Thursday - 6.4.09 - 7.4 Miles
Rain. Rain. Rain.
That's what we got today. Still a pretty fast first day. Only saw 3 people (hikers) at P.G.F. (Pine Grove Furnace) - didn't stay to chat. My feets are sore and shoulders - but not unbearable by any means. My pack (at 40 lbs) felt like someone was hugging me all warm and tight around the waist. We cooked dinner and hung the bear bag with no major issues. Keith is stretching now - (AKA yoga?). He needs a good trail name. Maybe tomorrow. It's early, but sleep will feel good tonight.
Friday - 6.5.09 - 8.4 Miles
I used to like rain. I really did. But it's been raining non-stop since we set foot on the trail! Last night ended up sharin gthe shelter with Dancing Wolf - a guy from Georgia - doing the southern half this year. Then, today - we're in a 7 person shelter with 9 people and 2 in a tent nearby. It's raining again. Keith and I got into the shelter around 11:45 AM (eek!) It was too wet to do the 18 to Darlington Shelter. Saw a bunny and a snail today. Exciting! Not really too hungry yet - weird.
Saturday - 6.6.09 - 20 Miles
Long - Painful - but sunny! Went in to Foundry Day at Boiling Springs. Ate yucky (yummy) deep fried things. Decided to tent out tonight rather than crowd the shelter. So far (8 pm) good choice. Saw deer, cardinal, blue jay, rabbits, chipmonks, squirrels, a hawk and lots of other unknown birds. I'm - surprisingly - not very hungry yet. I think it takes a few days to work up that hiker appetite. I am - however, very stinky. I think yesterday I passed the point of realizing it though - because now I kind of like my smell. Was very cold the first night - not so last night - and tonight I'm sweating in the tent with keith. my hair is holding up well - just a little sweat and grease so far. Finger nails are dirty. We bought fingernail clippers at a gas station in Boiling Springs today because Keith's toenails broke the clippers I brought. My left outer ankle is noticibly painful - as is my right hip abductor. Everything else is just minor bumps, bruises and blisters. Looking forward to Duncannon tomorrow. Oh - Keith's trail name is now "Tails" - because his pack has extra straps (4) hanging from it and when he walks, it looks like he has Tails. (Also the name of the sidekick in the sonic the hedgehog video game)
Sunday - 6.7.09 - 15.6 Miles
Good day. Hot. Experienced Bueno trail magic in Duncannon. Water Spigot and free sodas from the Presby church - then free snickers bars from Trail Angel Mary at the quick mart. Big ups after town - so far sharing the shelter with Triple C and Rachiopod. Nice gals - thru-hikers. Lotsa big blisters - but not ready to stop yet. I got to wash my hair under the spigot today. Yay! Onward and Upward.
Tuesday - 6.9.09
Didn't even write yesterday because it was so miserable. Got trail magic (broccoli and cheetos and wine coolers and sports drinks) Then went up a major hill. Stopped to tent at nearly the top and were surrounded by bugs! Then - it started thundering in the distance - so we hunkered down - and it let loose! Finally fell asleep - then at 5 AM -all the heavens poured down. I thought we were going to die. The lightening seemed like a strobe light. I was sure it would hit a tree nearby and the tree would land on my face. Oh - did I mention the little square of flat ground we had stopped on had overturned rocks and loose dirt dug up? Sure sign of active bears in the area. I was nervous to say the least. We made it through though. Wet. Hiked 8/10 today to Rausch Gap - got here at 1 and decided to stay. Built a nice fire, have a shelter full of people and others tenting. I'm a feared of more rain. Met a bunch of camp counselors who had heard of SB2W!
Wednesday - 6.10.09
Interesting Day. Left the shelter at 7 am. Hiked slow, long and hard. Saw 3 or so copperheads. Got to a 4 sided shelter after 17 hard miles - just minutes before a downpour and hailstorm hit. Managed to take showers in the rain (and hail) from the rain-collected over-head shower. Ordered pizza - while we're waiting for them to DELIVER our food, a car pulls up and a girl hops out and asks if we want food. YES! She brought spicey shepard's pie, cream cheese cakes, cornbread and coconut pie. Her name was Snack Break. It's a good thing she came - because our pizza didn't come. All the other hikers who ordered pizza got theirs, but they forgot ours. Finally, Webs and M&M offered us a piece of their spinich and broccoli pizza. It was ok. Probably better for my health and stomach that I didn't eat half a pizza. So.... we're warm, dry and full and I am grateful. We're even semi-clean. Everything we own stinks though. it's a funny experience. When a port-a-john is high class for the evening. Gotta love it.
Thursday - 6.11.09 - 15 Miles
I think today was the first dayI wish I had packed a blow-up Kayak with me. The AT had turned into rivers and streams for the few miles it wasn't actually boulder fields. My poor feet. It didnt' rain too hard on us - and we got to the next shelter by 2:30. Nice. I have recently had a great dislike/jealousy of the female thru-hikers who are able to hike sans bra. Not fair! Full shelter again - so far. Webs, M&M, Blueberry, Wizard, Jeremiah Johnson, Maggie and Hoosier Ben. We'll see who else shoes up. Port Clinton tomorrow to shower, wash clothes and watch the final Penguins game. I guess I'm excited. not sure if I want to hike more after Russia or if I've had my fill. I am finally (day 8) getting into trail shape - so it's not too hard - it just isn't as fun anymore. We'll see. Stuffy nose every night - but the contacts work great - thanks Dr. G!
"It doesn't do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - JRR TolkienFriday - 6.12.09 - 9 MilesGot to Port Clinton by 11. Checked in to the Port Clinton Hotel (above a bar). Did laundry - showered - ate HUGE burgers. Napped. Watched TV, ate. Watched the Pens. Talked on the phone - much needed town day. So full! There was a yard in town with 10-15 deer, bobcat, and ram archery targets. too funny. Good day. 7 more.
Saturday - 6.13.09 - 13 Miles
Woke up at 5:30 - decided to sleep in! Left the "hotel" at 10 - had a wonderful hot breakfast at the 3 C's left town at 11:30. Got to Pinnacle Rock - and it thunderstorm/downpoured. Yay. Kept going - found a nice field and camped with Doc, Jag and LuLu. Wet again - no surprise. Someone said - "the real world will always be there - so enjoy the trail while you can." I'm trying, it's just not really what I want to be doing.
Sunday - 6.14.09 - 21 Miles
As we were hikin gup cruel, deadly rocks today, a girl about 8 years old passed us headed the opposite direction towards a parking lot. She asked me, "Are you going camping?" I was caught off guard by the question and said - "yup - going camping." As I reflected, I really like camping. Maybe all this hiking is getting in the way of what I really love to do : Sit in the woods and EAT! Hiked too far today - to set ourselves up to see Keith's friend Brandon tomorrow. When we were going over knife's edge, I was (again) scared for my life. If we had fallen in either direction, at any time, we were goners. Saw bear tracks in the mud today - but no live ones yet. Apparently there's a black snake nest in our shelter tonight. Guess we'll risk it. Looking forward to tomorrow and most especially, Friday.
Tuesday - 6.16.09 - 16 Miles
What a great surprise to see Brandon yesterday! He picked us up and took us straight to a chinese restaurant! Yummy. I had about 4 cokes. Then - he took us to his house and let us use his shower and laundery, internet and TV, video games and his mum made us spaghetti and watermelon and green beans and brownies. WOW! Plus - he even gave up his bed so Tails and I could have our own beds - Thanks Brandon!
He dropped us off at the bridge in Lehigh Gap at 11 and the next hour was the most intense rock climbing I have ever done - and I did it with 40 lbs strapped to my back! I was on all fours trying to scramble up these rocks. I felt (AGAIN) like I was going to die. Luckily, we found tons of ripe, wild blueberries at the top - so I had crushed oreo's and blueberries for lunch. Also while in Lehigh, I bought Rainier Cherries! So good. About 11 miles into today, my right inside thigh muscle began to give out. I had to hobble the last 5 painful miles. It only misted though - no rain today (yet). it's actually rather chilly. We are currently 20.5 Miles from the Deleware Water Gap. WOW. almost there. Lots of Hikers here at the Leroy A. Smith Shelter tonight - so we're tenting (and tempting the rain). Sore body - excited spirit to see Ben and go home!
Wednesday - 6.17.09 - 14 Miles
It's very cold tonight. VERY cold. Another full shelter. Did I mention it's cold? DWG tomorrow. Excited. Clean. Warm. Good food. See Ben soon. I think I am finished. I don't want to hike anymore. I'm happy as a lark believe me - as we go rolling rolling home.
7.6.09 - (from home)
The church hostel at DWG was awesome - Hiker dinner, bakery in town - free hot showers, we were spoiled. Walked 2 miles the last day to route 80 where we met Ben for a 6 hour ride home with three across in a Ford Ranger. Good memories though - that's for sure. I'm fairly certain we will not return to the trail this year. I found what I needed. I know who I am. I love and appreciate the simple things in life like running water and showers and clean clothes and electricity. I don't need to finish to feel like I've accomplished something. Maybe I'll go back - who really knows. But for now - I'm happy here. (On a side note - we just spent 2 weeks in Russia - and boy oh boy do I love the USA!)
Til my next adventure - adieu.
-Jenga
