trip report - backpacks on the rollercoa ster

“Oh what a weekend it was for hiking..

A trip was planned for the annual Devils Path dayhike, but had to be cancelled due to extensive trail damage from a recent storm. Oh what to do? So many plans were tossed around. Perhaps we could dayhike the West Rim Trail, maybe we could do something else in the Catskills. Section hike on the AT. Rock climb. Pennsy and Crazypace decided to rock climb. Jackstraw and I decided to section hike the AT and Lyra said she was up for some buttkicking backpacking action, so the three of us convened at the Bear Den Hostel in West Virginia at the northern end of the famed AT roller coaster.

At $13 a night for hikers, staying at this castle back in the woods is a bargain! It was beautiful and clean inside and the keeper was very nice and helpful. It made a great Friday night base camp. We will surely return.

Saturday morning, we ate breakfast, suited up and did a quick shuttle and before too long we were hiking the PUDS (pointless ups and downs) of the roller coaster. Since we started at Rt 7 in Snickers Gap, we only had 3 or 4 miles of the roller coaster. Still, it was nice to get in some hills.

Once done with the hills, we pretty much had a straight forward ridge walk. We stopped for lunch at the Blackburn Trail center, then hiked the final 3 miles to the David Lesser shelter.

This PATC shelter was top rate, as usual with PATC shelters! Only problem was, it was occupied. No worries, we had tents and there were many campsites nearby. We set up camp. Talked to some other hikers that were camped next to us. Filtered water, had dinner and then mint schnapps and hot coacoa as an evening capper and soon it was all zzzzzz's and lots and lots of rain... man did it pour.

The next day we got up, said goodbye to our friends camped next to us and continued up the trail towards Harpers Ferry. The terrain continued to be straight forward. The weather was stupendous and we had a nice sunday jaunt.

We were in Harpers Ferry 11am-ish and after a quick shuttle, we were all homeward bound in times to see our mum's for Mother's day.

Twas a grand ole time!”

“O U C H !”

“Hahaha. That was super-fun times, even though I got my butt kicked, along with every other muscle in my body!

Jackstraw is a very cool guy, I'd only met him once before, at a pizza place. I had to wonder about him, though, as he was wearing a skirt; had a pink water bottle; and kept going on about how much he loved quiche. Hmmm...

That hostel rocked!! I can't believe it was only $13. And we were the only ones there, except for a family staying in a downstairs room! The lady running it was sooo nice, too.”

“sounds like fun times!”

“jackstraw took some photos”

“the roller coaster reminded me of the AT between springer and hump mt, except only about half as big. quite a change of pace after the nice long ridge and valley walks that most of virginia is made of”

“I wanna see photos of Jackie in his skirt!!!!

Lyra, how did the butt implants hold up?”

“Butt implants, my ass!

I must say, ENS picked a swell trip! He is a real son of a gun. :-D

But for reals though, I had sooo much fun. I was telling my mom that I was sore today, and she said he should've picked an easier trip than he usually does. I told her that usually he hikes eleventy hundred miles per day, with one leg tied behind his back, uphill both ways...so this one WAS easy. Heeheehee!”

“I had a fantastic time. Hiking with ENS and Lyra was a blast. Couldn't have asked for better weather during the day. My OR Helium tarp ROCKS! stayed totally dry during a torential downpour. The bearden was Awesome! $13 a night full ammenities.

Props out to Ian and Dan our new friends. (Psst! get trail names : ) )

Beautiful trails, beautiful people. Many thanks to Hopeful for her hospitality at the trail center.

BTW - It's a KILT! The bottle is Cranberry! and so what lotsa people like Quiche! ; )



Pics to come this evening.”

“Yeah I hope those guys post here! They were lucky to run into you two dudes, since you shared your wealth of bping knowledge with them.”

“how did the pics come out there Jackstaw of wichita?”

“I'm sorry I didn't see the change of venue, this is a section of the AT I've always wanted to do. Sounds like it was a great weekend. Harry in a kilt? And without Spindle or Ms.Dolittle putting him up to it.”

“What???

Spindle and Doolittle pulling it up over his head?”

“Prevert!”

“Oh!!!

I need new glasses!”

“Those wimmins are the preverts, not me!”

“I'm gonna be on the roller coaster in a few days from now...my section hike is going great. 21.3 miles today! I'll spending the night in Luray tomorrow night.”

“can a brutha get a pic?”

“Sorry, Long Day. Here they Be , Yo! : )

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559048431JNUeKF”

“doz be some pimp arse pics, yo! They be hip to the rizzo!”

“Word!”

“nice! looks like summertime there! I was tromping around on snowshoes this weekend!”

“Sunday was absolutely beautiful. A little on the Humid side, but Sunny with a slight breeze and pushing 70 deg. Awesome.”

“It was total summertime! Ewww, snowshoes, gross. ;-)

Yay, pics...those are good. Glad you brought your camera!”

“Wow, nice pictures!!

Nice skirt, Jockstrap!

ENS, with those sideburns you ought to do the Night Of 100 Elvises this year!

http://www.nightof100elvises.com/”

“Ooookay, I guess that pic isn't TOO gross, Roam! :-D

100 Elvises, what could be better??”

“Yeah, baby!

And its in a really skanky part of Baltimore at the Lithuanian Hall!”

“Dude,if your gonna wear a skirt you should at least shave your legs first! <(8oO”

“I thought the touristy looking socks added a bit of flair : ). next time I'm wearing Gators!”

“dang, i didn't even notice the old man socks!”

“Spindle and Doolittle pulling it up over his head?” mARKo

Never. That would be rude. Gratuitous nudity should always be voluntary.

Jackstraw knows the kilt is hella sexy. ;>

ENS, we're gonna see that bit of trail this month too. Thanks for the TR.”

“Jackstraw knows the kilt is hella sexy. ;>
spindlette
10:59:01 AM
5/15/07

if you say so, but those socks scream 55 year old man!”

“It's the attitude, baby. Workin' the confidence to pull off the look. Chicks dig it. ;)”

“I hope he knows enough to cross his legs when sitting down with a skirt on. :O”

“Ha ha Roam, you'll be there 'fore long!!

Keep talkin', Spindle!!”

“NEVER!!!!!!”

“Sure Roamy, sure. You have a what...30" waist? Like dark colors?”

“I don't know about the waist but that boy ain't got noassatall.”

“There's no extra junk in the trunk, true, but that's no matter in a kilt.

Hiking in a kilt rules in warm weather. Once he goes kilted he'll wonder how he ever wore shorts. ;)”

“When wearin a Kilt the ladies aint checkin out da feet! ; ).”

“coolness spindlette!!! you should stay at the Bearden! Good times.”

“hahaha

scramblin class 4 would be no good in a kilt - and don't EVEN get me started on how a harness would work!”

“Ouch!”

“You are of course familiar with the Anthem of the Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen, so further discussion of same is completely uncalled for.”

“I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.
I sleep all night and I work all day.

I cut down trees. I eat my lunch.
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shoppin'
And have buttered scones for tea.


Oh... Sorry wrong song.”

“Oh, well in That case....





The Anthem Of The Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen
(to the tune of “My Country ‘Tis Of Thee”)

Our country reeks of trees
Our Yaks are really large
And they smell like rotting beef carcasses

And we have to clean up after them
And our saddle sores are the best
We proudly wear women's clothing
And searing sand blows up our skirts

And the buzzards, they soar overhead
And poisonous snakes will devour us whole
And our bones will bleach in the sun

And we will probably go to [loud farting noise]
And that is our great reward
For being the-uh Ro-oy-al Ca-uh-nadian Kilted Yaksmen!


”

“The main part of the Appalachian Trail Roller Coaster is south of the Bears Den Hostel and VA route 7. A month ago, Jackstraw, Lyra and I hiked the very northern section of the roller coaster and finished in Harpers Ferry.

This past Friday, the three of us returned to the Bears Den Hostel and after shuttling cars, we settled down in the comforts of this mountain side castle in the woods, hung out with other hikers, some thru-hikers and others just passing through for the weekend. It was a nice evening.

Jackstraw cooked up some yummy red pepper humus and oreo cheesecake cupcakes. It was a nice evening.

Saturday morning, we drove down to the trailhead along Rt. 7, we had another car parked at parking area 7, 20 miles south of Rt. 7. After suiting up, we hit the trail and right away we found ourselves in the midst of a climb.

It was 500 feet up, Bears Den vista, then 500 feet down... 600 feet up... 400 feet down 700 feet up 600 feet down ... etc etc

you get the point. Alot of people dubbed this section PUDs, for pointless ups and downs.

After several of the PUDs and I believe on the climb to Buzzard Hill, we caught up with Long Hunter, a colonel in the Army, who is section hiking the trail and has cancer. He is going through kemo, but is still out there is much as he can, hiking the trail for gathering contributions for everymile he hikes to be donated towards scholarships for children of service men and women lost in the line of duty. He was a very nice gentleman and quite dedicated.

We hiked a long way with him and were honored to hike with him.

Around 5pm, we rolled into the Rod Hollow Shelter and set up camp and had dinner and some thru hikers rolled in behind us. One, yellow shoes, had a gimungous great dane and a lil puppy.

Around dark thirty, Lyra and I went to bed, but Jackstraw stayed up and hung out with the thru-hikers.

Today, Sunday, we got up around 7 and after packing up and breakfast, we were hiking by 830. Long Hunter hit the trail around 8 and we never did catch up with him. We're hoping he posts here.

We finished hiking around 130 today after 10 miles and had a yummy post hike pizza in Thurmont.”

“Sounds awesome! Pics?”

“ENS just about summed it up. The weather was exceptional. It threatened to be hot and muggy but for the most part it was mild and breezy. not to many vistas, but the challenge of this section kinda keeps you focused on getting it done. Git-r-Dun!

Pics:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559398998JsUIhn”