8 hrs, 18.6 kms

dates have been changed to keep hike segments in geographic order

Today I have the privilege of hiking with company . I met Jonathan while playing music at the Chambersfest, I told him about my Parkbench Concert Tour and he said he'd be interested in joining me for a hike segment. I figured a trail hike would be best to start--as it's pretty hard to carry on a conversation during while walking single file along a road... so I figure the Shippensburg-Newville "rails to trail" stretch would be a good hike to do with company.

The "rail to trail" concept is the idea the unused railroad tracks be turned into hiking/biking trails. Sounds like a good idea--although railroad routes weren't exactly chosen for their scenic value! Anyways, it's a trail...

Looks like it's going to be a rainy day (one of the first of my Appalachian Superhike) but I've got my raincoat and an umbrella, and Jonathan seems game for the experience... So off we go.

I'm pleasantly surprised to find we aren't the only ones on the trail. We pass perhaps a dozen hikers/bikers--and it's raining! Maybe with Shippensburg being a college town there's a bit more appreciation for the outdoors than, say, Chambersburg .

Jonathan turns out to be a great hiking companion. We talk about a whole bunch of things--our upbringing (Jonathan has always had a strong sense of self sufficiency--he moved out on his own at age 17). We talk about the direction our country is heading and our predictions for the future... faith... philosophy... culture...

Jonathan gave me some cool insights into an American subculture I've bee really fascinated by--and even hope to do a Superhike through their region: the Amish. Since he works with a number of them at a sawmill, he's gained a lot of insights into their culture.

"I had trouble getting a truck up a hill, and an Amish co-worker offered to drive it for me. 'I thought you couldn't drive?' I asked him. He said 'Oh... I have a drivers license--we're just not allowed to drive on the roads' "

Jonathan's impression was that the new generation of Amish doesn't really even know why they they have all these double-standard rules--and he thinks that this new generation is not going to pass on many of these rigid rules to their children . "They have access to information--some of them even have smartphones! One Amish fellow told me that, even though they don't have electricity in the house--he can still watch TV by running it off a car battery."

As we're speaking a fellow in Amish attire passes us on a bicycle

"He's probably not Amish... most Amish don't allow bicycles--only foot scooters... bicycles are too mechanized for them"

Just as we're crossing a road, an Amish buggy passes

"Those buggies cost more than a car--maybe 40,000 dollars... because their all hand made" Jonathan informs me.

"40,000 dollars!... for a vehicle with no engine!" I respond in shock.

"Keep in mind, they're all hand-made"

Explorin Oakville

It's actually quite a pleasant walk, with this perfectly straight path tunneling under the trees . Knowing that I'll have dry shoes and a shower in a couple of hours, the rain is actually a pleasant change of atmosphere. The only problem is that we want to pause somewhere and play some music. Luckily, about halfway we reach a cover picnic area and pull out the old six string. Jonathan is a musician as well, so we take turns singing songs that seem to fit with the moment.

There are a couple of houses clustered together by the road.

"Do you think this was a village once upon a time, with it's own little store and feeling of community?" I ask

"Notice how close the houses are to the road." Jonathan notes. "If they were just farmhouses, they wouldn't be so close to the road. So, yes, I think there was a feel of community here"

Oakville won't count as a "town", but we take a couple minutes to explore it anyways, stopping to admire an antique motorized bicycle that's for sale .

On down the road.... and finally we reach Newville, a town I quickly visited back in 2007. It seems I notice more details this time around. An unpretentious town with some people not really caring how about maintaining their homes, other's sprucing them up really nice.

I'd noticed back in 2007 how Newville seems to have been overlooked in the growth and development along the Cumberland transportation corridor, with an isolated small town feel in contrast with, say, Chambersburg, Carlisle, Hagerstown.

Since then things have changed. There are a couple large warehouses plopped by themselves in the middle of the farmland near Newville. So there are now jobs here, which could lead to sprawl. But for now, Newville still has that small town feel.

We stop at a diner, just to soak in the vibe... and then bid each other farewell. It was great to hike with company again.