Challenges

By Tyler Socash

IG: @tylerhikes

The Four State Challenge had claimed its first victim.  With 10 miles remaining in our 43.5-mile quest, our group of five was reduced to four.  Those left standing were fading fast...

Before we reveal what happened to our fallen comrade, we've got to rewind for a second.

I actually heard about the Four State Challenge while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.  Traveling across Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and into Pennsylvania in 24 hours had a sadistic allure that I could not shake.  After failing the 24-24-24 drinking challenge in California, I had to mentally move on to another.  The Four State Challenge would be my shot at redemption.  

Luckily, I was able to recruit four willing souls to join me on this endeavor.  All of them happen to be former University of Rochester Cross Country teammates of mine.  Each of them is a wonderful combination of part competitive athlete, part goofball.  They are weapons of endurance.  Above all, these are the type of handsome men that anyone would want to make memories with.  

 

Jon, Craig, Brian, and Tyle join me at the first border crossing 

The first thing you have to know about the Four State Challenge is that the sign in the photograph above is misleading.  According to Google Maps, the actual Virginia-West Virginia border is 20 yards east.  We walked together until we fully crossed the state line before officially starting this journey at 8:30am.  Upon setting foot in West Virginia, we sang the University of Rochester alma mater, The Genesee.  This is a standard URXC tradition, and I'm glad with continued it throughout the day.  I'm also very thankful for Craig's thoughtfulness in bringing a case of Mountain Dews. 

"Full many fair and famous streams beneath the sun there be,

Yet more to us than any seems our own dear Genesee.

We love thy banks and stately falls for to our minds they bring,

Our dear old alma mater's halls where sweetest memories cling!"

Singing these lyrics across the cataracts of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, I hoped these words weren't sacrilegious.

Our brief jaunt through West Virginia included a stop into the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters.  I got my thru-hiker picture taken, which will be on display in the Class of 2016 yearbook, and we met another U of R alum working in the office.  

More interestingly, we walked through the historic town of Harpers Ferry.  John Brown led a raid on the arsenal here in a bold effort to initiate an armed slave revolt in 1859.  While the raid was squashed faster than my AT speed record attempt, John Brown's actions were a catalyst for great changes to come in the following decade.  I've always been interested in John Brown, as I've visited his final resting place in Lake Placid, NY on numerous occasions. 

 

ATC Headquarters in Harpers Ferry, WV

 

Washington Monument in Maryland

Our virile quintuplet crossed into Maryland triumphantly singing The Genesee once more.  With complete disregard for the task at hand, we took liberties exploring seemingly harmless side trips.  Maryland's Washington Monument comes to mind, as does an unwarranted pit stop at a restroom to take a photograph...  We even danced uncontrollably as we crossed the overpass of I-70.  My apologies to anyone sensitive to indecent exposure. 

 

Men on a mission, we decided to pick up the pace.  The weather forecast called for biblical rains, incessant winds, and hail.  This prediction finally caught up to us.  Omnipotent forces (i.e. a cold front) attempted to smite us down.  The trail turned into raging rapids. 

 

 The beginning of the storm

Thankfully we were spared, but as darkness fell fatigue really set in.  All of those little side trips really did take a toll on us.  Jon, after what I assume was a direct result of back-to-back excessive bachelor/bachelorette partying with Craig & Courtney and 12-hour EMT shifts, was the first to succomb to the Four State Challenge's might.  He fought valiantly, but we had to barge into a full AT shelter at 11:30am to lay him down.  "We'll be back in 3 hours to retrieve him," I promised the rudely awakened thru-hikers.  They were very accommodating.  

Craig, Brian, Tyle, and I had 10 more miles to go.  These miles included a massive boulder field.  

 

Authentic grimace by Craig depicts our toil

We tried to keep our spirits up as Pennsylvania drew near.  Brian was starting to become incoherent as we arrived at Pen Mar Park and the Mason Dixon Line.  18 hours and 52 minute later, we did it!

 

Victory!

Craig was thoughtful enough to have a manly dessert waiting for us at his car.  A cake with pink frosting!  What a guy.  To Craig, Brian, Jon, and Tyle, thank you for being a highlight of this Calendar Year!  

Two days later, and day 40 overall since Springer Mountain in Georgia, I made it to Pine Grove Furnace Park and the halfway point of the Appalachian Trail!  It took 60 minutes, but I did manage to complete the illustrious Half Gallon Ice Cream Challenge.  Someone claimed to eat the entire half gallon in 19 minutes earlier this year!  We really are ravenous. 

Pennsylvania, while emotionally difficult due to the amount of rocks on trail and a complete absence of wilderness, did include new characters...

Blacksmith, Shoe, and California Chrome all completed the Half Gallon Challenge with me.  Elle was also there for emotional support, which I needed to finish my final pint.  Mishap and Blacksmith provided other thru-hikers with trail magic the following day.  Garrett from California was nice enough to buy Sunshine and me some pizza.  I had a lovely encounter with Sweet Potato, Grouse (glad that I got your clothing bag back to you), Badger, and Round 2 all joined me for a lovely meal at Anile's Pizzeria in Boiling Springs, PA. 

The pizza kindness continued as Mountain Goat, Chopper, Bombadil, and Goldberry all gave me a slice or two at a shelter.  Then a trail angel named Estelle offered me a ride back to the trail when I was eating lonesomely at a Five Guys.  Most people didn't acknowledge my existence because I looked like bonafide hikertrash, but Estelle didn't mind!  We even hiked for 10 minutes together along the AT with her daughter Emily and grandchildren!  The kids had never been on the AT before, and their faces really lit up!  I'm told they haven't stopped talking about it since.  My "Future Dad" trail name was deemed appropriate as we inspected caterpillars on tree trunks and got jazzed up about the plain notion of being outside.  The trail did seem much more exciting after being grounded by that experience with youthful eyes.  

Pennsylvania's lack of wildness was best exemplified at Delaware Water Gap.  In what could be a pristine location, we now find the endless noise of Interstate 80, toll booths, and trains.  Roads, roads, and more roads from Boiling Spring to this spot was difficult to tolerate.  It's not the rocks that bothered me, it's the encroachment of civilization.  Mining scars, telephone poles, unnecessary access roads...  It all comes to an end in the most unlikely place imaginable: New Jersey. 

 

Raccoon Ridge in the Kittatinny Mountains of NJ

Yes, I am declaring that New Jersey's Appalachian Trail will rejuvenate your thru-hike.  It was in New Jersey that I finally had silence.  I noticed birds chirping again.  I could fully collect my thoughts and enjoy a sense of peacefulness.  Porcupines and woodpeckers were everywhere.  Deer!  Bears!  Sunfish pond in New Jersey is the first natural body of water encountered on the whole trail so far!  Wow.  New Jersey?!?  One of my best moments on trail was at New Jersey's Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge at night.  Fireflies flickered across the vast swamp like a scene out of some romantic love movie.  The nature goodness continues into New York and Connecticut as well.  Harriman State Park and your journey along the Housatonic River truly revitalize you.  I am so happy to be hiking the Appalachian Trail!

I also met a great group of hikers named Ginger Patch, Caboose, Sweeper, and Food Bag.  I like the cut of their collective jibs.  I keep bumping into these sneaky fast hikers, including most recently at a surprise trail magic spot in Connecticut!  I hope to see them and all the Pennsylvania hikers again. 

 

Trail magic with Food Bag and Caboose

 

We need moments like this.  Ginger Patch reclining. 

The many miles on trail may fade into obscurity someday.  As will the days of our lives if we let them.  But I'll never forget the big moments with friends.  Let's end this post by harkening back to the Four State Challenge.

18 hours and 52 minutes after leaving Virgina, Craig, Brain, Tyle, and I were primed to finish what we started.  Exhausted.  Aching.  Forcing smiles.  Standing at the Mason Dixon Line, we were still in Maryland when we collected ourselves and sung in unison:

"As flows the river's gathering force along her steadfast way, 

May we along life's devious course grow stronger day by day (Everybody!)

And may our hearts where er' we roam forever loyal be, 

To our beloved College home beside the Genesee!"

And at that very moment, we stepped into Pennsylvania.  Euphoria.