SQWIB
07-27-2015, 11:10
Part 2 of 3
July 18th - 19th
The other side, I think I see Julie Andrews, The hills are alive with the sound of.... you get the picture!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672673800_31984a8e18_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672673800_31984a8e18_b.jpg)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/19239780193_651c4f6f1e_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/19239780193_651c4f6f1e_b.jpg)
Not sure if this is some kind of deer barrier ?
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/310/19860698955_f0e3e051d1_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/310/19860698955_f0e3e051d1_b.jpg)
Wow this looks great, maybe the rest of the trail will be like this!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/298/19674092039_89bf7c7d9b_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/298/19674092039_89bf7c7d9b_b.jpg)
Nope!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/269/19834480646_211f7a21c5_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/269/19834480646_211f7a21c5_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/510/19865633801_a5c43a50b0_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/510/19865633801_a5c43a50b0_b.jpg)
Hey, how come there's no rocks OFF the trail!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/255/19674083099_74323ff57d_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/255/19674083099_74323ff57d_b.jpg)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/19674081929_2077527d12_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/19674081929_2077527d12_b.jpg)
Are you kidding me?!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/538/19238019394_4b4fb85d83_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/538/19238019394_4b4fb85d83_b.jpg)
At the power lines.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/19240524114_edcf9a5165_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/19240524114_edcf9a5165_b.jpg)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/19834471366_cf0259ebbd_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/19834471366_cf0259ebbd_b.jpg)
The trail turned left after the power lines and the trail goes along the power line, the first few hundred feet is nice but short lived, there's a ton of little ankle breakers on this part of the trail.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/502/19865624311_f6de9fbc65_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/502/19865624311_f6de9fbc65_b.jpg)
I came up to the crossroads, where the shelter is off the trail a little over a tenth of a mile. At this point I fell to my knees and cried like a baby out of the sheer joy of making it to my destination. Well not really but that would have made for a great picture.
Going straight (South) on the AT trail.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/19239751983_aced96e3ef_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/19239751983_aced96e3ef_b.jpg)
turned around 180° (Headed North, the way I came)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/521/19239754913_48eb2f50d7_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/521/19239754913_48eb2f50d7_b.jpg)
Shelter to the left, (West).
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/428/19865619561_3bf218a2f4_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/428/19865619561_3bf218a2f4_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/442/19865622251_81d808e8e7_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/442/19865622251_81d808e8e7_b.jpg)
Posted on the South side of the tree.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672634268_5311713c23_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672634268_5311713c23_b.jpg)
Left it is!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/406/19672643270_c23a7db367_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/406/19672643270_c23a7db367_b.jpg)
Crossing the power line area, looking to the left, the other side of the ridge is where the trail comes across.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19860669255_f16c3586c0_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19860669255_f16c3586c0_b.jpg)
Looking to the right. These are great campsites here.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/556/19834469126_6a53a17a2e_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/556/19834469126_6a53a17a2e_b.jpg)
Access road immediately afetr the power lines.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19672622410_9494e5f270_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19672622410_9494e5f270_b.jpg)
Signage to the tent side, (North side of the access road)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/299/19674053769_a77194c553_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/299/19674053769_a77194c553_b.jpg)
Signage to the shelter, (South side of the access road)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/397/19834441856_b265dfb1db_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/397/19834441856_b265dfb1db_b.jpg)
I arrived at the Shelter and there was another hiker sitting in the shelter, it appeared he was just enjoying the down time, we chatted a while and I asked him if he was a "through hiker" or "section hiker", he said that he was section hiking coming from NJ making his way to Virginia.
I was almost too embarrassed, (another weak moment) to say I was coming from Wind Gap and headed back the same way in the morning, but I thought to myself, "hey, your out here hiking, that's what counts" So I told him my hiking plans and where I planned to camp, he was staying at the site across the access road from me.
We talked about the wild life and I told him I saw two toads and a bird, he said where I was camping there was a Momma bear with two cubs that came close to camp, I thought great now I'm gonna be looking over my shoulder all night, then we chatted about the weather and after a bit of a pause I figured I would let him enjoy his peace and quiet.
I felt pretty good except for my right shoulder was a bit achy, and I had a little bit of neck strain. I think it was because I couldn't get the hip belt tight enough without being too uncomfortable to keep the shoulder straps from bearing too much weight. I was actually pretty surprised on how good my legs felt.
I headed down to the first spring that was directly across the access road from the shelter and filled up my Nalgene Canteen, the spring was flowing pretty good and from what I was told, it's usually dried up this time of year. My little scoop and Nalgene canteen worked great.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/353/19853230772_9059ef69ab_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/353/19853230772_9059ef69ab_b.jpg)
I had decided from the beginning of this trip to tent camp, I was not very keen on taking up residence in the shelter as there would be others that would need it more tan me. Back at the tent sites I scoped out an area for my tent and setup my gravity fed water filter then setup my shelter. It was real hot so I left the fly off. I guess it was about 86° at the time.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3741/19853234442_695ec8ce84_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3741/19853234442_695ec8ce84_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/265/19237984094_dd67402472_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/265/19237984094_dd67402472_b.jpg)
It was a little buggy but not too bad. I left my bug spray home to keep the pack weight down, but did bring a head net that wasn't needed. At home I sprayed my clothes with Permethrin so I wasn't too worried.
After camp was setup I made some 4 cheese spuds with some olive oil and a a few slices of a Jalapeno from my garden at home. I used the filtered water for cooking and reserved the bottle water I packed in for the hike out. I could have saved a few pounds not bringing in as much water but didn't want to take the chance if the spring was dried up.
Spuds late lunch
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/524/19672616920_77e0d39ae7_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/524/19672616920_77e0d39ae7_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/560/19237981114_990f8f8d5c_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/560/19237981114_990f8f8d5c_b.jpg)
I really enjoyed these spuds with the Jalapenos.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/349/19865590131_270bdb3aae_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/349/19865590131_270bdb3aae_b.jpg)
I was hot and tired so I laid down in my tent praying for a breeze, as I laid there and looked up I could see the trees swaying but no air was coming through the tent, I eventually passed out for about an hour, woke up, looked around and passed out again, I woke up around 7pm and decide to start a fire to cook dinner, it was a little cooler but not much.
I did get up to take this picture then laid back down.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/369/19239723383_746e25008a_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/369/19239723383_746e25008a_b.jpg)
July 18th - 19th
The other side, I think I see Julie Andrews, The hills are alive with the sound of.... you get the picture!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672673800_31984a8e18_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672673800_31984a8e18_b.jpg)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/19239780193_651c4f6f1e_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/19239780193_651c4f6f1e_b.jpg)
Not sure if this is some kind of deer barrier ?
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/310/19860698955_f0e3e051d1_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/310/19860698955_f0e3e051d1_b.jpg)
Wow this looks great, maybe the rest of the trail will be like this!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/298/19674092039_89bf7c7d9b_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/298/19674092039_89bf7c7d9b_b.jpg)
Nope!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/269/19834480646_211f7a21c5_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/269/19834480646_211f7a21c5_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/510/19865633801_a5c43a50b0_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/510/19865633801_a5c43a50b0_b.jpg)
Hey, how come there's no rocks OFF the trail!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/255/19674083099_74323ff57d_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/255/19674083099_74323ff57d_b.jpg)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/19674081929_2077527d12_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/19674081929_2077527d12_b.jpg)
Are you kidding me?!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/538/19238019394_4b4fb85d83_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/538/19238019394_4b4fb85d83_b.jpg)
At the power lines.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/19240524114_edcf9a5165_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/19240524114_edcf9a5165_b.jpg)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/19834471366_cf0259ebbd_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/19834471366_cf0259ebbd_b.jpg)
The trail turned left after the power lines and the trail goes along the power line, the first few hundred feet is nice but short lived, there's a ton of little ankle breakers on this part of the trail.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/502/19865624311_f6de9fbc65_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/502/19865624311_f6de9fbc65_b.jpg)
I came up to the crossroads, where the shelter is off the trail a little over a tenth of a mile. At this point I fell to my knees and cried like a baby out of the sheer joy of making it to my destination. Well not really but that would have made for a great picture.
Going straight (South) on the AT trail.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/19239751983_aced96e3ef_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/19239751983_aced96e3ef_b.jpg)
turned around 180° (Headed North, the way I came)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/521/19239754913_48eb2f50d7_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/521/19239754913_48eb2f50d7_b.jpg)
Shelter to the left, (West).
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/428/19865619561_3bf218a2f4_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/428/19865619561_3bf218a2f4_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/442/19865622251_81d808e8e7_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/442/19865622251_81d808e8e7_b.jpg)
Posted on the South side of the tree.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672634268_5311713c23_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/379/19672634268_5311713c23_b.jpg)
Left it is!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/406/19672643270_c23a7db367_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/406/19672643270_c23a7db367_b.jpg)
Crossing the power line area, looking to the left, the other side of the ridge is where the trail comes across.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19860669255_f16c3586c0_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19860669255_f16c3586c0_b.jpg)
Looking to the right. These are great campsites here.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/556/19834469126_6a53a17a2e_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/556/19834469126_6a53a17a2e_b.jpg)
Access road immediately afetr the power lines.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19672622410_9494e5f270_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3752/19672622410_9494e5f270_b.jpg)
Signage to the tent side, (North side of the access road)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/299/19674053769_a77194c553_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/299/19674053769_a77194c553_b.jpg)
Signage to the shelter, (South side of the access road)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/397/19834441856_b265dfb1db_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/397/19834441856_b265dfb1db_b.jpg)
I arrived at the Shelter and there was another hiker sitting in the shelter, it appeared he was just enjoying the down time, we chatted a while and I asked him if he was a "through hiker" or "section hiker", he said that he was section hiking coming from NJ making his way to Virginia.
I was almost too embarrassed, (another weak moment) to say I was coming from Wind Gap and headed back the same way in the morning, but I thought to myself, "hey, your out here hiking, that's what counts" So I told him my hiking plans and where I planned to camp, he was staying at the site across the access road from me.
We talked about the wild life and I told him I saw two toads and a bird, he said where I was camping there was a Momma bear with two cubs that came close to camp, I thought great now I'm gonna be looking over my shoulder all night, then we chatted about the weather and after a bit of a pause I figured I would let him enjoy his peace and quiet.
I felt pretty good except for my right shoulder was a bit achy, and I had a little bit of neck strain. I think it was because I couldn't get the hip belt tight enough without being too uncomfortable to keep the shoulder straps from bearing too much weight. I was actually pretty surprised on how good my legs felt.
I headed down to the first spring that was directly across the access road from the shelter and filled up my Nalgene Canteen, the spring was flowing pretty good and from what I was told, it's usually dried up this time of year. My little scoop and Nalgene canteen worked great.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/353/19853230772_9059ef69ab_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/353/19853230772_9059ef69ab_b.jpg)
I had decided from the beginning of this trip to tent camp, I was not very keen on taking up residence in the shelter as there would be others that would need it more tan me. Back at the tent sites I scoped out an area for my tent and setup my gravity fed water filter then setup my shelter. It was real hot so I left the fly off. I guess it was about 86° at the time.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3741/19853234442_695ec8ce84_b.jpg (https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3741/19853234442_695ec8ce84_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/265/19237984094_dd67402472_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/265/19237984094_dd67402472_b.jpg)
It was a little buggy but not too bad. I left my bug spray home to keep the pack weight down, but did bring a head net that wasn't needed. At home I sprayed my clothes with Permethrin so I wasn't too worried.
After camp was setup I made some 4 cheese spuds with some olive oil and a a few slices of a Jalapeno from my garden at home. I used the filtered water for cooking and reserved the bottle water I packed in for the hike out. I could have saved a few pounds not bringing in as much water but didn't want to take the chance if the spring was dried up.
Spuds late lunch
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/524/19672616920_77e0d39ae7_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/524/19672616920_77e0d39ae7_b.jpg)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/560/19237981114_990f8f8d5c_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/560/19237981114_990f8f8d5c_b.jpg)
I really enjoyed these spuds with the Jalapenos.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/349/19865590131_270bdb3aae_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/349/19865590131_270bdb3aae_b.jpg)
I was hot and tired so I laid down in my tent praying for a breeze, as I laid there and looked up I could see the trees swaying but no air was coming through the tent, I eventually passed out for about an hour, woke up, looked around and passed out again, I woke up around 7pm and decide to start a fire to cook dinner, it was a little cooler but not much.
I did get up to take this picture then laid back down.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/369/19239723383_746e25008a_b.jpg (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/369/19239723383_746e25008a_b.jpg)