Category: Eternal Flame

I’m Hiking Alone. Ha!

It’s true.  Almost everyone I meet when they hear that I am hiking the Appalachian Trail they ask, “Are you hiking alone?”  Yes.  But, there’s a big, HOWEVER!  I am hiking alone with the hundreds of other thru-hikers and section hikers on the trail.  Most thru-hikers start out “alone” and acquire a trail family aka “tramily” along the journey.  Being a friendly sort of person there’s a good chance I will be hiking with others along the way.

It makes me proud to be a solo woman attempting a thru-hike.  Walking alone lets me dictate how far I go, how fast I go and if I even go at all.  I alone make the decisions that impact my hike.  That being said, there’s no one around to grab the snacks out of my backpack, consult the map with, or try to save me before I fall in a creek.   It can be pretty nice to have a helping hand when needed.

These last few months I have found some amazing friends to hike with around Western New York!   Now that Winter is here Outside Chronicles has announced a WNY Winter Hiking Challenge.  Hikers are challenged to complete 6 of 9 trails around Western New York.  I am hiking the trails along with Kim, Stephanie and Sara whom I met through the Allegany 18 Challenge I completed over the summer.  I couldn’t dream of better hiking partners.  These strong women inspire me, make me laugh, encourage me to push myself and they also bring good snacks.

Our first hike took us to Chestnut Ridge Park in Orchard Park.  The challenge landmark was the Eternal Flame.  Being hardy hikers we decided to go the long way.  Unfortunately, we became a little misguided, but Google set us straight and soon we were at the “Not so Eternal” Eternal Flame.  The flame was out!  I had my mini Bic lighter and Stephanie bravely climbed the ice-covered waterfall.  She waved that little flame all over the grotto and could not get it lit.  As you can see from the photo above, we were still all smiles.  If you attempt this hike in the winter, I highly recommend microspikes.

Still feeling strong we headed to the Knox Farm State Park to find a little pond.  We circled around the park and asked directions a few times.  Finally, we found the right little pond for the challenge photo.  Knox Farm was tricky as the trails were not well marked or at all.

We just didn’t get enough so we all headed out again a couple of days later (minus Stephanie) to Zoar Valley MUA.  This was my first time at this amazing park.  The trail took us down into a gorge along the Cattaraugus Creek.  The challenge landmark was the confluence of the Main and South branches of the Cattaraugus Creek.  It was amazing!  I highly recommend this hike and again, in the winter, bring your microspikes.

Our second stop that day was to the Erie County Forest to find “A Bridge Too Far” for the next challenge landmark.  This trail had a few footbridges to cross and was so beautiful.  It was a really nice hike.  “A Bridge Too Far” was just far enough.

After those two hikes, we eagerly drove over to Sprague Brook Park for the trifecta for the day!  It was getting later in the day, but we were determined to find the challenge landmark of a “unique tree”.  Unfortunately, we were all unfamiliar with the park and the trailhead eluded us.  We wandered around for a few miles and called it quits before it got dark.  We obtained better directions and a few hints and plan on returning to Sprague Brook to find that darn tree! All of these hikes were made immensely better by hiking with good friends. Maybe one of my friends will meet me for a few miles of the Appalachian Trail this year.  Until then, I look forward to a few more hikes with them before I leave in March – alone!

If you want to go hiking, send me a message!

Happy Trails!

Eternal Sisters Visit the Eternal Flame

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Do you know your family? While I was growing up I feel like I never knew my sister, Anne.  I knew the simple stuff.  She was taller than me.  She received better grades than me.  She rubbed my back until I fell asleep.  She protected me from thunderstorms.  She loved me.  I still tell her she’s my favorite sister and she still answers back, I’m your only sister!

Anne is a few years older than me so we didn’t have a lot in common.  When I was playing with Barbies, she was dating boys.  When I was hiking with my dog, she was – well, I never knew what she was doing!  She was mysterious. 

The mystery is over.  We are years older now and we have gotten to know each other in a deeper way than I thought possible.  It helps that we live down the street from each other.  We recently started to walk together in the evenings.  Anne always acts interested when I tell her about my recent hiking adventures.  I thought she was just being polite.  Until one day she said she wanted to hike to the Eternal Flame in Chestnut Ridge Park.  WHAT?  My sister walking on an uneven, dirt path?  It’s madness!  She’ll kill herself!  I’ll be responsible!  How would I tell her children?

Now, my sister has done some things that surprised me.  She attended an outdoor all day rock concert, standing in the front row, on a hot summer day, surrounded by sweaty concert goers.  I won’t even do that!  She’s traveled with her husband overseas to many countries, visiting places I doubt I’ll ever see in my lifetime.  I’m always impressed how she overcomes being in uncomfortable and new situations.  

So, I guided her on a hike to the Eternal Flame.  This is a path I know well so I was confident.  It’s less than a mile long, and I knew she could hike that far.  However, we hiked this trail immediately after a rain storm which made the creek higher than usual.  Oh, and most of the hike is in the creek.  Welcome to hiking, Anne!

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I think she was trying to stab me with her hiking pole. Caught her in the act!

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As I watched my sister navigate through the downed trees, stepping from rock to rock to avoid the deepest parts of the creek, I really began to appreciate her stubborness, er, I mean, strength.  I looked over my shoulder watching her pick her next step and I kept waiting for her to tell me it was too hard; she didn’t want to finish; she wanted to go back.  If the thought was in her head, she never let it escape her mouth!  She got dirty, REALLY wet and she didn’t stop until we got to the flame!

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One thing I have learned the last few years about my sister is that she has a wicked sense of humor!  Anne says that she tries too hard to be funny and then isn’t funny.  But that makes it funnier.  Growing up we both learned how to crochete.  Anne has taken it to an expert level.  She even sells her crocheted items in a local gift shop.  Why am I telling you this?  Well, Anne decided she wanted to crochete on the Eternal Flame Trail.  She brought out a crochete hook, took a long weed and started making single crochetes.  Just when you think you’ve seen everything there is to see on a trail, you see a woman crocheting a scarf from a vine.  Survivalist to the core!

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As we returned down the trail she told me that her good friend had walked this trail in flip flops and if she could do it, so could she.  She kept that thought in her head the whole way to encourage herself to keep going.  I’m so glad that helped her!

By the time we got to the end of the trail a group of ladies were just beginning the trek and they asked us about the trail.  My favorite sister (aka – my only sister) answered their questions and provided advice like a professional hiker.

10 out of 10 would hike with my sister again!  Maybe I can convince her to hike the Appalachian Trail with me!

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Happy trails!

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