in case anyone is curious, the companion mentions pizza hut 22 times. i didnt go through them but i think at least one is a duplicate.
i may do burger king next.
in case anyone is curious, the companion mentions pizza hut 22 times. i didnt go through them but i think at least one is a duplicate.
i may do burger king next.
Apologies for quoting the "ew, bleck" comment. HYOFFF - Hike (to) your own favorite fast food
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"That's the thing about possum innards - they's just as good the second day." - Jed Clampett
I can top that! I went tohow bored and in procrastinate mode i am...
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us.html
clicked on the /Locate\ Tab, and then entered some of the towns you noted, as well as others. I skipped towns more than ten miles from The Trail, but I then used Google{R} Maps to estimate the distance between The Trail and the McDonalds. For the record, I go to McD often while traveling; in order to get (1) free wifi, (2) no hassle using the bathrooms, even if I just walk in and then leave, (3) unlimited soda refills, at $1 for a large, and (4) cheap, fast junk food.
Erwin - just over 4 miles
Hampton - 3.0 miles
Pearisburg - 2.7 miles
Daleville - less than a mile, but that crossing under I-81 IS nerve-wracking. I've done it, but BE CAREFUL!!
Waynesboro VA - 4.7 miles if you walk, but getting a ride into town is easy.
Front Royal - 3.4 miles along US Highway 522
Charles Town WV - 6.1 miles from where the AT crosses the Shenandoah River, just south of Harpers Ferry
Waynesboro PA - 4.8 miles
Chambersburg, PA - 8.5 miles on US Highway 30
Carlisle - 3.6 miles up Highway 74
Middlesex, PA - 1.8 miles west on US Highway 11 (innumerable other places along the way)
Clarks Ferry Bridge, Duncannon PA - 6.7 miles NE (trail WEST) along Highway 147. The Susquehanna River will be on your left as you go up this road towards Halifax
Swatara Gap, Jonestown PA - 2.5 miles, south (trail East) on Highway 72
Port Clinton - 1.3 miles
Walnutport / Slatington PA - 2.0 miles south on Highway 145 from the Lehigh Gap Parking Area
Wind Gap, PA - 1.8 miles
For some reason, the McDonalds Locator gave out at this point. But this is a start!
Last edited by GoldenBear; 03-27-2019 at 13:34.
I only hiked the first 600 miles in the south, and I don't recall seeing a McDonald's. I'm sure there were some, but I was more interested in checking out new things and local places. I can get a McDonald's cheeseburger any old time. I suspect my vision just sort of slid over the golden arches as if they didn't exist. My hiker hunger kicked in right before Hiawassee, GA and I have fond memories of eating a huge breakfast at the Huddle House, which is a big chain restaurant, but not in my neck of the woods.
After weeks of reconstituted trail food, I wanted big flavors, and McDonald's just didn't do it for me. I certainly wouldn't plan my hike around a specific meal, as your tastes might change on the trail.
I was craving McDonalds for a lot of the trail... In VA I knew I'd be a mile from one and couldn't wait... Then it rained so I didn't take the walk.... Never saw another opportunity for one close enough to the trail for me...
NoDoz
nobo 2018 March 10th - October 19th
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I'm just one too many mornings and 1,000 miles behind
i guess its a matter of perspective. i wouldnt walk there with cars whizzing by just to get to McDs, and not because i dont like McDs
doesnt seem like theres really room unless you walk on the slope above the barriers.. if theres flat ground immediately on the opposite side of the barrier i dont see it. it must be very narrow
That makes sense. I've never had a reason to want to walk under that area so I'm honestly not sure. Next time I'm out that way I'll give it a better look. McDonalds doesn't appeal to me, but a trip to Cracker Barrel might be worthwhile...
I am thinking the authors of this article may be on to something...
https://www.cbsnews.com/media/grumpy...uin-your-mood/
“For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”
John Greenleaf Whittier
Funny, I don't recall ever having McD's on trail, perhaps a breakfast. Some fast food stops are grouped together, so in addition to McD's you have a selection of others, which I visited a bit more often instead of McD's.
But they are all off trail but then are in common AT towns (resupply towns), so that is the opportunity if one wants. But just hiking thru, no McD's over 2000+ miles.
The locator tab for McDonalds is again working, and I still have no life -- so I'll continue helping those who simply MUST have their Big Macs.
Matamoras PA / Port Jervis NY - 4.4 miles north (Trail west) on Highway 23/443
Monroe NY - 3.9 miles north (Trail west) on the Orange Turnpike / Highway 19
Fort Montgomery / Highland Falls NY - 4.7 miles on Highway 218
well there goes my theory about trail remoteness measured in distance from McDs.
it does raise an interesting question though- how does the companion decide what to include or not? theres places further than these it ignores. probably has something to do with it being not the closest viable option in the area.
i smell a market for a new sort of trail guide.
With many of the southern towns that are at the foot of the ridge that the AT is running along, the newer development seems to be a few miles outside of town between the major highway and the actual original town which usually is few miles in the opposite direction from the AT.
There was documentary a few years ago on an individual who strictly ate at McDonalds an how bad it was for his health. A year or two later there was another documentary about someone who ate at McDonalds for a year and lost weight and was in better health when he started. Its just cheap generally reliable high calorie food probably far healthier than a typical thru hiker diet.
end of the day boredom has brought me back to finish what i started-
The Pizza Hut list-
Franklin, NC 9-10 miles
Gatlinburg (no McDs in gatlinburg? go figure)- i dunno. FAR
Erwin TN- a little further than the McDs
Mt Rogers HQ- delivery available (hmm, does uber eats deliver McDs? thatd be a game changer)
pearisburg- 1-2 miles
daleville- on the freakin' trail. amazing.
waynesboro- 5-6 miles
luray- 8-9 miles
front royal- 4-5 miles
charlestown, WV- i dunno. probably far. there also seems to be a papa john's if thats more your thing
port clinton- 1-2 miles
dalton- 1-2 miles
benington- 4-5 miles
rutland- see above note about McDs
gorham- 4-5 miles
curiously the number is much lower than the initial word search of the PDF led me to believe. it seems the companion basically only ever puts the word "McDonald's" on the maps of towns where as pizza hut is in the text and on the map and on several occasions is mentioned an additional time on the side of map as a landmark for measuring distances.
There's nothing inherently wrong with McDonalds compared to a lot of the fast casual fare that people seem to think is healthier - if you look at the actual nutritional content or lack thereof. I don't normally eat at MCD or any other fast food but I've got to say, on the PCT coming into Cajon Pass, that MCD hit the spot and I don't think a single hiker passed by without stopping there, at least no one I spoke to passed it by.