My job is kinda cool. I work outside, I don't really have to deal with supervisors and I get free full medical and dental benefits. The only issue is that, because it's law enforcement, I have to work swing shifts. My department works a five week cycle: two weeks of afternoons (both six days), a "relief week" (four days of day shift and two days of afternoons) and then two weeks of a day shift (a seven day week and a five day week); Friday the twelfth I will start the seven day week. Then just for fun, all road personnel do eight weeks of midnights every year. Week to week I don't have the same days off. My days off go Mon/Tue, Tue/Wed, Wed/Thurs, Fri/Sat/Sun, Sat/Sun/Mon and then back to Mon/Tue. I explain all of this to make you realize how, thirteen years after I started with the department, I still get my days off wrong. I mentioned in a previous post about an IGO trip to Oil Creek State Park. I originally thought I had the weekend of the trip off. Turns out I was wrong. I'm working. There is good news though: Through trying to find out about Oil Creek I stumbled across the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR)website. Turns out PA has a "long trail"; the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. According to the site it's a seventy mile trail that can be hiked in 5-9 days. I'm thinking about giving it a shot. Since not being able to make the Oil Creek trip will wreck my resolution of camping twice this year, I've started to look for other alternatives. The LHHT is two to three hours from Pittsburgh (where my folks live) so I could reasonably expect some support (read: a ride around the turnpike bridge) and a re-supply. Plus, and this is the real reason, I love patches and I could get one if I complete the hike. And in case you were wondering, yes, I've already bought the trail guide.
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I haven't hiked in PA before but it must be great. I will eventually hike the AT through PA. I love the outdoors also. I work, when I get work, as an environmental engineer. My main office is in South Carolina but I work at home in Virginia. I have worked on the Mississippi River near Cincinnatii and wolf creek in Dayton. All hiking is cheap in the beginning but the lighter you go the more money you spend. I wish I could sew I could make my own gear. I plan to day hike Dragons Tooth and McAfee's Know in Roanoke VA this week.
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