The 100 Mile Wilderness: White House Landing

White House Landing: advertised as "an oasis with the 100 Mile Wilderness."  Hansel and Gretel stayed here their last night of the 100 miles.  The method of access to get to White House Landing was truly unique.  The hostel is located about a mile off the trail.  Hansel and Gretel had to wind their way along the shore of another lovely Maine lake until they came out to a dock.  From the dock, they were able to see the house across the lake.  At the end of the dock, there was a fog horn.  They tooted the fog horn and a guy came out of the house and boarded a little boat which he used to cross the lake and collect Hansel and Gretel.

White House Landing had a few private cabins where hikers could stay, though these were a little more expensive than the bunk house where Hansel and Gretel slept.  The house had no electricity and the pluming was fed straight from the water in the lake which the owners of the hostel pumped every day.  For this reason, they asked that showers be restricted to as few minutes as possible.  The water was warmed by solar heat.  They didn't have a true bathroom.  Just a compost privy.  For dinner, you could pay for one of two options.  You could either have a 1-pound burger or a 14-inch pizza.  Hansel selected the burger and Gretel got the pizza... although, Hansel ended up consuming half of Gretel's pizza since she got full after 4 slices.  "Gretel wimped out," Hansel explained.  For desert they had homemade whoopee pies- a Maine staple!

The next morning, the White House Landing care takers agreed to serve breakfast at 7am so that Hansel and Gretel could hit the trail as early as possible.  They planned on leaving their packs at the hostel where Two Bad, mom, and I could hike in and pick them up so that they would be able to slack pack a 31 mile day to finish the 100 Mile Wilderness.  Also staying at the hostel were two South Bounders, just beginning their AT excursion toward Georgia.  Hansel and Gretel finished their breakfast quickly and prepared their day packs so they were ready to go.  They would have to take the boat back across the lake in order start, but the two South Bounders were moving very slowly.

"Hey, we're ready to go when you are," Hansel said to them in an effort to get them to move it along.  Apparently Hansel was a litte too subtle and these South Bounders just didn't get the hint that they really wanted to leave asap.  Their boat driver was also fully prepared and the three of them were just kinda sitting around waiting for the other hikers to get it together.

Finally the boat man said, "You know what?  Screw 'em!  I'll waste the gas.  I don't care."  Once on the boat and out of ear shot he expressed a few more sentiments.

"These f***ing South Bounders.  THey don't know what they're doing.  You guys are quick.  You have it together.  You know what you're doing.  But these South Bounders, they take forever.  You're always waiting on them.  They piss me off."

And he was kind of right too.  North Bounders have the routine down.  By the time they reach Maine, they are very efficient and they understand how important their time and energy is.  Nothing is waisted.  South Bounders have not yet realized this.  The guys running White House Landing were also extremely efficient, so they appreciated Hansel and Gretel's timeliness.  It was very kind of the boat man to take Hansel and Gretel across early, because they certainly did have a long day ahead of them.

Later that day, mom, Two Bad and I hiked into the woods to retrieve Hansel and Gretel's packs.  There was a road that took us to the edge of the woods, and then we had to walk about .5 miles to the house.  Well, we would have had to walk .5 miles if we had taken that left turn at the start of the trail.  Instead we hiked about three quarters of a mile until mom called the White House Landing to clarify the directions.  Even driving in was kind of crazy.  There were no real street signs.  Instead we were given land marks.  "It's the third turn marked by a boulder that has graffiti on it.  Then turn left at the place with a hundred signs (*see picture bellow)."  Somehow in all those directions, we missed the left turn at the start of the hiking trail.  So our 1 mile pack retrieval ended up being a 2.5 mile pack retrieval.  This was my first time hiking since breaking my ankle, but luckily the trail was flat and tame, so the 2.5 miles were nothing too worry about.  We got their packs, took some pictures, and headed to the hotel.

Happy Trails!

The left turn marked by 100 signs to get to White House Landing.

Mom and Two Bad looking out at the lake at White House Landing.  You can see the small motor boat that brought Hansel and Gretel across the lake.

Me, Two Bad, and Mom at White House Landing, collecting Hansel and Gretel's packs.

Crazy Cravings and Linda

Perhaps the people in Maine know that by the time thru-hikers get to them, they are very tired and are doing all they can to finish the trail as quickly as possible.  For this reason, there is an assortment of inns and hostels that will help thru-hikers slack pack a good portion of the state.  Monday morning Hansel and Gretel were in search of such an inn.  They were calling around when someone gave them the phone number for the Chamber of Commerce.  Although they were pretty confused as to how the Chamber of Commerce was going to help them, they were pleasantly surprised when they were connected with Linda.  She runs a shuttle service and actually ended up driving 40 miles to collect Hansel and Gretel!  Linda then proceeded to take Hansel and Gretel to get some ice cream (every thru-hikers vice) and then to the store due to a tremendous craving that had come over Gretel.  Gretel needed Ellio's Pizza.  No one can be sure why Ellio's was on her mind.  Mom used to heat it up in the toaster oven for lunch when we were little, but truth be told, it leaves something to be desired in the delicious department.  In any case, Gretel got her Ellio's. 

The next day Linda picked up Hansel and Gretel to take them back to the trail.  When they climbed into her van she pulled out some fresh, hot, homemade blueberry coffee cake!  It was delicious!  What a great way to begin the day!

Happy Trails!

Carter Notch, For Better or For Worse

Carter Notch Hut has been deemed the favorite of all the huts simply because it is "SO cool!"  It sits nestled in a valley between two huge mountains with a 1,500 foot climb on either side.  Hansel and Gretel felt more in the woods and isolated than they did at any of the other huts.  They also had the best dinner, and we all know how important food can be to our dear Hansel and Gretel.  Homemade black bean burgers on homemade buns, awesome pasta salad, chili, and apple pie for desert!  Another point of interest is that Carter Notch is open year round.  There is a care taker that keeps it open for very serious winter hikers.  How they get to the hut going over the mountains in the snow and ice was more than Hansel could fathom, but it's there for the crazy adventurers who dare try it.  In those winter months, the never actually sees direct sun light because the mountains around it are so tall.  This makes the hut extremely frigid in the winter.

The down-side to Carter Notch Hut was that the staff working there left something to be desired (that is a euphemism).    Hansel and Gretel have had exceptional experiences with the staff at all the other huts.  The crew typically does an excellent job of accommodating thru-hikers and are usually very excited to hear their stories.  George at Madison was an excellent example of this.  The Carter Crew, however, just didn't seem to get it.  Hansel and Gretel were especially disappointed with this because they weren't just thru-hikers, they were paying thru-hikers with a real reservation.

When Hansel and Gretel stay at a hut, they often try to leave early in the morning so they are able to make it to their next destination.  They cover more miles per day than the casual hiker so it's important for them to hit the trail as early as possible.  At Carter, they told one of the staff members that they wanted to head out around 7.  Unfortunately this is when breakfast starts.  At other huts, the crew is always able to give something to Hansel and Gretel before the other guests eat.  This Carter crew member didn't seem to understand this but said they usually start preparing at 6:30.  So, 6:30am Hansel and Gretel stood in an empty dinning room listening to the echos of distant snorers.  Food preparations started at 6:45 and Hansel and Gretel ended up with some oatmeal and pancakes to go.  Gretel was so angry.  They were just so accustom to the staff being awesome, and the Carter Crew was a huge disappointment.  At least the hut itself was amazing.

They quickly forgot their frustration with Carter Crew because the Trail that day was very difficult.  They had to climb over three mountains!  The day ended at the White Mountain Hostel, which was terrific.  They were actually given spare clothes so they could wash all their dirty laundry.  The people running the hostel took them to the store for a resupply and then to dinner!  They are a little behind schedule mostly because of their delays before Madison Hut, they are hoping they will be able to make up some time in Maine. The Whites are a really difficult part of the trail and Hansel and Gretel have been pushing themselves extremely hard to stay on track.  Right now they expect to finish on the 18th or 19th of July.  The end is near!!

Happy Trails!

Beautiful sunset views before getting to Carter Notch Hut

Gretel pauses to admire the view.  The Whites truly are magnificent!

Heads in the Clouds

Trekking along the top of the White Mountains has been a rainy business for our Hansel and Gretel.  They had hoped for breathtaking views, but every time they reach 5,000 feet, it's raining.  Their heads are literally in the clouds.  The rain has not slowed them down though.  They are still pumping out 20+ mile days.  One of the nice things about being the the White Mountains, is the Hut-to-Hut system that exists up there.  There are 8 huts along the ridge that are run by groups of adventurous college students.  A night's stay includes a bed along with a delicious home cooked dinner and breakfast.  The huts aren't free though.  A night's stay could be as much as $100.  The good news is, thru-hikers can do a work-for-stay.  In exchange for 2 hours of labor, they are given dinner and a bed for free.  This huts system is near and dear to Hansel and Gretel's hearts because when we were little (10-15 years old) we went up to the Whites as a family two summers in a row for a week at a time to hike the White Mountains and we stayed at almost all of these huts.  As a little kid, it was always so thrilling to see or speak to a real thru-hiker!  Now, 10 years later, Hansel and Gretel are those real thru-hikers!

Two days ago, Hansel and Gretel were shooting for Lonesome Lake Hut, but they missed it by two miles and had to camp at the Kinsman Pond Shelter.  They were pleasantly surprised when they stopped by the hut the next morning.  The staff there greeted them with pancakes, bacon, fresh bread, and cake!  They claimed the people staying in the hut were not going to eat it.  Thanks Lonesome Lake Staff!

Last night Hansel and Gretel made it to Galehead Hut... but too late for a work-for-stay spot.  They only accept two thru-hikers a night and two got in just before Hansel and Gretel (one of whom was their friend Raisins).  Luckily, the Galehead Staff was also very friendly and let Hansel and Gretel sleep on the floor of the hut for $10.  Raisins and the other thru-hiker then shared their dinners while Hansel and Gretel contributed by cooking up their own meals.  They ended up with a big pot luck!

One thing that Hansel and Gretel continue to witness on a daily basis, is the supportiveness of their fellow thru-hikers.  While hiking, each backpacker is on his own schedule, often hiking alone, but once they reach camp, everyone looks out for one another.  If someone needs something, there is no hesitation to share.  They trade food, offer advice, and look out for one another.  It's nice to know there is always someone within a few miles who understands your plight and cares enough to help you succeed.

Happy Trails!

Galehead Hut

Lonesome Lake Hut: Home of the delicious breakfast

Duncannon

Today was a little better for Hansel.  The heat persisted, as did the grassy fields, but there was a trip into town that broke up the day a bit.  In the morning, Hansel awoke and quickly hiked into the town of Duncannon with two fellow thru-hikers Pajamas and Budd Heavy.  Today's field walk was not quite as fun.  Because it was hot, Hansel hiked without his shirt on.  And because the grass was tall, it was constantly hitting Hansels bare belly.  The pollin was especially bad today, which was a little bit of an issue considering Hansel has a fairly significant grass allergy.  When he was younger, he used to get an asthmatic reaction and had to use an inhaler in order to breath.  When Hansel arrived in Duncannon today, he had rashes all over his abdomen where the grass had hit him and his eyes were nearly swollen shut.

Their first stop was the Doyle Hotel.  This is a very famous spot for thru-hikers.  It is over 100 years old and apparently it was "super glamorous" in its day; however... in the words of Hansel, the place has "gone to crap."  You lay in bed, and you gaze up at the ceiling, and you think to yourself, "How did that stain get up there?"  The place was pretty gross, BUT it is incredibly hiker-friendly and they have great food and great beer!  Hansel had a delicious barbecue pork sandwich, half an order of buffalo chicken wings, fries, and a strawberry shake that he took on his way out.  Silver Fox got the most enormous banana split anyone had ever seen.  It was delicious going down, but it then took him about 3 hours to hike 4 miles to camp because his belly hurt so badly.

One thing that Hansel decided not to accomplish while in town was showering.  Although it would have been extremely nice to wash all the grass pollen off of himself, the cost of showering was a bit steep.  Paying $7.50 at the hotel was just not happening.  The good news is, the shelter where Hansel and Silver Fox stayed that night had a very good water source.  They decided to work out a little guard buddy system.  Silver Fox took the first watch while Hansel went down for a creek bath and then they traded posts.  Cheep, effective, and au natural!

Happy Trails!

The Half Gallon Challenge

The day after Maryland, Hansel was moving a little slower than usual.  He didn't hit the trail as early as he usually does so he was only able to put in about 15 miles.  This ment he needed to do an extra five miles today.   Today also happens to be the day of The Half Gallon Challenge taking place in Pine Grove, PA.  Traditionally, thru-hikers were challenged to eat a half gallon of ice cream in celebration of completing half of the Appalachian Trail, but now the halfway point has moved slightly north due to relocations.  If a thru-hiker is able to finish the entire tub of ice cream, he gets it for free in addition to a picture of himself on the Wall of Recognition next to all the other members of the Half Gallon Club.

Hansel started the day earlier than he did yesterday and found the trail much easier.  Consequently, he actually ended up running parts of the trail.  At 4:15 he was already in Pine Grove and was gearing up to consume his half gallon.  He carefully picked his poison: chocolate chip cookie dough.  He had come prepared with his favorite topping: Nerd candies.  Lately Hansel has been obsessed with adding Nerds to his ice cream.  Knowing this, Julie had provided Hansel with an entire back of Nerds when he stayed with her in Virginia.  And now it was time to begin.

Ready...

          Set...
   
                GO!!!

Hansel dug in.  Spoonful after spoonful he consumed his ice cream.  After 30 minutes he was nearing the bottom of the carton.  Right at the 40-minute mark Hansel astounded everyone watching when he proceeded to rip open the box and lick the very last drop of his cookie dough ice cream!  He did it!  The woman in the store said she had never seen anyone do that!   He was honored with a small wooden spoon that said "Ice Cream Challenge" on its handle.

In a log book kept at the store, past hikers have written about their experiences.  It seems as though certain flavors go down more easily than others.  For example, mint chip is apparently a bad choice.  You'll never make if you select the mint.  Cherry jubilee tends to go down pretty smoothly.  Chocolate chip cookie dough is usually pretty good.  Hansel's thru-hiking friend, Silver Fox, was another half gallon champion and had selected banana split, which he loved.

And now I shall provide you with some nutrition facts.

1/2 Cup of Hershey's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough contains 190 calories and 11 grams of fat.

Now, Hansel ate a half gallon of the stuff.  There are 16 servings in a half gallon.  SIXTEEN!  I'll help you with the math on this one.  In a 40 minute sitting, Hansel consumed a total of 176 grams of fat and 3,040 calories!  And I'm not even counting the nerds he added!

But why stop here with the 176 grams of fat?  There is more to tell.  After Hansel finished licking the carton, he decided he was feeling pretty good and the day was young.  So, he strapped his pack onto his back and hit the trail.  He banged 8 more miles before hitting the shelter for the night.

All in all, it was a big day for Hansel.  He hike a total of 30.1 miles, he became a member of the Half Gallon Club, and he reached the half-way mark for his Appalachian Adventure!  Woohoo!!

Happy trails and sweet ice cream dreams!

Ripped open the carton and licked every last drop!

Half gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough with Nerds

Half Way Point!  

Signage

Fab Family Fun!

As they emerged from a little hole in the woods, they were greeted by our cousin Julia and little baby Leah!    Julia met them in a parking lot at the edge of Bears Den Park in the early evening.  She loaded the stinky hikers into her car and took them straight to the grocery store where they restocked their Candy Bags.  Their Candy Bags are one of the more invaluable items that they carry with them.  It's difficult to imagine where they might be without the essential Peach Rings and Swedish Fish.  Hansel and Gretel feel it is necessary to specify that Candy Bags should not be confused with Munchie Bags, which are used by certain hikers when they have the munchies.

When they arrived at Ben and Julie's house, they found Caleb (1st grade) and Molly (3 years old) who were returning a turtle to a creak by their house.  Little Molly was sure to remind Hansel and Gretel several times throughout the night that they were stinky.  They took her cue and gathered their laundry together to be washed and then took showers.  Molly might not have been convinced that the shower was enough since all of their belongings were still a little ripe.  Two months on the Trail just doesn't come out in a single washing.

Aunt Heidi arrived to join the party and brought with her a supply of her famous clipper cookies, which Hansel and Gretel sampled immediately.  Then they all enjoyed some tasty snacks while Molly performed her newest favorite-thing-to-do, which is water bending.  It's a fancy series of moves that looks like a form of marshal arts and is featured in the show Avatar.  Molly's last favorite-thing-to-do was ballet, but water bending is probably much cooler.

They ate a delicious dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, portobello mushrooms (Ben and Gretel speculated over the best way to cook a mushroom on the grill- the resulting morsels were delicious), a tremendous pasta salad with feta cheese, corn-on-the-cob, and shrimp!  What a feast!  They spent a little time digesting and Aunt Heidi gave Gretel the ultimate foot massage.  She offered Hansel a rub as well, but since his feet hurt him so much, he had to decline.  More love for Gretel!!

Of course such a quality evening could not be concluded without a tasty morsel to top off the experience.  Julie revealed the Ice Cream Sundae Extravaganza!  There were four different ice cream flavor options and an assortment of toppings including Nerds!  Hansel has been obsessed with putting Nerd candies on his ice cream which is apparently quite difficult to find.  Gretel claimed the Reese's Explosion was the best ice cream flavor and after Hansel finished his first dish of vanilla with Nerds, he went for a second bowl of Reese's.

After dessert, they did a little more chatting, a little more water bending, and then Hansel and Gretel retired to their very own, huge, comfy beds for the night.  Caleb was very kind to give his room to Gretel for the night while he had a sleep-over with Molly.  He, of course, gave Gretel some very careful instructions not to touch any of his stuff; particularly a very specific drawer, which Molly told her was his underwear drawer!

The next morning introduced a delicious breakfast of home-made blueberry buckle, yummy pancakes, sausage for Hansel, and a hot cup of coffee!  They folded their fresh laundry and packed their bags.  Julie, Molly and Leah dropped them off at the trail head where they disappeared back into their hole in the woods.  What a wonderful and refreshing visit!  Sometimes an evening with family, delicious food, and a big hug that comes with love is the most anyone can ask for!  Thanks Julie, Ben, Caleb, Molly, Leah and Aunt Heidi for taking such great care of Hansel and Gretel and being a part of their journey!

Happy Trails!

They made it!

Family greeting!  

Hansel, Molly, Julie, Leah, Gretel

Ice Cream Sundae Extravaganza!

Hansel, Molly and Gretel

Back into the woods they go!  Thanks Family!

To Crunch or Not To Crunch?

It’s been about a month, and the magic of Little Debbie’s Star Crunch has not been depleted.   The third day after Hansel and Gretel picked up Two Bad, they were finishing up dinner at a table with Schmuck, another thru-hiker.  For desert, they had 2 remaining Star Crunch to divide between the three of them.  They each ate a half a Star Crunch and split the extra piece into thirds.  Before consuming the final 3rd, Hansel looked over to Schmuck who had shared some of his food with them earlier.  He offered Schmuck the bite-sized piece of heaven.  Two Bad followed suit.  Gretel looked at Schmuck, looked down at her Star Crunch, and then back at Schmuck.

“Well,” she considered, “If I don’t give this to you, then I’m kind of a schmuck.”  These are the kinds of dilemmas hikers are faced with on a daily basis.   


Happy Trails and Happy Crunching!

Adventures in Hampton: Theresa's Grill

News of an all-day breakfast place met the ears of Hansel and Gretel and Theresa's Grill instantly became an essential destination.  When they entered this dive of a building claiming to be Theresa's, the first thing they saw was an old woman, silently sitting in a folding chair, giving them the death stare.

"Ahhh, hi!  Can we eat here?" They asked.  Nothing.  Just more staring.  Not knowing what to do, Hansel and Gretel just stood there and waited while Folding Chair Lady drilled holes through their foreheads with her eyes.  Finally, another woman came out from a back room.

"Y'all can eat.  Sit down.  What d'y'all want?"  She said dryly.  She tells them they can't have biscuits and gravy because they are out of biscuits and gravy, which was interesting because some other guy came into the restaurant five minutes later, ordered biscuits and gravy and got biscuits and gravy, but let's not get hung up on biscuits and gravy.  The entire menu, consisting of about five items, was written up on a white board.  They ordered their meal, and for only $10, they ended up with a giant breakfast... which, needless to say, did not include biscuits and gravy.

Hansel and Gretel thought they should visit the restroom before heading out, but it's possible that they might have been better off saving it for the woods.  The toilet was basically a seat on top of a wooden platform.  Not only was there no toilet paper, there wasn't even a place to put the TP if the bathroom had been fully equipped.  It seems like Hampton's bathing accommodations are universally lacking.  This was the town where Hansel and Gretel couldn't find an adequate shower and ended up bathing in the bathroom of a gas station.

They both agreed that the best part of their Hampton day was going to Subway, buying sandwiches, putting them in their packs and then eating them for dinner once they got to their camp site.  Soooo good!

Happy trails!

Little Debbie Love

As you may have figured out, food is a huge topic of discussion for Hansel and Gretel.  Nearly every time they call to check in, they always have something to say about some meal they ate.

Most recently, they discovered the magic of Little Debbie.  More specifically, Star Crunch: made from a rice cereal, caramel and coated in chocolate.

"Best Thing Ever!"

Happy trails and happy munching!