by Jo “Someday” Swanson
Reprinted with permission from the Summer, 2014 edition of the Mid State Trail Association’s Bushwhacker.
I had one more hike on the Great Eastern Trail calling my name. The GET splits into an east route and a west route at Hancock, Maryland, rejoining on the Mid State Trail near State College, Pennsylvania. This bifurcation was a major discussion between my hiking buddy Hillbilly Bart and me when we set out to hike the Great Eastern Trail in 2013. One of us advocated hiking the eastern route; the other was convinced that the western route was preferable. We ended up on the Standing Stone Trail and the eastern route, but to comfort the loser of this battle we agreed to return as soon as we could to hike the western route.
We left from Detweiler Junction this June to tackle the challenge. Hiking southbound towards Hancock we encountered deer, bear scat and prints, snakes (a few rattlers and a copperhead), porcupines, a skunk, and even a few other hikers. We worked our way across rocks, through the ethereal Maple Run Valley, and past sweeping vistas. We flirted with a thunderstorm atop Tussey Mountain. We watched the sunset cast its shadows across the state. Near a stream I hit a wet patch of earth and sunk to my thigh as if it was quicksand, and I’d still be stuck there if not for Bart’s help. In short, we had an adventure.
Like our 2013 thru-hike, this adventure’s highlights were not just the beautiful views and solitude found on the trail; the highlights were the people we met along the way. After my knee injury coming into Williamsburg, we took some time off in Everett thanks to a shuttle and hospitality provided by KTA. While I healed, Bart was able to spend a day painting blazes with KTA Trail Crew. We visited with old friends from our 2013 hike and met some folks I’d corresponded with online but never met in person. The fellowship of this small but passionate group was inspiring.
After shuttling back to Williamsburg to connect all the dots southward, we climbed into the woods amidst church music rising up from the valley. Surrounded by swirling fog and the sound of the distant organ following us for miles, we felt like we had entered a magical realm.
Throughout the hike Bart and I were constantly noticing the hard work of volunteers: fresh paint, newly-cleared trail, and helpful signs. We ran into volunteers more than once, hard at work clearing the trail. They are the reason our hike was possible and so enjoyable.
When we hit the Maryland border, I think neither Bart nor I was ready to say goodbye to the Mid State Trail. Our trip was almost over: a quick hike through Green Ridge State Forest, a jaunt along the C&O, and our time on the Great Eastern Trail would be done. I left Pennsylvania with a cool new scar on my knee (that I got from a stick, not a rock—just for the record) but we both left with new friends and a renewed appreciation for all the work that goes into making this trail such a great adventure. It’s one of the toughest trails I’ve ever hiked, yet the rewards made it more than worthwhile. We cannot thank enough all who build and maintain the MST, work behind the scenes, allow the trail on their property, and offer their help to hikers. You make the Mid State Trail a path to be proud of and a magnificent journey.
Jo and Bart’s blog about their hike is online at www.gethiking.net.