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Last Day

After a restless night deliberating my next step I decided to cut my 21 day thru hike down to the three days that I have behind me. I am SO SO SO bummed. I really can't even believe that this is happening. I came into this hike so confident. I told somebody that doing this seemed easier to me than returning something online. And it truly did! An if it was just the hiking I had to worry about then there wouldn't be anything to worry about. I did three 16 miles days and my feet/legs/back/shoulders felt great. But it was just the four rattlesnake and one copperhead that I ran into on knife edge rocks on the ridge of the mountain (all separate encounters) with no cell reception that really shook me. And after talking with many people that are familiar with the trail they all said the next few sections/days are much more snake heavy. I was just getting too stressed. Too stressed to enjoy hiking. Too stressed to look at or take pictures of the big views (all from the knife edge ridges where the snakes are creeping and sun bathing). Too stressed to even eat. Mostly I was just not in a good space mentally. Physically, I believe that I could have done 18-20 mile days but not being prepared for snake encounter was pretty stupid of me. This has been the most humbling experience I've had. I'm embarrassed to have ended so quickly. I've been hiking/camping/backpacking by myself for 7 years now and this was the first time that I've ever felt that I needed someone else. That was a much more powerful feeling than I would have ever expected. Also unexpected, I already have my next three weeks of adventures planned. One week at the lake north of Ottawa, one week around Portland, Maine, and one week camping in north central PA. This hike was my in between job trip to relax and decompress because that is what hiking is to me. This trip turned out to be the opposite of that. Now I know that there is so much more to this sport than the physical shape you're in. I need to learn more survival skills. I need to find others that want to do trips like this. Or I just need to try this in hibernation season. Now I am sitting with my feet in the Juniata River in the cushy front country and I look up at Tussey Mountain and I wonder if people braver than I are trekking over those rattler' ridden rocks and if they're having a nice time and if I can join them.

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Day Three

The trail now takes me through Everette, PA. So stressed out from yesterday, I decided to stay in town for the day. I got done with the 7 miles into town really fast. I didn't have the time I left but I was thinking it was 8. I got into town at 10:45. I got to the motel and asked for a room and first she said she didn't have any but then she asked the cook and the cool said she could clean one after she's done cooking. Cool? Still appetiteless, I forced down a BLT. All that I really wanted was a coffee, regardless of taste. I also wanted to talk to someone. Amazing how going from service industry and a pretty decent social life to not talking for two an a half days makes a difference. I was charging my phone in the other dining area and when I went back to check on it there was a table full of older men. Now if I can get any crowd, that one is it. Sweet men that have been meeting there for 65 years! Of course one hollers out "Now why would an attractive girl with a great physique get holes in her nose?!" Everyfuckingtime. Sorry that I lose every piece of jewelry that I own! This is the only thing that I won't lose. So there. Oh yeah and I think I blushed when he complemented me. Watch out Millheim, when I take two days off there I might need some nookie. But they were a sweet group. One of the men has a daughter in law that works on the trail. I walked around town for awhile while the cool cleaned my room. Cute little town. Hotter than a hoochie coochie. I was walking back from the grocery store and saw an older man walking towards me. All of the sudden he started stutter stepping and it was getting out of control and he was headed to the grass and was reaching for a tree to catch himself but just missed. !!!!!!! I ran ran ran to him and he hadn't passed out. I told him to just let me know what to do. I was always busy passing out in health class because of the gross stuff they showed us so I never really retained first aid skills. I rolled him over I to his side but knew I wouldn't be able to get him all the way up on my own since he was dead weight. A mother/son combo was walking our way and I flagged them down. Man, she was good. She immediately knew what to do. She asked where it hurt (shoulder) and if he could move it (no). She then said she'd call an ambulance. Duhhhh. I would have done so much damage if I had tried to help him. He was so down on himself. He's 83 but really looked 10 years younger. He said he's been having balancing issues and went to his doctor yesterday and his Doc told him to walk more. Oops. Other than that, I sent some food home realizing I had too much. Took about 3.5lb off of my load and I'll change that out with more water. Beer. All I want is beer. That's what I have in my other hand right now. Better vibes for tomorrow's hike.

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Day Two

Found a good camp and had a good nights sleep. About two miles/one hour behind schedule but when the sun wants to come down it doesn't wait for anyone. Today was bad. I ran into three rattle snakes all in different locations. All while I was on knife edge rocks. All while my phone was dead. I don't think I've ever been so stressed or mad at myself. I do have a solar panel but it just isn't working out so my phone was bone dry. Maybe I wouldn't have had a signal anyway. I have a lot more rocks to cross on my time on this trail. I for sure want to make it to the route 45 trailhead (near Millheim, PA) but I honestly might be too stressed to finish. The hiking is not the hard part anymore. I was hiking hard to get down off of the ridge before sunset. I found a nice spot to camp and got a good nights sleep. Kept hydrated with only a little bit of water left but access to some in the AM. No appetite. It's really hard to eat when you really don't want to. Had dried mangos for breakfast, couldn't eat lunch, and had some jerky and a granola bar type thing for dinner. I hope that doesn't mess me up. I can't believe it's only been two days. Like I said the hiking isn't the hard part. I just really don't want to be bitten by a rattlesnake. At this point it seems like they are not aggressive and just send out a warning rattle. Hopefully I won't waste time anymore wringing my hands and I will just detour around them hoping there aren't more nearby. Thankful that thy make noise. Now for copperheads -- STAY AWAY!

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Day One

Everything was going well until a hissing snake popped out at me out of the ferns. I was freaked out and decided to try a detour. Detour one didn't work and took about 30 minutes away from me. Detour two didn't work and took a long of energy away from me. Detour three didn't work and took even more energy away from me. In the end I had to go past that pissy snake anyway. Thankfully after about two hours lost and the potential of about five miles gained lost, the snake had relocated.

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[midstatemegan]

Big thanks to Daily Bread in Pittsburgh for sponsoring my hike on the Mid state Trail. Can't wait to use this rad hat on the trail. Check them out http://dailybreadpa.com

[midstatemegan]

about

I've been hiking in Pennsylvania my whole life and in the past 10 years in Western PA I've been taking notes of trails and mountains and water for my own use and to pass onto others. Now I'm going to finally take it from paper to the www for myself and for others.