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Appalachian Trail... photos and journal

Spring of 2002... Leaving the south...


(Page 3 of 4 pages)


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Leaving Duncannon after a very short resupply visit on the Clark's Ferry Bridge.

Looking back to Duncannon across the river and back high on the ridge.

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Nice orange face on a yellow shell.

Notice how this butterfly blends into its surroundings.

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This shelter was built by Earl Shaffer, a nearby resident and also the first person to thru-hike the AT way back in 1948.

Home Sweet Home set up directly in the trail junction of the AT and the trail to Valley Forge.


From my journal (May 30th) Day-44..."I was camped on the ridge top directly on the trail junction to Valley Forge and morning light woke me up early with anticipation to get moving as a brisk fog blew across the ridge. The trail remained mostly a level ridge walk across Stony Mountain, Sharp Mountain, and Blue Mountain, but it was a very rocky trail making the going quite frustrating in places. At Interstate 81 a semi-truck had crashed right onto the AT and it took me a few minutes to find the trailhead.

At he William Penn Shelter spring I crossed a female hiker as we exchanged only a passing “Hi-Hello” and Moses later told me that was Hammock Hanger who I’d been chasing for 1,000 miles. I waited for about an hour near highway 501 watching some hang gliders but finally had to get moving again not having yet formally met a person whose register entries had made me a fan for so long. "


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The site of a very old settlement (now defunct) but someone placed a register mailbox here which was nice to flip through and sign.

And yet another toad blending into the color of the rock.

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A very bright shade of nature in action.

Now that is what I call some beautiful fungi!

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The trail through some lush green ferns.

At a clear-cut just before highway 501 I enjoyed watching hang gliders for an hour.

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My zoom lens did a good job of reaching out and grabbing some nice pictures of the hang gliders over the rich Pennsylvania farmland.

Another overlook of the farmland from the ridge a few more miles down the trail.

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The rocky trail just wouldn't go away.


From my journal (May 31st) Day-45..."Today’s trail was again a very rocky walk… and I do mean really rocky, to the point of making a mad man out of me! Somehow I got through it all and down into Port Clinton and then out. The trend of heat and humidity continued and despite the drought conditions of reservoirs on the eastern coast I’ve still been able to find plenty of water and still haven’t hauled a drop since leaving Springer Mountain.

In Port Clinton a kind couple gave me a ride to the hotel where for just $8.69 I had the hiker’s cheeseburger and fries which was definitely the hugest serving that I’ve ever seen and would put Mountain Mama’s to shame! I told my waitress that that was the closest I’ve come so far to not finishing a meal on the trail, but I did of course. Most hikers were staying in town for the night either at the hotel or at the pavilion, but I had to get moving even with the threat of a cold front and thunderstorm moving in.

On the way out of town I stopped by Appalachian Outfitter’s store and bought a few groceries and a new water filter. The fellow insisted on weighing my backpack which rung in at a whooping 15 pounds! Now that’s what I like to know!

There were a couple of steep climbs this afternoon north of town, then on up to Pulpit Rock and just as I got my water from Gold Spring I barely got my tarptent set up as a very windy thunderstorm blew over. "


History abounded in this area.

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I stepped directly over this snake before I saw it and I still don't understand why it didn't bite me, but I'm glad he didn't!

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