PHOTOS...Page Six

The Appalachian Trail Conference in Harpers Ferry, WV!

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Like a magnet it pulled us in for a thousand miles. Just like food, the Appalachian Trail Conference is on every thru-hikers mind! Located in Harpers Ferry it is known as the psychological half-way point and is the thru-hikers mecca pulling from the south and the north. (Be sure to visit their website listed in my FAVORITE LINKS.)Photo: From L to R it's the Lone Buckeye, Wild Bill, and me...Lightning Bolt.

Jean Cashin (now retired) served as ATC secretary for many years and tried to greet all hikers at the front door when the phone cooled down. She made sure that a photo of every thru-hiker made it into the ATC archives and through her dedicated service over the years, the AT is a better and more secure place for us today!

The Cumberland Valley Walk

One of hundreds of my trail register entries. While at home it's hard for me to imagine being away from my computer, my main vehicle of communicating with the world. On the Trail the registers serve the same purpose, to communicate with fellow hikers and I can't imagine hiking the AT without them! Reading and signing it at the shelter was a highlight of each day.

The Cumberland Valley in Pennsylvania is a 16 mile hike connecting two ridges which takes you through low, flat, and hot farmland. As recent as the late 80's it was mostly a walk alongside the highway, but today most of the trail land has been secured. Hiking beside a corn field sure beats sweating it out with the asphalt!

Welcome to Duncannon, Pennsylvania

The Doyle Hotel has become a thru-hiker tradition on the AT. Originally built by Anheuser-Busch most of the early thru-hikers stayed here.

The "Jedi", "Lone Buckeye", and myself rented a room for a whoppin' $15.00 and guess who got to sleep on the floor!!

A genuine 1890's style bathtub was a luxury after living on the Trail for 3 months.

In Delaware Water Gap the Presbyterian Church of the Mountain offers a great hikers hostel in the basement.

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