We’ve got good news and bad news…
Always good news first. We’ll we officially made it halfway. Pretty good feeling knowing you have gone past half way. There is a state park near the halfway point and in this state park is a campstore. The campstore puts on the “Half Gallon Challenge”. Any flavor of ice cream in any time frame. You just half to eat a half gallon of it. The record is just under 4 minutes. Think about that for a minute. Roundhouse took his down in 12 minutes and it took me just under half an hour. Roundhouse amazingly went back and got a second half gallon. Thats right he ate a whole gallon. Also take some time to think about that.
It rained on us for about 5 days which kinda stinks but lucky for us we got picked up by my friends in PA. Ryan and Kyle are two brothers that me and my brothers met last year outside Barcelona. Nice to see them again. Also nice to be in a college town for a couple of days. Tons of restaurants and tons of people your age. I felt like I fit in (minus the beard). Some people would ask us what we were doing and we told them we walked here. From Georgia.
The bad news is that Roundhouse has had to sign off the trial. He has some family issues he has to deal with so I will be tredging on solo. Everyone is real bummed. I’ll admit that I am not as excited as normal to be getting back on the trail. I know a couple of days in the woods and my head will be clear. Best case is I can turn the heat up and catch up to some of our buddies and hike with them. Or maybe some cool cats caught up to me and I’ll be able to hike with them for a while. It is definitely going to be different.
Brandon ,TAKE CARE of you please !! woah , I was happy to know u were two , but right now I begin to worry …can u continue ALONE ?…hey , not another joke like in April ?
…
Bisous XX
JAC
Jac, Afraid this one is not a joke. I think we all begin to worry a little bit more now.
Hi:
My son is hiking the AT….Don Juan…and he is right behind you…I believe he is in Duncannon….He started with 2 buddies and they are all 3 at separate places….presently….Maybe you can catch up with Don Juan…He has enjoyed his hiking alone, but along the way he catches up with people and has made many new friends….He says it is freedom to be able to hike alone.
Best wishes, i have been following you because of the great map you have, and because my son is right on your heels.
HIs AT blog is
http://www.blayzen.wordpress.com
Charlene Schwenk
Oh, Jon Juan is slightly ahead of you…..He took some zero days in DC…and I guess you took some zero days…too…
Charlene
Hi Charlene,
I am trill’s Dad and just visited and left a comment on your son’s site. It is also a very nice site and he is a great writer.
I hope they can meet up because we feel better if he is hiking with someone. I saw Don Juan was 47th at Harper’s Ferry and trill was in the mid-30’s but after some days off and the rate DJ is hiking, they should be close. Last report was Trill was back on the trail near post 1110 and the PA Turnpike.
Good to hear from you and I will keep checking his site. Please post here again if you hear they connected.
Hi Trill’s Dad:
I am glad to to write you. We really like your son’s web page. I know Don Juan was in Duncannon yesterday, because he picked up the maildrop I mailed him….Dynamite also got to Duncannon on the same day as Don Juan, but I don’t know if Dynamite is with Don Juan…Don Juan is very determined, and I truly believe he will make it to Katahdin. I will keep in touch. Thanks so much. Don Juan’s blog is always wwaayyy behind. He mails his entries to his brother who posts for him. Unless Don Juan finds a computer on the trail..then he sometimes updates it himself…We are from Tennessee, where are you from?
Charlene
Hi Charlene,
Trill said it was pouring rain in Duncannon Friday and he was eating pizza waiting for it to stop so they are very near each other. I have mentioned DJ to Trill so he will check the logs and ask along the trail.
We are from Stone Mountain, GA, just outside Atlanta. I’ll let you know when we hear from him if they connect and you please do the same.
They wust each have a techy brother because Trill’s also created this site and keeps it up.
John
Hello John:
Don Juan’s Brother is a computer whiz, actually both of them are whizzes. One of Jon Juan’s brothers is in Baghdad, and the other brother lives in Cincinatti and works for a computer software company. Jon Juan just graduated from Tenn. Tech at Christmas and the AT hike has been a dream of his for at least 4 years. Jon is the youngest.
We are very close to Stone Mountain. We live about 45 minutes north of Chattanooga.
This adventure is so exciting for me. I have no desire to do this, but I am so glad Jon is. I am the 24/7 double dehydrator Mom. Jon had found out one difficulty on the trail is food boredom. So I decided my job was to prevent food boredom. Presently I am dehydrating my homemade Strawberry Jam and canned mushrooms and veggie lasagne.
I look forward to more posts from Trill. Jon stayed in Duncannon through Saturday….I think he was back on the trail Saturday evening…after refueling his stomach at a pizza place.
Jon seems to think Trill is ahead of him. way ahead. But evidently not.
Charlene
Hi Charlene,
Just heard from Trill and he is hiking into Port Clinton, PA to stay and a hostel, get a shower and feed. Time we heard from him was on 4/19 around noon. So yes, sounds like he is about a day, maybe 2 ahead of Don Juan. Port Clinton is 70 miles north of Duncannon. BTW, is it Don Juan or Jon Juan?
Trill also has 2 brothers. The oldest is the computer whiz and also works for a software company here in Atlanta. The youngest is home for the summer but is a student at Auburn during the year. Trill has one more semister there and decided he better do this now before he goes to work or grad school.
I guess I am living this adventure through Trill as well. I’m glad he is doing it and had a great time hiking with them through MD. I even planned a way to join him in Mass but he will be there too soon for me to take leave from work.
I think you are as determined as I am to get these guys together and probably for the same reason, less worry if there are 2 together.
Less keep trying. If you would rather email, my email address is jmcmath@johnmcmath.com. I can get back to you quicker that way but thru the blog is also OK if you prefer.
John
Hey, Roundhouse, sorry to hear you had to go off trail. Still, half way is none to shabby, quite an accomplishment. The trail will be there for another time should you decide to give it another go.
Trill, keep on truckin. You’ll find other hikers to walk the woods with, no doubt. You’ve got some great hiking ahead of you. Up here in Mass, we opened Upper Goose Pond Cabin last weekend, snow is all gone and winter blowdowns have been removed. I’ll be caretaking at the cabin from June 2 thru 8, so if you make it by then will be great to see you there. If not, do stop in anyway and enjoy your stay there and we’ll keep an eye on your progress and try to catch you for a night with a roof over your head as you come thru Dalton or Cheshire.
Till then, hike safe and enjoy,
Wanderer
dude, i’m all game to flying in somewhere and hiking say 3 or 4 days with you. maybe all the boys could meet you somewhere and keep you company for a little while