Sheltowee Trace: Cumberland Falls Area

"Oh, no!"

After opting out of the Florida Trail thru-hike, or any other long distance trails, I ached to get back on a trail, somewhere, anywhere. So 2016 became a year of somewhat smaller adventures, section hikes.

While visiting with the family in Kentucky, springtime arrived early. I set out on March 22nd to pick up where I'd left off on the Sheltowee Trace in Southern Kentucky. I'd hiked about a quarter of the 320 mile trek the previous spring before bailing out due to heavy rains and swollen stream crossings.

As fate would have it, I would only be spending five days and four nights on the ST this time around. A minor disaster struck on day four at a stream crossing. I slipped and fell backwards on a sloped, mossy rock. After I collected myself, I realized that my left middle finger was grossly dislocated. Later, I would discover that the ring and pinky fingers were also damaged. Weird thing, I've fallen backwards like that dozens of times in my hiking life, the backpack always bracing the fall with no issues. But this time was different. Either my trekking pole got hung up in my fingers or I just slammed them into the rock, a natural response.

Fortunate to have family in Central Kentucky, I got to a place with a phone signal and arranged a pick up the next day, bailing out after on 35 miles this time around. The ER doctor got me put back together, and she also dug out two ticks that has decided to call the crease of my buttock home.

Damn you, Sheltowee Trace! I'll conquer you one day!

Back where I left off, U.S. 27 near Whitley City, Kentucky

Camped in a nice cave

Strange things along the Cumberland River flood plane

More strange stuff, and just a bit creepy

Camped along the river

Feels good to be back on the trail!

Too cloudy to catch the moonbow, and t-storms in the area

First time ever at Cumberland Falls!

Camped on the beach, sheltered by a hanging rock

Slippery bridge

Met a photographer at Dog Slaugher Falls

I don't think it's supposed to look like that!

Definitely not.

Hiker issues, down but not out!

Another 30 something miles completed, about 200 to go.
Next year, perhaps.

When Being Rich Means Having Less

I dropped out of the rat race nearly five years ago at an age most would say is too young to be retired. People talk a lot about being wealthy, and for most, that means accumulating material things. For me, being rich means accumulating amazing experiences and making unforgettable memories. It means meeting new people from different places, being exposed to new cultures, and being able to understand perspectives and values that might differ from my own. It's so liberating once we come to terms that we really don't need much, declutter our lives, and truly become FREE!

Here's a video of a few of us hikers just sharing stories about our adventure on the Pacific Northwest Trail. Alex "Money Shot" Maier compiled this beautiful footage and these interviews clips, an encore to his critically acclaimed documentary, "A Sense of Direction - A 1200 mile Walk on the Pacific Northwest Trail."

Documentary of our 2015 PNT Thru-Hike

"Hike your own hike."

Congrats to my friend and hiking partner, Alex "Money Shot" Maier, on the completion of his documentary, "A Sense Of Direstion - A 1200 Mile Walk On The Pacific Northwest Trail." It is awesome! Check it out:

A backpacking podcast featured the film on a recent episode. Check out the interview here: n2backpacking episode 34 - Interview with "Money Shot"

Dry Tortugas, Everglades, PNT Journal, Glacier NP Video

"WTF!"

The winter months offer an opportunity to reflect and recover. After returning to the east coast in October, I rented out my house and traveled (by car this time) to spend time with family in Florida and Kentucky.

While in Florida, I came close to jumping on the Florida Trail for a couple months. I bought the trail guide, had my backpack ready, and even went to the Keys and the Everglades. An inflamed achilles tendon, the result of 3,500 miles of backpacking in a year and a half, was the only thing to hold me back. It's time to take care of the feet and not walk through swamps!

Took the ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park, 

checked out Fort Jefferson there,

learned about the fort's history,

camped by the beach,

and walked the shoreline.

Then I spent some time in Key West,

checked out the Everglades,

and camped at Big Cypress near the trail head for Florida Trail.

So what's next? Not sure. Much will depend on the status of the feet.

Cheers, and Happy Wintertime!

Fitty Shrimp

Pacific Northwest Trail - Favorite Photos

My three-month trek along the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail was completed on September 29, 2015. It was truly an incredible experience!

There are many stories to share from this adventure, and I intend to do so here during the next few months. In the meantime, here are some of my favorite photos from the trip. Enjoy the scenery!

Beautiful wildflowers in peak bloom throughout Glacier National Park in Montana

Evening sky in Idaho

Lunch break at Lake Janet in Glacier National Park

Amazing late afternoon views of the Kettle Range from the Kettle Crest National Scenic Trail in Eastern Washington

Bubbling clouds in the valley, an eerie and surreal sunset in Olympic National Park

Approaching the majestic Olympic Mountains

Organic farming near Northport, Washington

A herd of mountain goats joined me for breakfast near Amphitheater Mountain in the North Cascade's Pasayten Wilderness

A side trip along the Chain Links Trail rewarded us with spectacular views of colorful wildflowers and Mt. Baker towering in the distance

The mountains surrounding the Okanogan Valley in Central Washington, the "high desert" - barren ridges, triple-digit temperatures, and the strong aroma of sage in the dusty air

Purple mountain majesty - Looking east toward Idaho's Selkirk range

Camping next to Upper Cathedral Lake in the Pasayten Wilderness in the pre-sunset glow

Hiking among the giant red cedar trees in North Cascades National Park

Pacific Northwest - Prehike Jitters, etc.

"Uh, maps and a compass? Really?"

Just a few days before the train leaves the station, and in a week, I'll be hiking through the Rockies. Seriously going to do this!

Hope to camp the first night here - Stony Indian Lake
in Glacier National Park

A few pieces of gear, worn out by 205 days of Appalachian Trail, had to be replaced, but the main items are still hanging tough, the backpack, tent, sleeping bag and pad. I've added an inflatable camp pillow, a luxury item for sure, but the increase in comfort exceeds the cost, both in dollars and in grams.

The 1,200 mile Pacific Northwest Trail is not really a trail at all, but more like an idea. There are a few resources that have been pieced together by the handful of people who've hiked the PNT, and I've printed a bunch of maps, probably 150 pages, to lug along. I've divided the maps into ten sections, Section One entailing 147 miles through the Rockies to Section Ten, 63 miles along the Pacific beach. The maps illustrate lots of different options and alternative routes, just to make things super confusing. For my mates and me, there will be decisions to be made daily, with our chosen routes based on things like weather, snow pack, forest fires, resupply needs and mental/physical health. Unlike the Appalachian Trail, where we simply followed white trail blazes for 2,200 miles, the PNT is mostly unmarked. In some areas, there is not a real trail at all, and miles of bushwacking will hopefully land us in a desirable spot. I picked up a base compass and had to do some research to figure out how to navigate old school style, with compass and maps.

The start of the adventure, Chief Mountain
Customs Office at the Canada/U.S. border

With over 18 hours of daylight, we'll have an opportunity to hike big miles early on, as the days grow gradually shorter. But a freakish record-breaking heat wave in the Inland Northwest, 25F degrees above average, along with expected aches and pains, will likely limit us to a great extent, at least for the first couple of weeks.

Seriously? The average high is 78F and low is 49F.
Maybe hike in the morning/evening and nap/swim at mid-day.

I worry about about grizzly bears and mountain lions, about a missed step at an inopportune time, and the physical demands that will most certainly take a toll. But I heard something on a podcast at The Trail Show recently that sums things up pretty well. "When you set out to do something you're sure you can easily accomplish, then it's not really an adventure." No word of a lie!

Happy Trails!
Fitty Shrimp

Pacific Northwest Trail - Summer 2015

On July 1st, I will board a train from Baltimore to Chicago, where I will meet up with two fellow thru-hikers I met on the Appalachian Trail last year, Marathon and Spaceman Spiff. From there, we'll board another train to East Glacier Park Village, Montana. The 1,200 mile Pacific Northwest Trail connects the Rocky Mountains near the Canadian border with the Pacific Ocean in Olympic National Park. We plan to attempt a thru-hike of this rugged and isolated trail beginning on the 4th of July.

In the meantime, here are some video highlights from the 80-mile hike through Tennessee and Kentucky back in April. Stay tuned!

Fitty Shrimp

Memorial Day Maryland Section Hike

After a couple weeks back in Baltimore, I was anxious to get back out into the wilderness. The Appalachian Trail runs through Maryland for about 41 miles, just over an hour drive west of the city, and I needed to get my fix. It was Memorial Day Weekend, and the weather forecast was as good as it can get.

I parked at the trail head on U.S. 40 near where a chain link covered foot bridge carries the A.T. over I-70. I would do an out and back hike, southward toward Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. I suspected I would run into many northbound thru-hikers, those who started from Georgia in February or early March. I could not show up without "trail magic," so I stopped and picked up three McDoubles to give to the first three thru-hikers I met.

I parked around noon, and stopped about three miles into the hike at the side trail to the original Washington Monument. There, I saw a familiar face. It was "Bear Bag," a fellow thru-hiker from the Class of 2014. Now he looks all official, sporting a uniform of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. He had taken a job as the ridge runner overseeing the Maryland section of the A.T., and it was his second day on the job.

Hanging with Bear Bag (a.k.a. Max)

About that time, three guys came by from the south, thru-hikers. They were pretty happy when I pulled three fairly fresh McDoubles from my pack - Maryland trail magic!

Lucky recipients of Maryland McDoubles

Brian, Graham, and Alex are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are hiking for the Sergeant Sullivan Center, helping to raise awareness for post-deployment illnesses. It was truly an honor to meet these guys and treat them to some burgers. Here is more information about their quest: Hike for Heroes

As I continued southbound, I met a bunch more northbound thru-hikers. I visited with hikers from Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Colorado, and Germany. I stopped for a snack break at the Rocky Run shelter, and there was a college group there setting up for the night. One guy said, "What's that you're eating?" "Just a Slim-Jim, cheese, and donut burrito, with jalapeno sauce," I answered. Some of the creations I lived off of last year, while disgusting-sounding to the average person, are hiker delicacies, and packed full of calories.

"Peter Pan" from Georgia - trying to finish before his 21st birthday in August

"Croc Rocket" from Alabama loves to hike in those Crocs

The trail was quite busy with a large influx of Marylanders and Virginians out for the day or for the holiday weekend. I arrived at the Crampton Gap Shelter and tented near lots of other hikers and campers on a chilly evening. This is a far cry from my hike last month through Tennessee and Kentucky when I went for several days without seeing another person. I've decided that, while peaceful solitude is nice sometimes, I prefer having other hikers around.

After having hiked about 12 miles on Friday, I continued on along South Mountain on Saturday morning. I stopped briefly at Gathland State Park to get some water and use the facilities. It's nice to not have to filter water, and the few springs along this section of the trail are pretty far down the side of the mountain.

A tribute to correspondents who died covering the Civil War

Later, I stopped at the Ed Garvey Shelter for lunch. There I met "Neon Mountains," a young thru-hiker who had just returned to the trail after spending a few days partying at the Trail Days Festival in Damascus, Virginia. Trail Days is a celebration of Appalachian Trail hikers, past, present, and future. He was still trying to recover and was getting a very late start on this day.

I learned that this shelter was the site of a fatality a couple months ago. On a windy March morning, a hiker from Pennsylvania was making one last check to make sure he didn't leave any personal belongings in the shelter. A large dead tree blew over at just that moment, crushing him to death. The tree still lies behind the shelter along with a small rock memorial constructed by fellow hikers. This is a grim reminder of the many hazards that hikers face every day. I found more information about the tragedy here: Hiker who was killed by a falling tree was a friend, a musician and engineer

I continued on toward the Potomac River. Okay, I have a confession to make. Last year, I did not actually hike the entire Appalachian Trail. It's a long story, but, not by my design, I skipped a seven-tenths of a mile stretch of switchbacks from Weverton Road Park-and-Ride up to Weverton Cliff. So when I recognized the spot where my friend Gregg picked me up for my halftime break last June 17th, it occurred to me that this was actually the completion of my Appalachian Trail thru-hike, the entire length from Georgia to Maine. I stopped at the parking area for a break and snack. It was really not too celebratory - just a thing.

I decided to not hike the four additional miles into Harper's Ferry. Last year, I did not really enjoy my visit there so much, and it would add a half day or more to my weekend adventure. So I continued back up the hill, stopping to enjoy the view from the cliffs.

View of the Potomac from Weverton Cliff

I figured it would take a day and a half to get back to my car. I once again stopped at Gathland to water up. I met a half dozen ultra-hikers there who were speed-hiking the entire Maryland section, from north to south, in one day. It was past 6:30 in the evening. They had begun at 5:00 a.m. and still had about 10 miles to make it to the bridge to Harper's Ferry.

I hiked up the hill to Crampton Gap and camped at the exact same spot from the night before. Neon Mountains and some other thru-hikers were nearby and relaxing by a campfire. I had a headache for much of the afternoon; I think I let myself get a bit dehydrated in the warmest part of the day. It was not a good sleep that night, with the headache and sore legs, after about a 14 mile day.

The iconic Old South Mountain Inn

On Sunday, it was warmer, and the headache persisted. I stopped at the spring near Rocky Run Shelter, and again at the Dahlgren Backpacker's Campground for an afternoon nap on a bench. When I arrived at Washington Monument State Park, I caught up to Croc Rocket, who had a night off the trail to visit with a friend. He was with a couple other hikers. I was just three miles to my car, and I unloaded some of the extra food in my pack, donating it to a hiker named "Tate."

All in all, it was a great weekend. There is an opportunity for another long distance hike next month, so I need to decide if I'm up for it, both mentally and physically. More on this next time.

Happy Trails!

Fitty Shrimp