VACATION

“wooohooo! only three more days to my vacation!”

“My life has been a perpetual vacation for 8 years. I'm looking forward to this break to end.”

“In 18 days, I have three weeks.”

“Vacations are so boring.

Work is fun.”

“hey bacpac, throw me in that boring "briarpatch"

”

“Then a two month drunken stupor.

God Bless America!”

“Pathman, where IS that? It looks European...”

“36 Days for me!

8)”

“I don't get to use my vacation time until October. :-( It's because it's a new job, so it's understandable.”

“7 days away from 10 days in West North Carolina and the Smokies!

Gojo - you should teach up here. The teachers I know are in a drunken stupor the entire school year and take the summer to sober up.”

“you would drink too if you had to teach in pa school districts :}

hey pennsy or company...
did any of you use the old cut off trail of the bft from mile 28 to big trail road? the book says its a bush whack and I was wondering how hard it was to follow..”

“I know where you mean dirtyoldman but I have not been on the cut-off. The map shows it as a trail so I can't imagine it being too bad. However, RichB and/or M_Silver would probably know for sure. Bring up the BFT thread and mention it in case they miss this thread.”

“You're going there, Pathman!? Ah, the envy!”

“that threads a bit large and id rather start a landsurfer's chuck keiper thread :}

oh well , its only a half mile trail... how lost can I get? 8]

(if i start a landsurfer chuck keiper thread am I obligated to go?)”

“"How lost can I get?"
Famous last words!

If you start a landsurfer CK thread, you'd better go. Look what happened to Fritz! ;o)”

“Pathman, maybe I have stood on too many mountains, or the valleys in Arkansas are much more scenic. I still enjoy my work.”

“bacpac, you drinking again?

I enjoy my work too, and I work hared, and also enjoy my vacations.”

“The open bar in the office is a real perk. I used to take vacations to exotic locations, but I always ordered the same drink. Every day is a vacation now.”

“I knew that pic looked familiar: we take Boy Scouts there twice a year (one winter, one summer) the hiking is unbelievable. have you been Pathman?”

“come to think of it I havent seen fritz since yall got back , what did ya do to him?”

“mmmmgood, last year stayed in Meiringen. Went to Kandersteg and hiked to Oeschinensee one day. We got and are getting a package with airfare, apt and Swiss Pass, no tour.”

“dang it... who's been doing the rain dances?”

“Better the the rain now rather than while on your vacation, right?

You doing the Black Forest Trail this week?

About what I did to Fritz.... start a thread and don't show up for the trip and you'll find out.
Moooohaaahaaaa!”

“DirtyOldMan, let me know about that trail, I've wanted to use it too, but just didn't get around to it yet. The climb up Callahan run wasn't bad, but I wanted to take my family to the Hemlock mountain campsite, and the cut off trail would make it easier.

Also, there is a small section climbing down from Hemlock mountain towards Naval Run that is steep, rocky and open. My younger daughter would be frightened to climb that section, if I tried to get to Hemlock from the Naval Run parking lot. Be careful, if it is raining when you get to that section.”

“the rain falls on the just and unjust alike...

got some more due monday when our packs will be heaviest and the mileage somewhat critical. not to mention the temps will be a bit lower then i wanted. oh well guess i will have to just suck it up.

well it looks like noones used the cut-off trail for a while, should make for an interesting little bush-whack.

re:fritz
I hope you disposed of the body following approved LNT practices. or is that who skully is carrying around these days?”

“I've never been on that cut off trail, but it may be an old RR grade since there's so many of them on the BFT. The creek crossings will be a challenge for you with all the rain we just had. The weather looks good for the rest of the week. The streams are roaring here in Northeast PA. Have a great trip.”

“ya I'm looking forward to the 20 crossing of young womans creek not to mention the tiptoe thru slate run. Hope I dont need MOSES as my hiking partner on this trip.ya think if I hold my poles in the air?.... nawwwww!

I just hope the laurel and such will be in bloom while we are there. Bought an extra memory card for my camera just in case
:)
room for about 130 pictures.”

“I doubt you'll tip toe across Slate run now. When we crossed 3 weeks ago, parts of it were just below knee deep. Now it's probably too high and fast to cross safely. The rocks are very slippery and the force can easily bowl you over. You may have to walk down to the road and cross a bridge to be on the safe side.”

“that was my guess but I heard the bridge was gone... everything in this area is running high and fast so any crossing is likely to be a bit dangerous right now.”

“I read that the Keystone Trail Assoc is putting a new bridge in at Slate Run. I'm sure it hasn't appeared in the last three weeks, though.”

“Yes, the suspension bridge is gone. The bridge I meant is located about 1 mile up past Slate run village and on Rt. 414. You cross there and take a trail to get back on the BFT to head up to the Algerine Wild area. I know it takes you off the trail for a a few miles, but if the water is high, I really don't know another way across. You may want to check out Slate Run before you start your trip to see if you will be able to cross or have to make that diversion I just described.”

“I found a drought website for NJ that shows that in the northern half of the state, some of the stream levels are at record highs. I'm sure PA streams are even higher. Reservoirs are almost up to capacity. The southern half of the state is in sharp contrast, with extremely dry conditions still.”

“Some of the creeks I fished this week were over their banks and now after this next batch of rain, I'm sure many areas next to the creeks are under water. I had trouble crossing small creeks with my fishing waders on because the force of the water was so strong.”

“ya it looks like we have to go around. time to pack up..let see... highs in the 40's and lows in the 30's... better bring lots of deet and sunscreen i guess. %}”

“came out 36 lbs with food and fuel... not bad. some how mrs dirty's is 13 lbs less tho... howd that happen....”

“DOM...hold those poles up during a storm, and you may get to meet Noah....”

“See, now there is one secret to being an ultralighter, backpack with a packmule spouse!”

“well either way i might get across. hehehe”

“Well I will see ya'll in like 2 weeks and maybe try an do a trip report or sumtin.Might even have a reason to do a webshot thingy fer ya. Weather reports are looking good and improving so I should have a good trip. Wish yall could have came along.

May God's love speed you on your journey.


I AM OUTTA HERE!”

“Well got out there about 3 and took the old cutoff trail in. the parking had 2 spots and the trail was a well defined track and minimal overgrowth. hiked up Hemlock mtn and instanly wished I had a supply of water to stay the night with. The view was absloutly spectacular! Continued on down to naval run and proceeded to freeze my feet off in the knee deep icy water. after crossing it five times camped out for the night. after we discovered that no one brought any eating/cooking utensils we hiked to the gas line trail and passed through the bp/country store on the way to a very steep uphill battle to the algerine area where we got snowed on. after finding a log to cross we spent the night at red run with a nice couple from ohio. after hiking the the northern rt 44 crossing we decided we had enough of the weather and bailed.
While we didnt get to finish the trail or stay as long as we wanted due to the colder then expected days and other small problems I did manage to hook my wife into packing and plan to return later this year to try it again.well im off to part b... see ya later!”

“Good deal! Thanks for the info on the old cutoff trail. I'm glad that someone else was as captivated by the Hemlock mountain camping site as me. I really loved the view and nice dry tent sites there. Naval Run was not very high when we were there the end of Sept. We were able to cross by stepping on rocks.”

“yeah I want to stay there on the next trip and get some sunrise/sunset pics... should be awesome!”

“yeah I want to stay there on the next trip and get some sunrise/sunset pics... should be awesome!”