Hiking The AT (Appalachian Trail)

Interupting the Top Ten Countdown for a moment-----will resume on the next post. All this writing about trips and hiking and stuff has given me itchy feet. My heart and head are full of wanderlust. The thought of hiking the PCT is always heavy on my mind. Its also many years away--our situation requires we wait- --AHHHHH! But a section hike---especially since I am on the East Coast---the Appalachian Trail--ambles right thru New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Why not have a practice run --er hike--practically in my own backyard.---sorta----

My other idea is to have Mark drop me off at the trailhead in Shenandoah National Park on our way back from West Virginia on July 6th and hike the section near Skyline Drive-starting at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro and hike north to Front Royal. The more scenic of the two will prevail. This is in the planning stage--since the idea popped into my head yesterday. If I do the Pensylvania section--probably do it mid July

DELAWARE WATER GAP

I even have 2 volunteers to keep me company on my journey---my eldest son Jayson, who will in 12th grade in Sept. and my 13 year old daughter Corinne. Its customary to go by trail names--we've certainly have hiked alot of places--the kids have already have their names from past trips they've been on Jayson has become known as Diarreah Boy #2 or Number 2 for short---my stepson has the dubious honor of the #1 position--together they had become known as the Diarreah Boys from our 2005 Grand Canyon Trip--and it wasnt because they HAD it. It was because all they talked about on the 3 hour shuttle to Lee's Ferry was poop, farts and other bodily fluids that could be put to song and rhyme. Corinne got her name in Utah--she became known as Slash. In pre-trip correspondence our friend G started referring to her as Carli instead of Cori in his emails. So we introduced her as Cori/Carli to the group. Our friend Rob decided to shorten it to just " / " aka Slash. Me?? I was bestowed a name of sorts due to an "incident" that happened in a rapid called Killer Fang Falls in the GC--but really not sure i wanna be known as Soggy Bottom Girl(dont ask--not ready to explain that one yet) on the trail--- Im sorta partial to "Stix"--not because Im skinny--cuz I'm not!! But all my hikes I never hike without a trekking pole. I've busted at least 5 cheapo Walmart ones --they "suck" Last year I finally got a pair of Black Diamond Spires. I love 'em. Used em when I hiked to Angel's Landing in Zion NP in April, and used them when we hiked to (and ON) Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau AK. I am also excited because I will get to use our brand spanking new shelter/tent---it a GoLite Shangri-La3. Backpacker tent, super lightweight waterproof 4 season tent. So this section hike will be a good test to start adopting the lightweight backpacking style. When hiking long distances--less is more--the less weight you have the further you are able to hike. I plan to keep some kind of journal on the trip so ---keep checking back---will update anyone interested as trip gets closer . . . . I now bring you the regularly scheduled programming already in progress------