Day 101 to Day 120 - Made it to PA, and Halfway Done!

(A brief note from Tech Support and Napkin: Everything has become a little jumbled for a lot of reasons so sorry for the delay.  We have reconstructed the time line as best as we can.  Dates are off depending on when Reflex sent the pictures and info.  The weather has been atrocious in PA with lots of flooding and workarounds just to stay on the trail.  However, as they say in showbiz, the show must go on!!  This is a THREE-part post, so don't miss the other two! Enjoy!)


Wednesday, July 18
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Day 101 - Mile marker 1065.7, crossing the  Mason Dixon Line into PA.  Reflex has made it to her HOME state!

Some railroad tracks and pedestrian bridges.  Everything is so pretty here!

 

Thursday, July 19
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Day 102

Reflex got to stay at a shelter by herself for the first time on the Trail.  Hard to believe that this is the first time she was by herself!  First, she got some classic snacks at a local community pool.  Unfortunately, the pool was fenced in so she had to eat her snack and then continue along the trail.

Fun story: Sarge met a girl at his PT appointment whose best friend was Peaches on the trail.  They figured out that Reflect and Peaches must have crossed the Mason Dixon line about the same time and said that they would connect with each other about it.  Then it turns out Reflex and Peaches already met on the Trail, and Peaches left the following note for Reflex at the shelter!  They didn't meet up again that day- Peaches went another 4 miles plus 1+ miles off-trail to a restaurant.  Reflex stayed at the shelter.  Such a small world.  :)

First real night alone... took over the entire shelter!

Sunday, July 22
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Day 105 - Pine Grove Furnace, mile marker 1095.5 was passed, the official 2018 halfway point on the Trail.  YAY!!!

Awesome looking tree!

Fun posing at Pine Grove Furnace, before reaching the halfway point

 

OFFICIALLY HALFWAY DONE!!!!!

Monday, July 23
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Day 106 - Approximate mile marker: 1103.9

Let the flooding begin (stay tuned...)!  But first, a fun picture of Napkin's potential new license plate!

Tuesday, July 24th through Tuesday, July 31st
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Days 107 - 114: Travelling through flooded trails, river ways, detoured trails at approximate mile marker 1129.5 through Duncannon, PA to mile marker 1200

Crossing over the PA Turnpike!  Finally seeing this side of the overpass.  :)

Just some sliiiiiight flooding.  No big deal.  Here's a detour you can take.

 

Which way to go...

 

Yup, all of this is still the Trail... (had to cross it, too!)

 

Here's the Swartara Gap pedestrian bridge.  Finally a solid man-made bridge to cross some water!

Wednesday, August 1st
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Day 115 - Making it to mile marker 1200

The whole trail looks amazing...  Until you look closer and see that it is overgrown with poison ivy.

 What a nice view!  Oh wait, what's that below the frame of this picture....

Ahhh!  Good 'ol Pennsylvania copperheads!  No thanks, I think I'll stay over here...  Time to go!

Once we get rid of the copperheads, we can see the PA cornfields!

The next big landmark!  The big 1-2-0-0!!  Less than 1000 miles to go!

Thursday, August 2nd to Sunday, August 5th
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Day 116 - 119: Napkin came down to help with slack packing through mile markers 1219 - 1287.7 to Port Clinton.

Slack packing today, starting at mile marker 1219

Off I go! Thanks Napkin!!!!  :)

 

Napkin on the top of Pulpit Rock (the PA version!)

(Reflex - All while forging streams and dodging trees!)

Reflex just walked a good ways away (maybe 0.2 miles?) without these...  Good thing she remembered and they were right where she left them.

We thought maybe this was a prince in disguise...  No such luck, though.

At the end of today's hike Napkin met this lovely timber rattler.  Fortunately not close enough for a more intimate introduction, though.

Snake sighting update on the AT: Reflex reports that she has seen 11 snakes in total.  ALL of the poisonous ones have been in PA.  Time to move on?

Monday, August 6th
Sam's AT Mileage Tracker: Day 120 - Napkin and Reflex hiked Mt Minsi, through the Delaware Water Gap, and into NJ at mile marker 1296.5

Reflex and Napkin at Mt. Minsi overlook.  Everything is filled in with hardly any view

 

The Trail comes in different shapes and sizes...

Getting ice cream before walking to NJ!

We didn't have to pay the toll.... :)

 And we got to keep our ice cream!

Walking over the bridge to Jersey.

Officially made it to New Jersey!  Another state done!

Trail blazers are everywhere, in all forms.  Keep on the lookout for that white marker!

Reflex: Napkin came back for another visit!  For those of you that don't know how she got her nickname: Napkin stems from her ALWAYS having a napkin for every meal on the trail (which is unheard of... the rest of us just wipe our hands and faces on ourselves hahaha).   Napkin continued her efforts to keep me clean by sending them in the resupply boxes she's been constantly sending.  I have shared many napkins with other hikers (and even used them to start our wet camp fire one evening) and they love the hint of luxury she has provided.  Thanks Napkin!!!!  <3