Hike #2 | 8.71 miles | Pennsylvania | Bernheisel Bridge Road to Boiling Springs

I didn’t dare ask my husband if he would hike the Appalachian Trail with me again, at least for a couple of days. When I saw the weather forecast for the weekend, I could no longer resist. “Why honey, the weather looks really good this weekend. It’s going to be 60 degrees in the Carlisle area,” I said.

Trying to not make the same mistake as the last hike. I figured out how to create a custom route on the Far Out app, in the correct direction, and found a section with a lot fewer squiggly lines. I screenshot the route and sent it to him. He showed up with a bag of supplies the next day. Boom!!! Without saying yes, he said yes!

This time, we thought it would be wise to buy some cool headlamps and to start our next hike with additional daylight. My husband tested the headlamp out around the neighborhood when he walked the dog. I’m sure our neighbors think we are complete dorks now (if they didn’t already).

We checked in at The Carlise House, a beautifully restored 1826 Civil War House in Carlisle, PA then walked to dinner at 1794 Whiskey Rebellion. I’ve been wanting to try Blanton’s since I had dinner with my friend Ra’eesa in Dallas and this was my lucky night. It was quite yummy. We had a delicious meal followed by a nice hot bath. Our accommodations were lovely and we enjoyed meeting the innkeeper Carolyn and her son, Paul. It was quite the bonus to have a level 2 electric car charger to charge up the SeaPony overnight.

In the Far Out app when you create a route, you can see notes from other hikers as well as waypoints. One of the notes in this section was about Mike’s Shuttle Service and I found some recent positive reviews. I reached out to Mike and he met us in the same lot we had finished our previous hike at and shuttled us north. Mike has hiked most of the trail and now shuttles other hikers for a living. He shared many stories, and insights, and became that safety blanket I think deep down I was searching for. He gave us his card and told us he would come find us if we ran into any trouble. I love Mike.

He dropped us at a little Amish stand on Bernheisel Bridge Road and pointed to the trailhead asking if we needed anything. The weather was moist calling for gloves and beanies. The terrain started rather flat, traversing through farmlands and fields. My husband seemed pleased with my better route selection. He sang a little, and we logged a couple of easy miles.

We hit a few Pennsylvania rocky patches and a raised family burial site. We came across a clearing and saw a person ahead in the distance. At first, we thought he was a hiker but he was standing toward the tree line looking up toward the treetops. When we got closer, he appeared on the other side of the treeline, holding a large bird which quickly flew away. When he approached us, he shared with us that he was a falconer. Within a few seconds, a large hawk landed on his arm. The hawk’s name is Birdie. We enjoyed learning about his training and taking a short break.

We met a few others on the trail and enjoyed talking with Juliette. She was hiking northbound and we crossed paths at an intersection. She told my husband he looked like a musician named David Foster. After further review, my husband does look like the young version of David. I love Juliette.

We packed a couple of cold subs from Sheetz and found some rocks to sit down and eat our sandwiches. The remainder of the hike consisted of a couple of short climbs, open cornfields, farmland, and a short walk back into the town of Boiling Springs where we saw the SeaPony waiting for us.

Just like anything else, a little practice makes perfect. Learning how to use the Far Out app to create custom routes, finding Mike, starting earlier in the morning, and buying some additional gear put the fear at bay. I think my husband even liked it!!

We ended the day driving to Penn State University to visit our oldest daughter, Katie. That was the perfect treat before our drive back to Pittsburgh.