The Magic Continues - Day 114

  Beautiful weather today! The last one for a while, so I made it a point to enjoy. But it sure was easy. Another gorgeous section of trail. (A lot of road walk, but) this is more of State Game Lands 95. Starting at Dead Crow Bridge.

These three miles are filled with mystery and fantasy.

The bridge spans the North Branch of Bear Creek. Can you feel the magical quality of the waters?

There's a place in New York on the trail called Rock City, but Pennsylvania has one too.

At the other end of this stretch is Bear's Mouth Bridge.

It's just above the confluence of the North Branch with Bear Creek. I ate lunch here. How perfect is this?

And today, I crossed the Allegheny River. Big water. Big bridge. 1140 feet. Even so, it is not the longest bridge that is part of the North Country Trail. (Other than the Mackinac Bridge, I think that would be the new Crown Point Bridge at 2200 feet)

Just a comment. The last time I hiked this magical section, it was winter 2005. I guess the magic wasn't as strong then... or we were just watching our feet more carefully. But I want you to know that not only did I talk Marie into hiking in the winter, I got her to do acrobatics, since the Bear's Mouth Bridge was missing. We were at least provided with one stringer. I was very happy to find a bridge there today. It's a wonder Marie still follows me to the woods.

Miles today: 16.5. Total miles so far: 1498.3.

See State Game Lands 95

State Game Lands 95 - Day 113

  The camera had to go inside my pack for half of the day. It was raining too hard to keep it out, even in a plastic bag. This means I did not get pictures of some beautiful wetlands, and the nice job of fixing the trail that has been done after there was beaver damage. I don't know if the Butler Chapter is doing this work or the PA DNR, but it is much appreciated. There were several replaced and/or new bridges.

But it was raining hard enough that there was lots of mud. I planned for this- wore my rain suit and old shoes and just slogged on.

Much of this State Game Land is reclaimed strip mine sites. Many of the mining trenches are now filled with water and managed for wildlife.

I just liked this view. I walked past here during the 10 minutes or so of sun there was today.

There is also some active development of wetlands to mitigate the acid mine runoff. Wetlands are really good at cleaning up this type of pollution. (It was what I was studying in grad school.) So the trail wound between many small ponds, some specifically constructed for water treatment.

One of the interesting rock formations today has a name. It's called Vulture-Bear Rock. Yes, that's a bench on top.

Trudy hiked with me this afternoon. She brought better weather with her! It stopped raining. That was quite lovely. We saw a kingfisher, and more rattlesnake plantain orchid.

I completed my 50 mile in PA for a patch yesterday, and Sue is working hard to try to complete that many while she is still with me.

Miles today: 16.4 hard ones (headwinds, rain, sloppy mud). Total miles so far: 1481.8.

See Moraine State Park

Moraine State Park - Day 112

  Yesterday afternoon (when it was sunny) I entered Moraine State Park. Lake Arthur is the focal point of the park. It's newer than many lakes created by dams, having been built in the late 1960s.

At the end of the day, I had a brand new experience. I was literally chased down by a runner. He'd been following my blog, but his wife saw me. She couldn't believe it, told him, and he ran down the trail and caught me! New friend, Scott.

Here is what I love most about this piece of trail. See that little blue circle?

Here's a closer view.

This is about as cool as it gets! When the inexperienced George Washington was a mere 21 years old, in 1753, he was sent by the Virginia governor to the French at Fort LeBoeuf (near present-day Waterford, PA). He was to deliver a message that they were to move out of the area and relinquish all claims to the British. You can imagine how that went. Yeah... it was part of what started the French and Indian War.

On the return trip, Washington nearly froze after falling in the Allegheny River, and he was also shot at by an Indian who was apparently paid by the French. As we know now, Washington became wiser, and more savvy.

So what does this have to do with the North Country Trail? The NCT in Moraine State Park follows part of his outward route from Virginia. I was actually walking where George Washington passed. This just blows my mind! I spent part of the day picturing Scouts checking behind the big rocks, and soldiers marching through the mud. Lots of shouting and horsey sounds, and the thumping of leather boots.

Oh, and why is it Moraine State Park? The past three ice ages advanced to this point in Pennsylvania. Did they dump some rocks? Oh yes.

More signs of spring- a Student Conservation Association work crew out doing rock work on the trail. It's really great to have these crews of young people with endless energy out there working.

And some lovely skunk cabbage.

Finally- did I finally get a really good water pattern picture? Maybe, just maybe.

Miles today: 16.3. Total miles so far: 1465.4.

See McConnell's Mill SP

McConnell's Mill State Park - Day 111

  Here's what everyone thinks of when you say McConnell's Mill. Nothing wrong with that! It's a beautiful old mill- famous for being one of the first rolling mills in the U.S. A rolling mill grinds the product between two cylinders instead of against a flat grindstone. It was first built in 1852, but that mill burned and this one was built in 1868.

The covered bridge was built in 1874.

But what really caught my attention today was the stunningly gorgeous Slippery Rock Creek gorge. I sure can't figure out what I was looking at the last time I came through here. Of course, that was late summer and the water would have been lower, but still...

This is Slippery Rock Creek, which is a National Natural Landmark. All I could think about was epic fantasy movies and games. My pictures don't begin to do justice to the reality.

And then the rocks started. Big rocks. Rocks that looked like turtles and dinosaurs.

Small shady streams tumbled down to the main creek.

That water was moving mighty fast.

And that's not all. There was botany! Walking fern, Asplenium rhizophyllum. I also saw it in Red River Gorge, Kentucky a few years ago, but it has only been found in a few counties in Michigan- none near where I live. It "walks" by rooting from the tips of those long skinny leaves.

Let me tell you about the trail. Rocks, roots, mud, and hills. There is a warning sign that says it is extremely difficult and you should be physically fit and allow a minimum of 4.5 hours to hike one direction. I'm not sure exactly where they were measuring from, but I made it from the trailhead to that sign in 3 hours. But I concur that it's really difficult. My legs and knees are really tired tonight. I had also forgotten how tough this segment is. But the beauty was worth every step.

Thankfully, the rest of the day was pretty easy, so I made my mileage goal. Sue and the pups hiked in and met me at the end of the day, so I had a companion for the final three miles. Now I have to go to sleep.

Miles today: 15.8. Total miles so far: 1449.1.

See Bigfoot at Wampum

Bigfoot at Wampum - Day 110

  What made this? Something large with toes.

Just a glimpse...

The most astonishing part of the encounter was that when he growled at me, I could understand him. He seemed to be saying that there was something going on at the Community Center in Wampum.

When I got there and opened the door, there were about 50 people, and I didn't recognize any of them. I stood there a minute and said to myself, "There HAS to be someone in this room I know." Took a minute, but then a voice from the corner called, "Joan!"

Dave Brewer (in middle) has been a long-time volunteer with the Wampum Chapter, and his wife, Sabrina, is on the right. Matt Williams (left) was also known to me. It seems that I popped in just in time for their most popular hike, the "St Paddy's Day and Bigfoot Hike."

JoEllen (right) was also there. She hiked with Marie and me in 2004 when some of this trail wasn't in as good shape. We had a good laugh about that. New friend Carol on the left. If you notice JoEllen's shirt and Matt's vest, those are awards for mega volunteer hours.

And I met a number of new friends too. Jamie (left) and her daughter Kiely. Kiely is in a girl Boy Scout troop and loves the outdoors.

Free food, old friends, new friends. It was great. It's perfect that I didn't know a lot of the people. It means the chapter is doing a good job of pulling in new recruits. But eventually, I had to hike on...over the Beaver River. Their hike was going back the other way. Hope they also found Bigfoot.

The Wampum Chapter does a great job of posting signage at road crossings. And they have done an exceptional job of working with private landowners to create off-road easements for the trail. Wampum Chapter gets an A+ from me.

Finally, just a small pretty creek.

Miles today: 17.8: Total miles so far: 1433.3. (And 11 of the miles today were off road and not paved. That should tell you how good the condition of the trail was, that I could hike right along and cover so many miles.)

See Day Off