Eleven days later, we are out of Pennsylvania, but that includes a 4 day interlude to a crazy good wedding in Illinois, and an additional day off with our friend Maureen from our 2015 jaunt of the Camino de Santiago.

Day 100 (Oct 8) 14.5 mi (997.7-1012.2)

We’ve done just over 1000 miles in 100 days. We thought we’d be faster and doing the kinds of miles we’re doing now right out the gate, but this is the AT, and nothing is easy or predictable, but the rocks.

As such, there is not much to report, except passing the 1000 mile mark, and then, of course, views of rocks. My left heel and arch are in excruciating pain constantly due to the  twisting and turning over the disorganized rocks, especially on the downhills of which today we tread to a just off-trail hostel, Stay-AT-Swarta.

What’s interesting about this place is that you cross historic Swarta bridge and remnants of locks used to help portage ships in the transport of supplies

It’s an interesting hostel, as we were the only ones there with no proprietor on site.  As usual,  SOBOs are left to their own design.  We texted with the proprietor, he gave us the combo to the resupply shed, and we ate till our hearts content (pizza, whoopie pies, drinks, pizza pockets) and then slept in our own enclosed bunks and had self-made very strong coffee in the morning. It’s a wonderful honor system,  wherein you tally your total consumed and pay via Venmo.

The only downfall is the constant vehicle traffic next to the hostel. But, if you’re tired enough, like we were, you’ll hardly hear a thing…especially if you use the house provided ear plugs.

Day 101: (Oct 9) 17.74 mi (1012.2-1033.5)

As we had completed our resupply the night before, all that was left was coffee and a whoopie pie. After leaving the hostel, we walked the old portage trail back to the AT. This place e is amazing with history all around it. In fact, a canoe or kayak trip down the Swatara River would be an amazing journey.

Eventually, we climbed, sans rocks, and through a bog, of which we could hardly believe it.

Soon, we were at the edge of an old abandoned rail town and its rail line that has been turned into a multi use trail. As we were pushing to get into Duncannon so our friend Maureen could pick us up and get us to the airport the next day, we decided to take the abandoned rail line/multi-use trail.

We passed by obvious signs of  “civilization,” where nature is in the process of reclamation, and wondered what it had been like the 200 years before.

Day 102: (Oct 10) 6.5 mi

Rather than Duncannon, we “pulled up” in Dauphin after being offered a ride by Wayne from Waynestock.com, who runs an outdoor festival each year. He saw us walking the roadway and thought it’d be safer if he gave us a ride all the way into town. Up till then, we were actually enjoying ourselves as we strolled through a collection of eclectic homes that varied in structure and age. I guess people were starting to wake up, and the roadway was gonna get busy soon. He dropped us at the Hardee’s, where Maureen picked us up.

It was a joyous reunion,  as we have been friends with Maureen since Spain in 2015, but haven’t seen each other since. She graciously was going to take us into Baltimore Maryland, where we were to fly out to Chicago and meet our daughter. From there, we’d drive together to Bloomfield Illinois for our nephew’s wedding. Had we known we could have taken the train, we would have, as the Chicago Marathon was the same day we were to return to Chicago and fly out.

Maureen, being the ever so gracious host, took us to her favorite haunts and gave us a quick tour of Harrisburg and the local history. We learned about the great Susquehanna River (see part 1) and the underground railroad and the rich culture of the area. It was so much more interesting than the rocks and trees we’ve been seeing through this grand state of Pennsylvania.

The trail threaded it’s way past the most magnificent and best shelter on trail thus far, the Quarry Gap Shelter. We wished we could have enjoyed the perfect amenities and thoughtful design of this shelter. We did, however, have the distinct pleasure of talking with the designer and caretakers of the shelter, who were there doing maintenance.

From there, we hit a Goodwill store for some “posh” travel clothes and then off to Baltimore and our hotel.

As luck would have it, while we slept soundly, indoors, all of North America was enjoying the most spectacular display of the “Northern Lights” as there ever was. We’ve been getting up every night at 2 am, for weeks since the reports of CME (Coronal Mass Explosions) activity has begun hoping to see such a display. Go figure.

Day 103- 104: (Oct 11- 12) Milosch Family Wedding

Gotta say, this wedding was worth every extra mile we put in to get here. It was a welcome break from walking, and it was great to spend time with our daughter and the Milosch clan at such a joyous occasion.

Day 105- 106: (Oct 13-14) ZERO (back to Pennsylvania)

We flew into Pennsylvania (Harrisburg) and were greeted by Maureen. We got to play tourist a bit, in-between town chores, and eating.

A quick visit to Hershey Pennsylvania,  allowed us to mark that off the bucket list, for me. Sadly, the town did NOT smell like chocolate.

Day 107: (Oct 15) 10.3 mi (Duncannon  1047.2 – Darlington Shelter 1058.5 )

It was a cool, crisp morning as Maureen dropped us at the trail head in Duncannon. It stayed that way, most of the day.

As we walked uphill, we were greeted by those all too familiar rocks. We were treated to some nice views and a welcome terrain change.

By the end of the day, though, my foot, once again, let me know how annoyed it was. Tomorrow should be better as we finally get to see what the Cumberland Valley is all about.

Day 108: (Oct 16) 14.3 mi (Darlington Shelter 1058.5 – Boiling Springs 1072.8)

What a glorious day. Morning, of course, was ridiculously cold for our Southern California internal thermostats, but the day on the whole was amazing and much needed. We descended down from the hills, onto and through rolling pasture land. For some reason, it felt like we were actually getting somewhere.

We walked ourselves into Boiling Springs and to the outfitters before they closed for some resupply meals, a new pair of socks for Paul and New inserts for my shoes. It was a beautiful little hamlet with early American architecture. After a quick bite at the “mexican” food restaurant (101 Caffe) and a snack at the gas station for the evening, our ride to Lisa’s Hostel arrived. Soon we found ourselves in a “no frill” shed with homemade bunkbeds, racked up with an animated storyteller, “Voice of Reason”, who was fun to talk with and share stories, and a cat that purred you to sleep. While it was, in fact, a shed, it was signicantly warmer than sleeping outside, and the shower that was included was the kind that forced the dirt off and out of your skin.

Day 109: (Oct 17) 12 mi (Boiling Springs 1072.8 – Tent site @ Tag Run Creek 1084.8)

Being so cold, it was difficult to get out of our warm quilts and back to trail. And, while we didn’t intend to breakfast at 101 Caffe, we did, and it was well worth it. We and Voice of Reason surmized that it would be prudent to fill our bellies with good food and let the morning warm a bit before we got back to the  business of walking. Us SOBO, and Voice of Reason NOBO for his finish.

My foot and now, for some reason, Paul’s ankle made for a slow and “tender” day of walking.

Walking along a frost crusted cornfield, and witnessing the leaves rapidly morphing into a colorful display that defines Fall on the East Coast, we know our hiking season is about to change.

We climbed our way to the “midline” monument of the Appalachian Trail (Center Point Knob) and through an open forest of trees whose leaves provided a much softer tread.

Mid-day, we found ourselves negotiating a rock scramble over a Ridgeline strewn with monolithic rocks that had we been younger and not “rock fatigued ” would have been fun. I imagine the NOBO climber kids to be joyous through this section.

We ducked into the Green Mountain Store for a sandwich and then called it at Tagg Run Creek. 45 miles left of Pennsylvania! Now we’re getting somewhere.

Day 110: (Oct 18) 17.1 mi (1084.8- Birch Run Shelter 1101.9)

Today, we walked to another “official” halfway mark of the Appalachian Trail.  We took the obligatory photo and continued on. From there, we wandered through Pine Grove Furnace  State Park, which once was a thriving resort area where those living in the lower elevations would travel to escape the heat. We walked by an abandoned swimming pool, used by the Girl Scouts in the 1930s and numerous other “ruins” swallowed up by the natural landscape. Pine Grove Furnace is home to the Appalachian Trail Museum, which has many iconic artifacts of the early pioneers of Appalachian Trail. We wish we had more time to spend perusing the small but significant museum, but Trail miles were calling.

Up we climbed up using the old AT route past Camp Michaux, an old CCC camp, and to a ridgeline that was fairly flat where we stomped out our necessary miles for the day, all the way to the Birch Run Shelter.

Exhausted, with daylight fading quickly, we found the last “flat” piece of real estate and set up camp for the night. With the weather being good, we have found that on Friday nights and weekends, most shelters and the surrounding tent sites are filled with locals who only have to pack in not more than 2 miles to enjoy what we work all day for.

Day 111: (Oct 19) 15.8 mi (1101.9- Birch Run Shelter 1117.7)

Today, the trail threaded its way past the most magnificent and best shelter on trail thus far, the Quarry Gap Shelter. We wished we could have enjoyed the perfect amenities and thoughtful design of this shelter. We did, however, have the distinct pleasure of talking with the designer (Jim Stauch) and caretakers of the shelter, who were there doing maintenance.

Day 112: (Oct 20) (Birch Run Shelter 1117.7 – PenMar 1129.8)

Today is the day we officially walk out of Pennsylvania and cross the famous Mason-Dixon Line of the Missouri compromise and the “cultural” boundary between the “North” and the “South”.

Of all our days spent in Pennsylvania (besides our stay with Maureen), this day was most memorable.

As we reached the Mason-Dixon line, the trail crossed an active railway that mainly appears to transport coal and then brings you into Pen Mar County Park. PenMar, as it is today, is a beautifully thought-out park with a magnificent view and resplendent Pavillions. Previous to that, Pen Mar Park, in its hey-day, at the turn of the 20th Century, was the eastern United States “most popular” amusement park/resort destination for mostly the wealthy, escaping the summer heat. Various mansions surround the park nearby, a testament of a bygone era. Today, as we waited in the park for our shuttle to arrive and take us to our hostel, we watched as they unloaded a coal powered steam-engine tractor. It’s top speed is also our current average speed. 2 mph.

Tonight, we’ll stay at Sunflower Cottage hostel, directly across from the former Fort Ritchie, known for its “Ritchie Boys” during WWII. It is said that their clandestine missions and interrogation methods gathered over 60% of actionable information during WWII and helped turn the tide of the war.

From the hostel, it was a short walk to the Secret Taproom on the former military base. We toasted to our finish of Pennsylvania and hope that Maryland is kinder to our feet.