The milestones and magic of the middle AT

Buckle up, kids.

Before you leave Virginia, she’ll take you on a little ride: a 13-mile stretch called The Rollercoaster. A look at an elevation map reveals a long series of short, steep PUDS (useless climbs and descents). I wasn’t particularly worried about the roller coaster because hills are one of the few things I’m good at. However, what an elevation map doesn’t reveal is what’s really on the road. The first 6 miles were grueling but uneventful: up and down, rinse, repeat. The next 3 miles were a different story. The path was full of embedded and loose stones. Rocks make the trail more difficult – it’s hard to gain momentum and every rock is a potential tripping hazard. Rocks are also mentally exhausting because you have to think about the placement of each foot while planning your next step; you can’t get distracted. I had decided to make this a short 11 mile day because storms were expected. It didn’t seem short to me. I staggered into the Bear’s Den hostel feeling like I had walked 20.

Rocks are part of the trail life in the middle section.

a castle in the forest

Bear’s Den Hostel is owned by ATC and run by the local walking club, PATC. Walking uphill through the woods and suddenly emerging onto this property was like stepping into a fairy tale. The stone house was built in 1933 by a wealthy Washington, DC couple as their summer home and It was designed to look like a medieval European castle. The exterior of the house was beautiful and the grounds were immaculate. A perfect place to sleep after a soaked day on most of the coaster! For an extra $10 you get pizza, ice cream and a soft drink. It felt like a magical place and I was so glad I didn’t overlook it! However, my choice of ice cream was not a smart one: Ben & Jerry’s Caramel Crunch Coffee. I was up from midnight until 3:30 am, excited about caffeine and sugar.

christmas in may

I was excited to get to Harper’s Ferry. If you like history, it is worth your time. My family had shipped my warm weather gear and I was picking it up at ATC. I also asked for a new pair of trail shoes to be delivered – mine had over 500 miles on them and I had a bruise from a rock under one foot. When I asked for my packages at ATC, the employee took out three packages, not two. The extra box was a care package from some close friends. When I opened it, I saw new socks, a mix of snacks, money from DoorDash, and a note from each of them. I could have cried. Family and friends have sent me encouraging texts, and even strangers have encouraged me, but I spend my days hiking alone and often camping alone. Surrounded day after day by the immensity of nature, it is easy to feel small. It meant a lot to know that they had planned this and were thinking about me!

I have the greatest variety of friends in the world!

Shelters, HGTV edition

Maryland and Pennsylvania seem to compete for the best shelters. Two of them in Maryland were new two stories with varnished wood floors and plenty of light coming in from the upper deck area. And best of all, there are no mice! The quarry gap The shelter in Pennsylvania featured amenities such as a swing bench, potted pansies, and a covered picnic area. After a month of camping alone, it has been incredibly fun socializing with other hikers in the evenings at the shelters.

Quarry Gap Shelter is better than my first two apartments.

A perfect day

Since leaving Shenandoah, I had been working long days and felt ready for a break. Just when I felt like I was running out of gas, Pennsylvania gave me a perfect day. What started out as a cold, cloudy day turned into a cool, bright day, perfect for hiking. The terrain was gentle, there were long stretches of flats and an especially beautiful section of tall pines with a soft ground of pine needles along the way. It felt effortless. I had a serious case of hiker hunger – I was short on snacks and out of lunches – but as they say, the trail provides. I came to a gravel road and two gentlemen had created a magical path. I bought a Gatorade, trail mix, tuna, and crackers, and a Twinkie. I arrived at camp about an hour and a half earlier than normal on a 20 mile day. It was a beautiful shelter area, spacious, with wide, flat spaces for tents and a large campfire area. ring with benches and Adirondack chairs. Best of all, there was a stream running right next door, so there was easy access to the water along with nature’s best sound machine. It was the closest day to perfection I’ve ever had on a trail.

Still smiling on an uphill

Milestones galore!

One of the interesting things about tackling this section is the milestones it achieves.

Mile 1000 – reward while you are on the roller coaster

A new state! – after 550 miles in Virginia, you cross into West Virginia

Harper’s Ferry – It’s not the geographical midpoint, but it feels spiritual. It’s also where they take your photo for the AT yearbook.

Mason–Dixon Line – the historical division between south and north. I changed to saying «you guys» here.

Midpoint A little further into Pennsylvania, you reach the geographic midpoint of the trail, which seems monumental.

Half Gallon Challenge – Hikers stop at the Pine Grove Furnace store for the half-gallon challenge. Do you know Breyer’s ice cream carton? That’s not a half gallon. You have to eat that cardboard AND another pint. The record for the fastest half-gallon consumption is from 2023: 3 minutes and 37 seconds.

I’m just a LASHer. Give me a cone!

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