PAWventure: Feral Joy

 

Completing the Old Logger's Path on a sun-drenched autumn day

Our long trek did not go according to plan. Not even close. What began as a nearly 300-mile PAW Mega Loop transformed into a 200 + mile PAWventure. In the Pennsylvania Wilds, we explored the Susquehannock Trail, the Quehanna Trail, the Black Forest Trail, the Chuck Keiper Trail, the Allegheny Front Trail and countless even lesser traveled connecting trails. Near the end of our journey, we ventured into the Ridge and Valley Region on the Mid State Trail and the Old Logger's Path. We finished in the Endless Mountains on the Loyalsock Trail. We hiked clear off the PA Wilds map. Our feet and hearts led the way. We found beauty in so many places. We seized joy. I'll circle 'round to that, the greatest gift from this trek, after I share with you our last week on the trail.

Shelter on the Mid State Trail inside Bald Eagle State Forest

The Pine Creek shelter called to me. I'd remembered thru hiking the Mid State Trail several years ago and anticipating this sanctuary for days. A rainstorm was rolling in as I'd neared. When I'd arrived, I'd found it occupied. Three kindly boys invited us in, but that's not how I roll, nor Amos. We like our solitude. We hiked on. So, when I'd stumbled upon the Central Mountains Shared Use Trails - a network of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails in Bald Eagle State Forest, I figured I'd build us a hike around this sweet spot. I knew the terrain would be rocky. Pete Fleszar of the Mid State Trail warned me. So did the ranger at Raymond B. Winter State Park, who dug up an old copy of the Central Mountains Shared Use Trails that illustrated I'd unknowingly planned to hike some of the rockiest portions of trail. At the last minute, I altered our loop. We'd follow the Mid State Trail south to the shelter and then circle back on the scenic Pine Creek Road. 

A forest view from the Mid State Trail

Amos pulled ahead excitedly, elated to be back on the familiar Mid State Trail, and within less than a half mile, I was on the side of the trail yowling, grasping my knee. I lay atop a broken trekking pole, the tip still wedged in the rocks beneath me. After some choice words, I picked myself up, dusted off, shoved the tip of my broken pole in the side pocket of my pack, and hobbled on. After a peaceful night in the shelter, I was very happy the next day to stride the forest road back towards R.B. Winter where we'd started. 

Pine Creek Road, a lovely scenic walk along the boundary of the Hook Natural Area in Bald Eagle State Forest

Little did we know what lay in our path. We crested a hill and began a mile-long descent along the road when mewing kittens emerged from a leafy embankment. Amos darted, eager to meet new friends. I could barely believe my eyes. Two tabbies circled 'round my feet. I struggled to calm Amos. I sadly knew right quick how these babes happened to be here. They'd been abandoned. When I had arrived at the state park, Sharon and Jacque, two amazing women who staffed the office and had helped me secure a cabin at Bald Eagle State Park, had introduced me to a Maine Coon cat they had rescued. Another had been hit by a car. They had taken responsibility for that one too, taking it to a local veterinary where it had been euthanized. This beauty, however, with white wisps of fur that curled 'round her ears, whiskers 6 inches long, and a fluffy tail, had survived. Jacque was feeding her well and had made a spot for her on her desk with cardboard and a heating pad. They had informed me that both cats and dogs were periodically dropped there in the park. Mind you, this park is remote. Were it not for the kindness of Jacque and Sharon and the rest of the staff at the park, these precious animals wouldn't stand a chance. From my lonely road, I desperately tried to get a signal to call the office. I knew Sharon and Jacque would help. But after a dozen tries it was clear the call would not go through. I decided to carry on quickly as I could and alert them as I reached the office. Surely, they would send a ranger to retrieve them. But the kittens had other ideas. 

RB and Winter following me down the path

One of two maintenance men who helped to transport the kittens to the safety of Jacque and Sharon

These two kittens, who I affectionately dubbed RB and Winter, followed me for over a mile. The real struggle was getting them across a busy road safely. The tiniest one allowed me to pick her up, but the larger one wouldn't have it. I tried to flag down passing vehicles, but no one stopped for the bedraggled hiker with a coonhound and two kittens at her feet, in the rain mind you. Not knowing what else to do, I scooped up the tiny one, looked both ways and dashed, knowing the larger one would follow quickly behind. We made it, and then I took an alternate route, a quiet park road that climbed a large hill. Suddenly a maintenance truck appeared. I stood in the middle of the road and waved my arms. The two fellas inside spotted me and quickly slowed. They remarked that these felines would be the seventh cats they'd found abandoned that week. I managed to pick up them both up and the men gladly drove them the rest of the way to safety. By later that afternoon, the Maine Coon cat would be adopted by a camper, and the tiniest kitten adopted by another staff member. I know the other will be homed as well. Thank you to the staff at Raymond B. Winter State Park for your kind hearts and going above and beyond in so many ways.

Signage for the Old Logger's Path

With my knee still aching from my fall and a kitten rescue, I was in need of some predictability. I decided we'd head for the Old Logger's Path in Loyalsock State Forest. We had already left the PA Wilds in R.B. Winter and Bald Eagle State Forest. Now, we would enter the Endless Mountains. Amos and I hiked this 27-mile loop last year and it was a dream. The trails are well-graded, with large portions being old forest roads and railroad grades. Vistas are abundant. Creeks flow heartily. Two shelters sit along the trail. Weather was predicted to be cool - high forties during the day, mid-thirties at night - and without rain. It would be a perfect place for us to simply walk and take it in. 

An enormous beech tree with a fused double trunk along the OLP

Like much of our northeastern woods, these forests were ravaged by the logging industry in the early 1900's. Despite this history some impressively large trees remain. Among them: beech, yellow birch, eastern hemlock, and red oak. Given the young forest that surrounds them, their presence feels all the more profound. They are elders, surely sharing nutrients through their subterranean mycorrhizal networks with hungry saplings. They tower, both paying homage to what once was and as symbols of could be. I lingered with as many as I could, giving small morsels of my own energy to these who provide for so many.

Broad leaf waterleaf (Hydrophyllum maculatum)

I marveled at the plants and fungi that also inhabited this trail. Young broad leaf waterleaf glowed green from the leafy forest floor. Goldenrod with fuzzy caterpillar plumes towered along Pleasant Stream beside scarlet staghorn sumac wands held high on silky branches sporting new buds. A single dandelion flowered in a rocky ditch. Wild carrot doilies and showy black-eyed Susan flowers brightened a dirt road. Velvety turkey tail fungi decorated a stump. Trees still clinging to leaves popped too - yellow birch glowed golden and maple shown ruby-red. The beech trees were largely bare and the cherries too, having already surrendered their leaves to the dormant season, but my goodness, there was still so much vitality in these woods.

A single dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)

The silky twigs of staghorn sumac showing off buds

Goldenrod gone to seed (Solidago sp.)

Turkey tail fungi on a stump (Trametes versicolor)

The Old Logger's Path, however, was not without its challenges. On our second day it unexpectedly stormed in the afternoon. The skies spat rain and hail, cold winds blew. That same day, we also forded a knee-deep creek. But being so near to the end of our journey, I reveled in whatever the trail threw our way. I knew our days were limited. I would embrace the icy cold water and the wet clothes. That night we'd be snug in our sleeping bag and in a few days, we'd be back in the comforts of home. Not a minute of our time was to be squandered. 

Sprout Point Vista, very near to the shelter where we spent our last night on the OLP

I was eager to revisit Sprout Point Vista. This vista is significant to me. Last year I had found antlers in the form of a dead-standing tree. In a selfie they had sprouted from my head! They represented so much: connection to my father, kinship with the natural world, a personal strength renewed. Now, I found just one. What could this mean? Perhaps I was unicorn now. Or perhaps we draw these connections, this magic, from different sources in different parts of our lives. On this journey, my father often visited in the sun. And these days I find my strength in this extraordinary coonhound.

With Amos and Dad at Sprout Point Vista

We completed the Old Logger's Path in about two and a half days. Where to go next? I had no service, no GPS, but I did have a map of Loyalsock State Forest. I decided we'd head east. That was at least the direction of home, and we had only a couple days left. After following many winding dirt roads, we found ourselves in Forksville beside two iron bridges. A road sign declared World's End State Park: 2 miles. I reckoned that could be an interesting place to visit, the name alone suggested mystery. But I was soon detoured by a red covered bridge and the promise of hot food.

Big Mike's Steaks and Hoagies

You must eat here (and I'm vegetarian). Big Mike's Steaks and Hoagies, located on the other side of that covered bridge in historic Forksville, is an oasis. Our diet out here is limited. We eat a lot of instant pasta and rice, cheese, granola bars, trail mix, and cheap bread products that won't mold. A treat is an egg sandwich from Sheetz or raw veggies from a grocery store. The Trail Gods were smiling upon us when they directed us here. Inside I found a whole section of their menu dedicated to vegetarian fare, each sandwich more creative and mouthwatering than the next. To top it off, on the counter was a sign: Puppy Bowls, plain steak or chicken for your fur-baby, $5. I ordered up the Woodstock, a Beyond Burger topped with melted swiss, sauteed mushrooms, onion rings, and some kind of heavenly mustard sauce. I got Amos a jam-packed puppy bowl of shredded chicken. We retreated to the car to eat our food and in that moment I didn't care where we were going or if we ever got there. All that mattered was the food in our bellies. FYI, Big Mike's was recently voted Best Cheesesteaks in PA by USA Today.

Soen's Pond in Loyalsock State Forest

Our permitted camp not far from the pond

When the food-induced coma lifted, we weaved through the rocky cliffs of World's End State Park, visited a roadside waterfall and vista and with the help of both park and state forest staff, found our way to a perfectly private campsite near Soen's Pond. This positioned us perfectly for the next day's hike on the Loyalsock Trail.

Easy railroad grade on the Loyalsock Trail

The Haystacks - Conspicuous boulders in Loyalsock Creek with a unique mineral composition not found in the surrounding area.

Blazes along the Loyalsock Trail

Our last day, we ventured out on the entirely new-to-us Loyalsock Trail. We hiked eight miles round trip from the start of the trail to near Soen's Pond, circling back via the Haystacks Trail. With the exception of one short steep climb, we hiked like the wind on easy graded trail. The skies were sunny, the temps brisk, the air crisp. We snuck a peek at Dutchman's Falls, the Haystacks (mysterious boulders along a portion of Loyalsock Creek), and reveled in spying a colorful ridgeline through the bare tree limbs. Amos' tail slapped back and forth like a windshield wiper. I turned my gaze to the treetops and whispered thank you. 

Milkweed seeds bursting from a pod along Pine Hollow Road in Bald Eagle State Forest

And if you've stuck with me through this lengthy post, thank you! I stated before we left for this trek that, "when we're done, we'll end up right back where we started. Though I am certain we won't be the same." We are now home and indeed we are different in body and mind. On this journey, Amos overcame tremendous physical challenges, renewing his strength and confidence. We learned all that's possible with adaptation and perseverance. And now, since returning home, we face another surgery. We have discovered a minute tear in the ligament in Amos' opposite leg. The vet says once this leg is fixed, his legs will be stronger than what he was born with. Life is riddled with obstacles. But it is also drenched in beauty. On this journey I rediscovered how to seize joy. And I intend to continue to seize it going forward. When it's there, fill 'er up. When you feel your feet light and your sight clarified, embrace it. When the wild spectacles grace your path, celebrate them. When your heart feels so full you can hardly bear it, give it. These, moments to remember, are gifts. Don't hold back. Go feral. Seize joy. Fill your reserves and joy will carry you. 

Pleasant Stream along the OLP

I'd like to thank all the folks that made this journey possible. Much gratitude to:

Members of the PAW Mega Loop Committee. You inspired me to hike so many new-to-me trails and I reveled in the sections of trail that I explored. 

Pete Fleszar for putting the wild idea of the PAW Mega Loop in my head! Pete provided me with the GPS route and the informal guide to follow it and graciously answered my many questions. Pete also retrieved Amos and I from the trail, allowing us an easier transition into our PAWventure. 

Jenn Ulmer for lending me her copies of precious out-of-print guidebooks (and maps), which made our hike on the Chuck Keiper possible. 

Albert Germann for his willingness to help with a resupply package and providing intel on conditions along the Chuck Keiper. 

The many members of the Keystone Trails Association for making my hike and so many others' hikes possible. These trails provide passage into a wild world that might otherwise be hard to access. 

So many kind souls I met along the way - state forest and state park staff, townspeople, shop owners. Your kindness made my day so many times.

Those who followed my journey through blog post and social media. A long trek (and joy) is better shared with others. 

Friends and family that buoyed me with supportive words or a simple check-in from back home.

Star Left, for being there if I needed help! And making the trail a little brighter.

My mom for shipping me so many packages all at once and putting up with my neurotic pre-hike anxieties. And for being Mom.

My love, Scott, for providing me with the love and support to take on big adventures and even from across an ocean, always being just a phone call away.