Trail Angels & Shuttling

[EddHigbee]

It's that time again, having started a "thru hike" in 1993 and finding myself more than a decade later still at it (N to S) in the Duncannon, PA area. This year it will be 18 days ending in Greenwood Lake, NY, and I have a problem--the usual problem encountered by my hiking group. How to get from Point A to Point B to facilitate the planned hike?

We all were so fortunate last year in our short 8-day hike from Blue Ridge Summit, PA to Clarks Valley, where bad feet for one caused us all to bail. That's not the fortunate part, though. The fortunate part was having called upon two magnificent "Trail Angels":

Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Custer

230 Dickinson Avenue

Waynesboro, PA 17268

They shuttled us to and from both ends of the hike, although the trail-end pickup was a bit beyond their normal range in PA. Anyhow, I digress.

My problem this year is getting back from Greenwood Lake, NY to Duncannon, PA after dropping a vehicle. Been trying to check on bus service without much luck and don't know if there are any "Trail Angels" willing to undertake this trip, with one hiker and gear. Are there? Incidentally, I never "stiff" a "Trail Angel" as they do such great work, I always pay the fare--and more if (as it usually is) what's asked is too little for what I'm asking be done. So, y'all, help me if you can. The need is for the return trip to Duncannon on May 20th.

[Alligator]

If you are having trouble lining up one shuttler due to distance, perhaps two might work, each taking you half way. Alternatively, a shuttle to major public transportation might be arranged. I have always found it easier to have my vehicle at the end of the hike, because end time is often very variable, with start time being more fixed.

[Askus3]

I live a few miles from Greenwood Lake and know there is regular bus service from the AT xing of NY 17A to NYC. See the schedule at: NJ Transit (http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T1196.pdf) . You can flag the bus down on NY 17A, and just remember the time the bus crosses the AT is midway between the Warwick and Greenwood Lake stops. Once in NY, you walk a few blocks in Manhattan to Penn Station (now that can be an eye opener) but it is under a mile and take AMTRAK (http://www.amtrak.com) then plug in New york to Harrisburg and now you are only 20 miles from Duncannon. This is a realistic car shuttle to obtain. Worst case scenario, you can get a taxi for this last leg. Hope this helps.

BTW. While you wait for the bus, go 1/4 mile west on 17A over to the Bellvale Ice Cream Store for some delicious home-made ice cream and a terrific view west of the Warwick Valley from Mt. Peter.

[JustDoIt]

Do you by chance have their phone number? I am arriving by Greyhound Bus at 10 pm...and need a ride to Loft Mountain Campground the next day. I will spend the night there since it is so late but will need a ride in the morning somewhere to pick up fuel. Also I'd like to find out where in Waynesboro the bus will drop me off so I will know how far I will have to walk to the campground there. Thanks for any help you can give me.
JUSTDOIT



It's that time again, having started a "thru hike" in 1993 and finding myself more than a decade later still at it (N to S) in the Duncannon, PA area. This year it will be 18 days ending in Greenwood Lake, NY, and I have a problem--the usual problem encountered by my hiking group. How to get from Point A to Point B to facilitate the planned hike?

We all were so fortunate last year in our short 8-day hike from Blue Ridge Summit, PA to Clarks Valley, where bad feet for one caused us all to bail. That's not the fortunate part, though. The fortunate part was having called upon two magnificent "Trail Angels":

Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Custer

230 Dickinson Avenue

Waynesboro, PA 17268

They shuttled us to and from both ends of the hike, although the trail-end pickup was a bit beyond their normal range in PA. Anyhow, I digress.

My problem this year is getting back from Greenwood Lake, NY to Duncannon, PA after dropping a vehicle. Been trying to check on bus service without much luck and don't know if there are any "Trail Angels" willing to undertake this trip, with one hiker and gear. Are there? Incidentally, I never "stiff" a "Trail Angel" as they do such great work, I always pay the fare--and more if (as it usually is) what's asked is too little for what I'm asking be done. So, y'all, help me if you can. The need is for the return trip to Duncannon on May 20th.