Black Forest Trail - Labor Day weekend t hru hike

“this hurricane may cause problems afterall

I'm not sure yet, but I may have to go down for catastrophic storm claims duty. I will only get a days notice. Hopefully they will let me know as soon as possible. I would hate to miss this trip again, because of work, but they won't give me a choice if my number gets picked and I will have to be there for 3 weeks.”

“You look like your comming down with the flu Rob. Better take a sick day to recover on friday.”

“well, the upside is, that if I get picked and have to go, I would get paid very well while on Cat Duty.”

“I'm out. :( I got called up for storm duty and I am flying out first thing tomorrow morning. The weather looks good so keep the trip going.

I hope you guys have fun.”

“"Cat Duty"

Hmmmmmm.....what's another word for "cat" ???

Ha ha, just kiddin', pal!!

I hope you make lots of money and find some good parties while you're away down south in the land of cotton.”

“Maybe ENS will find some wild Dixie chicks”

“heeheehee....it's a sign I am telling ya, it's a sign...you all need to wait for me...until my knee is A-okay!!”

“well I have to go to St. Louis for 2 weeks. I will basically just be issuing checks 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. On weekends, I get off at 3, so I hope to catch some Cardinal Games. I'm out for the West Rim Trip too.

I hope this trip still goes on with out me. I will be getting back up to the BFT though. This is one trail I need to do.”

“I went to the foot doctor and he said I have
Plantar Fasciitis on my right foot. I figured I had it after looking up the symptoms on the net. It kills me in the morning, but then seems fine the rest of the day. He's getting me some kinda fancy insoles. Also said I could wear some kinda splint to sleep in (I passed on that).
Ibuprofen and ice it. Recomended I dont hike for 2 weeks.
I'm still going. I think Pennsy and LMG are the only other 2 doing the whole thing, right ? So if it bothers me, I can do the short version with Richb or plan even a further bail out point.”

“I hope someone takes pics and posts them. I am going to be a flatlander for 2 weeks in St. Louis.

:(”

“Between '97 and '00 I had Plantar #&%!$-me-itis in one foot and then the other.

Some time in early '00 I noticed the pain had slacked off.

My wife now has it in her left foot.

She has been wearing "das boot" all day and to bed.

It keeps the plantar stretched out.

Eventually it will go away.......maybe a year......or more.”

“Hey CP, the doc recommends no hiking for 2 weeks yet you're taking on the "most rugged trail in Pa?"

Now.... THAT is BRAVADO!!
I'm offended by it, but you're still my new hero.

Seriously, if it does bother you, there are certainly bail-outs. I'll bring some sambucca to help alleviate the pain though. ;o)

Dang it, ENS. That's a downer that you can't make the trip. I was gonna bring your Cardinals hat that you left here, but I guess I'll have to burn it instead.
last edited: 8/30/05 6:06:27 PM”

“I'm have ice on it right now. It'll be fine by friday. I took a 1/2 day on friday, what time you heading up pennsy ? If I follow you, I could spot my car at a bailout point right away.”

“I think there is something strange about this...every single person that hiked with ENS is getting injured....

who is left??? I know there a couple people that hiked with ENS that haven't been injured yet...but trust me...it'll come. ;)

J/K of course!! but it's strange, isn't it??
heeeheeheee”

“Well geez! Where did everyone go? :(

I'm still in, CP. So is GreenMonkee. So that's what? Four of us? I'm up for anything as far as route is concerned ~ the normal one or a shorter version. It's all good. :)”

“Gemini is right!!

Let's see, last time I hiked with that dude I got my thang caught in the zipper!!”

“I'm sad, I can't go :(

this may be my last post for a while.

Have fun guys!!”

“Meet me in Saint Looey, Screwy”

“Gem's still got a point. But I believe it was from wearing trail runners since spring and doing big miles over rocks with a pack.
If I would of worn boots on the overnights more often, I dont think I would have a problem.
Its my fault.”

“How many times I have I said this to you:
LOWA LOWA LOWA!!!!!

anywho, I have to work a full day Friday so I doubt I'll be up there before 8pm.

Is the old hippy (aka Mark) going? He's still a confirmed on the trip page.”

“GM & I won't be there much before 10:30-11pm I imagine. That's ETA to camp ~ including the hike in. :)”

“Ok. I think I would like to leave my vehicle at the actual BFT start on slate run road. This would at least give me 2 bag nights and 18 mile hike. So I would be out on sunday mid morning if I need to bail.
All I need now is a shuttler. I can be there by 5pm or anytime there after. Who can help a gimper on this endevor ??”

“Also, just to be sure. The camp site is before mile marker 25 ? The map and Jmitch's book talk about water (sping) near the head waters of Trout Run, which is at mile marker 27 on the pennsy map and a little after 25.46 on the Bft map that came with the guide book. So which is it and what miles ?”

“I think ENS was talking about camping at the first campsite, which is less than a mile from 44, before mile marker 25 (as per my map). I somewhat recall (hey, I am officially old today) seeing a decent campsite at that spot 2 years ago. No water for Friday night but we'd see water soon Sat morning.

If that campsite isn't doable, there should be another site before mile marker 27 (my map) along Callahan Run. My Topo says Callahan Run but perhaps it's Trout Run? I'll have to dig up the BFT map and check it out.

I wish I could shuttle you at 5pm, CP. We're gonna be shorthanded Friday with a bunch of people taking full days off, so I'll have to stay the whole day. If I get everything ready tomorrow night and leave right after work, I might be able to get there around 7. That's probably the best I can do. :o(”

“There is in fact a spring at ENS' suggested Friday night campsite (just before mile 25). Just how reliable it is I can't say, but every time I hiked past that spot (about 4 times now) the spring was running.”

“i'd go if i didn't have a cajillion miles to drive. :(”

“hey Miss Yammy, I drove a cajillion miles to hike with you in Maine. In fact, I drove TWO cajillion miles to hike with you in Tn. So what if gas is over 3 bucks a gallon now. Aren't us humble Pennskillvanians worth it?”

“well. i have no compahdre to ride w/ me and share the costs!!”

“fly me out there and i'm sooooooo hiking w/ you humbles. :)”

“Did you guys learn those big numbers like cajillion and kazillion from Tarabull?”

“maybe she learned them from us?? ; )”

“I think she's more of a corrupt-er than a corrupt-ee, lol.”

“sure, no problem. I think I still have MarkO's credit card number around here somewhere.”

“sweet, pennsy! send it my way and i'm heading to pa tomorrow night! (i did like pa when i went through there a few months back!)
last edited: 8/31/05 10:50:17 PM”

“I like Tara's big numbers. ;o)”

“oops i meant friday night.
ahead of myself. (that's what happens when i'm not employed!)”

“heh heh... Yam just called me sweet.”

“heh heh.
i just added a comma.”

“I hate the edit feature! But you really meant it, didn't ya, didn't ya?

hey, when you make the next beer run to the fridge, bring back that author's name we were talking about. pretty please?”

“I'll just go the original start spot and wait. I just wont leave as early from home.
The weather is looking really good for this one. Anybody know what the night temps are up there in the hills ?”

“I won't be joining you bumbling Pennskillvanians for this one.

Sweet Pennsky, please don't spend too much of my money.

Yamsky, ya little Lambsky, I'll have to see ya at the FYAO.......I suppose.”

“Looks like the temps at night will be in the low to mid 40 range. Nice sleeping weather. :)

Hey CP ~ the trailhead for the campsite is off of Rt 44? Are you taking 80 to get out there? I need to get directions and I'm not 100% where on 44 the trailhead is.”

“Yes I take 80. But still havent looked at the map yet on which road north I'm taking.
I dont know how its marked once on 44, but Msilver and Richb might.”

“marko, i will be there this year. and i will truly fmao as i have no winter gear.”

“K ~ I'll look it up and see what I can find. :)”

“http://www.ncweb.com/~rshroy/bft.htm
"The Black Forest Trail is in North-Central Pennsylvania, on lands owned by the State Forest.

To get to the trailhead: take Rt 44 north from US 220, which is north of I80 just west of Williamsport. Take Rt 44 to one of the two parking areas where the BFT crosses Rt 44, or switch to Rt 414 to go to the Slate Run parking area. "

One of two? CP ~ you driving your XTerra? I can look for that when we get there.”

“I'm outta here...won't be able to check the boards before tomorrow so if anything comes up/changes ~ just give me a call. :)

See y'all tomorrow night! :D”

“Alright, Yam!!!”

“I wish I could go.

But, even if I coulda gotten Sunday off, I still would have had to skip it. At $3.15 a gallon, this lil hiker is gonna stay home.

I miss you Yam! I wish neither of us had to drive a kajillion (notice the correct spelling...lol) miles to get to PA so we could both go and see each other!!

Pennsy - You best not be talking 'bout my big numbers, mister.”

“Tara - You gonna punish me if I do? ;o)

about the parking - It's not a designated parking area nor a trailhead that I recall. It's a largish pullout on the right about 18 miles from Waterville. The pullout is right between 2 dirt forest roads, Naval Run Rd and Trout Run Rd. They may or may not be marked. If you miss the pullout, you might see a fire tower on the left about 1/2 mile up the road. A little further up the road on the right is Pump Station parking area. If you get to the Black Forest Inn, you went about 3 miles too far.

Todd - I don't know if LMG will see this, so if you could somehow pass this on to her, it might help. Also, she could look for my black jetta along the road. Your car won't be there if I shuttle you. I can give you a call when I'm at least half way there to give you an idea when I'll get there. It would be less driving to just meet you at the Slate Run trailhead if we can work that out for you.

I paid #3.11 a gallon for gas today, and it's getting worse. *groan*”