The First Long NCT Hike - 1994

Hunting up the picture I've used to advertise the Confidence Camp got me looking at some other old hike pictures. That trip was in 1996. The first long hike on the NCT was in 1994. Marie, her son David, and I hiked the 96 miles through the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. It was our first long backpacking trip and we made most of the rookie mistakes and lived to tell.

We had a blast, even though it rained almost every day, and we were almost constantly soaked. It was puppy Chips' first long hike too, and he loved it.



I was just learning how to use a 35mm SLR camera and most of the pictures from that trip are too dark, and they never did all get digitized. But I'll share a few. Here are Marie and Dave signing us into a trail register... probably our very first of who knows how many. I'm fairly confident of the "first" status because of the Finger Lakes Trail logo on the box. That means it was at the NY/PA state line.

Here Dave and I are resting on a rock with a plaque thanking the Allegheny National Forest by the Allegheny Outdoor Club. Interestingly enough, the trail here has been re-routed and the plaque has been moved although it's still on the trail, although not on this rock.

This is one of my personal favorites because it demonstrates how we spent almost every evening. I, in my hard-headed purist fashion, had declared that we would cook over a fire every night. I hadn't yet even bought a backpacking stove. The rain guaranteed that we had NO dry clothes after the third day. Every night we hung socks and underwear over the fire and roasted them. When pieces more directly over the flames got too hot, we'd move them farther out. A few things got singed, but we didn't actually burn up any briefs. It was worth it to at least start the next day in dry undies.

I can't find a color copy of this photo right now. It's not worth finding the slides and turning on the scanner. You'll have to settle for black and white. I felt on top of the world, and I sort of was! Chips was not about to let me get to a higher space than he was.

Now, you need to take a peek at two of these pictures to notice my hiking stick. This is the stick nicknamed "Chickenspit." It is now one of the curtain rods in my bedroom. See link at the end.

I hope you enjoyed, or at least tolerated, this trip down memory lane. I can hardly believe this was 32 years ago.

You can read lots more about it in North Country Cache, available from me.

I did minimal work today- several projects are in limbo until I get feedback from people. I started a new puzzle and read.

See The Project Done

Step Two Homeward

Now I have a friend in my hometown who also likes to hike! Diane and I were a few too many years apart as children to really know each other. Now it turns out that we like a lot of the same things.

We had time for a short hike before I had to hit the road, and she took me to see a piece of rail trail so new it's only been open for about 10 days. This was a section of the Lehigh Valley system. Only 2.3 miles are open yet, but it may get extended.

This line stayed high on the hills for frieght. The passenger line had to stay low to go through Ithaca at the south end of the lake, 500 feet lower down. That means there are some great views. This is the valley south of Watkins Glen, and we think the water there is the south end of Seneca Lake.

I liked this one a lot with hills and a farm.

Then I hit the road and went across western NY. I've shared a lot of views of this drive in several seasons, over the years. All I could get is some drive=by snaps out the windos, but this one is OK. Just the hills I love. Sure, it's not the Adirondacks here, but it's still great. The afternoon light made the trees glow, and the colors are fantastic this year.

And I arrived at blogger-friend Ann's house to spend the night.

Odessa, NY. Bruno Schickel Rail Trail. 2.3 miles

See Time to Leave

Allegheny River/ North Country Trails

 
I am moteling it tonight. Found a cheap one. Just too tired to bother driving on. I decided I would do that before I stopped for my break, so I got to take a longer hike.

My route crosses the North Country Trail here at Emlenton, Pennsylvania. This is a piece of trail I've never seen before. How can that be, you ask? Because the trail was not routed to be concurrent with the Allegheny River Trail when I hiked this section.



Paved trails are certainly not my favorite, but at least it was off road. The Allegheny River was on the west side of the trail.



I thought I'd hike out 3 miles and then back for a total of 6, but I was so happy to be out of the car, I didn't realize how far I'd walked before noting the first mile post. After I noticed a marker, I did 2.5 more outbound, until the next post after this toe of rock.



The weather was perfecto! I was hiking in short sleeves and even wishing I had lighter pants than jeans with me. But, let's not forget that it's only March. There was ice hiding back in among the rocks.



This burl was one of the biggest I've ever seen.



By then the sun was slipping west and the light made these grass heads glow and dance.



You know I can't resist a new pattern of light on the water.



So, now, Motel 6 and I are having a date. I plan to get up early and beat the traffic around Cleveland. There are many NCT friends near the trail crossing who would probably gladly have put me up, but I really needed to get a little farther down the road.

Oh, and how far did I hike? Ha! I had walked over a mile before I paid any attention to a marker, so my total was 7.25 miles. Hike 100 Challenge for 2020 is at 21 miles

North Country Trail north from Emlenton, Pennsylvania, concurrent with the Allegheny River Trail. 3.5+ miles out and back for a total of 7 miles

See Wissahickon Hike

Wissahickon Hike

 
Today was my last day in Philadelphia, and we filled it to bursting with events. In the morning, the girls participated in the state quarterfinals for Mock Trail, which is like "future lawyers of America." They won their first round, but lost the second, so they are done. Both of them are just glad it's over for the season. It takes a lot of time.

David took Marie and me just slightly north of town to Wissahickon Valley Park where we hiked 6+ miles. This was really wonderful- real trails, hills, rocks, several creeks, lots of interesting bridges, statues (of course), and historic buildings. We did most of the length of the park on one side of the creek, but there were lots of other trails. One could hike there for several days without repeating a route (although you can't camp there).

Here is one view up the creek.

And a look up at one of the soaring road bridges from a very old section of trail with a decorative rock wall.



There were a few little waterfalls. This is a pretty one.



This is the Glen Fern House, built in 1747.



At one of the road crossings, the trail goes through this portal and climbs up a set of winding stairs to the top of the next hill.



Sunlight on moss,



and a cardinal at the Environmental Education Center.



It was colder today, but still mighty pleasant, especially with the sun shining. As he did the other day, Dave picked us up at the end so we only had to walk one direction. He basically played chauffeur all day, but he says he doesn't mind.

After that, we all quick ate and changed and went to a wonderful concert in which Rachel sang. I'll tell you more about that another day. We are all beat, but it's been grand.

I have to leave in the morning. Sad face.

[Just a comment- this blog grew out of the times when I had to search for one tiny good thing to make each day worth continuing on. Now there are many days when the wonderfulness is pretty nearly non-stop. I can't say I mind it a bit.]

Wissahickon Valley Park, Orange Trail plus some short trails at the Environmental Center, 6+ miles

See Rows of Rows