PA Trip Soon?

“Marko--congrats! I didn't see the pic before. Did you push long? maybe we should record some lullabyes for baby sky!”

“jmitch--any chance of changing the dates to 29/30?”

“this is one of my most favorate TT threads of all time. I love this thread and I love to see when it comes up on the board.

Pennsylvania Rocks (geologically, literally and figuratively)!!!!”

“We were rockin' Pennsylvania at Masten.”

“sunny,

there is a chance, sign up as a maybe. By the second week of March I'll decide which weekend to go.”

“Thanks. done.”

“So far on the other side we've got 2 interested in getting out 14/16 weekend. Torn between MST (probably the same endpoints as the trips on the following weekend(s)) and AT 225 to 443@72, either of us can go either place. Any interest in a tiebreaker then can post a trip thread?
last edited: 2/27/08 5:50:51 PM”

“I'll keep my eyes open and if I can get away for the weekend, I may be up for it. The MST would definitely be cool. PA 26 Bear Swamp or there abouts? I'd love to pack in some good solid mileage on the MST!”

“Yep, around/above Bear Meadows was kind of what I was thinking, as jmitch says shuttle is pretty easy and the other guy is coming over from south Jersey. I can't do the following two weekends plus I'm not fully up to "ostrich humper" standards anymore. Sure would like to meet you finally, we've been getting a lot of use out of your pictures since I was able to post them on the SST web site.”

“wow, haven't been on here for quite some time. JMitch, I'm available for a hike weekend of March 15,16. Last weekend in March I'll be doing a section of the Loyalsock. So, are you looking at doing the MST in my back yard? That would be great! Let me know what the definite date is and if it fits my schedule, I'll see you there.”

“If I'm understanding this right here's the following lineup for doing MST from Jo Hays to Greenwood Furnace:

3/14-16: ki0eh, eggs (from the other side), maybe EnS, PAHikes??
3/22-23: jmitch et al (posted on the trips page)
3/28-30: Patsquatch et al (posted to NEOH site)

Corrections or additions?”

“OK, eggs and I will meet 5:00 pm Friday 3/14 at Hardee's in Dauphin which is a common point for us coming up that way.

PAH, do you want to set up camp at the last good site heading trail-north from Beaver Pond before heading back up Tussey? Leave a tiki torch burning or something so we can find you around 9 pm. Think this will work?”

“Guess PAH has time to e-mail not post. He has picked an alternative method to identify the campsite as it's too long of a hike out with a tiki torch. Guess I ought to figure out how to post a trip.”

“jmitch posted one for the end of March.

Posting trips is fun. I was very addicted for a while.”

“OK, it's posted. EnS, are you coming?”

“jmitch has a trip up for the same section the week after. I am signed up for that. It looks like Patsquatch has one for the same section the last weekend in March. That's three trips, three weekends in a row on the same section of trail. The MST is going to start getting some serious notice. hahaha

I already signed up for jmitch's trip. That will get me a good month of baby time. The middle weekend of March is a little too early.”

“Being five years and two weeks ahead of you there, I understand... imagine we'll meet somewhere down the trail!”

“Hey, it's a great section of trail. Some of the views were fogged in last year so I was looking forward to return trip. I think jmitch came up with the idea although he did not plan on a herd of the NEOH size. I'm impressed with the list too. Maybe we should consider a shelter site along this stretch.

I noticed that two of the trail work weekends conflicted with two of my annual events. So perhaps I wil get some trail clearing done while on this trip. I'll bring the big saw. I'd like to do something, but can't seem to get my dates lined up right with the organized events.”

“Hmm, probably 2 out of the 3 of us will have GPS units so we can record coordinates of issues...

And, if you miss the weekends, you'll just have to come out for a week: "June 17-23, 2008 - Keystone Trails Association (PA)
Trail Crew Mid State Trail, Tioga Region
Leader: Pete Fleszar – 717-583-2093 or tioga AT hike-mst D0T org Camp at Hills Creek State Park, Wellsboro, PA."”

“Ki0eh

I would like to join you guys in the campsites. is there a way to do that? I don't want to bite off more than I can chew, but I have a hammock and new boots and may have some other toys that are calling me out to play. Let me know if we can work something out.”

“On Friday won't be more than 3 km downhill in (in the dark for 2 of us) from the road where we're starting. We could go over the game plan for the next day, and Sat morning you could head back uphill out at your leisure and drive around to Alan Seeger to head back towards us.”

“That sounds doable. I'll have to see what the work schedules look like.”

“For my trip, ok to move it to 3/29- 3/30? My mom asked me to attend easter dinner, which is 3/23. Holidays always get in the way.

If 3/29 isn't good, we can get off the trail early on 3/23. Possibly get up early on Sun or push and camp at the Greenwood Fire Tower. Let me know.”

“I'm good with 3/29-3/30.”

“well the work schedule looks good for next weekend so I am planning on doing the in/out round-about idea. I should have my pack by then. My stove should be usable (I ordered the pump) and my hammock wants to go out and play.

The only thing that could mess things up is the fact that my best friend died today but I don't think his arrangements will conflict. At least I hope they don't.

If I sound rather flippant about that it is because he was suffering greatly from liver cancer and had been for some time. I am glad he is now released from that suffering. He'll be missed but he wasn't the man I knew by the end anyway.

So... I'll catch the maps of the MST and see if I can find where you folks will be.”

“It's all on the new color map 307-310 that costs $8. Let me know if you have any issues with ordering it off the MST web site.”

“I can't find the link to order. I guess the 1995 guidebook and maps are a bit out of date.. :?) I need to replace them I guess. Version 10 is out of print and I guess 11 has not come out yet.

I'll see what I can do to find the locally.”

“I had a feeling the web site hadn't been fixed yet: in the meantime try this link - http://www.hike-mst.org/ecom/map202204.htm
last edited: 3/07/08 8:32:21 AM”

“thanks I ordered it.”

“Also sorry about your friend - I have some idea how you feel because I felt that way about my father-in-law when the end came last fall. We love him and miss him dearly but it was time for his suffering to be relieved and move to a better place. But since then our 5yo talks about her dying, or us, or her preschool classmate dying before they can get married, so she doesn't want to get married, etc.”

“It's not unusual for kids about that age to realize that life is not forever. Sometimes it is the death of a family member, sometimes the death of a pet. Sometimes it is simply the realization that things or people disappear never to be seen again. As she processes out her feelings and expectations she needs a listening ear and an awareness that she is dealing with things she doesn't really understand, as if any of us really do. The important thing is to validate her feelings without giving validation to her fears. Parenting ain't for cowards.”

“Ramblinrev, I will be heading out to the trail to see how the ridgetops look. Don't want to be slippin and slidin around on icy rocks. I'll post GPS coordinates of the campsites so you'll know exactly where we'll be camping. By the way, what's everyone's favorite flavor of beer? I'll try to have a 6-pack stashed at each campsite.”

“Jmitch, I'm still good for the 29/30.”

“pahikes.... I am very glad to know the ridges will be checked but the simple fact is the GPS coordinates will be useless for me since I don't own one of those contraptions and I don't think my wife would smile understandingly if I suggested I need one. hehehe.... Unless of course one shows up on woot for real cheap.

Anybody know a good source for refurbished units like GPS and other electronics?
last edited: 3/07/08 7:05:44 PM”

“There is only one beer.(lager) Yuengling...

'fool
last edited: 3/07/08 8:26:33 PM”

“I'm a Straub Light man, myself... will take Bud Light too. I'm not as enamored with Yuengling Lager as others seem to be, 'ling Black and Tan I can take though.”

“BTW PAH, I don't see you signed up on the trips page yet...”

“Well, Straub Light will be a heck of a lot cheaper than Yuengling. I'll mix it up a bit, kind of like potluck beer.”

“Straub Light is cheaper up there? I gotta visit Happy Valley more often... :)”

“Let's just say it is probably the same price as down there, it's just that Yuengling is much more expensive up here. College town and all.”

“well I did the dirty deed. I bought a GPS on Ebay but whether it will be here by the weekend I have no idea.”

“What kind? Hope it's a Garmin, we can keep you busy if it is...”

“Garmin etrex

just the simplest one.

I hope either the map or the GPS gets here by the weekend cause they are both set to clear paypal on the 12th. Otherwise I don't know what I'll do.

When are you meeting at Greenwood for the shuttle? Maybe I can meet you and hike in with you after dark. I do have a headlamp.
last edited: 3/08/08 10:22:50 AM”

“Rev - It would be easier to meet you at Jo Hays Vista as we'll be starting to hike from there, less confusion. There's no way we'd be at Jo Hays before 7:00 p.m. It's Rt 26 south from State College to the top of the mountain above Pine Grove Mills. No mistaking that for anyplace else.
last edited: 3/08/08 11:02:37 AM”

“Ramblinrev, I'll actually be heading out earlier to set up camp, get a nice little fire going, and to sample the beverages. I'll be parking at Jo Hays as well, but probably sometime around 5:00 or 5:30. Should get me to the campsite (2 to 3 miles, my guess) with enough daylight to set up a a tent and gather firewood. Let me know if you're interested in heading out there a little early with me.”

“Sounds good to me. I'd rather string this hammock in the daylight for the first time. Although I did have it up in the basement for a bit. I'm not absolutely certain what my departure schedule from here will be.”

“I have a hard time getting up to PA from VA for a weekend, but was wondering if any of you were planning to hike any segments of the MST, BFT or the Link Trail this summer?

I would love to get up there for a few days.

borninpa'fool”

“Good to meet ya 'fool, we thought you were just going to steal our beer!

Hike? Nope, just pack sniffers here...”

“My nightmare is that neither my map, nor my GPS will be here by the time I need to leave on Friday. I am hoping to arrive at Joy Vista between 5 and 5:30 to meet up with Pahikes. I've playing with some of my new toys trying to figure out how to use them best. They really want to go out and play for real.”

“Can we go now?”