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Published: November 6th 2008
Halfway thru
The dedicated midpoint marker in Pennsylvania. Andy has assured me that it is all downhill from this point on.11/4:
Our autumn hike continues but the character of the trail has changed. The warm, beautiful fall weather has been interrupted by some dreary days and chilly nights which makes us miss the summer and early fall. As the weather has declined, the flow of trail users has also changed. Weekend hikers carrying 35mm cameras have been replaced by hunters with 12 gauge shotguns. This shift in weather and trail usage is disappointing but we are still making good time, the barrage of gunshots is just extra motivation.
The hike through Pennsylvania was rocky but short enough to be enjoyable. Two days after leaving Delaware Water Gap we exited the trail to visit Abby in Emmaus, PA. The timing of this stop could not have been better. On that day, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey were hit by an unseasonable October snowstorm. Most of the day was spent bumming around Abby's apartment, drinking coffee and working on the internet. We did leave the warmth of the apartment in search of some blaze-orange clothing to separate us from the frolicking deer in the woods.
In Emmaus we found a local gun shop and descended a set of stairs to what felt
Safety first!
Andy and I have found plenty of orange gear to give us a little comfort when hiking through public game lands. like a different world; there was no shortage of overtly violent gun jokes or political literature on Second Amendment issues. The owner was just helpful enough, I think he could tell we weren't in the market for a firearm. So we bought two blaze-orange hats and left before Sarah Palin could show up to rally some last-minute support from her fellow NRA members.
As the snowstorm weakened, Abby drove us back to the trail to continue our hike. That night we met up with Level, a hiker we stayed with in Delaware Water Gap. He had a long day on the snowy ridge but is a super strong hiker and made it through without trouble. Level hiked with us for three days to reach the town of Duncannon, home of the famous Doyle Hotel.
The Doyle Hotel is one of the most beloved stops on the AT. I have listened to Andy rave about this place since he first visited last year. The hotel was built in 1905 and shows its age without shame. The owners are wonderful people who love hikers and document everyone who passes through the hotel. On the main floor is the bar which has fantastic food and cheap draft beer, a definite recipe for success. The bar is great but one must really stay the night to experience all the Doyle has to offer. It was difficult to leave after just one night but we rolled out of Duncannon wearing fresh shoes that felt oh-so-good.
We hiked across the Mason-Dixon line into the state of Maryland and the South. Tonight we are camped just a few miles outside of Harpers Ferry and the rolling hills of Virginia. It seems fitting that we are just 35 miles from our nation's capitol on Election Day. Andy and I have a daily NPR regiment but tonight we hope to stay up past 8pm to listen to the special election coverage. Mother helped us file absentee ballots so we are anxious to hear if our two votes made all the difference in the election.
11/5:
Last night we were able to stay awake late enough to hear McCain's concession speech but not late enough to hear Obama speak. It is amazing that the election lasted nearly two years but it is a big job, especially at this moment in history. Andy is excited that the election is over but sad that Bush will be in Washington for two and a half more months. Hopefully the economy can still be salvaged and we will keep up with Marketplace in the months to come.
As a testament to how volatile fall weather can be, today was an absolutely beautiful day of hiking. We strolled into Harpers Ferry this morning to sign in at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The ATC keeps a photo record of every hiker who signs in at the visitors center. It was fun to look through the register to see photos of all the hikers we have been following in the shelter logs. We also had the opportunity to look up the contact information from hikers we met last year. The hike out of Harpers Ferry was long but Virginia as a whole is a big state and will take the rest of the month to complete.
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Barb & Ron
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Our new President!!
We're happy to hear that you both voted. Of course your votes counted...... Barack couldn't have won without the votes from the kids in their 20's. We opened a bottle of wine last night to celebrate! It's a huge moment in history. Stay away from the hunters!!!