Darrell on the AT: July 2014

1565 miles done

616 miles to go

Progress so far (Including a side trip to Calgary)

Crossing the Delaware (very noisy & bouncy!)

An early morning walk through town of Buncannon on 4th of July

Walking in the rain! Not too bad once you're underway.

Camping in the rain,

(Usually pretty ugly no matter how much you tell yourself it's great!)

Beavers!...very creative.....really good at making bogs!

Trails are built to suite the conditions..... (bog)

More bog!

Water and Bog

Just water (no bog)

No water...No bog.... all rock!

1200 miles so far!

Welcome to 'Rocksylvania'
(Rocks of Pennsylvania)

At least I've got my new boots!....third pair this trip!

Yup...It goes straight up!

And then along the 'Knife Edge'!

and then up Ladders!

Trough the 'Lemon Squeeze'!

Etc. Etc. Etc......

If you don't like that...you can hop on the 'Amtrak' and go home!
(the train actually stops at the Appalachian Trail!)

A luxurious lodge along the trail....'Bear Mountain Lodge'
(With prices to match......but that's OK.....you only go around once!)

I was really, really happy there!!

But then I remembered that I had go back to the *&% Trail!

"Dang!"

And then I was Really, Really Happy again!!...summit of Bear Mtn.

Until I was informed it wasn't the highest point at all!

"Dang!"

And then I just about stepped on this guy!

"Dang!"

Only 1500 miles???

"Dang!"

But sometimes the scenery is so worth it! (Hudson River)

It's not all camping...lots of hostels and similar accommodations

'Trip' ... a really fast hiker!
At least he was until he ran into a 'sweetie' on the trail....
Then he slowed to her pace......how weird is that?

'Boston Cream Pie' ....no one can refuse that!
I certainly didn't....

Darrell's food of choice......a really bad choice...
....An incredibly, horribly bad choice actually!

Darrell runs into his very own 'Soup Nazi' here!

"What do you want?......Don't sit there!....go sit in the corner!
....Didn't I tell you to be quiet?......"

"....Now then...what I can I get you?..."

Darrell has no idea what he was served....he was too petrified!"

'ShellBack', an AT hikers, with a bag of bagels for all!

One of the many, excellent meals, offered by lodge/hostel custodians

Very nice!

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COACHES CORNER!

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As usual we do the decadent stuff!

A Tour of Franklin D Roosevelt's residence

His library........Could cozy up in there quite nicely with a good book!

A 'light house' on the Hudson river.

The early morning Amtrak to New York City!!

Coming up from the Pennsylvania Station 'Dungeon'

'Ultimate fighting anyone??

Parking rates in New York!....that's why you don't drive there!

Here's how they do it!....these lots are everywhere!

Old and New!.....Empire state building & Bike sharing programs!

New York's infamous taxies!

Here's a few more!

World Trade Center Memorial by day!.....very graphic...very fitting!......Well Done!

And by night!

Construction samples in the museum!

Lineups?...What line ups? ...
We didn't have any problems getting to the 'Statue of Liberty'!!

The Brooklyn Bridge!........anyone want to buy it??

Below the Brooklyn Bridge......the 'Peking'
an other one of the famous 'P' line sailing ships

Crew's quarters!....could be worse !

And then back to camp!

Maybe!.......We were on an indefinite delay due to a landslide on the tracks!......
Finally got back to camp at 5:00AM the next morning....
...........a Long Night!!