renegaderoad
RenegadeRoad
Weekend Hiking Warrior and Trail 😇. Taking the Appalachian Trail 1 weekend @ a time.
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A Taste of Chocolate and the Trail
We were headed to West Virginia for a college graduation from WVU. Since we rarely received an opportunity to visit the South, Zach took this opportunity to do some hiking in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Our first stop on our journey: Hershey's Chocolate World!
After enjoying a taste of Hershey, we continued South on Highway 81 to Carlise, Pennsylvania. I dropped Zach off at just outside of Carlise, and was to pick him up further South along the trail.
While Zach was hiking I visited the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. Very interesting museum with a walking path that had several historical helicopters, tanks, and other army materiel. Free to visit! They also had some old posters hung in replica barracks from different time periods.
A thunderstorm was approaching while I was on the walking path, so I finished appreciating the materiel, and got back into the car to pick Zach up.
While I was driving to the pick up point, the sky opened up and it started to pour. The thunder and lightening was also bad and I became extremely concerned for Zach's safety. I arrived at the pick up point, which was on the side of a two lane road. It was raining so hard, I could barely see the entrance or exit to the trail. I parked the car and waited. The rain continued to pour.
About 15-20 minutes later the rain had stopped and Zach finally emerged from the woods. He was soaked to the bone and muddy.
Zach got into the car, and we drove to a place for him to change. I asked him what he did to remain safe during the thunderstorm. He said he was located at the bottom of a hill during the storm and waited for the storm to pass instead of climbing and walking on the higher elevation of the hill. When the storm finally subsided he continued his hike and climbed up the hill. It was extremely muddy for the rest of his walk in the woods.
After Zach dried off and changed, we then continued South for a stop in Gettysburg. Since it was late in the day, we could only do a few things. We came upon a tower that viewed multiple battlefields. We also got to see the regimental monuments.
We continued our journey to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. When we arrived, there was a rainbow to greet us.
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#the road less travelled#pennsylvania#civil war#gettysburg#west virginia
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A Fresh Start
April 6th, 2019 marked the first day of hiking for Zach. His brother, Austin also joined him in hiking. Austin had been recently transferred to the northeast for his job, and was able to drive to Connecticut for the weekend. We met Austin in Torrington, CT and drove the 30 to 45 minutes to the trail.
Saturday Start
Sunday Start
The starting point would be where Zach left off at Under Mountain Road in Connecticut. The total mileage hiked would be 6.1 miles on Saturday and 8.3 on Sunday. Fortunately we were still close enough to my beloved Massachusetts. I was able to go to my favorite coffee shop, Marketplace Cafe in Sheffield, MA, while waiting for the boys to finish hiking. Here is my view in “my spot”…..
It was really nice to see Austin. We hadn’t seen him in over a year. The older you get, the more life seems to get in the way of seeing the people who you value most in your life. It was good the trail was able to bring us all back together. Here are some more pictures from the weekend:
My favorite picture, taken by Austin from the hike that weekend.
The guys coming off the trail on Sunday.
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Paris is Always a Good Idea-Part 2
It is hard for me to explain the feeling and magnitude of visiting Normandy. I will do my best.
As an American, it was truly a humbling experience. As WWII buffs, we were awestruck while visiting the beaches and driving through the farm fields. What the men went through to successfully execute D-Day was unbelievable. While walking the beaches, I was a ball of emotions. I wanted to cry for all the young men who were shot before they even got out of the transport; for the ones who drowned because their equipment was too heavy and didn’t get the chance to land on the beach due to heavy enemy fire; for the army rangers who scaled the cliffs and made a successful attack at capturing Pointe du Hoc; for the men who landed in gliders further in-land and never got the chance to fight because they were killed on impact; for the enemy who fought hard, but in the end never got to go home to loved ones. War is such a horrible thing for all who are involved. I know this from the stories I’ve read and the history I’ve studied. I’m very thankful I do not have any real experience with this, and hope I never do. Being in Normandy brought everything together for me and made Zach and I sincerely appreciate the sacrifices that were made on those beaches in 1944.
To continue reading this post, click here.
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Paris is Always a Good Idea-Part 1
Last week marks 1 year of Zach and I traveling to France. The idea of traveling to France started in February 2018. We hadn’t had a vacation in over a year, and we hadn’t been to Europe since our honeymoon. I know, I know….cry me a river. But at the time, I really missed Europe. Nothing in the U.S. could ever compare to anything in Europe. Especially FRANCE!
After receiving this in the mail, my mind was made up. Especially since the girl on the cover of the magazine looked like me from behind. I also noticed that we have the same jacket. In the words of Audrey Hepburn from Sabrina, “Paris is always a good idea.”
To read the rest of this post, click here.
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Far Horizons
There is a video game called Skyrim that Zach has played. The soundtrack was unbelievable and one of the songs, “Far Horizons” was a song you just wanted to continue to listen to, especially if you were preparing for a long journey. You can listen to it here. I mention it in this post because 2018 was such an amazing trail year, and the music illustrates our experiences.
We ended the 2018 hiking season by taking a four day weekend in Massachusetts and New York. It was also our anniversary weekend and we wanted to celebrate by visiting a few places in upstate New York including The Wild Center. This was a nature center with a giant nest and spider web. Probably more for children than adults, we still went and channeled our inner child, which did not take much for me.
We drove to Vermont on the Saturday morning of Columbus Day weekend 2018. I dropped Zach off just over the border of Massachusetts in Vermont. The road was all dirt/rock, and as you can see, off the beaten path. There aren’t even roads recorded in this area on Google Maps.
While Zach hiked 6.5 miles on the AT, I went to the The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art better known as the MASS MoCA. I thought I was going to absolutely hate this place, and I truly tried to. It is located in an old electric company. The whole feel of the museum is industrial and disjointed. After seeing many of the exhibits and having an “experience” or two during them, I was sold. As I write this, I can say this is now my favorite art museum so far in my life. I’ve included the pictures of the exhibits from the ones that truly made an impact on me.
This particular exhibit had the most profound impact on me. It was a black room, and you walked towards the light. Perhaps the artist wanted to give you a taste of the light at the end of the tunnel experience at the beginning of the afterlife. It was especially cool walking towards the light with two other people. It was borderline a spiritual experience for me in this room.
After I picked Zach up from his hike, we drove to Lake George, NY. On Sunday we visited The Wild Center. Great nature center and they had a huge nest! Unfortunately with the large web, they had a huge spider too. As many of you know, I’m deathly afraid of these critters and lose my shit whenever I see them. This one was no exception! After The Wild Center we drove back to the hotel through a state park. Zach wanted me to take a picture of him with the waterfall. LOL.
We stopped for dinner at a small town diner with DELICIOUS food. I can’t remember the name, but the food was amazing! The following day we left to come back to Rhode Island. On our way back, I drove to the top of Mount Greylock to drop Zach off to finish the last part of Massachusetts. There was very dense fog that day.
Finished Massachusetts!
This weekend alone, Zach hiked 13.6 miles. At the end of 2018, Zach had hiked and completed 133.9 miles. Although our journey on the AT has come to an end for 2018, I am looking forward to writing about our journeys involving the trail and general travel in 2019. These trips will take us across the pond to Europe, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Jersey, West Virginia, Connecticut, New York, and New Hampshire. They will involve Zach and I, as well as some other characters who have wanted to tag along. Another tidbit…..if you thought 2018 was amazing, just want until 2019!
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#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#massachusetts#stockbridge#vermont#greenmountain
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The Final Countdown
It always amazes me how fast summer goes in the northeastern part of the United States, especially New England. One moment (June) you are enjoying the first genuinely warm day of the year. All of a sudden September and October arrive and you find yourself negotiating with God for “just one more 80 degree day.”
In August, Zach and I decided to map out the rest of the hiking season. With our busy schedules we sadly mapped out only 4 hikes, all of which would complete Massachusetts. After our meeting I became slightly depressed at the thought of not being able to drive back to my favorite state and possible future site of the Warner-Whittenberger Homestead.
On September 15th we ventured back to Sheffield-Egremont Road in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The hike was uneventful as Zach would only hike 6.5 miles to Mount Washington. This only took about 3 hours. It wasn’t enough time for me to sight-see, so I went back to my favorite coffee shop, Marketplace. Here are some pictures from the day:
At the end of September, Zach hiked from Massachusetts into Connecticut, adding another state to the list! This particular hike was 10.8 miles and took about 5 hours to complete. The 5 hour hike afforded me the opportunity to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum. I would definitely recommend this museum to anyone who visits the area. Rockwell’s artwork is embedded in American culture, and I was surprised to find that I had been exposed to his artwork much more than I had realized. With being very aware of his work, it added a whole new level of enjoyment.
Norman Rockwell’s Studio-Moved from it’s original location in Stockbridge, MA. The inside is completely untouched from the last time he used it.
After the Norman Rockwell Museum, I had a few more hours available before picking up Zach. I decided that I would go back to the Red Lion Inn to enjoy probably one of my last days (for a long time) in Stockbridge. I also took some additional pictures of the inn, and caught a few orbs (Look above and to the right of the red couch)!
After enjoying a drink and spending some time in the Lion’s Den, I drove to pick up Zach in Connecticut. At the end of the day, Zach would be able to add another state to his hiking list! On the way home we also saw an unbelievable view on a lake. This was at a private school somewhere on our way home. Absolutely beautiful!
To see more pictures and the highlights from the rest of the hike, click here.
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#national park#massachusetts#stockbridge#norman rockwell
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September-Part 2
While Zach was climbing towers and looking at cairns (man-made piles of rocks), we were across the river biking our asses off. The McDade trail started off mild, with few hills, and very prairie-like. By the time we were at Dingman’s Campground, we were exhausted. It was only about 9 miles from the start, but the hills we started to experience were unbelievable. At one point in time, we must of missed the sign where this part of the trail was only for walkers. We found ourselves pushing our bikes up gigantic boulders on a very narrow path on the bank of the Delaware. We thought we had been through it all when we stopped at Dingman’s Campground for a break. Little did we know we were just getting started.
The entire McDade trail is dirt and gravel. It has some very steep hills. Some of them were so steep that we had to walk our bikes down. The trails that we normally ride are old railroad beds with slight grades.
What walks down, must walk up. This is the McDade Trail theme. We found ourselves at the bottom of these steep hills only to walk back up another steep hill. Thinking back, I don’t remember biking a lot. Just walking up steep hills, swearing like a sailor, and a lot of pain.
Even at the bitter end of the bike ride, just when we thought we were home free with hills, we encountered another gigantic hill that we had to walk our bikes up. We took the North to South route of the McDade Trail. For anyone thinking of doing this, let me just say this: start from the South, work your way North, and you are out of your frickin’ mind!
Zach called me just as we were in the middle of climbing the last steep hill to the pickup point. He had just finished and was in the truck with my Dad coming to get us. After a 20 minute delay because of a bit of confusion with the pickup point, we finally got picked up.
It was great to spend the day with my Mom. Glad the McDade trail is off the bucket list, and we now have the D&L Trail to look forward to for years to come.
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#delaware water gap#national park#pennsylvania#new jeresy
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September-Part 1
Even though I don’t work for colleges and universities anymore, I still get that anxious, start of school feeling this time of year. It’s also the time of year when all I want to do is purchase brand new school supplies. Not that I have a need for them. I’m still using school supplies that were purchased in the late 90s. Not joking.
Let’s reminisce…….. Do you remember the feel of a brand new No.2 Pencil in your hand? Eraser fully intact.? A fresh clean school agenda that you received in homeroom? A syllabus for all those classes you were so eager to dive right into? The honeymoon period of school always lasted into Columbus Day weekend for me.
This year there would be no school. However, there would be an epic bike ride.
Enter my Mom, Judi Warner.
My Mom loves to ride her bike. She has a few goals including biking across Europe, the East Coast Greenway, and the entire D&L Trail. I have been her wing-woman for the D&L Trail, and hope to complete the East Coast Greenway with her at some point during our lives. I think we both need to be retired for that. We are only 25 years apart. Could you imagine two senior citizens biking this? Me in my 50s, and my Mom in her 70s. LOL-Let’s hope we both keep ourselves in good enough shape for that dream to come true.
We decided to put those on hold and tackle another trail that had been on both of our bucket lists: The McDade Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Park.
At this point in time during the year, Zach only had a few hiking weekends left. My Mom and I decided to have our biking plans coincide with Zach’s hiking plans. In fact, on this part of the trail, Zach was literally hiking on the ridge across the Delaware River from us. It was very surprising that he didn’t hear the echo across the river valley of my potty mouth as my Mom and I biked the McDade Trail. More to come on that.
On the morning of September 1st, my Dad dropped my Mom and I off at Milford Beach to start our 31 mile trek. In talking to some people who had biked the McDade Trail, many of them said that it “wasn’t a big deal.” With each of us being so active, we thought that biking the 31 miles wouldn’t be a big deal either.
After the stop in Milford Beach, my Dad dropped Zach off at Millbrook Road in Hardwick, New Jersey. His plan was to hike 12.1 miles to River Road in Columbia, New Jersey. Zach thought that we would each finish our journeys at the same time. He was right about that. However the trails to get us there, would prove to be two very different experiences….
My Mom and I starting out.
This was the main highlight of Zach’s hiking for the day: Catfish Fire Tower.
Catfish tower is only 60 feet tall, but is at an elevation of 1,555 feet. It was built in 1922 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is still used today as an active fire tower. It is one of 800 active fire towers in the United States.
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#delaware water gap#national park#pennsylvania#new jeresy
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The Dog Days of Summer
August is a time when the weather in the northern part of the United States becomes oppressive. You start to wonder how our fellow Americans in the South deal with the heat and humidity for 10 out of 12 months a year. As a resident Yankee, in the month of August, the weather confirms that Zach and I will NEVER live below the Mason Dixion line. Despite the heat, we kept hydrated and had many adventures during August 2018.
On August 4th, Zach hiked from Blue Hill Road, to Sheffield-Egremont Road in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The hike was a total of about 9 miles, and included some spectacular views. The highlight of the day was on the way home, when we saw the L.L. Bean Bootmobile.
The following weekend, we went to Pennsylvania to my sister, Jenna’s, wedding reception. She had planned a destination wedding in Maui, Hawaii and had the reception at Blue Mountain ski resort in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. On our way to the reception, I missed the turn into the resort. There is an Appalachian trail entrance very close to the resort, and we ended up turning around in the parking lot. We were unaware that the trail was that close to the resort!
The following day we went on a AAA bus trip to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Zach and I hadn’t been to either since we were in middle school. Accompanying us was my sister Hailey and her boyfriend Francis. We climbed up to the base of the statue and also got to do the behind the scenes tour at Ellis Island. This tour took you to the unrenovated portion of the hospital. Spooky, and definitely worth the money!
Click on this link to read about the adventure.
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#massachusetts#new york#ellis island#statue of liberty
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Call Me Ishmael-Part 4
For those of you who have read Moby Dick, you understand the significance of some of these pictures.
From right to left, top to bottom:
Victorian Hair Art. I think these are really gross, but this one was gigantic, hence the picture.
The streets of Nantucket
Bottle of champagne to celebrate our arrival on Nantucket.
Having a good time.
The streets of Nantucket
The Macy family originated on Nantucket. Yes, the descendants were the same people that actually started Macy’s Department Store.
After a full day, I was ready to pick Zach up and go home. I only had to wait another hour before he would be coming off the trail. He had beautiful weather and thought the coolest thing on this segment of the trail was the trail stand. See below for his trail pictures.
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#massachusetts#moby dick#herman melville#newbedford#nantucket
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Call Me Ishmael-Part 3
From right to left, top to bottom:
The sign at Arrowhead. Love the Whale on it!
The Fireplace that has I and My Chimney inscribed on it by Herman’s brother Allan.
A harpoon. It’s smaller than a walking stick, and I want to know who decided it was a good idea to go after a whale with this. No wonder there were so many fatalities associated with whaling.
Mount Greylock in the distance.
This was Herman Melville’s view while writing Moby Dick. In the distance you can see Mount Greylock.
I learned that while Herman Melville lived here, he wrote several works including Moby Dick. Unfortunately he did not experience much success from his writing career. After going into debt and living off his wife’s family, he moved to New York City to finish out his life as a customs inspector. Most of what was written about in Moby Dick came from Melville’s actual experience as a sailor. Some juicy gossip I also picked up: he was was obsessed with Nathaniel Hawthorne and might of had an affair with his neighbor Sarah Morewood.
After my trip to Arrowhead and finishing the book Moby Dick, I was inspired to follow in the footsteps of Melville. I went to visit New Bedford at the end of July. The Whaling Museum was excellent. I also got to visit many of the places Melville references to in the book including Nantucket this past September.
For those of you who have read Moby Dick, you understand the significance of some of these pictures.
From right to left, top to bottom:
Seaman’s Bethel
Herman Melville’s Pew
The church with the Cenotaphs and Pulpit
A bell at the back of the church.
A replica whale heart. Again, not sure why humans thought it was a good idea to take something that big down.
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#massachusetts#moby dick#herman melville#newbedford
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Call Me Ishmael-Part 2
After stepping through the large entrance door and closing it behind me, I really felt like I had been transported back to the 1890s. Take a look at these pictures from my hotel exploration:
After spending what seemed like hours at this place, I left exhausted. There was SO MUCH to see with all the antiques that lined the hallways. I could also see the hustle and bustle of times gone by. The maids in their uniforms cleaning the rooms; the parties going on downstairs in the dining room; the gentleman in his top hat sitting on the porch reading a newspaper with a cup of coffee beside him. I am not into ghosts or paranormal activity. To be honest, that stuff scares the sh*t out of me. But I can say that I did “feel” something when I walked in there. It was a very “busy” place.
I walked back to the car, and realized that I had only been in Stockbridge for an hour and a half. I still had plenty of time to go to Arrowhead. It would only take me 15 minutes to get there. I arrived, purchased my ticket, and went on the tour. Was definitely worth the trip if you are interested in the lives of famous authors.
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Call Me Ishmael-Part 1
The date: July 14th, 2018.
The time: 6:30AM.
Zach and I again, found ourselves in the car on the Turnpike, heading towards the South Western part of Massachusetts.
“It is not down on any map; true places never are.”
-Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
Our destination was south of Stockbridge, Massachusetts near Great Barrington. Looking back, this was my favorite day of all our hiking trips this year. Two weeks prior to this, I had started reading Moby Dick by Herman Melville. I was inspired to read the book after passing Herman Melville’s house, Arrowhead in May. On this day, my plan was to drop Zach off, he was going to hike north to Tyringham. I was going to travel to Arrowhead and tour Herman’s house.
At the time, I did not realize the significance of Stockbridge. This town has been like an onion with discoveries for me this past summer. We drove through the town. The library was having a book sale and the shops, cafes and restaurants were buzzing with patrons. As we passed all this, I finally got to the end of main street, where we had to turn left to continue traveling south on Route 7. As we were waiting for the cars in front of us to turn, I looked left, and saw The Red Lion Inn.
After glancing at this place, I felt it calling me to go in. I HADto go into this hotel. Even writing this, I’m not sure why I was so infatuated with this place at first glance. But I finally made my left turn, and declared to Zach, that I NEEDED to go into that place, and soon.
A few more miles down the road, I dropped Zach off. Here he is getting ready before the hike.
This part of the trail was at the bottom of a gigantic hill. Zach was going to start his hike going up. Here are more pictures:
Zach finished getting ready, gave me a kiss, and then was off hiking up the gigantic hill. I got in the car, and drove back the way we came. When I got back to Stockbridge, I passed the Red Lion Inn again, and was torn between continuing north to Arrowhead or parking the car and exploring. Realizing that I had 5 hours to do whatever I wanted, I parked the car at the end of Main Street.
I thought the reason why the town was buzzing with people was because of the book sale at the library. How naive I was. I didn’t realize that this town was actually world renown mostly because of a little someone called Norman Rockwell. This is one of his famous paintings of Main Street, Stockbridge during Christmas:
The building on the far right at the end of Main Street is the Red Lion Inn. I really had no idea.
After walking and enjoying the shops, I came to the end of the street. I looked up at the commanding building of the Red Lion Inn. This place is really something. Its gigantic front porch with the rocking chairs and antique furniture reminded me of the turn of the 19th century.
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Long Hot Summer
It’s been a long hot summer, and I am finally able to sit down and update this blog. We have been bombarded by Rotary events, travel, family commitments, and business events. We also needed to squeeze some R & R between all of these goings on, and attempted to enjoy the summer. Here is a picture from one of our Rotary events. I think we found our Christmas card picture!
With everything going on, we still found time for Zach to hike. A typical hiking day for us includes waking up between 6:00AM and 6:30AM. We are in the car by 7:00AM, and drive an average of three hours to the drop off point. I make sure that all of Zach’s food and beverage is purchased and cold for packing. I also lay out all his gear for the hike so we can make sure we have everything that is on the checklist. I have all the items we both need for our travels nailed down on a standardized checklist, which makes packing, especially for Zach, quick and easy. With this routine, we have eliminated a lot of the headache of packing and get to look forward to sharing this time together.
On June 23rd, Zach and I drove out to Western, Massachusetts. I was very excited because he was finally hiking the part of the trail that goes over the Massachusetts Turnpike. I have been driving this stretch of highway for years, and always wanted to know what it was like to hike this part of the trail. Here we are driving underneath the bridge at my standard speed of 70 MPH:
Zach hiked the trail and finished early around 2:00PM. I went to the Lee outlets and splurged on the summer clearance at the GAP outlet. His hike was an uneventful one, but brought back plenty of great pictures.
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Ain't No Mountain High Enough
During the first full week of June, Zach announced that he was going to climb Mount Greylock in Western, Massachusetts. This is the highest mountain in the state, and stands at 3,491 feet. To get ready for the trip, Zach got his mosquito netting out. LMAO.
On our way, we drove through beautiful scenic back roads, with wonderful scenic views:
We started out from Rhode Island, around 7:00AM, and arrived in the town of North Adams, MA at 10:00AM.
To put it in perspective:
This is Mount Greylock. The picture doesn’t do it justice. It was huge from the parking lot of the school. Zach walked through the remainder of North Adams, and would summit the mountain on the North Face.
In the meantime, while Zach went hiking, I went on a journey of my own. The plan was to meet at the top at Bascom Lodge, have lunch, and then Zach would continue his hike to Cheshire, finally connecting the other parts of the trail that he has hiked. It was a beautiful day, and I drove up the mountain. The majority of the road was sharpe turns. Our car was NOT a fan of this drive.
On my way up I saw a very large porcupine which at first glance, looked like a badger. The views were amazing, and the only scary part of the entire ride was just as I was approaching the top. The road was on the edge of the mountain, and it was a LONG way down…..
When I got to the top, the views were spectacular, especially from the Greylock War Memorial. The memorial is a 93 foot tower that looks like a lighthouse, and can be seen on a clear night from up to 70 miles away. The tower is free to enter, and provides wonderful views of Albany, Eastern Massachusetts, Southern Massachusetts, and Vermont. After walking up the tower, I went to sit in the small cafe at Bascom Lodge. Here are pictures of my office for the day and the tower. I could definitely make a habit out of waking up to that view every day.
It took Zach a few hours longer then anticipated, and he didn’t get to the top of the mountain until 3:30PM. Concerned he wouldn’t make it to Cheshire before dark, Zach called it quits for the day. He finally got to eat lunch, and we discussed coming back in Autumn when the leaves will be at peak to finish this part of the trail. At this point. Zach has successfully completed 59 miles of the trail. Only 2,141 miles left. Even though there’s plenty more mileage to go, we only have a few more trips back to Massachusetts to complete the trail in this state. How I will miss thee.
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Hard Limits
On Memorial Day Weekend, Zach and I decided that this would be another good opportunity for him to hike. With the extended weekend, we discussed making this trip an overnight one with two days of hiking. The destination was the town of Hanover, New Hampshire. This is the home of Dartmouth College.
Zach is usually apprehensive walking through towns where the trail runs through. But this one he really wanted to experience. After our goodbye, I quickly drove off, eager to find a cozy place to “set down camp” for the next 4 hours. I drove through the town, which was buzzing with activity from Dartmouth. I’m not sure what was happening on campus, but while driving the downtown area I started to have flashbacks of move-in and move-out weekend at my previous employer, Johnson & Wales University. This was always the best of times and the worst of times for a college employee, and I found comfort in the fact that I am not in that business anymore. As I drove through campus, my nostalgic anxiety quickly passed, and I realized that Zach forgot to get his sandwiches out of the cooler.
I drove around town looking for him for about 15 minutes. He walked very quickly through town and when I finally did spot him, he was almost to the bridge to cross the river to Vermont. I started honking my horn and soliciting propositions to my husband on the sidewalk. Needless to say, he wasn’t surprised when he turned his head and saw me yelling out the window. I pulled over, gave him his sandwiches and then left Hanover to hang out in White River Junction, VT.
I wanted to make sure I stayed somewhere in the middle of where Zach was hiking in case he decided to stop at an earlier point or if there was an emergency. I ended up going to Piecemeal Pies, a relaxed hangout for locals, next to the train tracks in White River Junction. The cappuccino was good, there were plenty of electrical outlets, and it was an open kitchen environment. But it was loud, busy, and there wasn’t enough comfortable seating. I was craving a “cozy” environment, and was really looking forward to checking in at the hotel that afternoon.
Zach’s goal for this day was 22.8 miles. After doing some research, Zach had told me that Vermont is one of the toughest states to hike in. There is 150 miles of trail with elevation ranges of 400 to 4,010 feet. I dropped him off at 11:00AM and the approximate time for pick up was 7:00PM. After a moderately productive morning/afternoon, I headed to our hotel in Lebanon, NH. This hotel was right next to the airport, which was a highlight for Zach and I. The freshly popped pop corn in the lobby was also a bonus.
After I unloaded the car, I noticed the storm clouds in the distance, and I was reminded of my concern about Zach hiking during a thunderstorm. On the trip up, I had mentioned this, and he reminded me not to worry. He would be fine. I was concerned but decided to console myself with a trip to the New Hampshire Liquor Outlet. This is ALWAYS a highlight when we are up in this area, and I spent 45 minutes contemplating what wine and vodka I was going to bring home. After I left the store, the storm was just rolling in. I arrived back at the hotel just in time for the downpour.
At 6:00PM, I checked the pick-up location travel time. My GPS said that it would take 30 minutes to get there. I started out, determined to get there early, so Zach did not have to wait. The journey up to the pickup location were mostly major two lane routes and paved back roads. The road that I was going to pick Zach up on was dirt and gravel. It was around 6:35PM when I arrived. I parked in what looked like an old driveway for a rundown farmhouse, and waited.
While I waited, I pulled out my book that I was reading. I ended up finishing it and by this time, it was around 7:30PM. I continued to wait. I then found a scrap piece of paper and did some strategic planning for my business. When I finished this, I checked the time. It was now 8:25PM. I started to worry. I also checked my cell phone, and the screen was now saying that I did not have any service.
At this point, it was almost 2 hours after the rendezvous time, and I was starting to become increasingly more concerned regarding Zach’s safety. He had mentioned that if he was more than an hour late, start to worry. I started to regret returning the hiker tracker from Bass Pro Shops. The one we did purchase was $450, and required a costly subscription to operate. I realized that without cell service, it would be useless and I would not be able to track him anyway. I was also concerned that he had gotten off the trail earlier and was trying to contact me because it was getting dark.
I waited around for another 10 minutes and then drove 5 miles south to where I could get cell service. I tried calling him……no answer. So I left a voicemail. I called him again……no answer. So I decided to turn around and go back to the pickup location. As I’m about to pull out onto the road back, my phone rings, and it’s Zach! I answered the phone, “Hey, are you ok?” Zach answered, “Yes, I’m about a mile and a half away from the pickup location.” I respond, “Can you get off the trail early, because it’s getting dark.” He responded, “No, I’m really close, just go back to the pickup location.”
Being the obedient support vehicle, I drove back to the pickup location and waited. By this time, the locals who lived on this road started taking notice of me. One guy actually stopped to see if I was ok. Another, who was passing by in his truck, noticed my license plate, and that I was a “flat lander.” He decided to throw me the bird. I was also parked in a location with tall grass and big trees……the perfect breeding ground for spiders and insects. For anyone who knows me, I have a major case of arachnophobia. After sitting in this spot for what seemed like ages and having every species of spider in Vermont crawl over the windshield of our car, I saw movement in the woods.
I looked closer, and IT WAS ZACH!!!! I turned on the car, and was so excited to see him that I hit the gas a little too hard and spun the wheels of our Volkswagen Jetta. The farmer who owns the land, probably won’t be too happy with the tire marks I left in the grass. But he was probably the same guy who flipped me off…..
Zach got in the car. He looked and sounded exhausted. He had been running the last mile of the trail to try and make it to me by dark. On this part of the trail there were a few interesting encounters with animals and humans. There was a porcupine, gigantic hypochondriac acid spraying millipedes,and a mushroom hunter singing to herself to scare away the bears.
Zach has almost accomplished 50 miles of the trail! We are still rookies, by all means, but have learned some valuable lessons.
1) Start hiking a 20 mile hike earlier, especially in New Hampshire/Vermont.
2) 22.8 miles is a HARD limit with all the elevation changes. Just on this part of the trail Zach climbed 15 mountains/hills which have a combined summit footage value of 20,593 feet.
3) We will not be using the ridiculously priced hiker tracker. We will try to find and use walkie talkies. Until then, and if we find a brand that can be used, we will just do this the good old fashioned way of a rendezvous point and meeting time.
4) Mole skin, good socks, mosquito nets around your head, and bug spray are essential. This trip took its toll on Zach’s feet. Even with his comfortable Red Head Brand Co. hiking boots from Bass Pro Shops, he ended up with sores between his toes. Ticks are also a hazard while walking in the woods, and we found a large wood tick crawling on him before he showered. On our way home we stopped at Bass Pro Shops and got him mole skin, and a mosquito net that will hang on his hat. Our next investment will be Insect Shield clothing and good hiking socks. The clothing actually prevents mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and fleas from getting onto you, and is surprisingly reasonably priced.
After the hike on Saturday, Zach decided he should probably take Sunday off. So we decided to do a little sight seeing around the area. Here we are at the the Quechee Gorge and the VINS (Vermont Institute of Natural Science).
With the summer finally here, Zach will be hiking more often and I’m very excited to continue to share our journey with you. If there are any suggestions on walkie talkies that are reasonably priced (under $500), and have a long range (at least a 20 mile radius), please share your suggestions with me.
Our next hiking plans will be in Connecticut or Massachusetts. Stay tuned!
Here are the pictures from Zach’s hike!
Another cool thing that he came upon was this Little Free Library. Zach and I are Rotarians, and we just finished installing three for our Rotary Club Service project a month ago! It’s so cool to see this network of LFLs even on the AT!
One of the LFLs we installed a month ago with our Rotary Club!
#appalachain trail#hiking#nature#travel#the road less travelled#rotary#little free library#vermont#new hampshire
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Making the Most of a Weekend
In late March of 2018, we vacationed with my in-laws in North Carolina. During this trip Zach was planning on hiking in Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Unfortunately the winter prevailed leaving 3 feet of snow from a blizzard in the Appalachian Mountains in these states, during this time. Due to personal commitments and weather, Zach did not get a chance to hike until the last weekend of April 2018. I also had an event to coordinate for my business, the Sunday of that weekend in Albany. Since we were already out that way, we agreed that this would be a good opportunity for Zach to hike Saturday (on our way out to Albany) and Monday (on our way back from Albany).
The starting point was on the south side of Dalton, MA. On the way we passed Herman Melville’s house, who wrote Moby Dick. I was surprised to learn that he lived that far west, especially since his story is based off of the sailor’s lives and experiences in New Bedford, MA.
To get to the starting point, I had to drive through a lumber yard to drop Zach off, and he had to cross a set of train tracks to get onto the trail. He would be hiking approximately 7 miles to Gulf Road in Dalton, MA.
I am a creature of habit, and went back to Juice N’ Java to work and finalize details for my events that were going to take place on Sunday and Wednesday of that week. I had 3 hours until pick up time, and I was determined to make use of every second of it.
Driving to this pick up location was easy, and through a town that reminded me of my hometown in Pennsylvania. One of the cool things about doing this, is that we get to see parts of New England that we would never have known existed. I was there to meet Zach within 10 minutes of him coming off the trail. He changed, and we got in the car to head to Albany.
On Monday, we came back to the same pick-up location so Zach could continue his hike from here. He went 13 miles south and ended in Lee, MA. During this hike he crossed Warner Hill, which provided some good views. I ended up breaking out of my comfort zone and finding a new place called Haven Cafe to hang out in. For a Monday, the place was packed, and my biggest issue was trying to find an outlet to plug in my labtop. I wish I had problems like this all the time. 🙂 The food and beverage were excellent, and before I knew it, I was being summoned to pick Zach up. I did not anticipate the pick-up point being over 2o miles away from where I was. This pick up point was probably the most difficult I’ve had to deal with so far. I bet you 5 years from now, I’ll be begging for a pick up point like this. But the road was up a mountain, extremely curvy and littered with pot holes. I took it easy with the car, but it was almost 40 minutes by the time I got to Zach. It took us another 15 minutes to drive out of the state park that was miles of gravel and dirt roads. We got on the highway, and headed home. On this hike, Zach came around a corner and startled a Red Tailed Hawk. He also came upon a senior citizen who was off the trail pruning weeds from the trees and plants in the area. The man was wearing a nice pair of brown leather dress shoes, khaki slacks, and a tucked in polo shirt. At this point the closest access point to the trail was 3 miles in either direction. Bizarre, yes, but I’m sure that this isn’t the first odd thing that Zach will come upon.
Here are the pictures from Zach’s hike that weekend:
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