Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania

 The Plan

Everyone needs a plan when attempting any hike. My plan was to hike from Caledonia State Park in Pennsylvania to the town of Duncannon on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania a total of 65 miles. I arranged to  meet two other hikers from Raleigh North Carolina and Virginia to be my companions. They hiked at a faster pace and soon left me after the first 15 minutes of every day. I usually hike at about a 2 mile per hour pace and stop to take take pictures on an occasion. They stopped and waited for me to catch up several times along each days hike. We had agreed that if I didn't show up at camp after several hours that they would come looking for me.

I have hiked a lot in my lifetime but I have been seriously hiking for about 5 years and find that every hike is different. Each trip becomes a learning experience. I am always testing out new gear and try to carry as little weight as possible. I was scheduled for a double knee replacement about 10 years ago but decided to just hike and bicycle till my knees wouldn't bend anymore. On this hike my challenge was to see if I could cut my daily food requirement  by half. Most experienced hiker/backpackers recommend to carry about 2 pounds of food per day. In my last blog I showed how I could cut the food weight to one pound per day.

The Hike

This 65 mile backpack of the AT traveled through areas rich in the history of the iron industry. Iron furnaces and blacksmith shoppes supported the towns along the route.

                                There were many unique areas along the trail like this "egg tree."

Along one part of the hike Hessian troops in the 1700's, escaped slaves in the 1800's and Nazi submarine commanders all passed along large bands of quartzite boulders laced with stripes of white quartz. Camp Michaux runs along the edge of the trail where WWII prisoners of war were kept. Large iron furnaces are found all along the trail.

Iron Furnace

Communities of workers lived and worked around the iron furnaces. Many of the buildings have been renovated and are used as hostels. We stayed in the old pay masters house where at the end of a pay period the workers would be paid.

Pay Masters House - Workers would go up one set of stairs, get paid and then go down the other set of stairs.

Not far along the trail we passed the midpoint of the entire Appalachian Trail at 1090.5 miles from Georgia to Maine.

It rained for several hours while hiking along the trail. The water flowed along the trail like a small stream. We had to hike in ankle deep water to stay on the trail and through muddy fields.

Trail Stream

Water Trail

Muddy Field

There were many modern well kept shelters along the trail

Shelter

As well as many modern bathroon facilities.

Modern Outhouse "Privy"

The trail is a roller coaster type hike up and down along the northern end with many rocky formations. The trail crosses through the town of Boiling Springs an iron industry settlement around a large lake.

Town of Boiling Springs

This 65 mile hike ends in the Town of Duncannon along the Susquehanna River.  Despite the rainy weather, and the muddy wet trail I enjoyed the fellowship of two very nice men that made backpacking this section of Pennsylvania a real treat.

Town of Duncannon

Psalms 3:4

To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. 

Food Carried on a Five Day Hike by Weight

I recently completed a five day hike on the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. I decided to weigh each food item that was taken on the hike in grams. I weighed the food in grams because I could get a more accurate measurement for each item.
Many hikers carry 50 pounds and up in their packs and have no problem doing it. This post is for those who need to carry less weight in their packs. Most hiking books state that hikers carry on an average of  2 pounds of food per day. Two pounds is equal to  907.18 grams.

Lets First Look at Tuesday the first day of the hike.

Breakfast is not included because the hike started after the meal.

Chili Mac Dinner                          82g
Cliff Bar   Lunch                           48g
Cliff Shot Extra Energy                 34g
Mars Bar   After Dinner Snack      54g
Crystal Light Dinner Drink            04g
Mixed Nuts  Lunch                        44g
Nutrient Drink Evening drink        32g
Plastic Bag                                     08g

Total                                            306g

Second Day Wednesday Full Day

Chili Mac Dinner                          84g
Oatmeal Packet  Breakfast            36g
4 Packs Raw Sugar  for Coffee     20g
Honey 2 Packs  for Oatmeal          22g
Creamer                                         04g
Coffee Bag                                    06g
Breakfast Cookie                           50g
Mixed Nuts Lunch                         48g
Crystal Light                                  04g
Cliff Shot                                       34g
Cup of Soup Packet                       16g
Power Bar Lunch                           68g
Mars Bar                                         52g
Nutrient Powder                             36g
Bag                                                 10g

Total                                             490g

Thursday Hike

Mac and Cheese                           104g
Pop Tarts Bag                               106g
Mars Bar                                         52g
Power Bar                                       70g
Creamer                                           02g
Mixed  Nuts                                    44g
4 Packs Raw Sugar                         20g
Cliff Shot                                         32g
Soup Packet                                     16g
Breakfast Cookie                             48g
Nutrient Powder                              32g
Tea Bag                                           02g
White Sugar packet                         06g
Crystal Light                                   04g
Coffee Bag                                      04g
Plastic Bag                                      10g

Total                                             552g



Friday Hike

Beef Trekkie                                     94g
Mars Bar                                             50g
Cliff Shot                                            32g
Oatmeal                                              46g
Big 100 Bar                                      104g
Coffee Bag                                         04g
4 Pack Raw Sugar                             20g
Crystal Light                                      04g
Creamer                                             04g
White Sugar 2 Pack                           06g
4 Packs Honey                                  38g
Mixed Nuts Packet                            46g
Tea Bag                                             02g
Nutrient Drink                                   30g
Plastic Bag                                        10g

Total                                                  490g


Saturday Hike Evening Meal is Not Included

Pop Tarts                                          110g
Cliff Bar                                             70g
Mars Bar                                            50g
Mixed Nuts                                        46g
Coffee Bag                                        04g
Nutrient Powder                                32g
Crystal Light                                     04g
Creamer                                            04g
4 Pack Raw Sugar                            16g
Cliff Shot                                          32g
Bag                                                   10g

Total                                                  378

The grand total of food I carried for all five days was 2,216 grams converted to 4.89 pounds. This is just about one pound per day.

So if you want to pack ultralight you do not have to pack on an average of 2 pounds of food per day. Of course this does not include water nor the food bag to carry the food.

Winter Hike

 The Trails are Calling

I have been like the black bears in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia in hibernation coming out for the first time this year. I took my first hike of the year in February of this year. It was along one of my favorite hikes a 8 mile plus hike of Doyles' and Joneses Run. I love the views of the small waterfalls along both streams. I also wanted to try out an ultralight pack I ordered from Ultralight Backpacking. I am always in the hunt for light weight backpacking equipment. I was diagnosed with a loss of all of my cartilage in my knees about 15 years ago after many years of marathon and ultramarathon running.  The doctors said I needed two knee replacements and I would not run or hike again. After three doctors opinions I decided to take glucosamine and chrondroitin and forget the doctors advise. I may not be the fastest hiker but I am still hiking the trails. I grew up in the country and I feel like I must return to it to be complete. The Doyles' and Joneses Run hike was perfect to start my season.

Waterfalls 

Therapy

In Virginia we look for the black bear to come out of hibernation in the month of February. I love to hike the trails looking for the signs of bear activity. I usually find bear tracks and scat along the trail.   

While taking pictures of the waterfalls along the trail I was almost hit by falling sheets of ice.

When I hike in the mountains I am reminded of the scripture Isaiah 49:13 - Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

AT Hiking

The Long Green Tunnel

It is all so true what some might say about hiking the Appalachian Trail in wooded areas for long periods of time, these hikers say that they get bored while traveling long distances looking at that same scenery. I look at it as another piece of God's creation. There are so many people who will never see those long spans of cool shaded trails. There are others that cannot physically walk the trail and would give anything to see that same scenery that some might see as boring.

I look beyond the obvious for the hidden surprises like animals, plants and rocks that tell the story of the AT. The following videos tell a story of what I found along one of my recent AT hikes in Virginia and Tennessee.

                                                                                            

                                                                                      

                                       

                                    

                                

Pentatoma rufipes- Mountain Stink Bug

One of the most pesty pests on the Appalachian Trail is the stink bug. September and October are the worst months for the hiker. The bugs are everywhere. They seem to like to stay in the shelters in very large numbers in the hundreds. In camp they like to try to attach to you everywhere. I was eating and one tried to fly into my mouth. The SB prefers to host on all wild plants. The SB likes to feast on plant seeds. They overwinter as adults and become active in the spring. The female lays several hundred eggs on leaves and stems. It takes five weeks to go from egg to adult. Birds are the SBs natural enemy. They emit an unpleasant odor which repels most enemies. I recently hiked from Caledonia State Park in Pennsylvania to Harper's Ferry and encountered hundreds of SB's along the trail. When I returned home I discovered SB's attached to my tent and auto. In the past people have used animals or parts of animals as money. The scalps of woodpeckers and the tails of giraffes have been used. Since we have so many stink bugs in the east why not use then for money. They are plentiful in Pennsylvania but absent in other places. They could be referred as to as "bug money." I think we shall have dominion over the insects.

Genesis 1:26 .......... and let them have dominion over .............every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

The sodium connection

In the past some nations went to war for salt and where it was scarce it was used for money. In Greece a hard working slave was said to be "worth his weight in salt." In Rome a portion of a legionnaire's monthly wage was paid in bricks of salt and the word salary is derived from the Latin word salarium or salt money. Salt or sodium performs many functions in our body:

1. It regulates the amount of water in our body governing the passage of fluids in and out of the cells and helping the cell membranes remain elastic.

2. Salt is needed in the digestive system for metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins and by the nervous system to aid in the transmission of nerve impulses.

3. Sodium also interferes with regulating the electrolytes into cells.

4. It helps maintain the electrolyte balance of the body also helps in muscle contraction.

Table salt is composed of 40% sodium and 60% chloride. If you eat 10 grams of table salt 4 grams(g) are sodium. A large amount of sodium leads to high blood pressure. One gram of sodium is less than a teaspoon and more than meets the daily requirement. The average American eats 8 to 12 grams a day. Often the excessive salt is passed out of the body by the kidneys but in 30 to 50 % of the people the kidneys can't keep up. If the sodium builds up in the blood water will also build up restricting blood flow and high blood pressure results. As we grow older our kidneys become even less efficient.

Many manufacturers of foods add salt as a preservative to add shelf life. Many doctors believe that 77 % of the salt in our bodies comes from commercial additives (ca).

Some examples of ca are:

1. Food additives -

a. Soft drinks - sodium cyclamate

b. Preserved fruits - sodium sulfite

c. Desserts - Sodium citrate

d. Antimold in cheese - Sodium propionate

e. Meats - Sodium nitrate

f. Sweetener - sodium saccharin

g. Ice cream - sodium caseinate

h. Skin softener - sodium hydroxide

i. Condiments, dressings - sodium benzoate

2. MSG - monosodium glutamate - flavoring and tenderizer

3. Dry skim milk - heavy in salt

4. Baking powder - kitchen favorite

5. Brine - pickles, olives, feta cheese, corned beef

So the secret is to avoid the salt in prepared foods.

Lets look at a few samples:

Clif Bars

The average clif bar contains 130 mg (milligrams) of sodium and 310 mg of potassium. Potassium can act as a substitute for salt but does not increase the amount of water in the blood. A good ratio of sodium to potassium is 1 to 3.

Organic Trek Mix

Sodium is 0 mg.

Most prepackaged backpacking foods are very high in sodium. Many hikers eat the whole pack but you must remember it contains 2 helping and twice the listed sodium per helping. Try to prepackage the pouch into 2 separate bags and only eat the meals that are around 800 to 900 mg.

Ramen noodles

Ramen noodles are very high in sodium if you add the flavor cube provided in the package. Instead add a low sodium bullion cube.

I have tried to give you some information on sodium, extend your hiking years by staying away from sodium.

Hiking Boot Weights

The weight of hiking boots make a big difference when hiking long distances. To me every extra gram makes a difference in the total weight when carried or worn. In the past five years I have tried an assorted group of hiking boots. Of course the anticipated weather may make a difference in boot selection. The following are some of the hiking boots/shoes I wear.

Teva sandals are very comfortable to hike in and give you plenty of room for swelling feet. You have to be careful not to stub your toe or turn your ankle. Disadvantages are that small rocks will occasionally get wedged under your foot and that your feet will get dirty even if you wear socks. Weight 694 grams.

Keen sandals are a bit more rugged than the teva. The toe is reinforced to protect from stubbing toes. There is plenty of toe room. You have less of a chance to get small pebbles under you foot. Your feet will still get dirty. They are not very comfortable in hiking in the snow or in cold temperatures unless you wear a neoprene sock. Weight 828 grams,

Low cut hybrid keen sandal is a cross between a sandal and a hiking boot. It has a closed body with a reinforced toe. Your feet keep clean with the closed body but you still have plenty of toe room. The disadvantage is that you need to keep tightening the shoe strings. The weight is 986 grams. There is a high top version of the hybrid that gives you more ankle support but you have to tie them in a special way at the top to keep them comfortable around the ankle. The weight is 1035 grams.

The older version of the Montrail HardRock low cut trail shoe is a very good hiking shoe. If you don't have to worry about ankle sprains and you want to move faster with a lighter weight shoe it is a good choice. It may be hard to find because it has been replaced with a slightly heavier shoe. It has good cushioning and it weights 790 grams.

A newer version of the Montrail HardRock trail shoe is another shoe like the one above. I have found that it doesn't last as long as the original and weighs 830 grams. Montrail has newer versions of the above shoes and they continue to improve on them every year.

The Montrail Gortex True ankle high hiking boot is the tank of all of my boots. It gives me great ankle support and it is water proof. The disadvantage is that it is heavier. It weighs 1725 grams.

I have learned over the years that a lighter shoe helps my knees last longer before I have to stop and it keeps my daily mileage high. I tend to stub my toes less with a lighter shoe when I am tired. In colder weather with snow or rain you can still wear a sandal or trail shoe if you wear a neoprene sock.

I pray that you won't have to go through all of the trials and tribulations of buying and trying all of these shoes before you find the best shoe for you. Don't let your shoes become old laying in the closet. Good hiking; Joshua 9:13 ......and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.