{"id":370,"date":"2023-05-26T05:37:40","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T10:37:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catastrophicstardust.com\/?p=370"},"modified":"2024-02-06T10:11:28","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T15:11:28","slug":"stepping-foot-on-the-appalachian-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catastrophicstardust.com\/?p=370","title":{"rendered":"Stepping Foot On The Appalachian Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two of my nieces (trail names Sparks and Church Mouse) have been hiking The Appalachian Trail since the end of February. They are now officially over the halfway mark and in Pennsylvania. (Keep up with their adventures here.<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We drove out to Pennsylvania to bring them the family staple… Hot Dog Shoppe!<\/p>\n\n\n

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We got a hotel in Shippensburg, and since they’ve had a hiking partner for 100’s of miles now (trail name Stealth), we left our kiddos at the hotel and drove 30 minutes into Pine Grove Furnace State Park and picked up 3 tired and tanned hikers with backpacks as big as they were!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once back at the hotel, we had booked them a room so they could shower. Laundry facilities were on our floor, so they had the opportunity to clean some clothing. We hung out as they inhaled hot dogs, and then we all went down to the pool for some swimming and hot tub soaking.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The next morning, after a hotel breakfast, they worked on going through their packs, unloading anything they would no longer need, like some winter gear, so we could bring it home for them. Then, second breakfast finished off the hot dogs we brought. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before heading back to the trail, we stopped at Wal-Mart so they could resupply on some protein and electrolytes. Then we drove them back to the trail.<\/p>\n\n\n

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We “hiked” the tiniest section of the trail behind them, since it crossed the road just up from the parking lot. We went back to the hotel, got the kiddos, and decided to head unto Gettysburg, but not before stopping at an Appalachian Trail crossing so they could step foot on the trail too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n