packed up and headed towards the next destination. Saw Hot Shot hiking with another guy I had meet from back in the Smokey’s. We enjoyed the day and took our time, stopping often. Woodteeth decided to go back up the Trail and build cairns every few feet for a few hours. I climbed a hill so I could call Songbird.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evy8CuhO6Ro/T_fL0jwKwaI/AAAAAAAAXbo/1SbeCcWPJs0/s1600/P1030430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Evy8CuhO6Ro/T_fL0jwKwaI/AAAAAAAAXbo/1SbeCcWPJs0/s1600/P1030430.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 37 May 16th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Chatfield Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Atkins, VA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 4.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Went under some noisy power lines and through gently rolling green fields to get to an Exxon gas station to get picked up by Enterprise rental car to take Woodteeth home and go home myself to see Songbird for her birthday. We got a flat tire just south of Roanoke and had to go get it patched before proceeding onward.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_eZDTGlG0Lc/T_fMvS6cEjI/AAAAAAAAXcQ/kZuyb2m6c-U/s1600/P1030434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_eZDTGlG0Lc/T_fMvS6cEjI/AAAAAAAAXcQ/kZuyb2m6c-U/s1600/P1030434.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 38 May 17th</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 39 May 18th</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 40 May 19th</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 41 May 20th</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Drove home. Mowed the lawn. Went to Running Hare. Drove to Bucks County PA and went hot air ballooning as Songbird’s surprise for her birthday. On the drive back on Monday morning I stopped and moved a turtle out of the road of 301 north of Richmond. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 42 May 21st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Atkins, VA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Crawfish Trail</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 5.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Late start after driving from Southern MD, dropping the car, and getting dropped off at the Trail. Saw one group of very hung-over hikers a few miles in, though they looked more like the homeless than hikers. I kept going a few more miles and camped in a secluded little valley alone.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 43 May 22nd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Crawfish Trail</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Pond</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 14.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Muggy and sometimes rainy day, going through quite a few pastures. Rained and then stopped before making camp behind a pond on the lead up to Chestnut Knob. Called flowers.com and had some flowers shipped for Songbird’s birthday.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYLTfUJ9pJM/T_fXmKFBVzI/AAAAAAAAXmI/M6tjpXzo3z8/s1600/P1030499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYLTfUJ9pJM/T_fXmKFBVzI/AAAAAAAAXmI/M6tjpXzo3z8/s1600/P1030499.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 44 May 23rd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Pond</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Laurel Creek</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 16.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: At Chestnut Knob shelter met a guy with his dog in the fully enclosed shelter, he had been bitten by something and his skin was rubbing off his foot badly. He was zeroing at the cabin. The campsite that evening was nice, creek had a dirty diaper near it unfortunately.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 45 May 24th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Laurel Creek</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point:Lickskillet Hollow</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 20.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I remember following a road to 52 and crossing over I-77, down a blacktop road. I pooed in that hollow before ascending the hill. I stopped at the Helveys Mill shelter trail and talked about how the trail dropped like 500’ of elevation to get to the shelter and the water source. The next water source ten miles distant. This was one of the most boring ridge walks in VA, at least in the state of mind that I was in that day. Nothing of note on the map for 7 miles, and then only a dirt road. I made my own camp that night in Lickskillet Hollow after seeing that the shelter area was disabused. One of the few night I made a fire just for my own personal enjoyment.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 46 May 25th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Lickskillet Hollow</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Sugar Run Gap (Woods Hole Hostel)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I went to Trent’s Grocery Store early in the day and road walked up to Dismal Falls before rejoining the AT. From there I unsuccessfully tried to cut off a portion of the Trail and got turned around on some horse trails that eventually came back out on the AT. I pushed on, running some, and finally stumbled into Woods Hole Hostel. Great place, around 25 or so people bunking and camping. Pizza and salad was to die for.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qFS-A2BqV4/T_fZrOHgllI/AAAAAAAAXoA/LgqMnt3OhjQ/s1600/P1030511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qFS-A2BqV4/T_fZrOHgllI/AAAAAAAAXoA/LgqMnt3OhjQ/s1600/P1030511.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 47 May 26th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Sugar Run Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Pearisburg, VA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 10.4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Hiked with Re-tread and another guy. Stopped at Angels Rest for a view and a photo. I stayed right off the Trail at the Rendezvous (now burned down). Walked up to Dairy Queen and Food Lion. I left my guidebook there and didn’t realize it, guy at the hotel called Food Lion and then rode me up there to get it. His was a sad story, and it seemed like that of the town too. A chemical plant is there and it may modify the mood! I was sad the entire time I was in Pearisburg.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pGeZbkEy6oY/T_faSpgj69I/AAAAAAAAXok/Wg8xaq8BuPs/s1600/P1030515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pGeZbkEy6oY/T_faSpgj69I/AAAAAAAAXok/Wg8xaq8BuPs/s1600/P1030515.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 48 May 27th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Pearisburg, VA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: hill-top before Symms Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 11.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Meet a guy with 2 dogs that I would see again in NJ. Currently he had diarrhea something bad. Stopped at a shelter where he’d seen a few copper heads. Kept going, stopped at one of my favorite campsites of the hike, on a hilltop over-looking the distant hills of West Virginia. I had a frog visit me in my tarp shelter. I began worrying more about the bugs to come. This night I also made a campfire.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xEYKVaNQCjk/T_fcIFe8KjI/AAAAAAAAXqE/J8fT9R1A59w/s1600/P1030525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xEYKVaNQCjk/T_fcIFe8KjI/AAAAAAAAXqE/J8fT9R1A59w/s1600/P1030525.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 49 May 28th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: ~Symms Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Kelly Knob</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 24.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Long day. Last bit I ran while on the phone with Songbird to Kelly’s Knob. Pretty sure this was the day it seemed like a huge storm was about to eat me, thunder and wind and then… nothing. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I think this was the day I found a fawn right by the Trail side curled up.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QY8x_6C5q9g/T_feioNQkcI/AAAAAAAAXsY/pTOfjwtjb2w/s1600/P1030541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QY8x_6C5q9g/T_feioNQkcI/AAAAAAAAXsY/pTOfjwtjb2w/s1600/P1030541.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 50 May 29th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point Kelly Knob</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Audie Murphy Monument</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 18.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Talked with at least one person that was going to meet me at the monument, but never showed. Camped alone, yet again. I couldn’t find other hikers. It rained in the afternoon. I had a salamander visit, glad it wasn’t a snake. Beyond the Audie Monument a fallen soldier's boots lie on the cliff-side as a sub-monument.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-te_Tlz7QPe8/T_fgcGY3sjI/AAAAAAAAXuA/iJlQNaVcGVI/s1600/P1030552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-te_Tlz7QPe8/T_fgcGY3sjI/AAAAAAAAXuA/iJlQNaVcGVI/s1600/P1030552.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 51 May 30th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Audie Murphy Monument</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Pig Farm Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 21.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The day started leisurely. I was meeting Songbird for the weekend and having her pick me up at whatever road-crossing I was near. At Newport Rd I walked to a grocery store and got a ride back to a hostel with the intention of chilling out and then doing a few more miles the next day. I got bored in about ten minutes and so went back to the Trail and began running to make up for lost time. I made it to McAfee Knob at sunset and had the place almost entirely to myself, there was a couple there that took my picture. I made it down to Pig Farm campsite, set up, and got water at dusk.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FjRAA7FibCU/T_fic5YIaVI/AAAAAAAAXvw/XDcyZ6oQXYE/s1600/P1030564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FjRAA7FibCU/T_fic5YIaVI/AAAAAAAAXvw/XDcyZ6oQXYE/s1600/P1030564.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 52 May 31st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Pig Farm Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Daleville, VA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 15.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The 17 year cicada were out in force. One flew up my shorts. This was a very good hike, following the ridge, being able to see the hidden Crescent Lake, hearing the voice of the insect. Tinker Cliffs was even more amazing that McAfee Knob. I saw a treed bear today too. I made it down to 81 with the heat of the day crushing and the stink of dead locust thick in the valley. I hiked over to the Red Roof Inn and met Songbird and Kaya that evening for a weekend.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4nHzPXaSWbo/T_flOoH_IMI/AAAAAAAAXyQ/rJ6Dm7CHnfs/s1600/P1030581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4nHzPXaSWbo/T_flOoH_IMI/AAAAAAAAXyQ/rJ6Dm7CHnfs/s1600/P1030581.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 53 June 1st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 54 June 2nd,2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: We went to a winery and went to a new Trail Days, that didn’t have many attendees. We camped at Peaks of Otter. I got a bug net to stop the encroachment. I had hiked this section before but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I skipped 20.4 miles from US-11 to Bearwallow Gap</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SnXaUR7708M/T_fl3o0BkWI/AAAAAAAAXy0/94iYF8A105I/s1600/P1030585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SnXaUR7708M/T_fl3o0BkWI/AAAAAAAAXy0/94iYF8A105I/s1600/P1030585.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 55 June 3rd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Thunder Ridge Overlook</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Johns Hollow shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles:14.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: After Songbird dropped me off I quickly made my way down to the James River and over to Johns Hollow. I had the place to myself and set up my mosquito bug net inside the shelter.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XUaLWTAMedI/T_fmDGbCxII/AAAAAAAAXzA/_IrUazrUMI0/s1600/P1030586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XUaLWTAMedI/T_fmDGbCxII/AAAAAAAAXzA/_IrUazrUMI0/s1600/P1030586.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 56 June 4th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Johns Hollow shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Hog Camp Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 26.4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Marathon day. I remember bits and parts, like the Ottie Cline Powell Monument and the Lynchburg Reservoir. I remember the campsite, it was actually rainy and chilly that evening, me with no long pants, I probably looked like I had my rain coat on and naked ass. I set my tarp under a nice tree in a fine grassy field. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pnmgKLixiOw/T_fnGWblUJI/AAAAAAAAXz4/pFojRIJypZs/s1600/P1030592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pnmgKLixiOw/T_fnGWblUJI/AAAAAAAAXz4/pFojRIJypZs/s1600/P1030592.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 57 June 5th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Hog Camp Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Maupin Field Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total Miles: 28.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Another marathon plus day. I felt like I was treading water. I was really strong but still felt like I was going backwards. I’ve been in Three Ridge Wilderness before. That night was the night I swore off shelters. When I first arrived it hadn’t started raining, but began to shortly. More and more people showed up. I was crammed in a corner and got attacked by mice all night. I didn’t sleep.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 58 June 6th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Maupin Field Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Waynesboro, VA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 21</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Got up at 4am or early and left. Stopped a few miles in after some of the rain stopped and made coffee. I took a detour to a visitor center and then hiked down the Blue Ridge Parkway to Rockfish Gap. I got a Trail Angel to take me and another guy into town. We stopped by an art gallery to help his daughter move some pieces of furniture. I got a room at a hotel and walked to get sewing stuff from the dollar store to try and make the bug net suck less.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 59 June 7th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Waynesboro, VA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Calf Mountain shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 6.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: In Shenandoah. After all the big mile days I thought it prudent to slow down. I got into camp very early, no one else showed up, ready a really crappy book, sewed my bug net, got extremely bored. I think I saw some bears that night, I yelled and threw a few rocks. Being on the ground sucks, bugs, and frogs, and salamanders all up in my grill. And the footfalls of deer and bears waking me too.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-72QlUwtLM-g/T_foPlV0plI/AAAAAAAAX00/qyHgz8P4e5E/s1600/P1030598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-72QlUwtLM-g/T_foPlV0plI/AAAAAAAAX00/qyHgz8P4e5E/s1600/P1030598.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 60 June 8th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Calf Mountain shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Pinefield Hut</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 26.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: So much for low mile days. I decided at some point eff slowing down, I need to speed up! Obviously exhaustion was not helping itself. I had it in my mind I wanted a blackberry drink from the wayside at Loft Mountain. So a day of jogging and hurrying commenced. I made it to the Wayside in plenty of time, spent way too much on not very satisfying food and still had a few miles to go to get to the next shelter area. Foolish.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 61 June 9th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Pinefield Hut</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Big Meadows picnic area</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 29</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Began the day late. Saw a bear and cub, a bobcat, and a flying squirrel. Had a socks off lunch on an overlook chatting with a couple ladies. Sat and had a soda with Spots wife at a road crossing. In the afternoon I got in touch with Anthony and said we should meet for breakfast at Big Meadows, over 14 miles away, after I’ve already hiked 15. That settled and reception lost. I saw a mother bear and three cubs, I saw how fast bears really are and I hiked until 10pm, had a burger and a beer in the pub and illegally camped in the picnic area.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cOy0mdwweQM/T_fqbkwZKmI/AAAAAAAAX2k/qF__d-bqIKs/s1600/P1030610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cOy0mdwweQM/T_fqbkwZKmI/AAAAAAAAX2k/qF__d-bqIKs/s1600/P1030610.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 62 June 10th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Met Anthony and Liz for breakfast and then went back and hiked Bearfence Mountain with them, fun rock scrambles and stuff the AT bypassed. I had them drop me off at Skyland Resort with some story of me hiking south and hitching back north. I was yellow blazing, pure and simple. I hated Shenandoah and wanted out. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I skipped 7.5 miles</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I got a cabin at Skylands, drank some whiskey, smoked a cigar, and ate expensive food.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E6RyUvVGQOQ/T_frd4EPwII/AAAAAAAAX3c/xIcYaav1CAI/s1600/P1030616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E6RyUvVGQOQ/T_frd4EPwII/AAAAAAAAX3c/xIcYaav1CAI/s1600/P1030616.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 63 June 11th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Skylands Resort</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Rangeview Cabin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I was getting tired. The day dragged on. I was frustrated. And I decided I’d make it to Elkwallow Wayside before the closed. I jogged and ran again and made it just in time. The day started getting gray and looked like ran. I hiked on the Rangeview Cabin and slept on the concrete porch.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXh6Vr01EH8/T_ftnzRCS9I/AAAAAAAAX5M/rsb52G9OGjg/s1600/P1030628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXh6Vr01EH8/T_ftnzRCS9I/AAAAAAAAX5M/rsb52G9OGjg/s1600/P1030628.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 64 June 12th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Rangeview Cabin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Skyline 15.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 6.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Got picked up and got a ride into Front Royal. I got a hotel, then Songbird called and offered to come pick me up after work. I agreed, something had to change, I was burning out and on the cusp of quitting. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I just skipped 11.6 additional miles</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Songbird came and got me and I stayed home for a week before deciding to come back out, bring a hammock instead of sleeping on the ground. I changed out some additional gear and drove my car to Harpers Ferry before getting a shuttle to 522 Front Royal and hiking north back towards my car. Got a shuttle ride with a guy and a girl hiking couple, he wore a bow tie.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">June 13th - 17th Day 65 - 69</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 70 June 18th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Rt 522</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Jim and Molly Denton shelter<br class="kix-line-break" />Total miles: 5.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Set up my hammock successfully and the tarp over it awkwardly, but adequately. Couple guys that were roaring drunk eventually made it to camp. The hammock was comfortable and I was glad to be back on the Trail.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jQtcE9d0PY8/T_ft2em0E3I/AAAAAAAAX5g/6tuvq61siHI/s1600/P1030630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jQtcE9d0PY8/T_ft2em0E3I/AAAAAAAAX5g/6tuvq61siHI/s1600/P1030630.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 71 June 19th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Jim and Molly Denton shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Hilltop campsite after Rod Hollow shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 21.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Blisteringly hot day. Drank lots of water and refilled often. Decided not to go to Rod Hollow shelter but get to a hilltop and a breeze - apparently there were 40 some people at the shelter, no place for more people, scout troops and all. I had a hill to myself. I had hiked the first couple hills of the Roller Coaster so I could get beyond it the next day.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-au0zJ8mi4cY/T_fvhrIw5UI/AAAAAAAAX7A/g3PYVXQLIPg/s1600/P1030640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-au0zJ8mi4cY/T_fvhrIw5UI/AAAAAAAAX7A/g3PYVXQLIPg/s1600/P1030640.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 72 June 20th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Hilltop campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: David Lesser Memorial Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 17.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Another very hot day, over familiar terrain. I grabbed a couple Dr Peppers at Bears Den and thus enhanced made my way down the Trail. I called and talked to my parents of the ridge above Blackburn AT Center. Little did I know that I was in the county that I would soon live in. David Lesser is a good shelter, swinging porch swing (redundancy is redundant). The spring was rather far away, down over a hill, but cool and sweet.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3rxoVmr2k8/T_fxUoxTlkI/AAAAAAAAX8k/jhfuW82JhCg/s1600/P1030651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3rxoVmr2k8/T_fxUoxTlkI/AAAAAAAAX8k/jhfuW82JhCg/s1600/P1030651.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 73 June 21, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: David Lesser Memorial shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Harpers Ferry North</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 9.3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Made it to the car by 9am on the hottest day of the year so far, over 100 heat index. It was hot by 9am and I was glad I’d begun at 6. I made it to the ATC and got my picture taken. Hiker 578 or something, I need to double check that number. From here I drove home for the weekend and decided not to quit, Songbird took me on Sunday back to the Trail at PenMar. I’ve hiked Maryland before, but </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I skipped 9.7 miles from Wolfsville Rd to PenMar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UY4YKGC1Iug/T_fyBwKaLYI/AAAAAAAAX9Y/EZNyFP_pPt4/s1600/P1030656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UY4YKGC1Iug/T_fyBwKaLYI/AAAAAAAAX9Y/EZNyFP_pPt4/s1600/P1030656.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 74 June 22</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 75 June 23</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 76 June 24th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: PenMar</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Deer Lick shelters</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Songbird and I had a nice day, first to the Catoctin Zoo then had a wonderful peach at a farm stand before she dropped me off at the busy park. I saw the guy with the bow-tie again.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 77 June 25th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Deer Lick Shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Caledonia State Park</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The trail has changed, the pine forests seemed deep, the forest bigger, somehow - this might be just a memory of a memory of me being in this area when I was a child and the trees only seemed bigger. I was also coming off a couple weeks of rest and recuperation, some easy hiking and a few continuous days of rest and bed. Also I had a bunch of things to look forward to between now and after my birthday. Once I got to Caledonia State Park, a place I spent much time as when I was a kid, my grandmothers husbands child Mark Meenie came and picked me up. The live close by and wanted to be a part of my adventure. I got another night in a bed, another meal, Mark and Evelyn also gave me a bunch of goodies (beef jerky!) to fortify my provisions.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XSRNdWWcIfc/T_fy-7Xb1EI/AAAAAAAAX-U/iNk0mmx1cao/s1600/P1030662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XSRNdWWcIfc/T_fy-7Xb1EI/AAAAAAAAX-U/iNk0mmx1cao/s1600/P1030662.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 78 June 26th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Caledonia State Park</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Toms Run shelters</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 15.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Hiking in PA is great. The weather has cooled a bit (more than what it was last week). I have a schedule to meet my brother at Duncannon or just beyond, I left the place to open, on the 1st so I have plenty of time to get there. Toms Run shelter is right by the AT midpoint, we came here with Boy Scouts and with my parents. At the shelter I met a father and his 2 kids, the daughter goes to my elementary school, St. Joes D-town. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T9EuBDAjlhA/T_fzvfiuZeI/AAAAAAAAX-8/h3LaaXQiHXM/s1600/P1030666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T9EuBDAjlhA/T_fzvfiuZeI/AAAAAAAAX-8/h3LaaXQiHXM/s1600/P1030666.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 79 June 27th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Toms Run shelters</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Foot bridge campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 14.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Saw the halfway mark. Sat for an hour or more in front of the Pine Grove Furnace General Store. I ate a pint of ice cream, none of the half gallon challenge crap. I met Animal for the first time, a regular character to be seen over the few months. He carried a bucket from GA with additional food so he wouldn’t need to make as many town stops due to a limited budget. He also raided every hiker box he could to add to his food stores. I donated some to him too. After the General Store I went and checked out the AT museum. Somewhere just beyond Pine Grove lies my first camping experience on the AT. The genesis of the madness that possesses me to hike this Trail. I have vivid memories of my dad and my brother sleeping under a tarp somewhere around here. The lesson I learned on that trip: Don’t pee on a fire to put it out. It won’t go out and it smells really bad.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I camped down in a valley with some other folks, including Daffy Duck. The ground was over-grown and marshy and I was glad for the hammock as usual. Prior to the campsite I almost went to a campground and got a cabin, but I was on the phone with Songbird and she wisely talked me out of it. Spending too much time indoors lately.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2shf9al9Xk/T_f0Vh3FUnI/AAAAAAAAX_g/WLE7_emW20s/s1600/P1030670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2shf9al9Xk/T_f0Vh3FUnI/AAAAAAAAX_g/WLE7_emW20s/s1600/P1030670.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 80 June 28th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Foot bridge campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Boiling Springs, Allen Berry</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 9.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Crossed a bunch of open fields coming into Boiling Springs. Becoming a hot day, and the gnats are really bugging. I started having to look ridiculous by putting my bandanna under my hat to cover my ears to stop the relentless buzzing. It works. I spoke with my bro as I crossed the fields into town to firm up plans. At the regional ATC hq that the Trail passes in front of Daffy and I decided to get a room at the Allen Berry ($20 ea with a meal included). The place was on the other side of the small town. The grounds of the place were really posh, the hikers quarters not bad. The Allen Berry is also a playhouse, I opted not to go see the play about the nuns.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GI-Ktj9e10Y/T_f2qr5yJvI/AAAAAAAAYBs/C5ObkEnezTs/s1600/P1030685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GI-Ktj9e10Y/T_f2qr5yJvI/AAAAAAAAYBs/C5ObkEnezTs/s1600/P1030685.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 81 June 29th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Boiling Springs</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Carlisle, PA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 6.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Very hot day, blistering, really. Hike to the US 11 interchange and then up the road to a restaurant. I stay there for an hour in the AC until Songbird shows up. We get a hotel down the road. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FsBcxpavpLc/T_f3KjI8PiI/AAAAAAAAYCI/xSJENeU9T9M/s1600/P1030688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FsBcxpavpLc/T_f3KjI8PiI/AAAAAAAAYCI/xSJENeU9T9M/s1600/P1030688.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 82 June 30th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Scotts Farm Work Center</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: View by the Tuscarora Trail</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 3.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: This was a day hike with Songbird. Met a guy I summited with here, so he actually met Songbird. Hiked out and back with her so I could have some miles for the day. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I skipped 4.9 miles</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2.3 and 2.6 from either end) because of logistics and not wanting to re-hike the same ground. We also went to a Bed and Breakfast to look at it near Hershey, PA where we were going to stay for my b-day.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rluiXjzn4lU/T_f3ofMMvSI/AAAAAAAAYCc/VA4W4CaZrdg/s1600/P1030690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rluiXjzn4lU/T_f3ofMMvSI/AAAAAAAAYCc/VA4W4CaZrdg/s1600/P1030690.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 83 July 1st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: PA 850</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Clarks Ferry shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Still not seeing the rocks people love to hate in PA, even the guidebook mentions it, and it’s not bad. Maybe state of mind has much to do with it? Quite happy, meeting my brother tomorrow to hike for a week or two. Duncannon is kind of depressing in and of itself. It seems like a tired town. The Trail goes right down Main Street. I stop at the Doyle and buy a shot of Jim Beam for everyone to celebrate the halfway point - I wanted to buy Johnny Walker, but alas they didn’t carry it. I get out of town, hiking past the scary cinder block strip club, cross the Susquehanna and climb the mountain on the otherside. I’d been here with Jim and Rachel a few years ago. Along the top of the ridge the Trail traversed, rocky, I suppose, but not difficult. At the campsite there was a very friendly cat that was hanging out asking for some food.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VCFdzilUJtw/T_f332izbUI/AAAAAAAAYCw/Oce5nLQ1b70/s1600/P1030692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VCFdzilUJtw/T_f332izbUI/AAAAAAAAYCw/Oce5nLQ1b70/s1600/P1030692.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 84 July 2nd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Clarks Ferry shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Spring near PA 325</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Met Kevin and Jen at the PA 225 road crossing. Chloe, the dog is also coming with. I think this is the day Kevin saw a bear butt running the other way up the Trail. Lots of ridge walking without too much elevation gain. Good to be hiking with Sir-plus and Paws-of-Fury. Set up the hammock under the tarp, along with Kev and the dog, lots of room.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_am3P7_vBc/T_f4j20txpI/AAAAAAAAYDg/dVeo-GUUGX8/s1600/P1030697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_am3P7_vBc/T_f4j20txpI/AAAAAAAAYDg/dVeo-GUUGX8/s1600/P1030697.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 85 July 3rd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Spring near PA 325</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Campsite by PA 72</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 17.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Another long ridge walk day, some rock streams but mostly good treadway on flat surface. We met Craisin, another guy I’d summit with. Saw a rattle snake. Went past the ruins of Yellow Springs Village. Rausch Gap shelter was in the middle of being rebuilt so didn’t exists to use. The trail followed old roads, and train beds for some of the day. It rained a sprinkle at camp and I saw a black weasel by the bridge near camp. The water was probably really polluted, down in a valley next to a busy-ish road. Kev’s contraption to cook on works surprisingly well. Chloe is funny, at any given rest break she passes out.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kP8njbsXh7I/T_f5b0tbQqI/AAAAAAAAYEQ/swHID2m5IoI/s1600/P1030702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kP8njbsXh7I/T_f5b0tbQqI/AAAAAAAAYEQ/swHID2m5IoI/s1600/P1030702.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 86 July 4th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Campsite near PA 72</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: 501 shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: A very hot day, and occasionally very rock, especially leading up to PA 501. Lots of ridge walking. The springs are still flowing, I know PA can be dry in the later summer. We get to 501 and pick our bunks, a few other hikers set up their shelters. The full-time caretakers have a 4th of July Feast - dogs and burgers, chips and soda and other good stuff. We walk over to the hang-gliding launch south on the AT and watch fireworks out over the valley, even the top of a big display beyond the valley and the next mountain range. Later, asleep, a HUGE storm rips through, louder and much more impressive natural fireworks, glad we chose the shelter for the first time in a long time!</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uPlrjmi5AN8/T_f52hbBHVI/AAAAAAAAYEs/HQNdA9CdeyQ/s1600/P1030705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uPlrjmi5AN8/T_f52hbBHVI/AAAAAAAAYEs/HQNdA9CdeyQ/s1600/P1030705.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 87 July 5th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: 501 shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Eagles Nest shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 15.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Not much to remember from the day. A long ridge walk, one view early in the day. Some boulderfields to traverse, and some gravel roads to follow. That night met a girl I’d last seen in Shenandoah, partier, more yellow blazing than hiking, I suppose it’ll still be memorable for her. I see her a couple more times. I setup my hammock in some nice grass, Kev and Chloe sleep in the shelter.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZXWhuX843I/T_f53fMga9I/AAAAAAAAYE0/Asz3aEgB27M/s1600/P1030706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZXWhuX843I/T_f53fMga9I/AAAAAAAAYE0/Asz3aEgB27M/s1600/P1030706.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 88 July 6th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Eagles Nest shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Port Clinton, PA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: We were meeting Jon Banks in Hamburg this afternoon, he reserved a hotel for a couple days for some RnR. I left Kev at the bike trail into Hamburg to grab my box at Port Clinton. It wasn’t there, saw Daffy in town. Came back and Kev said his blisters were bad and Jen was coming to get him in the afternoon. We hiked down the bike trail to the hotel. Jen came and got him and Jon arrived to hang-out.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OH7m_31x0i0/T_f67uUJL7I/AAAAAAAAYF4/VZf0LZWXNWc/s1600/P1030713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OH7m_31x0i0/T_f67uUJL7I/AAAAAAAAYF4/VZf0LZWXNWc/s1600/P1030713.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 89 July 7th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Reservoir Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Port Clinton, PA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 5.4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Jon had a couple hours of work to be done and I wanted a few miles under my belt. I slack-packed back south to Port Clinton. My package still wasn’t there, it actually was, and was sent back home months later after finishing the Trail. Jon picked me up and after cleaning up we went up to YingLing brewery for a tour and tasting, then went to the outdoor store to get some freeze dried meals and a Z-rest. Jon really treated me this day, bought dinner and booze. Really great to have a friend come and visit me! While we ate dinner a big storm lashed the mountains while we sat comfortably inside hardly hearing the back-ground noise that would’ve been terrifying to be out in.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 90 July 8th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Reservoir Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: New Tripoli Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 22.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Jon carried my pack the mile from Reservoir Rd to the AT. The storm that went through the night before did damage. Trees were blown into the Trail, leaves and branches widely scattered. I took a side trail that skipped the Pinnacle, come to find out I missed the best view in PA, damn. At Allentown Hiking Club shelter the storm damage was highly evident, right where people set up tents a tree had fallen, barely missing the shelter as well. Glad no one was injured. There was a bow saw and I cut off a few branches to help the people that came to clean it up - hopefully they have chainsaws! The Tripoli Campsite was just beyond a powerline, some others camped up there. I camped on the clear hill on the way to the campsite so I wouldn’t need to camp way down off the ridge where the water source was. I lit a fire to keep the bugs at bay.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 91 July 9th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: New Tripoli Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Some ridge after Little Gap Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 18.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: A very hot and dry day. Knife Edge was fun, not nearly as bad as I’d been told. Some more rock streams, but still not the enduring nightmare. Do people just lie about bad PA rocks? Running very low on water in the afternoon with the next campsite that might have water .6 off Trail more mile than I want to hike with no water. Coming out of Palmerton, a rock scramble up a hot dry face. Up top the place is filthy with raspberries, I know this is a Super Fund (more like Super FUN!) site so the berries might contain mercury, but I needed moisture, my water supply dwindling. This was one of the most enjoyable parts of PA, along a grassy trail with continuous view out over a valley with laden raspberry bushes every few feet. The trees also began a change here, they had more of a north feel, are we in New England yet?! At Little Gap Rd I read that there was a ski resort close by that might have a hose spigot I could refill from, so I hiked up to there and couldn’t find it, but a maintenance guy let me refill from a bubbler - cold! yum! He dropped me back off by the trail by the tower very nice guy. I hiked for an hour more and made a dry camp somewhere on the ridge above the ski resort. Made another fire to keep away the bugs again. There was some barbed-wire in my campsite that I was able to avoid by being in a hammock.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 92 July 10th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Some ridge</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Campsite/Hang-gliding take-off</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 23.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Was able to get water at Leroy Smith shelter, but being a hot long day again, I was getting low by Wind Gap. Supposedly a hotel offered it, but the place was run down and looked like a wreck. The owners said I could buy bottle water if I wanted. I did. Another couple hikers there that had just bought a bottle were charged more than what I paid. After Wind Gap I finally found the ROCK of PA (dun dun dun) They lasted for 7 nearly continuous miles, very exhausting and frustrating, but still, of the 250+ miles in PA only 7 had rocks. Maybe because it’s the last few miles in the state? I went up to Kirkridge shelter to see what it was about - Animal was there, already asleep in his tent. There was no other good place for a hammock so I continued on to a hang-gliding take-off and hung my hammock right on the edge. Another very memorable campsite with great views from the front door. That night Honest Abe and some other guys hammocked across the way. I’d seen Honest Abe on and off again since Hemlock Hollow Hostel in TN. Also this evening someone made a campfire in the clearing and someone else delivered ice cream sandwiches to us hikers!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was also the day that I Blue Blazed a couple miles of a trail that parallels the AT. Great views, tons of blueberries and fun rock scrambles. I thought the rocks of PA were going to be like this trail, funny that I had to blue blaze to finally find the rocks! Also found a plaque to a dog that had helped re-blaze the trail after years of neglect.</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 93 July 11th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Campsite in hang-gliding takeoff</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Camp Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 16.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: For everything thing I did this day, I must have gotten an early start. I remember coming down into Delaware Water Gap, the views from the cliffs down into the valley, passing a small pond, and following first an abandoned black-top road then a road through a neighborhood into the town. My yellow and black Salewa boots that Songbird had gotten for me Christmas of 2011 bit the dust, the sole became detached from the boot and I had put duct tape around the toe-box to hold them together. I figured that DWG would have a outfitters to replace them. First I went to one place that had a small selection, then I went to another place that had no selection - without getting a ride out of town or to the ‘new’ side of town I was going to have to purchase what was available. While mulling it over I ate a great lunch at a deli. I ran into Animal that was stopping here at the free church hostel. I wanted to make a few more miles. I went back to the outfitters and purchased a pair of Salomon X- and have since bought a second pair after the Trail. Great shoes for summer hiking.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I crossed over the Delaware into New Jersey! Another state down, passing a sign that said ‘Turtle Beach’. I stopped at the National Scenic Area Visitor Center and sent a postcard to Songbird. I did that regularly throughout the trip. The rocks here in NJ were as bad as PA and maybe worse because I thought they were all supposed to disappear outside of PA! Sunfish Pond, the first glacial lake, the trail finds a rocky path around it, I found blueberries on it’s shores. At Camp Rd I hiked a few short tenths to Mohican Outdoor Center run by the AMC. Not a bad place, and cheap, especially since I got a bunch and was the only one in the building. The kid at the front desk was a douche, making a comment like, “If you don’t pass every White Blaze on the Trail you might as well hike up Route 84 the entire way” douche.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPUMdlnm8fk/UE9qIYT7fxI/AAAAAAAAYzA/YIP2Ygc-ML4/s1600/P1030763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPUMdlnm8fk/UE9qIYT7fxI/AAAAAAAAYzA/YIP2Ygc-ML4/s1600/P1030763.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 94 July 12th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Camp Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Brink Rd shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Early morning I found a fire tower. Lots of youth groups out in this area. While on top of the tower I watched the group in the field below doing morning stretches. Later I passed several more groups. The Trail so far in NJ is different, rocky opening on tops of mountains, DWG NRA is definitely a unique area. I saw some huge bears completely unconcerned by my passing. I like when they run away better! The Trail followed some gravel roads occasionally and there was a hand pump at one point to get water from deep underground. Passed more youth groups going up Rattlesnake Mountain. At the shelter I found a few familiar faces, the guy with the dogs from Pearisburg (Papa Wolf, i think) and some others. I set up the hammock and was relaxing before dinner, when around 30 kids showed up from a youth group. Thirty minutes later another group of 20 or thirty showed up. Holy crap! They weren’t loud though, must have all been tired.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 95 July 13th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Brink Rd shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Culvers Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total Miles: 3.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I made it to the gap early, as I was to get Enterprise Rental Car to pick me up at around 11am for my birthday weekend with Songbird in Hershey PA. The store I was getting picked up at was supposedly notorious for the owner being mean to hikers. I went in bought a few things and sat in the shade next to the place for a few hours and the owner seemed pleasant to me. Later Papa Wolf went in and came storming out all pissed at the owner, “he won’t give me water for my dogs! What an ass. I won’t buy crap from him, eff him.” So I guess the owner doesn’t give things away and that angers some hikers. Got it, don’t be a freeloader and he’s fine with you. Eventually the rental car came and I got wheels. It really surprised me how long it took me to drive from there back to Hershey - I have really traveled a long way on foot! I meet Songbird at the BnB on a horse farm and we have a great weekend! No Hershey Park as originally planned because of a chance of rain that never came about, that’s ok I think I didn’t really want to be around crowds - from the solitude of the woods to an amusement park would’ve been a lot to handle. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 96 July 14th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 97 July 15th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Culvers Gap</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: High Point shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 16</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Sunrise Mountain, a pavilion with a great view and a dark story. I’d read in one of the Trail Journal books that the girl hiking had found someone hung here. How could anyone contemplate suicide with a view like this?! At High Point State Park I did a side trail over to the concession stand and got ice cream before getting back on the Trail and then doing a side trip to the monument on top of the highest point in NJ, the AT narrowly misses it and it is worth the short detour to see it. I had the place to myself. I don’t remember the shelter area, though I remember hiking through the woods after the High Point towards it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--TyiaJ1sJ_o/UE9rJYCGhSI/AAAAAAAAYzA/gfTRIKM5kdY/s1600/P1030776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--TyiaJ1sJ_o/UE9rJYCGhSI/AAAAAAAAYzA/gfTRIKM5kdY/s1600/P1030776.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 98 July 16th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: High Point shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Wawayanda shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 23.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I don’t remember too much considering how long the day was. I remember having a short road walk to Wallkill, a marshy area with half drained lake, the day was hot and humid. From the other side of the valley, going up Pochuck Mountain I looked back and the HighPoint monument seemed so distant, a small speck of a spire on the mountain far behind me - I’d traveled far from there and had further yet to go. I the next high valley I found the boardwalks of NJ, over marshland and rivers. It seemed these high valleys were just one big muck and mire. The water sources in NJ were all bad, scummy beaver ponds. I had to rely on the many state parks to refill my supplies. As it was getting dark I got to Wawayanda - I think this is the day I met Johnny Walker Red, a character I’d heard about as long ago as the Smokies. We went to the park to grab some water before making our way to the shelter area. I made food by head lamp, that sucks, I hate eating after dark swatting mosquitos when all I want to do is sleep!!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xJqQ07iTHxw/UE9rdkkyDcI/AAAAAAAAYzA/eKG_USM_MHk/s1600/P1030782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xJqQ07iTHxw/UE9rdkkyDcI/AAAAAAAAYzA/eKG_USM_MHk/s1600/P1030782.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 99 July 17th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Wawayanda shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Wildcat shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 12.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Hands down the hottest day of the trip. By 10am I was almost done all my water, I’d already crossed into NY and the days temps just kept climbing. I was stopping to rest and drink much more frequently. Just when I thought I was in trouble a thunderstorm blew in from the NW. Hiking on a ridge in a thunderstorm, with occasional exposed rocky crowns on the hills is rather petrifying. I climbed down into a valley and hunkered down for a few minutes. I remember thinking to myself, “If I had an easy button to return home, I’d be pressing it right now!” After the brutal heat had sapped my strength, I was now cold! I stopped hunkering and started hiking again, paralleling the AT off of the ridgetop, bush-whacking until the Trail also left the ridge. The rain got harder, then abated. At the next road crossing was an ice cream store - ice cream fixes all ideas of using an easy button. There Johnny Red and a German girl (Claudia) I’d seen off and on for many miles showed up. We dried out and enjoyed ice cream. I filled my water bottles in the bathroom and headed up the Trail in a now overcast drizzly afternoon. I saw a bear and then caught up with Animal. At this point the Trail went up and over some rocky outcroppings and then back down, with a blue blaze circumventing the 25 yards of dangerous wet rock, I blue blazed, shed my pack and climbed up unencumbered. Animal is a purist and climbed over, bucket in hand! What an animal. At the shelter area I set up my dry shelter in a dripping forest and chatted with Johnny Red and Animal.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8wpnbMQQ5Y/UE9rxPnPCaI/AAAAAAAAYzA/znd9L0dcbCo/s1600/P1030786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i8wpnbMQQ5Y/UE9rxPnPCaI/AAAAAAAAYzA/znd9L0dcbCo/s1600/P1030786.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 100 July 18th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Wildcat shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Black Mountain</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 20.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I hiked with Johnny Red today.I think today was the day that I saw a beaver from a boardwalk. I remember climbing Fitzgerald Falls, and the very cool features of the park I was in. It seemed very large, a wide open understory, big features, with contrasting colors of yellowed grasses and green leaves. We went through the Lemon Squeeze, which I didn’t need to take my pack off for - very happy with how light it is these days! The cliff directly after the Lemon Squeezer was actually more difficult and semi-technical. At Arden Valley Rd JWR and I went down to the park hoping for concessions and ice cream, I found an ice cream vending machine, and all was right with the world. We picked up another guy while there and the three of us continued hiking as the sun came out that evening. We camped on top of Black Mountain, with view of and down the Hudson River. The place was covered in poison sumac, I don’t think any of us got it. That night it started raining.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmVUAGyJAz0/UE9sPGh2ShI/AAAAAAAAY9A/4XsrHwMa3Tw/s1600/P1030794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmVUAGyJAz0/UE9sPGh2ShI/AAAAAAAAY9A/4XsrHwMa3Tw/s1600/P1030794.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 101 July 19th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Black Mountain</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Bear Mountain Bridge</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 8.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I woke to hard rain. I hate packing wet gear! During a break in the rain I hurriedly packed and got going. I decided early on that I was going to get in touch with a hotel/BnB that offered shuttle rides from the Trail so I could also easily go and get my mail drop from there. The rain came down hard, it was to be an all day soaker. As I hiked down to where the Trail crosses Palisades Parkway, I was struck by the beauty that surrounded me, the pitter patter of the drops seemed to open my mind and open the forest to somewhere surreal, a hidden world that was nearly visible. Crossing Palisades would be like crossing over the Baltimore Washington Parkway - kinda sketchy with cars flying at you as you scamper over the southbound then the northbound lanes. On the other side the Trail enters Bear Mountain State Park, first entering an immense forest following an abandoned road before following steps and crossing over bear rock faces, that probably have amazing views, I saw only clouds. I did run into some deer and wild turkeys on the mountains ascent. Towards the top the Trail became very well groomed, following stone work step and crushed gravel to the parking lot on the top. The concession stand was closed and there was no shelter from the rain to remove my pack and eat a snack. I resorted ti going into the handicapped port-a-jon so I could be out of the weather and eat. Come to find out after talking to other hikers, a couple guys that sent home their tent because they were staying in shelters had slept in this very outhouse because the shelters were spread too far apart around here! After I was satisfied and a bit warmer I traversed the most expensive few miles of the Trail. All the way down Bear Mountain enormous granite steps 6 feet long and 3 feet wide paved the way. The engineering and money that would take to do that was a bit boggling. At the bottom the Trail came out into a park by a lake that you can tell is very heavily used by the weekend BBQer. I had the place to myself, which is good, I don’t think I’d have enjoyed the place packed. Next the Trail hit it’s lowest point - in a zoo no less! The rain fell heavily and I called the BnB for a ride, glad I had a waterproof cell phone. In no time I was picked up, out of the rain and enjoying a bed! I got in touch with Flip for a meetup in a couple days.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pfrw2GnNKhg/UE9seJvkXcI/AAAAAAAAYzA/uBNWfAnesb0/s1600/P1030800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pfrw2GnNKhg/UE9seJvkXcI/AAAAAAAAYzA/uBNWfAnesb0/s1600/P1030800.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 102 July 20th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Bear Mountain Bridge</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Dennytown Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 14.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The day started gorgeous! The views from Bear Mountain Bridge were great, the water placid, a train rolled by. Back up into the hills on the other side - it’s all uphill from here! At US 9 I stopped at the convenience store to buy water - still an issue here in NY too, just no good sources. Canopus Hill was a nice change, up and then down some good trail. The afternoon became very pleasant, I was to meet Flip at NY 301 the next morning at 11ish - I didn’t want to get there today because I didn’t want to wait on him for long. I stopped at Dennytown Rd, there was a building there that had spring water. Apparently a lot of people park there to go swimming at a lake close by. Across a field and back into the woods a huge pine forest stood - the hugeness caused by the vastness of the understory, a cathedral of trees. This is where I hung my hammock. Soon Animal showed up to share the site as well as a couple other hikers.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gDsXIzkS2aw/UE9ssI87vDI/AAAAAAAAYzA/CUi2Ug-rtEA/s1600/P1030805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gDsXIzkS2aw/UE9ssI87vDI/AAAAAAAAYzA/CUi2Ug-rtEA/s1600/P1030805.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 103 July 21st 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Dennytown Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Shoulder top campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I met Flip at the next road and we almost immediately after starting took a side trip to Clarence Fahnestock State Park. I needed ice cream of course! After the slow start we rolled through the miles on the humid day, catching up on life. We stopped at RPH shelter and got some rusty water from the pump before continuing on. Flip was a hammock convert on this trip so we stopped fairly early up on top of a mountain at what was at one time a campsite. We set up our ruck and settled in to make a campfire. While Flip was cutting firewood he started issuing pained utterances. Apparently he had stepped on a yellow jackets nest and they were none too happy. We stayed away from them and they didn’t chase us, we lived in a tense peace.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YHmCNHKxzZU/UE9tC1iM2ZI/AAAAAAAAYzA/fDQIJ0GunTM/s1600/P1030809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YHmCNHKxzZU/UE9tC1iM2ZI/AAAAAAAAYzA/fDQIJ0GunTM/s1600/P1030809.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 104 July 22nd 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Shoulder camp</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Hillside Stealth Site</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 18</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: We woke to heavy rain. I took down my hammock but left up the tarp, we both hid out and ate and refilled our water bottles from the water gushing off the tarp. After the deluge abated we packed up and headed down the Trail. I don’t remember much of the day until going around Nuclear Lake, I remember the lake. I remember getting tired and knowing Flip was even more so. The water situation was getting desperate again as we got to the road crossing with the Dover Oak. We went to a Trail Angel that has a hose attached to her gate for hikers. Thanks! Completely needed for that stretch. We continued on and stood on the Appalachian Trail Railroad Depot. No trains a comin’ anytime soon. After a field we came to NY22 and a landscaping company that lets hikers set up tents in the back and use a hose for a shower. I wanted a few more miles, and after learning the pizza man wasn’t there (a truck vendor that sells pizza) we continued on, though I think Flip was ready to stop at that point. We crossed a stile into another field and I began to think we wouldn’t find a suitable campsite. We started up another mountain late in the afternoon and the understory was like it was in the south again, thick and impenetrable. I could tell Flip was getting exhausted, as was I! We tested to prowess of the hammock to defeat any challenge and hung them on a steep hillside. We had to cook our meals as it was getting dark on the trail, as that was the only flatish area around. Still, the meal was great, thanks to the Trail Chef Flip.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B7ZiUDB_rZw/UE9tFg0miYI/AAAAAAAAYzA/dGMCgCMIm4o/s1600/P1030810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B7ZiUDB_rZw/UE9tFg0miYI/AAAAAAAAYzA/dGMCgCMIm4o/s1600/P1030810.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 105 July 23rd 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Hillside Stealth</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: CT 341</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 17.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: We hiked up into Pawling Nature reserve and saw some storm damage, trees over and stuff. The day got hot in the afternoon and we crossed back and forth between NY and CT a couple times. We climbed one final hill in the afternoon and the heat was really getting to Flip. Not being out in it everyday, plus the big miles we were doing was taking it’s toll. But the reason for miles was to finish a day early, so now I’d get a zeron tomorrow to go to anywhere but Kent (kent sucks). As we descended into Kent where Flips car was parked we were offered a ride in and a hard cider for our troubles. Not only that but it started to rain as we were being driven into town. I went in the outfitters and saw that they were completely out of stock of anything useful, but had plenty of boutique clothes, gifts, and nicnacks - this place is not an outfitters. When I asked the kid working there where the nearest place I might get Aquamir Drops he suggested Walmart or possibly Dick’s - neglecting to tell me in the same mall as Dick’s was an EMS AND and LLBean! We drove to Danbury and hit up the outfitters that carried what I needed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 106 July 24th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watched Batman, ate a lot.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 107 July 25th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: CT 314</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Pine Swamp Brook shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Always feels weird to have a friend drop you off in the middle of no where and leave you there. Such was my feeling when I got back on the Trail, climbed over that fence and walked into the unknown. The day heated up and the gnats got nearly unbearable. The Trail would go up a hill or two, and come back down to the Housatonic and then again, I was thinking of aqua blazing. That evening in camp it sounded like a huge storm was going to hit and tear me apart, crash! boom! then nothing came of it. The breeze dies and the storm missed. Apparently Songbird had heard the storm was coming through and was worried, tornadoes had been spawned from it, but to the south of where I was. I had purposefully camped near a shelter just in case, since someone earlier in the day had warned of a bad storm approaching.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UJXS_Hh7nRw/UE9tgTnSPwI/AAAAAAAAYzA/MmpzfLwwZUE/s1600/P1030816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UJXS_Hh7nRw/UE9tgTnSPwI/AAAAAAAAYzA/MmpzfLwwZUE/s1600/P1030816.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 108 July 26th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Pine Swamp Brook shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Sages Ravine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 23.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Back in NJ the thought had occurred to me to try to be in Vermont by August first. I hadn’t made it a definite plan because I didn’t want to beat myself up like I had in the south trying to make goals just for the sake of making them. The somewhat easier pace and all the ice cream had gotten me within striking distance and I decide to make a final push. The hiking through this part was easy, despite the gnats, Falls Village I stuck to the Trail and didn’t delve deeper for ice cream surprisingly. Some of the trail through these valleys could’ve easily been the idyllic pasture lands of VA. The town passes through a number of towns in CT and MA, and I didn’t daly in any, except Great Barrington. Lions Head was a steep climb, but a worthwhile view. I contemplated stopping at Riga or Brassie Brook, but I was very close to MA. I could be over the border if I only pushed over the highest mountain in CT. I stopped on the Trail, ate some food, and got going. I made it to Sages Ravine with time to talk to the caretaker. Only us and a family of four in the campsite. I setup my hammock overtop of the provided wooden tent platform.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgDuwEVykgE/UE9tiOYPDPI/AAAAAAAAYzA/3eA1DvRwFps/s1600/P1030817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgDuwEVykgE/UE9tiOYPDPI/AAAAAAAAYzA/3eA1DvRwFps/s1600/P1030817.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 109 July 27th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Sages Ravine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Great Barrington</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 14.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The rain began while I was hiking along Mt. Race, the occasional thunder clap had day hikers intelligently huddled in boroughs off the ridge. I continued on through the rain getting soggy all the way through. At the road to Great Barrington I decided to do the three mill road walk into town to find a hotel and escape the rain. The road walk really started hurting my left foot, I began getting plantar fasciitis very painfully beginning this roadwalk. I made it into town and stopped at the first hotel, all rooms were booked, except the ‘hiker’ room - I looked, it was a crap hole, and for $200 an unfurnished room. The ups and down we face, from free five star lodging to way over-priced closet! My foot hurting so bad I could hardly walk and the prospect of a 3 mile road walk to even get to a place to camp in the rain, I bit the bullet and over paid.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9bC0vBZymgY/UE9uJjXaO8I/AAAAAAAAYzA/EZ03nYLRbxQ/s1600/P1030824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9bC0vBZymgY/UE9uJjXaO8I/AAAAAAAAYzA/EZ03nYLRbxQ/s1600/P1030824.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 110 July 28th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: MA 23</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: US 20</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 20.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Seeing on the map that I would continue up the road and make it back to the Trail by hiking another 3 miles on the road in the other direction I did that, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">skipping 8.6 miles</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the trail. Once back on the Trail, my foot warmed up and not hurting, I made good, passing over the small hills and over a few small roads. I talked with Lori Passionflower, a blogger I had followed prior to hiking - it was liking meeting a celebrity! She went to Goose Pond for a pancake breakfast (the next morning, it’s what they do) I continued on to a small motel right off the Trail where I had a drop box waiting. I remember talking on the phone with Songbird as I crossed over MA Turnpike I-90. That night I got pizza and ate like a king. Great little place, highly recommend it - $50 for a double bed room very comfortable.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U17m4LobFVQ/UE9uM_w-0nI/AAAAAAAAYzA/-5cH4nPXJKQ/s1600/P1030825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U17m4LobFVQ/UE9uM_w-0nI/AAAAAAAAYzA/-5cH4nPXJKQ/s1600/P1030825.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 111 July 29th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: US 20</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Crystal Mountain Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 23.2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes:Not much happening today, fairly flat. In the afternoon the town goes right through Dalton MA, I pass through without stopping and camp up on the otherside. Great spring at the campsite. In Dalton I see the guys yard with all the hiking poles out front - I think it might be the Birdcage? I didn’t even pause to consider stopping.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 112 July 30th 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Crystal Mountain Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Sherman Brook Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 20.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Went through Cheshire in the morning, drank some chocolate milk at the store by the Trail. Thus prepared, I began climbing Mt Greylock, up through some very nice spruce forest and into what really felt like north country. There is a gorgeous little pond just below the summit. At the top hang-gliders were swirling and swooping around the monument on top. The lodge at the top has homemade ice cream! The trail down the north side was a bit rutted, you could see where maintainers were in the process of making the AT longer by putting in switchbacks, but the Trail hadn’t been relocated yet. Another valley, and another town, the Trail passed through North Adams. I spoke with my parents today, they are going to come get me from Katahdin.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lh6QoTQGAC0/UE9u036JhDI/AAAAAAAAYzA/k6LPSy3cjLo/s1600/P1030833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lh6QoTQGAC0/UE9u036JhDI/AAAAAAAAYzA/k6LPSy3cjLo/s1600/P1030833.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 113 July 31st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Sherman Brook Campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Bennington, VT</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 16.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Up into Vermont! The elevation started getting steeper almost immediately, though the forest looked the same mostly. I had seen my first pile of moose dung in MA, but now I was seeing it more regularly. I had a mail drop coming to a motel in Bennington, they said they shuttled people from the Trail, when I called they told me to call from the road - little did I know there is no signal on the road, I needed to call from the top of the hill. A four mile road walk ensued, enflaming my foot very badly. In the evening I hobbled around to get food for a resupply. Painful stuff, mostly exacerbated by road walks. I wasn’t enjoying the pain one bit, making it hard to enjoy everything else going on.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 114 August 1st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Bennington, VT</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Story Spring shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Not much that I can remember. I was dropped off in the morning by the owner, a nice Indian guy. I hiked back into the woods, back into Vermont. In the Green Mountains, though the terrain and vegetation are very similar to everything else, foot is continuing to hurt. Painful in the morning until it warms up, painful at night to almost not being able to walk.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y19abH7M1Zs/UE9vF7WFafI/AAAAAAAAYzA/7PC9a0m-yZ0/s1600/P1030839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y19abH7M1Zs/UE9vF7WFafI/AAAAAAAAYzA/7PC9a0m-yZ0/s1600/P1030839.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 115 August 2nd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Story Spring shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: VT 11&30 Bromley Sun Lodge</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 21.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I was on the Long Trail now, I had been since the beginning of the state, but now it started to feel different again. The mountains were getting bigger again. With the exception of Greylock everything had been mild climbs since… NC/TN! Stratton Mountain wore me out, early in the day and I was already exhausted. Between how my foot was feeling and now feeling my energy level start to dip I decided I was overdue for a zero day. Coming up was a ski lodge (hotel) that I would spoil myself with. That afternoon I called the lodge to pick me up from the Trail and drive me there. Minutes after I checked in the sky opened up and a nasty storm rolled through. It was very comforting to be inside and watch the water fall!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 116 August 3rd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hung out in the room, walked next door to the ski lodge turned summer activity center. I learned that for a small charge the ski lift could take you to the top of the mountain. The AT also scaled this mountain.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 117 August 4th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Bromley Mountain</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Big Branch shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I checked out of the lodge and went to see about this ski lift. Because it was windy or possibly not as busy a day, the lift was only operating to the first drop-off. Halfway up the mountain is better than no-way up the mountain! I got it for free too. To see the elevation (and tree full of bras) float by was a nice change! From the drop off point I had a steep climb up to the top of the mountain and some incredible views in all directions. These mountain tops had the fir trees making it feel like the north. I was surprised that the valleys still felt like the mid-Atlantic environment, many times were I dropped where I stood and asked, “What state are you in?” I could have answered GA, TN, NC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT and not been able to differentiate. When they say the green tunnel, to me, it came to mean that. At times it frustrated me beyond anything, I felt like I’d been walking all this way only to see the same tree over and over again. But then I would top a mountain and all that would drop away, the awe inspiring views would blossom before me and make it all worthwhile. I don’t remember the shelter from this evening either.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QzRti2EIxgw/UE9v70_KaxI/AAAAAAAAYzA/e_q0TrlYJBs/s1600/P1030850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QzRti2EIxgw/UE9v70_KaxI/AAAAAAAAYzA/e_q0TrlYJBs/s1600/P1030850.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 118 August 5th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Big Branch shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Upper Cold River Road</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 21.3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I remember hiking a ridge and being able to see the valley and the airport below, I remember the gorge and suspension bridge, the area around there had heavy usage, baten down trail following a river for awhile. At Cold River Rd I had planned on going for several more miles as it was late afternoon but not too late. The hurricane in 2011 washed out a portion of the Trail from Cold River to Upper Cold River with a few mile road walk detour. As I hiked along I decided to turn on my phone and see if I had signal, it was spotty at best. Just then, the phone rang. It was my brother and his girlfriend Jen, they were on their way to Maine for vacation and happened to be close to Albany. Which means just a few hours away. Would I like to be picked up this evening for a meal and a hotel? Why yes, yes I would. I explained to them where I would be and then hung up and lost signal. I continued road walking, foot beginning to hurt, until I reached where the At left Upper Cold River Rd, passing some houses and farm land, the sun beginning to lower in the sky. I sat by the side of the road, cooked first-dinner, and read some Harry Potter. The sky grew dark and no sign of Kevin. I began to re-trace my steps along the road to see if they were looking for me elsewhere or if I could find that elusive cell signal. I heard a porcupine, in the distance I heard a car honking. A few minutes later they found me. Apparently Upper Cold River had had a bridge washout and they were looking for me on the other side before circling around to continue up the road. While waiting for them for a couple hours my foot had “cooled off” and I could barely walk, each step incredibly painful. This was very troubling. I was supposed to meet Songbird at or around I-91 this weekend and take a weekend off at her parents place. I would be struggling and maybe hurting myself to do that.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LCTRpQu0DZc/UE9wdadtIMI/AAAAAAAAYzA/jPybrc6u-RY/s1600/P1030855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LCTRpQu0DZc/UE9wdadtIMI/AAAAAAAAYzA/jPybrc6u-RY/s1600/P1030855.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 119 August 6th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My brother asked where I needed to be dropped off. After waking to not being able to walk again, I made a large and, I think, correct call. I had him drive me to Songbird’s parents place in the White Mountains. I was very perturbed that if this pain continued I a)wouldn’t be able to finish at all b) do permanent damage to my foot. I didn’t know at this point where I would get back on the Trail, or how. I needed some time to see how my foot would feel.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 7th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stood on the ball of the tractor as Jim was crossing the street to open up the diverter to the pond. Stupid to stand on a ball hitch on a hurt foot! Also, we knocked down the crumbing building in the woods over there.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 8th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mowed the lawn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 9th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Songbird showed up early and surprised me a day earlier than expected! That would’ve been difficult to coordinate. A very rainy day and night.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 10th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More weather, almost every morning and afternoon there are storms coming through. Foots getting a bit better, still haven’t decided where I’m getting back on Trail. I’ve definitely decided I’m not going back with Songbird to get my car. I want to walk to Katahdin. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 11th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 12th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 13th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 14th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I reaccessed and talked myself into doing all of Maine but skipping NH for now. I really want to enjoy NH, as it’s the most exciting of all parts of the Trail. I occasionally wonder if I made the right call, but the rest of the trip was awesome. The people I saw and saw again were awesome. It worked out that my parents were able to pick me up from the end of the Trail, so that’s awesome. I have since made a few in-roads at hiking parts I’ve skipped. I’ve done half the Presidential Traverse, Franconia Ridge, and Lonesome Lake. Part of me also never wanted the Trail to be over, if I had a few more miles to hike my obsession could continue! But whatever my reasoning for the day:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I skipped 202 miles</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OqpeVMXrqGE/UE9wrgLR3oI/AAAAAAAAYzA/xQKGAqwtbmg/s1600/P1030857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OqpeVMXrqGE/UE9wrgLR3oI/AAAAAAAAYzA/xQKGAqwtbmg/s1600/P1030857.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 120 August 15th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Gorham, NH</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Gentian Pond shelter/campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 11.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: the day started foggy and stayed that way. The clouds roiled and rolled about, obscuring any views from the peat bogs on the tops of the mountains. Beyond just the fog and rain, the Trail was in major disrepair. It looked to not have been maintained in years. The log bridges across the bogs often disappeared into the bog and leaps of faith are required. The Trail was washed out around apparent steps that had eroded over time and not been fixed. This is what the AMC does for the AT. Beside this, I was very excited to be back on the Trail. My foot felt better and I had lots of energy. I made it to Full Goose and imagined the views would’ve been truly awesome. I hung my hammock over a wet tent platform, glad that I would be dry and stay dry aloft.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 121 August 16th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Gentian Pond shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Full Goose shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 9.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I felt like I hiked 20 miles this day. I didn’t come anywhere close to that though! The terrain was rugged, the Trail conditions horrible. Step slick rocks up and down, muddy bottomless bogs that would swallow you whole, wooden walkways that would suddenly disappear into said bogs without warning. The rain fell and fell hard. Fortunately the temps were in the 60 or 70s so it wasn’t numbingly dangerously cold. The hiking was hard. I hiked with one guy I had last seen on Cinco de Mayo or a few days before. He went to the shelter with the huge party way back in NC. He snapped a pick of me on the ME border. If all of Maine is like the first 17 miles - WOW - it’s going to be tough!! Stopped at Carlo Col shelter to eat lunch out of the rain. I got to Full Goose after an afternoon much like the morning - difficult. Only 9 miles and it took me all day. I strung up the hammock behind the shelter, the guy I was hiking with continued on after dark. cra-cra</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 122 August 17th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Full Goose shelter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Baldpate Lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The day began with lots of promise, sunny! The most fun mile on the entire AT presented early. The Mahoosuc Notch. I met up with Craisn, Ranger, and Rebound and Tex while doing it. The first 3 and myself kept pace - bouncing through the boulder field. Really really fun, using up body strength to pull up and over huge boulders. I was very glad it didn’t rain this day! The four of us made it through in just around an hour. I’d heard stories, and would hear other stories about it taking upwards of 3 hours to get through that stretch, especially people with dogs. I loved it. Mahoosuc Arm was killer though, up up and more steeply up, again all on unmaintained trail. You could clearly see where stairs once were, once upon a time, only to have been eroded away and canted this way any that. I stopped briefly at Speck Pond for lunch before continuing on down Old Speck, passing lots of day hikers in this area. Upon reaching Grafton Notch, a beer was waiting for me! Some Trail Angels had a cooler of some food, but mostly I remember the beer. Sat and chatted with them for awhile. Tex caught up and we hiked on towards Baldpate Lean-to. As soon as ME 26 was crossed angel began singing… or at least that’s what happened under my feet. The AMC stopped “maintaining” and the MATC picked it up. IMMEDIATELY the Trail improved 200 fold. Stairs, switchbacks, and no more fees for camping (odd, that). As we hiked the last few glorious miles, it began to rain. Donned the poncho and hurried home, did we. I setup the hammock in the campsite behind a screen of trees in front of the lean-to. I remember here for some reason, though I did it most every night, waking and needing to pee. Getting out of the hammock and exiting the end of the hang without unzipping the tarp.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lD1fNQ6RoeM/UE9x7Y6QzFI/AAAAAAAAYzA/_azAyHd-26E/s1600/P1030872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lD1fNQ6RoeM/UE9x7Y6QzFI/AAAAAAAAYzA/_azAyHd-26E/s1600/P1030872.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 123 August 18th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Baldpate Lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: East B Hill Road</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Tex and I began hiking out together. Nice guy. We made it to the top of this incredible mountain, Baldpate. The mountain was well above treeline, with lots of very open rock walks. I’m glad I wasn’t going over this in the fog/wind/rain, it could be a deadly time! As we came down off the mountain we called a place in Andover we both planned on getting a ride to - the hostel there picks you up from the Trailhead, being 8 miles from the Trail, that is very much needed! We were right by Dunn Notch and falls, having made very good time today, even on the sketchy rock slabs coming down. Tex wasn’t quite as sure-footed and took his time on these. Someone told us of a cut-off trail by the falls, we tried it and ended up back on the AT at the same spot we started, oh well! We went down the correct way and David picked us up shortly after. Andover isn’t much of a town, the hostel, a gas station with a deli and a pizza joint. I got a private room and quite enjoyed the relaxation. I decided that the next day I would do a slack pack back to Andover. The last few days of rain had saturated my shoes, so much so that I had started to get a bad rub on my foot. I wanted to take it easy and let the air get to it as much as possible. Unbeknownst I somehow dodged getting sick while in Andover. Right before and after people were getting an intestinal bug. It was running so rampant that the CDC showed up to investigate. Specifically this hostel. I had heard about it since I had gotten back on the Trail from the break and the skip. I had stopped looking in registry logs as well as stopped signing them. I was keeping away from shelters even more than normal.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CvqT7IsVnYI/UE9yfmgjbSI/AAAAAAAAYzA/Xg-ZFSr4Q5w/s1600/P1030877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CvqT7IsVnYI/UE9yfmgjbSI/AAAAAAAAYzA/Xg-ZFSr4Q5w/s1600/P1030877.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 124 August 19th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: South Arm Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: East B Hill Road</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 10.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: As I got dropped off I came to a stream that looked like I might need to wade through. Taking this slack to let my shoes dry didn’t make sense to chance it. I switched to my Teva flip flops and rock hopped successfully across. I continued to hike in the flip-flops the rest of the day. The air helped and my feet healed. I passed Rebound, Ranger, and Crasin on the top of the first hill. The valley between the mountains was very interesting. An abandoned road, winds through to a lake only reachable by that. It seemed kinda magic back there. At Hall Mountain Lean-to was a guy that was holed up in the shelter due to the sickness going around. He was too weak to hike on and was zeroing in the shelter. I did not linger. I made it back to the road and was picked up quickly (after calling from the mountaintop). I was feeling great these last few days.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hurzrhtjkBE/UE9y9aPSmOI/AAAAAAAAYzA/QSi9EdFCm30/s1600/P1030881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hurzrhtjkBE/UE9y9aPSmOI/AAAAAAAAYzA/QSi9EdFCm30/s1600/P1030881.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 125 August 20th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: South Arm Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Little Swift River Pond campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 21.6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The longest day in awhile, and it felt good! I was on top of Old Blue Mountain very early and across the ridgetop. I blue blazed down Bemis Stream Trail, I really wanted to see a moose and wanted to go away from the “beaten path” to try and find one. I didn’t see one, but I had a trail to myself and it felt like an adventure again. I joined back up with the AT on ME 17 with a great view out over a large lake. That afternoon I hiked past a couple ponds, each very pretty, lapping water a lulling sound. I kept going into the evening to Little Swift. Once there and set up I grabbed a canoe at the site and paddled out into the pond. Very nice! I liked the feel of the paddle and how the canoe handled. A mode of travel that wasn’t solely relying on my legs and feet. that night a father and kids and grandfather stayed there too.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 126 August 21st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Little Swift River Pond campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Spaulding Mountain lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 23.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Saddleback Mountain is awesome. Now that I’ve done it, as good as Franconia Notch. I’ve never seen Saddleback as a must do hike in Backpacker magazine, but it needs to be. Gorgeous hike, and wild, and widely unknown.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FnMdFNusocE/UE90WLbpsFI/AAAAAAAAYzA/oWjLq6zW-M8/s1600/P1030894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FnMdFNusocE/UE90WLbpsFI/AAAAAAAAYzA/oWjLq6zW-M8/s1600/P1030894.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 127 August 22nd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Spaulding Mountain lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Stratton ME 27</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: Sugarloaf Mountain is apparently a well known ski mountain, the AT passes around the back side and doesn’t get near the summit. Apparently there is a old cabin ½ mile off trail that some hikers have holed up for multiple days because it’s so cool. The Trail going down into caribou valley was very steep and slightly different than other rocks and mountains in ME. I didn’t hitch, but I was offered a ride in the back of a pickup truck into town to a hotel/hostel. Rebond had gotten the sickness and was healing and resting for a day or two. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7E24JzEb26s/UE908T9oX8I/AAAAAAAAYzA/RAhoKSADn-k/s1600/P1030901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7E24JzEb26s/UE908T9oX8I/AAAAAAAAYzA/RAhoKSADn-k/s1600/P1030901.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 128 August 23rd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: East Flagstaff Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Stratton, ME</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 16.7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I was dropped off on the other side of Bigelow Range. I’d heard it was worth enjoying, and this close to the end I wanted another slack, I was really enjoying Maine! In the most remote place I was spending more nights indoors than anywhere previous. The hike was awesome, especially without a full pack. I floated, nearly ran at times, I was so exhilarated. The views from all the mountains were mind blowing. Just a lovely area. Maine was easily the prettiest state - I’d hafta get back to you on NH. On the other side of the Bigelows I blue blazed down the Bigelow Range Trail that went right down into Stratton so I could walk all the way back to the room instead of needing a shuttle. As I descended a big storm blew in briefly. The moisture was burning off in a bright yellow haze as the sun came back at the end of the day, the forest merrily dripping around me.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXk_lVM9hbc/UE9163Oi9DI/AAAAAAAAYzA/y33-aSIXea8/s1600/P1030914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SXk_lVM9hbc/UE9163Oi9DI/AAAAAAAAYzA/y33-aSIXea8/s1600/P1030914.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 129 August 24th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: East Flagstaff Rd</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Caratunk, ME</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 20.3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I started the day and came to a beaver pond quickly, I tried jumping over and one foot went in the water, soaking the shoe. After a few miles I could fell it beginning to rub raw so I took off my shoes and hiked in the flipflops again. The last 13 or so miles were in the flops. At some point I was looking at mileage and looking at the ferry across the Caratunk, and decided I could make it by 4pm when the last ferry went across. I ran and jogged the last 3 or 4 miles. Fortunately the Trail followed a river over pine forest flooring so it wasn’t hard on me at all. I got to the river just as another hiker was getting there, he had had the same thought and had run for awhile too. We got the last paddle across the river and the ferryman drove us up to a bed and breakfast. Dirty girl (the guy I ferried across with), was named for the things that went over his shoes to block debris from getting in. Nice guy. Unfortunately he has AIDS. He was hiking for a cause, he loved dogs and was raising money for a shelter in his native CA. We roomed together that night. He and I got a ride to a white water rafting lodge up river for food and beers. Sterling Inn, that was the name of the place. I sent Songbird a postcard from there and got some food from the paid pantry. Very hiker friend place and pantry.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 130 August 25th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Caratunk, ME</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Moxie Pond lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 18.8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I saw a moose this afternoon! I remember Moxie Bald, and I remember Moxie Bald being one of the best campsites of the trip. I hung my hammock right by the edge of a large lake, the sounds of loons this evening. I love it. I also shared a instant cheesecake for a thanksgiving dinner with someone! </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9P2qY38v55g/UE92UZKU-EI/AAAAAAAAYzA/j8GCS5W0dYc/s1600/P1030919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9P2qY38v55g/UE92UZKU-EI/AAAAAAAAYzA/j8GCS5W0dYc/s1600/P1030919.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJLVcpnZ2pM/UE92lhgrwBI/AAAAAAAAYzA/nac6iKCMNCI/s1600/P1030924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJLVcpnZ2pM/UE92lhgrwBI/AAAAAAAAYzA/nac6iKCMNCI/s1600/P1030924.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 131 August 26th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Moxie Pond lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Monson </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 17.9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: A very flat easy walk. Towards Monson kept crossing 4-wheel drive jeep tracks through the woods. I walked into Monson on the Historic AT on lake Hebron. I got to the less famous hostel and met everyone! Hotshot was there. Ranger, Rebound, Craisn. A bunch of other familiar faces were there. It was a reunion. Plus the end was so close. The 100 Mile Wilderness and the END! Wow. I decided on a zero to try and miss Labor Day on Katahdin, I thought it would be packed. I also set up a mid-way “bucket drop” in the wilderness so I could carry less food.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvVZO01kHz8/UE92xQNt1VI/AAAAAAAAYzA/8v3V2KEaJPI/s1600/P1030927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvVZO01kHz8/UE92xQNt1VI/AAAAAAAAYzA/8v3V2KEaJPI/s1600/P1030927.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 132 August 27th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Antsy! Why’d I stay here!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 133 August 28th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: ME15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Cloud Pond lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 19.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dropped off in the morning at the 100 Mile Wilderness with Tex, Ranger, Rebound, and Craisn. The morning was foggy and the roots slick. I passed a bloodied person in the opposite direction, but it looked worse than it was. I fell onto my pack and bounced right up. Lucky. At each stream crossing I’d take off my shoes - I really didn’t want wet shoes! That evening I got to Cloud Pond lean-to, which is gotten to by hiking at the base of a cliff around a pond. The hammock spots were few, the small pines trees 2 or three inches and springy. I learned a trick to go around several trees to keep them from bowing too much. It was COLD with the wind. It felt like autumn was in the air.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bymi4UCs8UQ/UE92_JMkobI/AAAAAAAAYzA/JuDpSseo29k/s1600/P1030928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bymi4UCs8UQ/UE92_JMkobI/AAAAAAAAYzA/JuDpSseo29k/s1600/P1030928.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 133 August 29th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Cloud Pond lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Logan Brook lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 24</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: The Chairbacks were pretty cool. Some very rare sub-alpine creatures live in those swamps between the mountains. The MATC continued a wonderful job through the wilderness. I picked up my bucket drop way ahead of my initial schedule at Katahdin Ironworks Rd and continued rolling through the miles. I stopped in the afternoon on top of White Cap Mountain in the frozen wind and got a bit of signal to say, “hi” to Songbird. Then I rounded the corner and got a great view of the Big K in the distance. I made camp just down from Logan Brook, and as I settled in I heard loud singing coming up the Trail. A large group of college kids camp up the Trail and made camp at Logan Brook, I think.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMpBci4iQF4/UE93NtFZFNI/AAAAAAAAYzA/Kjc8Qb_ZSxQ/s1600/P1030932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMpBci4iQF4/UE93NtFZFNI/AAAAAAAAYzA/Kjc8Qb_ZSxQ/s1600/P1030932.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 134 August 30th, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Logan Brook lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Nahmakanta Stream campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 27.4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I rolled through the miles today. A few river crossings, lots of low lands. Not much standing between me and the end. I saw the path from White Cap. Mostly flat with a few lakes and rivers to dodge. I found a cooler of Trail Angel cokes at Jo-Mary Rd. Thanks! Gave me the energy to get much further than expected. Myself and a lady shared the campsite by the banks of a large creek. I had no remorse not going to White House Landing. Got a good view of Katahdin from the shores of a lake. It’s beginning to loom.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RPBWVMxyJn8/UE939kyw--I/AAAAAAAAYzA/DLeGbnrLK8k/s1600/P1030942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RPBWVMxyJn8/UE939kyw--I/AAAAAAAAYzA/DLeGbnrLK8k/s1600/P1030942.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 135 August 31st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Nahmakanta Stream campsite</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Hurd Brook lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 25.4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I felt great. The Trail was being kind, and the miles shedding like water off a ducks back! After all the flat hiking Nesuntabunt Mountain seemed huge. I sent a text message to my parents to let them know I’d be earlier than expected. I continued on, winding around a lake and over Rainbow Ledges. Only one other guy was at the shelter, also headed north. Only 3 miles from here to the end of the 100 Mile Wilderness. I got here in time, I could’ve made it there in 4 days 3 nights! Flyin’ low.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BTfBJnzhTCY/UE94hol3QyI/AAAAAAAAYzA/fg6s5oYl8iQ/s1600/P1030955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BTfBJnzhTCY/UE94hol3QyI/AAAAAAAAYzA/fg6s5oYl8iQ/s1600/P1030955.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-86DhkaX8IGI/UE94MsS6axI/AAAAAAAAYzA/Vs7phSQIhjc/s1600/P1030950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-86DhkaX8IGI/UE94MsS6axI/AAAAAAAAYzA/Vs7phSQIhjc/s1600/P1030950.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 136 September 1st, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting point: Hurd Brook lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: The Birches lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 13.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: What a lovely day. Perfectly warm after a nearly chilly start. Three miles to Golden Rd and Abol Bridge. I sat there for a long time. I didn’t know if my parents got my message and would come by and there was no signal to check. I ate, drank coffee, got registered with an ATC guy named Jonathan. Got pictures taken and enjoyed the company of the other hikers on this last day. That afternoon I followed the last few miles of the Appalachian Trail, by myself, along a river, surrounded by gorgeous trees, the sounds of tumbling water, the warm sun beating down. Perfect day. The sun dancing off the lake surface filling me with happiness and a little nostalgia already. I got to The Birches and set up the hammock for the last time. Rebound, Ranger, and Crasin soon got there and set up as well. After dark, I was already in bed reading, when Jonathan dropped by with a CAKE! Got out and ate some of that, for sure!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 137 September 2nd, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting Point: The Birches lean-to</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ending point: Baxter Peak</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Total miles: 5.1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes: I was up at 5am or earlier. Excited much?! I had gotten a slack pack the night before, hurriedly packed and left out from the cabin. I signed in seeing some people had beaten me up this morning. The Trail begins benign enough, up through gorgeous pine forest, old roaring creeks, up a shoulder with great views, climbing some well made granite steps. I passed a large group of people right before the “difficult part”, right about the time Craisn caught up with me. We climbed fun part, hand over hand, up some sketchy rocks. In ice this would be super dangerous. In rain too. Fortunately not a worry today. There were clouds huddled over the mountain, but the ceiling was a few hundred feet above the mountain, so we had view. The wind whipped and was a bit chilly but the moisture didn’t come. We made it up to Thoreau Spring and continued over the Tabbleland (appropriately named flat area) to the summit! After awhile Rebound and Ranger arrived. Much celebration ensued. Rebound did a video blog thing (which I should try to find). They popped a small bottle of bubbly. They offered me a ride into town, which I very happily accepted. Craisn went down the Knifes Edge while the other 3 of use made the same way dawn that we came up. We were down by 11am, passing hordes of people coming the other direction while we had the place nearly to ourselves. And thus ends my AT adventure. My parents came and picked me up a couple days later and put me on a flight from Augusta back to home where I lived happily ever after.</span></div>
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-9903813112092770432013-11-07T07:08:00.001-05:002013-11-07T07:08:21.827-05:00Adventure much lately?I have been having domestic adventures of late. But I've not enjoyed the great outdoors much to my chagrin!
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<b>Adventures in the Domestic</b><br />
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I have extended closet doors, run electric wiring, installed switches and lights. Songbird has painted, patched, mudded, and painted some more. We even went to my parents place and helped them with home reno - we're getting pretty adept.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId4Fo9G4lG1cUU7M50AK1_aOwLepe6LmsnzIoglJ3lLi37fnmaHh8vSvbJu3VbEOabOhd7wS-hxHbtI0gFc427Zqf5pplhCfh1UybvpKFxjies7O_k6r0T7A-5k-7FVBsfLwTiSsB3GSV/s1600/IMG_20130922_104654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId4Fo9G4lG1cUU7M50AK1_aOwLepe6LmsnzIoglJ3lLi37fnmaHh8vSvbJu3VbEOabOhd7wS-hxHbtI0gFc427Zqf5pplhCfh1UybvpKFxjies7O_k6r0T7A-5k-7FVBsfLwTiSsB3GSV/s320/IMG_20130922_104654.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last days of summer.</td></tr>
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I brewed 8 cases of beer for the wedding, we created labels and boxed up all our wedding beer: White Blaze and Something Blue; and just to be confusing the two types of beer are Irish Red and Emma Brown.<br />
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Songbird and I also recently put a contract on a house. Soon we become Virginians! <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.1091666667,-77.5577777778&spn=0.1,0.1&q=39.1091666667,-77.5577777778%20(Leesburg%2C%20Virginia)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Leesburg, Virginia">Leesburg</a> is mountain adjacent, winery adjacent, and closer to everything. Also: we'll have activities to do on the weekend close by! First Friday in Leesburg is really fun (we visited early).<br />
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I'm also very excited to be able to sport the <a href="http://www.dmv.state.va.us/vehicles/#splates/info.asp?idnm=AT">Appalachian Trail Plates</a>!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhVHszVIxw4/Um7EJqPSjTI/AAAAAAAAitc/O89q9DqLU_E/s1600/IMG_20131026_222321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhVHszVIxw4/Um7EJqPSjTI/AAAAAAAAitc/O89q9DqLU_E/s320/IMG_20131026_222321.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween, that time of year when you procrastinate until two days before and steal the dogs costume to wear instead of taking the time, money, or effort to come up with something else.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NT0iDU6W-2A7aWJy9nTarKwtCI5mE6rBEZl_qJth1pLDZHCKYncv2JlTyA4clQV3a43NmiLL7mnasy3OJXGhsoaPH4tZePXyrUE_MqBtR7P3pkAhZ4U3Du9XiPlZGAWfyRN1caORJItp/s1600/IMG_20131031_160341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NT0iDU6W-2A7aWJy9nTarKwtCI5mE6rBEZl_qJth1pLDZHCKYncv2JlTyA4clQV3a43NmiLL7mnasy3OJXGhsoaPH4tZePXyrUE_MqBtR7P3pkAhZ4U3Du9XiPlZGAWfyRN1caORJItp/s320/IMG_20131031_160341.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaya wore it better</td></tr>
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From where we'll be living we can stroll to downtown Leesburg in 1.5 miles, which I'm betting we will do regularly. We are a 20 minute drive to the AT crossing Rt 7 - so I'll be getting even more familiar with the Roller Coaster than the couple times I've done it or parts of it (like last year on my hike). Leesburg is a good jumping point to all of Virginia, Skyline Drive, Old Rag, Dolly Sods, and points south and north. Never again will we be faced with driving on 95 to go places, 81 is such a better way to go!<br />
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Work has been steady and I've learned quite a bit recently, but not done much traveling except locally. Cisco UCS, VMware, and NetApp is the name of the game lately.<br />
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Wedding planning is going great and we are anxiously awaiting next June for the good day that it's going to be and the honeymoon in Italy right afterwards! That will definitely be an adventure worth blogging about!!<br />
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That concludes this rather boring, but at the same time, from my perspective, busy/exciting/scary, period in my life! I'm hoping to do some things worthy of a travel adventure blog soon enough! Adventures in Leesburg, going to Orlando in November, and up to New Hampshire in December... all while working and moving in there too.<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-59575252750515959102013-06-19T14:23:00.000-04:002013-06-19T18:35:45.232-04:00New Hampshire: Harsh, Beautiful, and Wild<div style="text-align: right;">
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As some of you might know, I'm getting married! In just over a year I will be wed to the love of my life. We are getting married in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=44.0,-71.5&spn=3.0,3.0&q=44.0,-71.5%20(New%20Hampshire)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="New Hampshire">New Hampshire</a> right by <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconia_Notch" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Franconia Notch">Franconia Notch</a>. With rugged mountains as our backdrop, spring-blooming wildflowers in the fore. The planning and preparation gives us an excuse to go north and a)visit her parents b)get some planning/preparation in c)go hiking in the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Mountains_%28New_Hampshire%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="White Mountains (New Hampshire)">White Mountains</a>!<br />
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This last trip I took the following week off to hike while Songbird had to, unfortunately, come home to go back to work. Flip also took the week off and came up to hike with me. Songbird, departed, and Flip arrived late the following day. We woke to a rainy Tuesday morning; undeterred and set on backpacking, we packed our things donned our rain gear and got a ride from Songbird's dad, Jim, to the trailhead. We were dropped off at the beginning of the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, a mile from the Cog Railroad at the base of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Washington_%28New_Hampshire%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Mount Washington (New Hampshire)">Mount Washington</a>. The rain had stopped, but the sky was steely grey and we knew this was only a break in the storm, not a passing of the storm. We were hopeful, though as the following days forecast sounded better.<br />
We followed a soft rolling trail for the first couple miles, along a river and over wet roots and rocks. The forest smell of damp and leaf decay both pleasant and familiar. The trees dropped their wet tears down our backs as we hiked full of care-free joy towards the base of the mountain. The streams and rivers did not seem overly swollen from the last day and a half of rain, I wasn't sure if we had any water crossings, but was thankful all the same that they weren't in flood stage! The trail traced close to the banks of the river at some points.<br />
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Soon, through a break in the trees, we saw where our path was to take us. The easy jaunt through the lowlands about to end. We began climbing stone stairs, and the rain started to fall softly again. I put on the hood of the Packa, but stayed unzipped to keep heat exhaustion at bay. As we ascend and the air got colder the coat came on and I stayed both dry and warm.<br />
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As we neared tree-line the conditions worsened, the rain picked up, and we had to cross the river a time or two. The river crossings were harrowing, and would have forced us to turn back had there been more water. On top of slick rocks a few yards from a waterfall that fell down the side of the tallest mountain in the northeast, the trail precariously crossed these slightly swollen waters. This could be deadly in worse conditions.<br />
Up we climbed and clambered. The trail crossing steep slick rocks, the trees becoming stunted and gnarled. We were in the rain clouds now. The wind picked up and started to swirl, sometimes those raindrops sounded a bit... heavy, more like ice than water. The clouds blew back and snow fields were visible as the trees finally gave up.<br />
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Up and up more. The wind picking up, the rain blowing in, over, under. My glasses making everything a blur, and the clouds obscuring everything beyond a couple hundred feet anyway. But, even in these conditions and under this strain, beauty stood out. Tiny alpine flowers, surrounded by a carpet of green moss hung on and thrived. The disparity of the wind-swept landscape to the micro-communities that stood hidden in plain sight belied the strength of life, and the beauty in the small things.<br />
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Not knowing how much further to the top of this hill, we continued to strain upwards. And there! A roof line! A shelter from the storm, a place to shed wet raincoats, if only briefly: <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakes_of_the_Clouds" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Lakes of the Clouds">Lake of the Clouds</a> AMC Hut. We stumbled around the corner, threw open the door and came in to applause of the guests riding out the storm inside the warm comfort. The Croo hostess said, "Are you checking in? We have spots available." My gut instinct after being mauled by the elements while pulling myself hand-over-hand up the side of a steep mountain was to say, "Why yes I am checking in. I would love nothing more than to pay $125 to sleep on a wooden bunk!" Instead, after making eye-contact with Flip, I said, "Give me a minute to decide." So we ordered a bowl of warm soup, sat at the table and unwound. We dripped a bit dryer and the memories and shock of the vicious wind and pelting rain faded. After consulting the map, our watches, and each other, we decided to push on. We also decided to save the summit of Washington for another day, this wouldn't be a good one to be up there.<br />
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I will not rant about the AMC. I can say that the oasis of calm and brief respite was welcomed. The prices were high, but the people were kind. We chose not to pay for the luxury, but the fact that the Huts exist enable those that would not otherwise be able to see the grandeur and beauty of the White Mountains to experience it in slight comfort.<br />
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We put back on our packs and braced ourselves for another onslaught. We were surprised and hesitantly elated that the rain had died down. We headed south on the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Appalachian Trail">Appalachian Trail</a> towards Nauman Campsite ~4 miles distant. The wind blew fiercely and then calmed. The clouds seemed to be thinning, only over us though. Suddenly: SUN! BLUESKY! What a treat. We were able to walk on this ridge top, this spine-of-the-world, with a circle of clouds obscuring the far views, but allowing us some sun light and some views of the mountains we trod upon. We even captured a glimpse of the Washington Hotel surrounded by its golf course down in the valley below.</div>
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We started descending into the woods again, back into the damp. Was it raining again or was that just dripping from the trees? Maybe a bit of both. On our descent we spotted a lynx flash across the trail and then we peered at each other before she gracefully disappeared into the thick sub-alpine woods. We arrived at the next Hut and the hostess ignored us as we walked in, continuing to cut up pieces of paper with her Swiss Army knife. There must not have been any room or other reservations coming in that evening so the pleasantries could be dispensed with. I enquired if this is where we checked in for the adjacent campsite. No, there is a specific campsite host in a tent. We walked over to the campsite and spoke with Dillon, the campsite host. He said he'd never stayed in a Hut, but they were real nice, they even let him come over the night before and hangout since they only had two guests. So the AMC hires a completely different host that must sleep in a tent, literally 50 feet from the Hut. That makes such little sense that I am boggled. We asked if it might be alright if we went up there to prepare our dinner out of the rain instead of inside our tent. He had no idea, he didn't really talk to them, but it might be worth asking. They did have a lot of guests though. Rather than being looked down upon like the homeless tent campers begging for scraps we prepared our meal at the tent.<br />
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The next day dawned not bright but rainy. It had began raining in earnest over night and continued unrelenting as we broke camp as quickly as possible, trying to keep as much of our gear as dry as possible. We hiked out into the rainy morning with hopes it would stop any second now. The forecast said, "Chance of Showers" this day and "Chance of Showers" for the following 2 days. There was no chance, it rained continuously. At times it slowed, but then picked up. The bogs seemed to mirror our wet mood.<br />
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Crossing over Webster Cliffs and bookended mountains we were blown about. As we descended Webster we got quiet. Thirty minutes of inner thoughts, just struggling not to fall down the rain-soaked rocks and slabs we both said what we were thinking, "Why are we doing this?". We are seeing no views, we are not enjoying any of this, we are endangering our bodies unnecessarily. We both knew if we continued on to the next Hut and began setting up a wet saturated tent and peeling off wet socks and shaking out wet rain coats, that we would not be able to resist the Sirens call. We would pay the $125, or $500 if they asked it of us, to stay in the Hut. The forecast for the following day was the same as this day, so would we wake to more pattering rain? Another all day slog through puddles and down wet rocks.<br />
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We each fell on several occasions. I wasn't hiking the AT anymore. I wasn't doing this to prove something. I was doing this for enjoyment. And my saturation level surpassed my enjoyment! We decided we would go back to<a href="http://lovettsinn.com/" target="_blank"> Lovetts Inn</a>, we would dry off and we would day hike the following day, rain or shine. Having a dry place to go to makes all the difference in the world. When I hiked the AT and there were days like that, I often found a way to be in a dry room. A wet miserable day drove me to Great Barrington to pay $250 for a bad room.<br />
We finished our tumbles down Webster Cliffs (there might be nice views, but I can't tell you that for a fact!) and came to Crawford Notch. I had no cell service, which I knew was going to happen from previous research in the area. It had been raining too hard up top to get the phone out or take the pack off. I knew there was a shuttle service, and hoped there would be one coming soon. Otherwise a 4 mile walk up the road to the Highlands Lodge was in store for us. But I was completely prepared for that, It's happened before! The shuttle schedule had a shuttle visiting this spot twice daily. One of those times in 30 minutes! How fortunate. Of course, in typical <a href="http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?9373-appalachian-money-club-huts-pricey-how-come/page9" target="_blank">AMC</a> fashion, those four miles was going to cost us $10 each! But we paid. And we got to the Taj of Huts. More like one of the resort areas in the Shenandoah. Outside people played bocce ball in the rain, knowing a warm shower was only a few feet away. We used the 4G service to call Jim and he drove the 20 minutes over to pick the up the drowned hikers.<br />
That night we celebrated! Alive and warm! A semi-successful hike. Under the circumstance we made the right call. The Whites will wait. The day will come that they will be enjoyed, not slogged through.<br />
The following day we decided to hike the crown jewel of the White Mountains: Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge. The day began sunny and nearly cloud-free. What?! Same exact forecast as the preceding day. If I've learned anything it is to completely ignore the forecast for this region of the world, because it's wrong. This valley might have a totally different weather than that one. We packed up our gear and drove over to the bottom of the Old Carriage Trail, we made the steep climb up Lafayette, rock scrambling up steps and rock faces. Our light day packs enabling us to bound up the mountain, light on our feet and energetic. Views became apparent behind us and we could see for miles. What a difference a day makes. Clouds rolled in but stayed far aloft, leaving our views unscathed. In a short amount of time we came upon Greenleaf Hut. A very nicely situated hut nestled on the shoulder below the treeline of Lafayette by a mountain tarn.<br />
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We ate lunch here and let our sweaty backs dry before gaining more elevation and a lower temperature. The last mile was a few thousand steps, above treeline, the views are amazing, the hard granite wall rising above to envelope the sky in front. We reached the summit and had panoramic views all around us. A valley that looks untouched by the influence of man, the road in the Notch a thread hardly visible. Franconia Ridge looked like a shark fin breaching the waters of a green ocean, our path evident down the ridgeline. This bit of trail is on many of the best hikes lists, and again and again showcased in Backpacker Magazine. I agree with this. This was an amazing hike. Views draw your eyes up and outward from yourself. Consciousness expands with the views. There are other places like this on the AT, but the others aren't so accessible. Saddleback Range in Maine is as good, if not better. Katahdin is similar as well as Avery Peak also in Maine. Big Hump and Little Hump in Tennessee is incredible, but in a different way.<br />
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We traversed the Ridge and began down the Falling Waters Trail. Uneventful and easy descent over rocks and down stairs lead to an unexpected series of waterfalls. Of course, with a name like "Falling Waters" I assumed there would be waterfalls, but I wasn't expecting as nice or spectacular of falls. We crossed and recrossed the river multiple times, avoiding wet feet - barely! A very spectacular ending to an awesome 7 mile hike. After the falls the trail leveled out and we quickly made our way back to the car.<br />
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Songbird called and told me she had to hide from a<a href="http://www.somdnews.com/article/20130619/NaEWS/130619158/1074/second-tornado-strikes-st-mary-x2019-s-in-week&template=southernMaryland" target="_blank"> tornado </a>while at work. She came home to the majority of the big old maple in the backyard no longer standing. The house was not damaged fortunately, but the trees were a mess. I made the call that I needed to come home and clean this mess up before heading back to work, so we had to leave a day early from the New Hampshire adventure. We've a score to settle NH, I'm GOING to <u>enjoy</u> every bit of trails you've got to offer!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaya is impressed, as am I!!</td></tr>
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-1964758746488627742013-06-09T11:03:00.000-04:002013-06-09T11:03:20.422-04:00Gear Talk - Three Categories<div class="MsoNormal">
I was on a plane going to Puerto Rico reading Backpacker magazine and it got me thinking about gear
again. They are a mag to promote and sell gear, some of their reviews are
succinct and ring true, while others are very obviously paid promo bordering on
propaganda!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The following concerns my experience, my own personal rules
and what works best for me. Of course I've said things before and changed
drastically once I find something better or more suitable, so this is an ever
evolving line of reasoning, but at this point it is fairly well refined due to
experience and variety.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Gear</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Less is more. The less I have the better the trip. I can
honestly say I've never thought to myself, “I should've brought that piece of
gear”; this, of course, excludes gear I've <b>forgotten
</b>to bring (not having an eating utensil or TP is a drag)! And many times that I go
backpacking I think, “I haven't used this, why am I carrying it”. There are
three categories of gear. The Sleep System includes tarp, hammock, pad, and
sleeping blanket. The Kitchen includes stove, cooking system, water bottles,
and food. Lastly, the Weather Protection includes clothing and rain gear. I
don’t include the pack as it is just a pack. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of the above gear with five days of food fit into the
Osprey Talon 44L pack. That is considered just above a day pack size. I have
found it to be more than adequate even for winter gear. I would like to
eventually try out one of the UL frameless packs with integrated padding/ground
pad, just seems like a marvelous option and perfect for the hammock as an
insulation barrier not as padding (since padding isn’t needed in the hammock).
Why 75+L packs exist, I can only fathom. There are such a small case of use
scenarios and so many more weekend backpackers there should be way more options
for Lite, UL, and SUL than there are in stores (REI, I’m looking at you). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Sleeping</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I’ve said probably way too much before, hammocks are the
way to go when solo. I can understand a tent when: on the west coast, when
hiking as a couple and you want some privacy, and (as is the case for me next
week) hiking in the White Mountains. And those aren’t really good reasons, all
the draw-backs of tents are still experienced, just un-avoidable. Sleeping on
the ground sucks. Puddles form, roots and rocks emerge, hills and flats both
have disadvantages. To all those still crawling on the ground, go get a Byers
Hammock with mosquito net a lite weight tarp and spend a few nights in a
hammock. If you don’t like it return it. But there’s a good chance you’ll be
returning the tent or the bivy instead. My hammock weighs less than a pound, my
tarp weighs less than a pound and I’m way more comfortable and actually DRY
when it pours for 12 hours. I just can’t advocate enough for this.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Kitchen</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I always thought going cold was crazy, but I’m leaning more
and more that way. I’ll need to go out a few more times and try it out. Though
not like last time where I went with others that DID have stoves. That’s just
called mooching… which is a really great way to go UL, but not satisfying at
all. Currently, and throughout my AT thru I carried an MSR PocketRocket, 8oz of
fuel, and an 20oz capacity aluminum cup for boiling water. That amount of fuel would last me 2 weeks minimum with hot meals every night and coffee every morning. I saw many other hikers that used Heet and alcohol stoves - they supposedly save a few ounces but the fuel is no more easily found and bought than the Iso-pro canisters used for the Pocket Rocket. The few ounces saved is lost however in that a heat shield is absolutely necessary, you must be very exacting on how much fuel you're going to use to cook with - you must let it burn out on its own so you can't pour the unused fuel back and you might not get a boil with what you've got and need to start over. Also they tend to explode. A lot. There is no flame regulation, it is all on or all off, simmering is impossible.And the last drawback, as if the exploding and loss of eyebrows weren't enough, they tend to blacken your pot, so it either needs to be cleaned thoroughly, put in a bag, or it gets carbon all over. The idea of turning a soda can into a stove is neat, but in reality I would advise against it!<br />
<br />
Concerning camp cooking, dirty
dishes are extremely over rated! If at all possible dirty dishes should never
exist, and if they happen to, swishing water and drinking the food remnants should
be the absolute extent of it. Most of my dinners on the trail were in boil bags
and eaten directly from them. Coffee in the morning is really the reason I’ve
not gone completely cold and ditched the stove, I enjoy warm morning coffee
more than a hot dinner! I found the best things to “cook” were pre-cooked
rices, couscous, mashed potatoes, ramen noodles and Backpacker Pantry meals (an
expensive luxury). All these meals needed only heated water. I would add a
protein, beef jerky, salami, tuna and maybe a bouillon cube for flavor and
salt. A raw onion is worth carrying I found to add variety to dinner and lunch.
To go cold I would just double what was for lunch and be done with it. Lunch
consisted of bagels, wraps, and flat bread stuffed with peanut butter, tuna,
onion, crasins, fruit snacks, cheese, beef jerky, pepperoni, and whatever else
was in my pack! Lunch was by far my favorite meal of the day – easy cheesy. Oh
and a bag of salty snack, like Cheezit, was perfect to munch on throughout the
day. Breakfast was bagels cream cheese (easily lasted 4 or 5 days even in July)
and then cereal bars, protein bars, and a protein shake. I should add, on a thru
hike you aren’t eating enough calories. You can’t. I had to supplement with powdered
shakes: carnation Instant Breakfast, Slimfast, AND GNC weight-gain 9000. Having
one with every meal was what it took for me to break even and stop losing
weight. Obviously on weekend or even week-long trips this is totally unneeded.
Referencing back to BackPacker Magazine, they have cuisine options, normally
consisting of doing stuff at home and bringing it along. It fills pages, and I
guess some people might go down that path. The rest of us (especially
thru-hikers) need to walk into a grocery store or even a gas station and be
able to get enough food to hike for 5 days. It’s easy once you pick your way
carefully through the really really empty calorie junk food and find some gems.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Weather Protection</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Protecting yourself from the elements includes clothing and
poncho. One must carefully consider the worst case scenario and pack for that.
While hiking the AT I was able to get away with the clothes I had on, a
base-layer long sleeve shirt, an extra pair of socks, and rain gear (JUST the
<a href="http://www.thepacka.com/" target="_blank">Packa</a>, rain pants are beyond useless). This was only in the summer, at the
bookends of the trip I had a down vest to wear in camp, a fuzzy hat, and a
wind-breaker. I never felt in need of more, I was never hypothermic or even
close. The <a href="http://www.thepacka.com/" target="_blank">Packa</a> is the best rain gear on the market and, like hammocking, I
won’t shut up about! The<a href="http://www.thepacka.com/" target="_blank"> Packa</a> covers both pack and body, like a large poncho
except it has pit-zips, a zipper down the front, a flap on the back to sit on,
a pocket, and a brim on the hood. The really expensive rain gear on the market
is all but useless. If a summer shower threatens you must drop your backpack,
pull out your rain jacket, pull out your rain pants, struggle into them as the
rain looms and the thunder rumbles, lastly you put on the pack cover and re-don
the pack. You begin hiking again and immediately start sweating profusely.
Turns out the storm passes and doesn’t drop a drip. You stop to take off the
rain jacket and rain pants because you are dying of heat exhaustion, you
sweated enough that had it rained and you had put no rain protection on you may
have been drier! After putting the rain jacket and pants away the sky
unexpected opens up anyway. Cheers to misery! Hope you like it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the <a href="http://www.thepacka.com/" target="_blank">Packa</a> you put it on as a pack cover in the morning
(in the summer with afternoon storms, it’s just a given). As you hike thunder
rumbles and it looks like rain. Without breaking stride you pull the sleeves
and hood out but don’t put them on yet. They hang like a cape around you making
you feel totally bad-ass, like Strider (before you came to know him as Aragorn)
from Fellowship of the Ring. Oh, the storm passed without shedding a tear? I’m
still comfy and still hiking along. What’s that, it decided to rain anyway? The
hood and sleeves are on and zipped in seconds, again without breaking stride.
There’s no reason that this isn’t the de facto standard except people just
don’t know about it!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iJLFa_L3spk/T_fHB_UHdpI/AAAAAAAAXXY/uANmdr88Y6s/s1600/P1030402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iJLFa_L3spk/T_fHB_UHdpI/AAAAAAAAXXY/uANmdr88Y6s/s320/P1030402.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing the Packa in theHighlands</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I’ve nothing to say about boots except for, “Find what fits you best”. If
you’re getting blisters, change them out. If you’re getting shin splints or
planar faceitous try high support inserts. I know people that hiked thousands
of miles in Dollar Store sneakers, and I was quite comfortable in BackPacker
Mag Editors Choice Salewa boots too – it’s all about preference. (as a side
note, my Salewas lasted from Springer to Delaware Water Gap and I miss them).<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have also wasted money on pointless items that seemed like
good ideas. REI is full of that stuff. Some of the things that stand out that
are crap for Long Distance Hiking include: collapsible buckets, water
filtration pumps, UV light Steripen, Crocs, Platypus water bladders, contact
lens, solar chargers, TENTS, binoculars, Nalgen bottles, toilette trowels,
extendable hot dog forks, a change of clothes “town clothing”, and a full
length sleeping pad. There are stories, experiences, and reasoning behind each
of those. <o:p></o:p></div>
Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-67572571114057044422013-05-12T09:32:00.000-04:002013-05-12T09:32:32.096-04:00Creating a Virtual Distributed Switch on vSphere 5.1I was working last week and had to work through the steps to make a vDS in vCenter. I went through the steps like the system was a live production system though only the virtualized vCenter server was on the 2 server datacenter.<br />
<br />
The steps aren't linear, and there needs to be a little more polishing on the wizard on VMware's part. For posterity I'd like to toss this out there for anyone that might be struggling with the process.<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Virtual Distributed
Switch Configuration</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Scope:</b> This document will explain the process of installing
a virtual distributed switch in a vCenter 5.1 infrastructure environment. This
document will then go on to explain how to convert from a Standard switch
environment to a Distributed Switch environment on a live production network.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Prerequisites:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->vCenter installed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->2 NICs per switch (for live migration)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->vLAN and IP information<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
S <b> Site Setup:</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
k The site has 4 Standard Virtual Switches: Management, Storage, Data, and vMotion. The Storage Standard Switch has two <b>vmk</b> connections<a href="http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/vmware-multipathing-configuration-software-iSCSI-port-binding.pdf" target="_blank"> to enable fail-over for software iSCSI</a>. I left the Management on a Standard Virtual Switch and migrated all others.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
I used this YouTube video to understand the concepts of the Virtual Distributed Switch:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/a9tOtYow0HE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> <b>
</b></span><!--[endif]--><b>Steps to create a Virtual Distributed Switch:</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right-click on the DataCenter where the vDS is
to be created<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Use the latest version available. Next.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->General Properties<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level3 lfo2; mso-text-indent-alt: -9.0pt; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>i.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Name the switch<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level3 lfo2; mso-text-indent-alt: -9.0pt; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>ii.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Add the number of Uplink ports (think each of
these as the number of physical ports each ESXi host has – 6 for the example
below)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level3 lfo2; mso-text-indent-alt: -9.0pt; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>iii.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->e.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Toggle to ‘add hosts later’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->f.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Next and Finish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
g. Right click on the newly created vDS and edit setting.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
h. To the right of the 'Number of Uplinks' there is a 'Rename Uplinks' click</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
i. Rename the Uplinks Storage1 and Storage 2, Data 1 and data 2, vmotion 1 and vmotion 2. This ensures that the correct dvuplinks are paired to the correct port groups.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Process to Migrate
switching from Standard Switching to Distributed Switching on a live
environment with no down-time:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> <b>
</b></span><!--[endif]--><b>For vMotion (both NICs at once no current vmotion operations)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create a vmotion Distributed Port Group by:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; mso-text-indent-alt: -9.0pt; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>i.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right click the Distributed Switch and Add a New
port Group<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right Click on vmotion and ‘Edit Settings’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Teaming and Failover’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->e.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Move all Uplinks to ‘Unused’ except vmotion1 and
vmtion2<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->f.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->ok<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->g.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking, right click
vDS and ‘Manage Hosts’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->h.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Check which ESX server you want to move NICs
from. Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->i.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click on the 2 vMotion NICs Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->j.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Migrate the vMotion vmk to the correct port
group Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->k.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->l.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Finish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->m.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters
Configuration, Networking, Distributed Swtich<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->n.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Manage Physical NICs…’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->o.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Remove them from the dvuplink if they are
incorrect and place them appropriately <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
p. Ok</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> <b>
</b></span><!--[endif]--><b>For Data (one NIC at a time already connected)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create a Data Distributed Port Group by:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; mso-text-indent-alt: -9.0pt; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>i.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right click the Distributed Switch and Add a New
port Group<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right Click on Data and ‘Edit Settings’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Teaming and Failover’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->e.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Move all Uplinks to ‘Unused’ except Data1 and
Data2<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->f.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->ok<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->g.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking, right click
vDS and ‘Manage Hosts’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->h.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Check which ESX server you want to move the NIC
from. Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->i.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click on the second NIC Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->j.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Migrate nothing Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->k.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->l.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Finish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->m.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters
Configuration, Networking, Distributed Switch<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->n.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Manage Physical NICs…’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->o.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Remove it from the dvuplink if it is
incorrect and place it appropriately<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->p.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters
Configuration<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->q.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to the virtual machine<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->r.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Edit Setting’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->s.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Edit the NIC to point to the dv switch. Ok.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->t.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking, right click
vDS and ‘Manage Hosts’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->u.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Check which ESX server you want to move the NIC
from. Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->v.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click on the first NIC Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->w.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Migrate nothing Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->x.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->y.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Finish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->z.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters
Configuration, Networking, Distributed Swtich<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->aa.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Manage Physical NICs…’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->bb.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Remove
them from the dvuplink where if it is incorrect and place it appropriately<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>For iSCSI software adapter with fail-over (one
NIC at a time already connected)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create two Distributed
Port Groups, <o:p></o:p>Storage1 and a Storage2</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; mso-text-indent-alt: -9.0pt; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>i.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right click the Distributed Switch and Add a New
port Group for each<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right Click on Storage1 and ‘Edit Settings’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Teaming and Failover’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->e.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Move all Uplinks to ‘Unused’ except Storage1<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->f. Repeat steps c -e on Storage2<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->g.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters ESXi
host Configuration/Storage Adapters<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->h.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right click on vmhba32 iSCSI Software adapter
and Properties…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->i.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to the ‘Network Configuration’ Tab and remove
one of the Storage Port Binding Storage2<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->j.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters ESXi
host Configuration /Networking/vSphere Standard Switch<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->k.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Under Properties of the Storage switch remove
the Storage 2 NIC from ‘Network Adapters’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->l.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Networking<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->m.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right click the Distributed Switch and ‘Manage
Hosts’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->n.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Check the one you’ll be working with Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->o.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Select the physical adapter for Storage2 that
you just unassigned Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->p.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Pick the vmk that was attached to the Storage2,
use the drop down list to pick the Storage2 Destination Port Group. Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->q.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Next<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->r.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Finish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->s.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters
Configuration, Networking, Distributed Switch<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->t.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Click ‘Manage Physical NICs…’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->u.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Remove it from the dvuplink if it is
incorrect and place it appropriately<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->v.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to Inventory/Host and Clusters ESXi
host Configuration/Storage Adapters<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->w.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Right click on vmhba32 iSCSI Software adapter
and Properties…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->x.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Navigate to the ‘Network Configuration’ Tab and
add the Storage2 to Storage Port Binding – ensure it is ‘Compliant’. Ok to
re-scan<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->y.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Repeat from Step G – X to Storage1 to ensure no
down time of storage<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=3b345b93-f226-4b41-b396-f1db106be763" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>
Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-82483135611445856892013-05-12T09:03:00.001-04:002013-05-13T09:51:18.104-04:00HobbiesHere There and Everywhere sometimes describes my thought stream.<br />
<br />
We all define ourselves by what we do.<br />
<br />
It takes a lifetime to really find out everything about ourselves. And as we progress we pick up habits and hobbies that define who we are. These change as we mature and grow.<br />
<br />
When I'm not hiking, backpacking, traveling, and working I have actually begun to do some constructive activities. Not so long ago, when I had downtime I would try to fill it with something just to fill it - either television or video games or reading - all the activities that produce nothing (granted they can produce something personal, education or dexterity, perhaps). Recently though, since being in my first truly meaningful relationship (all others before were like watching TV or playing video games, sometimes entertaining and occasionally educational but time wasters for all intents and purposes!) I have begun growing and doing meaningful activities.<br />
<br />
It began with no longer renting. My fiance owns her house. There are things to be done, to improve the house and things to do to keep the house running. Mowing the lawn, fixing a leak, re-running out of code wiring, changing a light switch. There's also the big projects that are gratifying too - assisting with putting in a closet, renovating the kitchen, laying hardwood. The sum of these things is pride. Pride in the work that it took, pride in knowing we're capable, and pride in the improving house around us. The chores of mowing the lawn, putting mulch in the flower beds, planting flowers and trees are all gratifying too. Pulling up to a house knowing the time spent to make it look the way it does is very personally gratifying.<br />
<br />
So now in my downtime, I'm not just trying to fill the space until the next event. I am trying to be a producer of things, no longer just a consumer of things.<br />
<br />
<b>Beer</b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vf1Liwy7sf0/UY6KB4DjEOI/AAAAAAAAeGk/jDE09Ad_gDQ/s1600/20130511_141023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vf1Liwy7sf0/UY6KB4DjEOI/AAAAAAAAeGk/jDE09Ad_gDQ/s320/20130511_141023.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
I began brewing my own beer. I am producing something (for me to consume, true). And it's nice to be able to make something and then enjoy the fruits of your labor and time waiting on it to be ready. I've only brewed 7 batches so I'm still very "young" in the process, but I like the process, I like the beer I've made so far, and I love sharing it with others.<br />
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The process is relaxing and habitual; wash the bottles, sanitize the equipment, brew the beer, move the the secondary, bottle, cross-your-fingers, wait.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNG4m-Uv1WdJtlAZlWArHRAxE_Ec2SksqjYedP82d5FGWO-TyoK-jgochEWrH8-6BBB2dMAnw0yJtAEbp24hUHv8XhU-LLgsb5oGs_Uig_PkxBiVNVP1OYN4TP_CNbiI7X6Eq85qu4BJba/s1600/2013-01-04_14-44-47_749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNG4m-Uv1WdJtlAZlWArHRAxE_Ec2SksqjYedP82d5FGWO-TyoK-jgochEWrH8-6BBB2dMAnw0yJtAEbp24hUHv8XhU-LLgsb5oGs_Uig_PkxBiVNVP1OYN4TP_CNbiI7X6Eq85qu4BJba/s320/2013-01-04_14-44-47_749.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Garden</b><br />
We've wanted a garden. But it's always been, "Next year". This year I was going to turn the soil and begin conditioning it for next. Start a compost pile this year so it will be ready "next year".<br />
So I went to Lowes to get chicken wire to make a compost bin and ended up getting enough to enclose the garden as well. One thing lead to another and I'd made a garden!<br />
<br />
I've tried to go as organic as possible. Next year it will be with my own compost. This year was more an experiment to see if we would enjoy doing it, and would stick with it throughout the summer. Again, I'm producing to consume. We've got tomatoes, potatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos, blueberries, and onions. Not bad for such a small plot! We'll see what survives.<br />
<br />
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What began as just an empty sloping piece of yard...<br />
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... soon became something I think I can be proud of and find some happiness in.<br />
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I went to Texas last week and so was gone for five days. The spring rains fell often and Cara didn't need to manually water our vegies. It was nice to see that everything had survived a week and had very much flourished too! Our thumbs are turning green-ish.<br />
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<b>Texas</b><br />
As I just mentioned I went to Texas for the week, I didn't get to see much except that Dallas and surrounding area has new construction everywhere, miles and miles and miles of it. And considering the road system they are prepared for more.<br />
I did get a chance to go to a private park (couldn't find a state park anywhere) and take a stroll. After seeing nothing but new houses in developments I really couldn't get a feel for what Texas was supposed to look like. Everything was manicured lawns, stone and brick fences, and house after same-looking house. At Hidden Cove Park I glimpsed what the state was supposed to look like. The smells were wonderful, wild flower and grass, spring, and warmth. The park had a backpacking loop with remote camping. I would have liked to spent the night under the stars in Texas. As it was I had time enough to enjoy the bird-song, the nodding wild flowers, and the warm breeze but not much more.<br />
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Hiking</h4>
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On the Trail again. I'll be heading up to the White Mountains in June. The Appalachian Trail and I have a bit of unfinished business. I'm actually grateful for it. I've been wanting to get back out and see things I've not ever seen. Flip and I will be hiking for 5 days and doing the Presidentials and a bit more. I'm very excited. </div>
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I really want to go out and do some Trail Magic, I'd like to wait for the bubble to hit MD and give out some goodies to the sweaty stanky hikers, hear some stories, and feel the Trail Culture.</div>
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I'm going to <a href="http://www.woodsholehostel.com/" target="_blank">Woods Hole Hostel</a> for my birthday. As a tourist this time. But I was in the midst of my Virginia Blues, the day before frustrated with a boring ridge walk, the day after being hot and depressed by Pearisburg. And yet the place was magic. I could feel it then. I'm excited about going back to a spot that I was down in and not being down, seeing it with wistful fresh eyes. In my mind I already miss the hike, miss the long boring ridge walks, and miss the chance to walk a 20 mile day without much difficulty!</div>
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-2259978838768378102013-04-18T10:02:00.001-04:002013-04-18T10:02:58.749-04:00Massanutten South<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tortuga, Flip, and I hiked a couple days in the Massanutten Range. We started just west of Luray and hiked back via Sticklers Knob. All-in-all a good weekend. Perfect weather, with nice day time temps and good chilly nights. I think all of us learned things this weekend, as at least I know I do everytime I go for a hike. Tortuga, as you might know, is an inexperienced backpacker. He went to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.rei.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="REI">REI</a> and got a bunch of gear and this was a test of himself and of his gear.<br />
I was testing out an upgraded sleep system, using the hammock and just a down backpacking blanket. I figured the worst that could happen is I'd shiver all night, if it got really bad I'd either move the hammock to the ground for insulation or start a fire and huddle by that. No rain was being called for so I didn't think I'd be in hypothermic danger no matter the case.<br />
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<b>Friday</b><br />
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Anthony and I met up after a half day of work. I arrived at his place close to Alexandria. He showed me his gear as he packed his new backpack. We weighed in, he at 35lbs and I at 17lbs. Obviously his pack weight needed some refinement! But as this was a learning trip, learning by doing is very important. I had given him advice on what to bring and what not to bring, I'd given him a pack list and coached him through the purchases he had made at REI. He was adamant about some things, and thought I was being silly on others.<br />
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Flip and I are a good balance. Flip also carries a light-weight pack, but he also carries damn useful things like a saw and a good camp kitchen; where-as I break sticks and eat out of a cup. I self-sump and he carries a rag to wash his dishes. I carry a gallon zip lock and he carries a collapsible Platy or two for extra water. Each of our methods are 100% correct... for us. So with this mentorship Tortuga can see two sides and decide for himself.<br />
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T and I got in the car and drove out towards Luray via 66 thru Front Royal and south on 340. We stopped at the grocery store and picked up some snacks prior to heading to the parking lot. We started hiking right at 5pm. Plenty of daylight left this time of year to make a couple miles from the road and find or make a campsite and wait for Flip (arriving a bit later).<br />
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We ascend the forest road Massanutten Connector trail, talking and enjoying the day. We talked of gear and other trails we'd like to do in the future, of our lives and wives (in his case) and future wives (in my case). The sun slanted golden beams on the Trail before us, the trees still barren of leaves, but springs pulse quickening around us. We kept our eyes open for a likely spot but saw none for awhile, up over a hill and down a steep descent took us to the sound of water in a valley and the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massanutten_Trail" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Massanutten Trail">Massanutten Trail</a> going East and West from where we stood. Since Flip would likely be coming in in the dark I wanted a campsite on the connector trail, we turned and re-ascended the steep hillside (only about 100 yards) and dropped packs. I wanted to search the semi-level area around to find a nice camping spot. Tortugas' first stealth site!<br />
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Hammocks hold a great advantage. Had we tents, we would've been out of luck, we would've had to range further or walk miles more to find a site. I found 4 trees to hang 3 hammock. I cut some small scrubby sticks that were in the way and cleared back a spot for a campfire. I tried to follow <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.lnt.org/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Leave No Trace">Leave No Trace</a> principles, and when we left the next morning, there was no trace, so much so that on our way back I asked T where we'd camped as we hiked past and he had no idea. It <i>could</i> be because he is incredibly un-observant in the woods (we're working on that), or maybe I've mad LNT skillz.<br />
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Tortuga did a great job hanging his own hammock for the first time and putting the tarp over it. He gathered firewood and made his first fire. He broke out his camp chair and lounged comfortable. Camp chair?! Ok, so there's 1.5 lbs of that 35. I did say one comfort item. Mine is a 5oz pillow. But to each their own.<br />
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We sat around a nice campfire, listening to the woods, able to see the lights down in the valley, able to see the dark mass of Sticklers Knob hulking above us. We slipped some whiskey and waited for Flip. Flip did show up soon enough and we pitched in a hand to help set up his hammock in the dark. Our three hammock shared one tree and spoked out to three others.<br />
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After a bit more whiskey passing, cigar sharing, and chatting we called it a night and T went to hang for the premier time. I slept a bit on the chilly side, but I wasn't uncomfortable. Considering the temps dipped into the high 20's, I am absolutely thrilled about removing a pound from my pack by trading in the sleeping bag for the blanket!<br />
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<b>Saturday</b><br />
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We all awoke early, the sun was up, but not upon us. The warming rays still on the hillside far above us. I packed quickly with numb fingers and feet. Tortuga saying he couldn't feel his feet and that they were very very painful .Yup, so are ours buddy, just a joy of hiking in the cold. Best way to warm up? Get packed and start hiking! The sun finally enlivening us, we tossed on the packs, made sure the fire from the evening before was nothing but a memory, hide our existence and started hiking.<br />
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Back at the intersection of the Massanutten Trail we headed left, west and the start of the loop we were taking this weekend. Immediately we began ascending a large pile of rocks, otherwise known as a mountain. Tortuga started sweating. Wasn't he just frozen a minute ago? Oh yeah, the best way to get warm is to walk! We gained elevation on this gorgeous morning, the valley opening like a flower behind us, all it's secrets exposed. Still above us was Sticklers Knob, imagine the view from that lofty place!<br />
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Once up top we followed the ridge, views to both sides, and sights south to Waterfall Mountain and way across the valley, Shenandoah. Shenandoah with it's easy access roads, paved trails that always go down hill, and snack bars. I imagined the tourists already having paid their $25 entrance fee driving down the Skyline drive commenting on the view so easily achieved. I liked our view better. We worked for it. Some of us harder than others!<br />
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We continued and crossed over a gravel road. I thought we would dip down again, but we did not. We only ascended gently to the other ridgeline. As we hooked back north we came to an overlook. This open place looked west, over Shenandoah Valley. There snaked Rt 81. There, the tops of those mountains, is where West Virginia began. Peeking through a far pass, could that be <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.9958333333,-79.3680555556&spn=0.01,0.01&q=38.9958333333,-79.3680555556%20(Dolly%20Sods%20Wilderness)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Dolly Sods Wilderness">Dolly Sods</a>? Probably a bit too far to see.<br />
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After the picture opportunity was done we continued on. Four miles of ridge-top walking, first to the west then up and over to the east then back again. This up and down frustrated Tortuga. I've learned to not fight the Trail. It always wins. the trail traces to the west or east to (a) avoid a cliff (b) show you something cool (c) go the harder of the two ways so you don't get bored and complacent.<br />
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The four miles done, we came to a knob another 1/2 mile up the trail (an out and back). Despite Tortugas protestations Flip and I ran up with our packs thinking it would be a good lunch spot. And it was. Very pleasant in the sun to let our socks and feet dry out and snack on all our goodies. We chatted about the things people chat about while on a,mountain top and enjoyed the company of each other.<br />
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After lunch, down down down and the sun sank lower. We finally got to a water source flowing out of a spring and I gladly filled up. I could tell I was a bit behind on my water consumption as I'd been nursing the last 1/2 liter for a couple hours. We gave T lessons in wood lore, or at least tried to. We asked him, "Which way does the trail go?", "Are you sure?", "How can you tell?". We tried to impart to him the ways of not getting lost. Not just following blazes on trees but where it looked like more people had traveled, and why. I went on to explain why we were getting water from this small spring trickle rather than the larger creek in the valley floor. And much to my chagrin, but unsurprisingly, the diaper I said I'd found next to larger, close to road, water sources was there as we passed by the picnic area by the road. A good illustration to my point.<br />
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We began the slow ascent of the far ridge after the picnic area, climbing a rocky crumbly trail. Tortuga mentioned that we had trod every kind of trail he could think of. Muddy, rocky, sandy, flat, steep. Not my intention, but it works to teach! The afternoon wore on and still we climbed; not steeply and not a difficult trail, but Tortuga was weary. Flip and I hiking ahead and then waiting for Mr. Slow-and-Steady to catch up. To the top of the ridge and immediately we dropped over the other side. At the top T definitely didn't want to see what the overlook 1/2 mile off trail looked like and so we descended. At the bottom a sign pointed towards a camp site. Not knowing the area or where the next water source or clear-of-brush area might be we called it a day and went about making camp.<br />
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On his own, T set up his gear like an old pro. We each concerned ourselves with our own stuff and soon had a bivouac surrounding the fire pit. The fire pit had nice stone lounge chairs around it which negated the need for T's chair. He still stubbornly used it because he'd carried it all that way. He allowed Flip and I to peruse and tear down his ruck. We gave him helpful suggestions and some minor sh!t for his more fanciful carryings! The extendable hotdog forks, the snow baskets for his hiking poles, and fabric pouch that covered his water pouch, and the extra battery, cell phone charger, Android and iPhone charging cable gave us a clue as to why his pack was heavy. Flip and I are strong hikers anyway, add in a pack that was half his weight and it is completely understandable why we weren't sore or exhausted. We energetically gathered firewood and scampered around. I hope T will take our advice and sift through his pack some more!<br />
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We finished all our booze. We ate 3 dinners. We enjoyed a raging fire in the company of friends. The evening grew dark and we roasted marshmallows, T using his extend-o sticks, I a green branch. I have to admit, knowing the company I kept this trip (Flip) I brought no stove. I brought no uncooked food. I brought no cup. I was the light-weight moocher. I had enough food to not cook. I could have very easily "survived" without a hot dinner. But I also knew the preeminent trail chef in our midst would have plenty for all! I ate well and carried none. The rule is know the company you keep.<br />
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<b>Sunday</b><br />
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The night was warmer. I slept with more clothes and a hot rock from the fire, both unneeded but it's good practice. We did our morning routine of packing. Tortuga lamented about relaxing in camp in the morning, he is backpacking with the wrong guys for that! We had some miles to go and some sights to see along the way. And lunch in Front Royal.<br />
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Tortuga took his first crap in the woods.<br />
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Again we explained to him why you had to go as far from water as possible, how to dig the hole, and how to bury it. All this is intuitive to people that have pooed in the woods since we were kids - not so much to a nearly 30 year old that has not.<br />
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The trail on this side was terrible. We followed the creek toward its source, a Bobcat had been used to grade the trail leaving it a muddy mess. The condition was terrible. I'm not sure who or why this was done, but nothing done would've been much better! A few miles and complaints drifting on the wind from behind we made it to the top of the ridge and the end of the Bobcat destruction. Here lay the beginning of the ridge to Sticklers Knob. We dropped packs and Tortuga decided to stay behind. Flip and I both tried to coerce him into coming, but gracefully bowed out from the side quest.<br />
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Flip and I love side quests. They make our trips. We grabbed a few snacks and jogged down the unofficial trail to the Knob. At times rocky, but easy to follow, we made our way peering at the views to the east and west. We found several good campsites, each better than the last. And the last really was amazing. A small 2 person tent would fit and that is all. The firepit on top of a cliff and truly spectacular view of the valley and the Shenandoah Mountains to the east. A few tenths beyond we scrambled up to the Knob. We got sweeping 360 views and we even found a Geocache! Experience points gained, side quest done, we headed back so T wouldn't feel abandoned and we could explain to him on why he should've come with us.<br />
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Our packs lay in the trail. No sign of a Tortuga in any direction. We guessed he must've got impatient and started heading back towards the car. We hoped. Ten minutes later he must have remembered and scratched his initials and an arrow into the dirt. Confirmation that a pack of raptors hadn't carried him off was good. After a bit we caught up with our quarry and he explained he wanted to test his skills. He survived and was happy for it.<br />
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The next few miles were all down hill, side slabbing up above a stream before crossing and re-crossing it to get back to the Massanutten Connector Trail that lead back to our cars and civilization. Hours after getting home Tortuga (now Anthony again) sent me a picture of a pile of stuff he wouldn't be carrying next time! The man learns! He's no longer a noob and will not treat him as such. The lessons are over and now he makes his own calls on what to carry and what not to carry. No longer an amatuer he must make his own way.<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-48631085102268565512013-04-02T12:27:00.000-04:002013-04-07T20:50:37.455-04:00Light weight backpackingI'm not sure when it happened. I'm sure over the course of last years <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Appalachian Trail">Appalachian Trail</a> thru hike I certainly enjoyed a light pack. I remember hiking from Tinker Cliffs to Daleville with 1/2 a days food, with a wonderfully empty my pack!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n3grJtsPEnM/T_fE1YnhDNI/AAAAAAAAY5c/i6kwAKX3PV0/s1600/P1030384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n3grJtsPEnM/T_fE1YnhDNI/AAAAAAAAY5c/i6kwAKX3PV0/s320/P1030384.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That pack looks small, but that's the 58L, I soon got a 44L and still had room in it.</td></tr>
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Since getting back I've only been backpacking once - a fact which I plan on remedying - and on that trip to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massanutten_Mountain" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Massanutten Mountain">Massanutten</a> I took the top flap off the Osprey Talon 44 and still had room.<br />
Over the course of the last few months I've made a few low cost purchases to reduce weight. I refuse to pay $100's per ounce to lighten my pack by grams. I refuse to count grams. I don't have that kind of disposable income for one thing, and even if I did I would rather buy plane tickets with that money! That being said, you can later call me a gram weanie for the few ounces I am saving!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zSIUs48dvHs/T_fb-hEu8gI/AAAAAAAAXp4/EZgzS5vL43Q/s1600/P1030524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zSIUs48dvHs/T_fb-hEu8gI/AAAAAAAAXp4/EZgzS5vL43Q/s320/P1030524.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Diamond tarp shelter prior to hammock hanging. After it looks similar, but for the hammock under it!</td></tr>
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I replaced my carabiners for a lighter pair. The other ones that came with my old hammock are heavy. They clunked and weighed the whole setup down. I don't have a postal scale, but I probably saved 8 oz or something to the new climbing 'beaners I purchased. I used part of a gift card I got for Christmas so the net cost of this purchase was $0!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H3jUAZq_9RI/T_fmTGhMmWI/AAAAAAAAXzI/-3LSiGUnlHw/s1600/P1030587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H3jUAZq_9RI/T_fmTGhMmWI/AAAAAAAAXzI/-3LSiGUnlHw/s320/P1030587.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hair weighed too much and wasn't dual use so I cut it off</td></tr>
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Next I purchased a Therm-a-Rest Alpine Down Blanket. It's basically a down blanket with a foot box completely eliminating the zipper, bottom of the 'sleeping bag'. My winter bag (the Grouse Mountain) doesn't have stuffing on the bottom to eliminate weight, this goes a step further and totally eliminate the zipper, hood, bottom of the bag. It is rated for 35 degrees but the reviews say more like 45 degree. I figure since drafts can happen and you aren't building the encapsulated layer of body heat it is more a spring/summer/fall bag. But it is only just over a pound - a full TWO pounds lighter, and much less bulkier than the Grouse Mountain. I used the remaining gift card and my dividends and bought the Alpine Down Blanket for $40 with an in-store pickup so I incur no shipping charges. Not a bad cost to reduce my bag by 2 pounds!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmVUAGyJAz0/UE9sPGh2ShI/AAAAAAAAY9A/4XsrHwMa3Tw/s1600/P1030794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rmVUAGyJAz0/UE9sPGh2ShI/AAAAAAAAY9A/4XsrHwMa3Tw/s320/P1030794.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going through the 'Lemon Squeezer' with my pack on - a testament to how small it got!</td></tr>
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I weighed my gear as I was packing for this upcoming weekend hiking in southern Massanutten and my base weight is 11 pounds 12 ounces. Add 2 liters of water and a couple days of food and it'll still be under 20 lbs. That's impressive. And I don't feel like I am doing with out. I don't feel like I'm skimping or cutting corners. I have all the essentials, plus a pillow, first aid, camera, extra battery. I don't know when exactly it happened but I'm bordering on UL.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VKtFZMaw4EQ/UE97HWLpBNI/AAAAAAAAYzA/72S6AGuuQTA/s1600/P1030995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VKtFZMaw4EQ/UE97HWLpBNI/AAAAAAAAYzA/72S6AGuuQTA/s320/P1030995.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descending Big K with day packs, not carrying all that jazz up a hill and back down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For the trip coming up I could plan on going without a stove as well, try out the "cold" method. I would leave home the aluminum cup, MSR Pocket Rocket, fuel, and cooking utensil. This would save another pound and a half or two. I plan on having a campfire, over which I could easily roast some summer sausage. My biggest regret with this would not be having coffee in the morning or Sleepy Time Tea in the evening. For a weekend of roughing it I suppose I could forgo these small pleasures, but on any kind of thru the pleasure of something warm out-weighs (pun intended!) the extra weight.<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-1418935082962898302013-03-27T13:40:00.002-04:002013-03-27T13:42:22.258-04:00I've been everywhere, man<br />
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<b>The number of places visited doesn't give one self-worth. What is done at those places, however, could.</b></div>
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I have traveled a large bit of the country in the past week
and a half. I put one thousand miles on the first rental car. I slept in all of
the continental United States time zones in five nights. I hiked in soft
falling snow, looked out across the remnants of an in-land sea, felt the dry
breath of a red desert, looked down upon a city of lights hopes and sorrows,
and stayed in the same city in two states. It’s been an eventful couple weeks,
to be sure, but not at home and not with my love. The good and the bad of
traveling for work – I’m getting to see the country and do things far from
home, but I’m doing it for a company first and foremost and fitting in bits
and pieces of things I enjoy around that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NeezyX_-4ms/UUpnsG_LWqI/AAAAAAAAckE/3lQcbHS0blU/s1600/100_5643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NeezyX_-4ms/UUpnsG_LWqI/AAAAAAAAckE/3lQcbHS0blU/s320/100_5643.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Act One</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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SLC (punk)<o:p></o:p></div>
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A coworker and I arrived in Utah separately. I had a few
hours to while away after his flight was delayed due to a cardiac arrest of a
passenger on the flight (ekk!). I got the rental car and drove down to the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Salt_Lake" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Great Salt Lake">Great Salt
Lake</a>. I took a walk across the lake-bed to reach the water’s edge. The wind
swept cold across the landscape, reminding me that spring hadn't taken hold
yet. I watched the sun sink over the horizon, illuminating the far mountains.
Finally, silhouetted by the suns corona, the mountain peaks gave way to
darkness. I drove back, feeling hope and contentment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylfp4glCONcA5owu4fnIOUFfPqD93K0SyKVDPhr_BV7yTV7n7KpoTXvyGT9S-RDBSsJg46CQbRrOtqf1U3KriN0rvR0vraGFDbHu9-cywv5aduiD1hjPcc0TGhgs_vXi9kHFaJ8z_ZIKp/s1600/100_5594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylfp4glCONcA5owu4fnIOUFfPqD93K0SyKVDPhr_BV7yTV7n7KpoTXvyGT9S-RDBSsJg46CQbRrOtqf1U3KriN0rvR0vraGFDbHu9-cywv5aduiD1hjPcc0TGhgs_vXi9kHFaJ8z_ZIKp/s320/100_5594.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We worked efficiently over the next few days, when we got
the chance we enjoyed the area. We drove around Pineview Reservoir on a long
lunch, up through a canyon, the mountains above us still wearing white. The
high valley wreathed in white capped mountains was a world apart from the city
just below. After work one day we went out to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.9580555556,-112.207222222&spn=0.01,0.01&q=40.9580555556,-112.207222222%20(Antelope%20Island%20State%20Park)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Antelope Island State Park">Antelope Island State Park</a>, which
not many Utah natives have visited when we conducted an informal poll. The park
was gorgeous, denuded of trees, and where bison roam. I traversed 1000 feet up a
knob to get a wonderful panoramic view of much of the island. The island is
large, large enough to contain on its ridged back a spiny line of mountains
with snow at their tops. Far in the distance of my knob-top view I could see
herds of bison, a squall of rain way out over the lake, and clumps of trees
huddling around a spring like winter hikers around a campfire.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Io0jiaYaVQo/UUpnpxiSYgI/AAAAAAAAcj0/5pSlJl9wBVg/s1600/100_5640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Io0jiaYaVQo/UUpnpxiSYgI/AAAAAAAAcj0/5pSlJl9wBVg/s320/100_5640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EcQ8M8T2Z3M/UUpnkVq-BbI/AAAAAAAAcjU/GDNw_2OcuL0/s1600/100_5636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EcQ8M8T2Z3M/UUpnkVq-BbI/AAAAAAAAcjU/GDNw_2OcuL0/s320/100_5636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A herd of Bison in the distance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cameras zoom isn't that good</td></tr>
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Mike and I climbed a trail to Waterfall Canyon, where in the
deep winter ice-climbers climb. We got views down into Ogden and got close to
the feet of the looming hulks of rock that make the so impenetrable wall and
backdrop of the city. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After we had wrapped up work we stayed with Mike’s brother
that happens to live in the area. One night we stayed in Sandy, the next in St
George. On our way to Sandy we took the western route and stopped in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.6594444444,-111.499722222&spn=0.1,0.1&q=40.6594444444,-111.499722222%20(Park%20City%2C%20Utah)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Park City, Utah">Park City</a>.
The town that is a ski resort. Very posh, as one would expect from a ski
resort. Later in Sandy we took a drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Snowbird and Alta.
The change that comes with elevation has never been more dramatic. Spring owned
the valley and deep deep snow as we got close to 10,000 feet. The mountains
crowded over us and transported us to a much more northern clime. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike went with his brother the next morning to drop his
niece off at the airport. Given a couple hours I went for a hike! I arrived at
a trail head as the flurries flew. As I quickly ascended up the foothills the
snow fell and the noises of the city faded to a memory. Less than a mile from
the trailhead and I could no longer hear the hum and hiss of traffic. A small
lake lay nestled in the snow caked hills, a few itinerant ducks my only
company. I did a loop of the lake and headed back down, my tracks already gone
as I descended.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We jumped in the car and headed south.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Act Two</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Desert or Dessert?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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As we drove south the snow fell heavily, not wanting us to
make our escape. But the south won out, and the line of dark clouds stewed in
the rear view. The sun and a chill breeze broke out over the line of mountains
we followed on either side. This is BIG country in southern Utah. Big, lonesome
forgotten mountains. I stared out the window at the miles of hills, fronted by
the miles of pasture land backed up to them, I pondered when the last person
traveled up those valleys, when someone had last strode over those peaks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After some hours of driving we stopped at the western part
of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_National_Park" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Zion National Park">Zion National Park</a> and visited Kolob Canyon and the little used lookout there. There wasn't much
here, but a good start to a long hike – unfortunately not a long hike I would
be taking. I was here for the topical views, as time was of the essence. We
took our pictures and inhaled the dazzling views, but too quickly headed back
to the car. We headed around to Zion “proper”, through Springdale, and <a href="http://herenevrywhere.blogspot.com/2010/10/zion-and-bryce.html" target="_blank">familiar memories</a> (and my first blog entry). Mike and I stopped at Weeping Rock and stood beneath the dropping
drips, seeing what water and time can do. I stared up at Angels Landing,
remembering what it was like to look down from Angels Landing. But not this
time, sunlight grew short and people had to be met.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From St George we drove very briefly through Colorado and
into Nevada. From there we headed east to the Valley of Fire. We didn't have
cash and only did the short hike to Elephant Rock on the edge of the
fantastical red rocks sprouting through the desolate desert. We headed into
Lake Mead NRA and went to the lake shore. The amount of parking this place has
and the size of the boat ramp it must be a different scene when the weather is
warm! We had the place almost to ourselves, excepting some brave fisher-people
that didn't mind the 50 degree temps.</div>
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The land got almost monotonous as we continued towards
Hoover Dam. Mile after mile of desolate land, surrounded by turtle fences, and
large barren mountains. I wondered how anything could survive this harshness. At the southern end the road came close to the edge of the National Recreation Area and like a blight or an oasis (depending on your point of view) condos and green grass sprouted from the desolate land. The water that must be sprinkled to support the lush grasses surrounding the expanse of wealth must be disturbing. We neared Hoover Dam, and soon found our way past a casino and to the Dam area. The tourist flocked , in their Uggs and heels. Up stairs and ramps, cutting the other off for a good parking spot and acting generally impatient with others. Back into civilization. Back into the trap for tourists. I dutifully snapped my tourists lens and marveled at the greatness of man, better than a beaver (again depending on your point of view). We went to the gift shop and saw the stuff that people love to be owned by. The history intrigued me, but the destruction and rampant change to the environment to enable this "magnificent" testament to humanity made me wonder. This country is large enough to support it's current population without having to live in these desolate places, without having to bend the earth to our wishes while disrupting these fragile far away places.</div>
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On to Sin City. A city I've visited multiple times, and will again visit. It's mostly a hate relationship. It's a convenient place to land to go exploring the area. The city itself is depressing and at times desperate feeling. It is also a big city. From the top of the Stratosphere the views after dark were horizon to horizon human habitation. The entire town was booked, I had looked and called around to many places and everything was full. This town with 62,000 hotel rooms <b>just</b> on the Strip was fully booked. I was beginning to worry we would need to sleep in the airport. I went on Hotels.com and found a room at the Stratosphere for more than I would have liked, but Mike and I split the room the make the price as reasonable as possible.</div>
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It wasn't a late night or a Vegas night. It was a stay in a city to catch a flight the next morning. We went to the top of the tower and watched the sun go down, watched the lights come up, and drank a few over-priced brews. We walked around the casino a couple time until the beers were empty and the bed called my name. With a 6am wake-up call I wasn't interested in partying. No gambling, no debauchery, no hangover either!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gy2GFvemjPg/UU-GRWmZEII/AAAAAAAAc5Y/6BbISvLy_iw/s1600/2013-03-23_17-28-39_505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gy2GFvemjPg/UU-GRWmZEII/AAAAAAAAc5Y/6BbISvLy_iw/s320/2013-03-23_17-28-39_505.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yD5VEEfFRdI/UU-GRSU5zfI/AAAAAAAAc5Y/KG7PTpsOxEw/s1600/2013-03-23_17-30-54_390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yD5VEEfFRdI/UU-GRSU5zfI/AAAAAAAAc5Y/KG7PTpsOxEw/s320/2013-03-23_17-30-54_390.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<b>Act Three</b></div>
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<b>We're not in Kansas anymore! Oh, actually, yes, yes we are.</b></div>
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Our flight landed in Kansas City at 4pm and the cold wind cut like a knife outside the terminal. The news was saying, "Kansas City Slammed!". Not really. The roads were clear and the snow was no longer falling. After being in the west at 29 degrees and feeling not bad outside, the 34 degrees with the moist air wormed into the bones, and we hurried from car to hotel. Kansas City, KS rolls up it's sidewalks at night but we found a local Mexican joint that was out of this world!</div>
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At work the next day people from the Missouri side stated they hadn't been to KS in a long time. A mile and a half away and they had the attitude that there were flesh-eaters there, "We don't go there no more!" It was an evidently depressed economy on the KS side but I never felt threatened. Of course on the MO side we found a outside stage (were it summer it would've been rocking) and a Gordon Biersch.</div>
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After work was done I had a few hours to evaporate before the jet ride home (yay!!!!). I found a park north of Kansas City, Weston Bend State Park. The overlook viewed the Missouri River and some cornfields, the comforting sounds of an active rail system churning up from below. When in a flat state, any elevation warrants an overlook, I guess! I did a nice little 3 mile hike in the melty snow, only falling in a mud puddle a couple times (slick as goose poo that mud). Apparently birding is very prevalent here, signs littered the parks' trails explaining the tweeters that flit through the area from time to time. </div>
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And then right before I got in the car to head towards the airport an owl hooted loudly a couple times. The throaty "who" reverberating through the forest and through me. Such strong memories of being out in the woods, sleeping under tarp or tent hearing the call of the Wise Old Fellow. </div>
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<b>The Mormon Bonus</b></div>
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No story about Utah is complete without a mention of the Mormons. There is a fort, somewhere in Utah, signs for the fort are displayed along the highway, along with signs for a respite area. So lured, we parked and were open to some local history. Half way through the introductory film the nature of the place became apparent. Church of Latter Day Saints. A required tour guide, and a free gift at the end! What could it be!? A book of Mormon. As to not waste paper or plastic I declined the book and the DVD as well. So as not to offend I wore a smile and nodded in all the right places. I did not drink the Koolaid however. The sneakiness of this tactic bothered me a bit, as there was no warning until you were already firmly committed. The 'Sister' was not pushy but made you feel a bit guilty for not accepting Joe as a prophet (or is that profit?)</div>
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-8225330624077828202013-03-15T09:37:00.000-04:002013-03-15T09:37:04.387-04:00Introduction to BackpackingI have this friend, we'll cal him Tortuga, that doesn't have any experience <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backpacking_%28wilderness%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Backpacking (wilderness)">backpacking</a> but he wants to.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGUPOcOBAf1KWiE9uE81qqVD_oMzJiXu55vGb8CXiPdQ8xW7ECOHWXZrZAoiuwIh5WdjBO-npCQalMUn5EIG0vJm1FNWYVWWEApqRF7gNbXW7ftjzhCeZeg5SkkcmuAer_KCJQT-gGoG0/s1600/P1050577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGUPOcOBAf1KWiE9uE81qqVD_oMzJiXu55vGb8CXiPdQ8xW7ECOHWXZrZAoiuwIh5WdjBO-npCQalMUn5EIG0vJm1FNWYVWWEApqRF7gNbXW7ftjzhCeZeg5SkkcmuAer_KCJQT-gGoG0/s320/P1050577.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A couple Novembers ago (time flies) Flip and I took Tortuga along with another friend on his first backpacking adventure. We had him hike over <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.5518333333,-78.3145277778&spn=0.1,0.1&q=38.5518333333,-78.3145277778%20(Old%20Rag%20Mountain)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Old Rag Mountain">Old Rag</a> in full pack. Granted his pack was less than 20 lbs, but ascending and descending several thousand feet with rock scrambles and some non-technical climbing along with necessary collaborative effort stuff, really was a good test for him. He did good. We camped on the far side of Old Rag by one of the cut-off trails off the fire road.<br />
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He's hiked some more in the interim, but has not backpacked. After asking and really showing he has an interest in this sport we've finally got together and set aside time to go back out in the woods. Flip and I have not invited him on a couple trips that he and I have gone on since Tortuga doesn't have the gear or the experience to do some of the hikes Flip and I enjoy. Flip and I are also sometimes masochistic and didn't really want to have to worry about someone else's happiness when we are out hiking to<a href="http://herenevrywhere.blogspot.com/2010/12/maryland-at-year-end-adventure.html" target="_blank"> punish ourselves with glee</a>!<br />
Flip came up with a plan while he and I were <a href="http://herenevrywhere.blogspot.com/2013/01/trail-report-massanutten-north.html" target="_blank">backpacking in Massanutten</a> a few weeks ago, we would test T's resolve and get him to a level that he will enjoy trips (or not), plan them himself with or without us. He is interested in buying a new backpack, as well as some other gear, he is interested in sleeping in his own pitched tent, and cooking his own food. We want him also to be able to read a map, make a fire, and be self-reliant. Flip and I both have a high regard for the others skills and experience and know each is capable alone, but stronger together in a survival situation. We want T to not be a liability, to not need us.<br />
I will be there at REI to kind of coach him through the process, not to tell him what to buy but to tell him what a waste of money many of the items are. I'll be the Jimmine Cricket hopefully, and from all the money I've wasted on useless gear guide him to some smart choices. His desires will differ from mine, and I will try to keep that in mind. His mindset is the weekend hike. My mindset is the Long Distance Hike - and while a light pack can be appreciated by anyone, there is definitely a balance to be struck. Hiking the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Appalachian Trail">Appalachian Trail</a> is prevalent in all my thoughts about gear, I ponder the ounces that I'd like NOT to be carrying!<br />
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We are probably going back to Massanutten, and I am really looking forward to seeing some first signs of spring, hopefully they will be stirring there, at least in the valleys. Spring is here in SoMd, the first Peeppers (frogs) began singing on March 10th (in my mind that is the first day of spring), the birds are going crazy, the daffodils have sprung up through the soil, and the buds on the trees are giving the trees a reddish hue. To feel this connection to the natural world has always been so magical to me. I can feel the life-force growing and feel it's anticipation and joy that's about to burst forth across the world.<br />
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Ok, I'm definitely swerving off into the weeds that will soon be growing. Stay on topic, Johnny Walker.<br />
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Massanutten! Flip, Tortuga, and I will meet and park our cars in two different locations so we can do a straight through hike. We've not decided the route yet, but ideally something with views, good water sources, and possibly some different route options. Prior to going Flip and I want to provide T with a room of gear (besides what he buys) and let him decide what he should or shouldn't carry, this way he'll go over the lists in his mind and either carry too much and regret it on that first ascent or get into camp and realize he forgot an important item. Flip and I will be on the hike with him so he'll not be in any danger, but still will suffer the realization that not having X item is a bad thing - OR it's not actually a bad thing and is something that you just improvise to get around.<br />
Once there I want to go over the route with him on the map, hand off the map to him and let him be our guide. He will have to be aware of his surroundings, and keep distance, side trails, time, and daylight in mind. Once in camp he can start a fire and cook his own food as well. Cooking can be collaborative, as in each of us make one item for a potluck, but the actual cooking will be left to each of us.<br />
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I think he'll be better for it. He didn't have the advantage of growing up doing this. Or being in Boy Scouts. Or having parents willing to go on wilderness canoe trips for 2 weeks at a time. To feel comfortable in the woods, you've got to go through the steps. You've got to be able to take care of yourself.<br />
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This should be a fun trip to report on!<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-41775543462307067462013-03-11T09:11:00.000-04:002013-03-11T09:11:28.101-04:00A bit of hikingA couple weeks ago I had to work in West Virginia all week. Over the weekend Cara, Kaya, and I went hiking in the area.<br />
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Saturday morning we put on a few layers and went to the base of Weaverton Cliffs, the first climb in Maryland on the Appalachian Trail. Rain had been falling as we had driven to the Park'n'Ride at the base, but the rain had stopped but the day was still gray and misty. I'd been hoping for some nice views up the Potomac River to Harpers Ferry, but were not going to see any!<br />
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How different a few months can change the perspective of an area. Last time I was in Harpers Ferry, thru-hiking the AT, was last June. The temperature was over 90 before noon, now I had layers on and was glad I did while standing still. We made the short, steep, ascent up Weaverton Cliffs to the 'Blue Blaze' to the overlook, though there were no grand views, the fog ff in the valley was still pretty and made for a good back-drop for pictures.<br />
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On our way up we passed a few guys that were staying at the Ed Garvey shelter and had left their stuff there to hike a friend out before returning for the rest of the weekend. I would've liked to have been camping too, enjoying some backpacking and campfire chilling! Soon I'll get back out to make some miles.<br />
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After we stomped off the mud from our caked boots, and put the filthy beast back in the car we headed over to Harpers Ferry. We stopped at the <a href="http://www.appalachiantrail.org/" target="_blank">ATC</a> HQ to shoot the breeze with other hikers - always a treat to go in there. I found my polaroid in the album from last year, and wistfully paged through remembering faces and names of other hikers. I re-newed my membership (I had let it lapse last year on the grounds that hiking the Trail was more relevant than paying to be a member). I bought a AT hiking medallion for my walking stick, and a Christmas ornament backpack... I remember the days, not so long ago, that I would buy nothing that I couldn't eat because I would have to carry it! How the times have changed.<br />
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The following day the skies were blue and the sun was shining! We rode up towards Thurmont and went to the always popular Wolf Rock/Chimney Rock combination hike. We parked at the Catoctin ParkVisitor Center and ascended the hill. The weather was cool enough that I didn't over-heat but warm enough I could still feel my ears and fingers! Spring is in the air, nearly! I, again, looked down the 30 foot deep crevice my brother had crawled into and my Dad pulled him out with rope when we were kids - these are my roots, these are the places that have a lot of meaning to me. It was also here that I spoke to a guy that had said he had taken off of work to hike the AT, consequences be-damned. It was him saying that that lit the fire under me. It was here that the desire of a whim became concrete. I don't know who that guy was but now I can say nearly the same thing to others. I made my dream a reality.<br />
From Wolf Rock we walked over to Chimney and actually got a nice view this day! After enjoying the sun and the view our stomachs told us it was time to go! I hadn't ever done this trail as a loop and so we went down to the HQ and followed the trail next to the road. For those interested in this hike, I would say go back the way you came. The trail from the HQ to the visitor center parallels the road so it's noisy, there aren't any nice views, and it's rather rocky.<br />
Small world moment: Flip and his S.O. were on the same trail on the same day unbeknownst to the either of us! Had we turned and gone back the same way we had come in we would've run into them. I would've loved that, but alas, mere minutes separated us and it did not happen.<br />
After this Cara had to go home and I still had some daylight. What to do? More hiking, of course!<br />
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I had done some research for hikes that I hadn't done in the area and on HikingUpward.com I found the <a href="http://www.hikingupward.com/OVH/BRCES/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship</a> (or <a href="http://www.blueridgecenter.org/" target="_blank">BRCES</a>) - I saw that Microsoft had provided grant money to start the place up. I hiked around the trails on the property and would like to go back and see some more. The place seems oriented on field trips for schools, which is great. There were also some equestrian trails and a couple big fields for camping, and a lean-to type shelter as well. The property backs-up to the forest land that the AT passes through on the top of the ridge, but as far as I could determine there were no connector trails.<br />
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From here I headed back towards Martinsburg, but decided to take the Rt 9 approach so I could pass the AT one more time. And being that it was only 4 o'clock and all I had to look forward to was a hotel room, I hiked some more - yup 3 hikes in one day, it's a sickness. And at the end of this one the Trail called my name forward to re-see what was around the next bend, come see the David Lesser Shelter, sit in the swinging bench, look at the spot where your hammock hung, remember the spider web that was strung across the path and how you nearly walked into it, remember the conversations you had had with people at the shelter, and remember the cold clear water source down over the hill. I get on the Trail and these memories flood my conciseness, I remember all these details that I can barely recall normally, my mind goes back to the backpacking mentality, where my thoughts turn inward and I "expand" inside.<br />
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Time grew short, as it does so quickly when Saturday and Sunday are bookends to working, and I had to beat the darkness and get back in to the work frame of mind before I was completely overtaken and kept walking...<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-91199318472816959072013-02-21T19:18:00.000-05:002013-02-21T19:18:10.238-05:00Trail Report: Massanutten NorthIt's always a successful weekend when you are sore on Monday morning!<br />
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I pulled this trail together from a map I happened to have. The Massanutten range isn't widely advertised, what with Shenandoah within sight with it's easily accessible day hikes. Flip and I were looking for backpacking though! After tossing around the idea of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/sp/dolly_sods_wilderness.htm" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Dolly Sods Wilderness">Dolly Sods</a> in West Virginia or the Black Forest in Pennsylvania, we wanted something closer. I looked at the map for <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_North_Mountain" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Great North Mountain">Great North Mountain</a> and on the other side was the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massanutten_Mountain" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Massanutten Mountain">Massanutten Mountain</a> range. After perusing the map for a bit I put together a point-to-point hike. This range is comparatively very close to both of our houses, and it feels like wilderness as well.<br />
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<b>Friday January 11, 2013</b><br />
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Flip and I met after work in Front Royal for dinner before heading out. It only took 15 minutes to get to Bear Wallow parking area to drop off the 1st car. From there we drove back north out of the park and turned east and then south on to Panhandle Road. The road skirts the eastern flank of the mountain range and we quickly came to the Veach Gap parking area. We began hiking at 8pm into the darkness. The history for the forest road we started on was that it was created at the direction of George Washington in case the Continental Army lost they would have a place to retreat into. The 'Fort Valley' in front of us is a range of mountains that creates a natural fort that has limited access without a hard climb over mountains.<br />
Some trail maintainer had placed small reflectors on some of the blazes going up Veach Gap so the trail was easy to find. The rain that had been falling earlier had stopped and the clouds were breaking up. As we climbed across the hillside we began to have views of the valley below and the stars above. The rock under our feet was still a bit slick, and there were puddles we had to dodge around but the trail conditions were not too steep or too jumbled.<br />
We crested the mountain after two miles, having shed layers long ago, and being comfortably warm in the ambient weather we continued after a short water and map break. We were still on the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuscarora_Trail" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Tuscarora Trail">Tuscarora Trail</a>, as we had been going up Veach Gap trail, but now we were also on the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massanutten_Trail" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Massanutten Trail">Massanutten Trail</a>. The Massanutten Trail loops the entire range and is 71 miles long, a trail that I would like to see every mile. We began losing altitude again going between two high ridges and down into Veach Gap itself, under Little Crease Mountain. Soon enough we arrived at Little Crease Shelter, the only shelter on the Massanutten Loop, but a good spot to stay after dark on a damp-grounded night. The log book indicated that the shelter is rather not heavily used, the last over-nighter to sign was before Christmas. The shelter was very clean and well cared for, and the history of it's care-taker was given at the front of the log book: Ed Pickens has been the care-taker for 26 years. After retiring from the Air Force he went on a hike and found this shelter, in poor run-down condition. The following year he saw that the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potomac_Appalachian_Trail_Club" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Potomac Appalachian Trail Club">PATC</a> was looking for a maintainer and he signed up. The shelter is in excellent condition and obviously Mr. Pickens has done a wonderful job throughout the years.<br />
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We arraigned our sleeping bags and pads and went to sleep, anticipating a great hiking weekend! The temperature was in the forties but warm in my sleeping bag. I didn't sleep too well as the ground pad I have doesn't protect well against the hard wooden platform. We had opted to not bring the hammocks and just sleep under the Big Top tent and this shelter, and I didn't sleep as deeply as I could've, but I was dry and warm - and that's the two most important things!<br />
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<b>Saturday January 12, 2013</b><br />
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We woke to a beautiful sunny morning. We leisurely made coffee and packed our gear, sorting out the food we would eat this day and looking at the map to confirm our route.<br />
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We refilled our water bottles from the spring close by and headed out from Little Crease Shelter. This will not be our last encounter with this charming out-of-the-way shelter. I like this side so much more than the crowds and hustle of Shenandoah, just across the valley.<br />
We soon crossed Mill Run and turned up valley. The sun was warming us already and we were down to T-shirts in minutes, the climb was steady up this high lonesome valley. The forest had seen a fire recently, maybe a couple years ago? The rocky ground had under-growth coming back but the charred ground was still evident. We followed Mill Run to it's source, a trickle coming out of the ground before ascending to the top of Little Crease Mountain on the Tuscarora/Massanutten Trail. The view from the top is amazing!<br />
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The mountains in the distance are Shenandoah, and the valley below us shrouded in mist. To those valley dwellers the day was foggy and cloudy without the brilliance we experienced from the top! The trail began following the ridge line, with views to our east and west, it would rise and we were able to see how far we'd already come and where the trail was about to take us next.<br />
We quickly passed by the split to Sherman Gap, a way down to Fort Valley and where we had parked, but we were taking the much longer route continuing north to see as much of these mountains as we could this weekend.<br />
A few more miles later, the same stunning views buoying us along, we came to High Peak after a brief lunch stop. The circuit trails heading west off the ridgeline, and us along with them. The other trails that diverged here are one that goes east back down to Panhandle Rd and one that continues north to Buzzard Rock before descending to another parking lot.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow on the cool sides of the valley</td></tr>
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We took the Shawl Gap route following the Tuscarora as we had been all day. The trail dove off the ridgeline towards Fort Valley Rd, north of where we parked. We saw a couple other back-packers and a mountain biker carrying his bike up the hill. After a couple miles we came to Passage Creek and followed it south to the Elizabeth Furnace Day use area, and a bridge over the rather substantial creek. This would be a good place to stop in the summer and cool off in the river. The day use area also has water spigots, though Flip and I had refilled our water from a stream on the way down. We crossed over Fort Valley Road and followed the Massanutten Trail that finally diverged from the Tuscarora. We followed signs for Signal Knob, first up the valley then up a step mountain-side. We figured we would need to start looking for a campsite as we crested the ridge as day-light quickly runs out this time of year and it was already going on 3pm.<br />
As we followed a brook up a steep-sided valley we passed an amazing looking log cabin/rock structure. It had the look of something the PATC might own and rent out - I have since looked it up and it is the Glass House cabin. Great location and so close to a good array of trails.<br />
On our way up we passed a bunch of day-hikers coming down and several scouting troops. The trail gets real rocky towards the top, and the footing treacherous, especially after ascending over 1000 feet in a couple miles. My legs were burning from exertion, my breathing coming in gasps. WOW, I am out of shape! I was an iron man just a few months ago. Now I'm back to my old self. I pushed through and the juice was worth the squeeze though, as it always is!<br />
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Flip and I spied a good campsite a ways off the trail and went about making it home. I set up the Big Top tent and he gathered firewood and remade the fire-ring. The day was warm and there was virtually no breeze, we could've brought the hammocks and been completely comfortable hanging in this weather. Our chores done, and the fire started we prepared dinner. Flip made polenta with bacon and I made just-add-water chili mac with beef jerky added. We ate every last bit of both meals, stuffed and satisfied we drank a glass of wine and watched the fire. Talking about prior trips, and future trips the time slipped by as it does around a campfire. Flip checked the Ravens score and put on audio for the last quarter and into over-time. He's a huge football fan, and I'll admit the game was harrowing and I was hanging on every play and was elated when they won.<br />
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I slept much better on the softer ground. Under the Big Top there was plenty of room for the two of us and our gear with little worry about critters coming to visit us in the floor-less shelter.<br />
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<b>Sunday January 13, 2013</b><br />
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I woke to a slight wind ruffling the fabric of the tent, and the sun-light peaking through. The temperature was very mild and I crawled out after Flip. We broke camp slowly, talking and eating breakfast while enjoying the morning. We had no rush to get anywhere and nothing to look forward to but more views and good hiking before heading home.<br />
We made plans and remarked on other camping spots as we left the camping spot and went on down the ridge towards Signal Knob. This is a place we will be back to. We passed Maneka Peak Trail and knew that would be a shorter way to go but opted for the longer route and continued on to Signal Knob.<br />
The views from below the TV tower there were sweeping.<br />
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The trail down the back side of this most northern of the Massanutten Range was the road that leads to the TV tower. Had I to do this again I would probably back-track and go down the Maneka Peak Trail to stay on trails for as long as possible! We jogged down the road to the valley below and proceeded to where the Tuscarora crosses the Massanutten Trail. We turned back east on the Tuscaorora and reclimbed the mountain we just descended. The trail was very nice though, with just the right amount of switch-backs and steepness to make it blood-pumping but not too hard. We paused where Maneka re-joined the Tuscarora admiring the views and the sun and the breeze before heading out on the last 4.6 mile leg of our journey.<br />
We quickly descended the mountains back towards Fort Valley, making great time and arriving at the Bear Wallow Spur. We took that and then over-shot the forest road walk to the car and ended up at Sherman Gap and walked back up Fort Valley Rd to the Bear Wallow parking area and the car. We spoke with a PATC trail maintainer and a mountain biker briefly before hopping in the car and heading to my car.<br />
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The journey over, we headed home after eating in Front Royal. As soon as we got out of the mountains the fog took over and a sprinkle of rain began falling. The area east, where we live, experienced cloudy weather all weekend. We experienced warm sun-light! That alone would have made this trip! This is an area that I hope continues to be under-utilized and that I plan on visiting many times in the future!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flip is part squirrel - actually he was fixing a flag that was tangled on Signal Knob</td></tr>
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229056184972147889.post-25654369214066064482013-01-29T18:03:00.000-05:002013-02-21T19:09:05.373-05:00Oh, sunny Key West!!<br />
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A cold winter morning dawned. I had tried to make it to the office that day, but turned around after going very slow for several miles. I would have been to late for the meeting anyway.<br />
So back home to shovel the driveway and work from the house.<br />
In the evening we drove to Baltimore to stay at Flip's house prior to boarding a plane in the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Morning">wee hours</a> south. South to Florida, then further south to the "most Southern" south the US has to offer! As we boarded the jet in BWI a thermometer on the jet-way read 12 degrees F.<br />
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Friday<br />
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The jet tipped wing as we came in for the final descent into <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_West" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Key West">Key West</a>. Below us the turquois water shone blue, able to see all the shallow features on the ocean surface, and the eroded bottom. Closer down we're able to see para-sailers, boaters, even some kayakers around an undeveloped island. The runway is short and the jet slams down quickly and roars it's brakes to slow us down. The warm sun beats down on us as we cross the tarmac under a fake southern most point statue.<br />
We grab a taxi and head to Chelsea House, right off of Truman Ave a couple blocks north of the infamous <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duval_Street" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Duval Street">Duval</a> St. We drop our bags and change into much more appropriate attire: shorts and sunglasses! We mosey down the southern end of Duval, fascinated by the roosters, architecture, and mostly the warmth.<br />
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We continue our walking tour down to the Southern most Point and see a line 30 long to get pictures with it and decide that is really not on the list of things that need to be done today! We continue down Whitehead St towards the other end of town, passing Hemingways house, a light-house, and row after row of gorgeous houses. We stumble upon Blue Heaven and circle back to Duval. The touristic feel rackets higher and higher the further we move down Duval. Conch Train Tours pass frequently, as well as other tour buses of a variety of shapes and sizes. Malory Square feels like an amusement park with all the tours and people fresh off the cruise ship.<br />
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We make it down to Sunset Pier for a much needed refreshment and seat. We take in the sights and soak up the sun, watching boats travel by, as well as lazily floating pelicans catching thermals. I've been here before, but off a cruise ship there is a pervasive clock ticking as the time spent on shore is too short. I'm glad I didn't get here by boat again.<br />
Tired from a late night and an early morning we decided to make it an early night and try to be well rested for the fun weekend ahead. We went a few blocks over to El Siboney, a Cuban restaurant, and enjoy a fantastic meal.<br />
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Saturday</div>
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A leisurely awakening in our nice room at the Chelsea House. Our room opens on the pool area with a patio area directly in front. A continental breakfast is served right outside our door, so it's easy to grab a cup of coffee and prepare for the day at the table on our patio.<br />
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It's still very early so we decide to stroll down and see the water, as we were up before breakfast this morn - early risers! All the shops were closed, except a coffee shop. Thus armed we made our way down to the southern most point to find it crowd-free and had ample opportunity to snap a few pictures.<br />
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It IS Key West, ya know. Gotta let your butterfly fly...<br />
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We headed back to the hotel and got suited up for the day. The island is so small that you can easily walk everywhere. Many people opt to rent scooters, bikes, golf carts, tour buses, and rickshaws. We hoofed it everywhere!<br />
First we headed over to all the boutique shops on the "better" end of Duval (I say that because the atmosphere was much more accommodating and much less drippingly tourist trap feeling as downtown Duval feels). We wandered around hitting the good shops just enjoying life! We made our way over to Whitehead St and walked the length of an art festival that had the street closed. We found a local craft brewery too!<br />
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Next we did the hike to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Zachary_Taylor" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Fort Zachary Taylor">Fort Zachary Taylor</a>, the beach was great, the clearest water in Key West. It did not disappoint! The park was very nice. The concessions were what you would expect at a state park - I got a hot dog, yummy!<br />
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After exploring the beach and then the Fort itself we head back into town, stopping at a few more stores before heading back to the room and getting ready for dinner. That evening we went to a tasty little French place called Banana Cafe and had another excellent meal! Key West is the place for foodies! There are so many nice restaurants around! There's plenty of bar food as well, but there is a very large variety of fine and just plan good dining too!<br />
After all the walking and exploring we decided to get some rest for another full day to come!<br />
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Sunday<br />
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We had plans to go kayaking at noon so we had the morning to do some eating and exploring again. We walked down to the harbor walk and down Duval a couple times after we'd stopped at La Creperie for an awesome breakfast. We were up early and the town was just stirring. People are up early washing their side-walks and preparing for the influx of consumers arriving from hotels and cruise ships. <br />
We got a ride from the tour company to Stock Island and paddled out from the harbor there. The location seemed sketchy, nestled between a taxi cab garage and crab fishermans compound. If I had to do it again I would have gone with one of the other tour companies that put you on a boat and take you out to an undeveloped island. The detritus and trash floating by the dock wasn't pleasant. The guide and owner was very knowledgeable and took us through the mangrove creeks and explained all the different aspects and ecology of the environment. The wind was whipping so we were not taken out the other side of the island. There were a few children in tandem kayaks with their parents and the wind may have blown them away.<br />
Monday<br />
Our flight left at 2pm so we had an awesomely lazy morning. We had breakfast on the water, we went back to a shop to buy some stuff for the wedding after mulling over whether we really wanted it or not. We walked up to the AIDS memorial for one last look at the ocean, to feel the warm breeze, to watch the pelicans tandem dive for fish. At the airport we sat in a sunny outside courtyard, our feet in the sand, enjoying every last second of our short vacation south...<br />
Our flight left at 2pm so we had an awesomely lazy morning. We had breakfast on the water, we went back to a shop to buy some stuff for the wedding after mulling over whether we really wanted it or not. We walked up to the AIDS memorial for one last look at the ocean, to feel the warm breeze, to watch the pelicans tandem dive for fish. At the airport we sat in a sunny outside courtyard, our feet in the sand, enjoying every last second of our short vacation south...<br />
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After the 2.5 hour tour was over we were dropped back at the Chelsea House to wash off the salt spray and get ready to go out to a nice restaurant. This was our engagement party to ourselves! We ate at Michael's and what a great place that was! We were sat way back in a romantic corner, surrounded by bamboo in a outside courtyard. The food was excellent, as was the service. We headed down to meet a couple people and have a few beers downtown. We did the bar crawl from Fogery's to Irish Kevin's to Durty Harry's. Each place had good features and we got to experience "that end" of Key West after dark. After a few hours, we headed back down Duval to "home". As this was a Sunday night the place wasn't chock-full and nuts like it gets on some Saturdays, I hear. It was a good way to get the lay of things for the next time we come to Key West, and we're definitely coming back!t La Creperie for an awesome breakfast. We were up early and the town was just stirring. People are up early washing their side-walks and preparing for the influx of consumers arriving from hotels and cruise ships.<br />
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We got a ride from the tour company to Stock Island and paddled out from the harbor there. The location seemed sketchy, nestled between a taxi cab garage and crab fishermans compound. If I had to do it again I would have gone with one of the other tour companies that put you on a boat and take you out to an undeveloped island. The detritus and trash floating by the dock wasn't pleasant. The guide and owner was very knowledgeable and took us through the mangrove creeks and explained all the different aspects and ecology of the environment. The wind was whipping so we were not taken out the other side of the island. There were a few children in tandem kayaks with their parents and the wind may have blown them away.<br />
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After the 2.5 hour tour was over we were dropped back at the Chelsea House to wash off the salt spray and get ready to go out to a nice restaurant. This was our engagement party to ourselves! We ate at Michael's and what a great place that was! We were sat way back in a romantic corner, surrounded by bamboo in a outside courtyard. The food was excellent, as was the service. We headed down to meet a couple people and have a few beers downtown. We did the bar crawl from Fogery's to Irish Kevin's to Durty Harry's. Each place had good features and we got to experience "that end" of Key West after dark. After a few hours, we headed back down Duval to "home". As this was a Sunday night the place wasn't chock-full and nuts like it gets on some Saturdays, I hear. It was a good way to get the lay of things for the next time we come to Key West, and we're definitely coming back!<br />
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Monday<br />
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Our flight left at 2pm so we had an awesomely lazy morning. We had breakfast on the water, we went back to a shop to buy some stuff for the wedding after mulling over whether we really wanted it or not. We walked up to the AIDS memorial for one last look at the ocean, to feel the warm breeze, to watch the pelicans tandem dive for fish. At the airport we sat in a sunny outside courtyard, our feet in the sand, enjoying every last second of our short vacation south...<br />
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Jonathonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17822868554050396650noreply@blogger.com0