A Big Storm

I started hiking at 9:30 AM on Friday (6-10).  I stopped to visit the AT Museum in Pine Grove Forest State Park.  The museum displays Grandma Gatewood's hiking gear which includes a canvas backpack and the shoes she wore while hiking.

She was born in 1888 in Ohio and she successfully thru-hiked the AT three times.  The first time she was successful was in 1955 when she was 67.  She wore tennis shoes and carried an army blanket, a raincoat, and a plastic shower curtain, which was carried in a homemade bag slung over one shoulder. It was fascinating to look back through all the AT history.  After lunch I felt tired so I rested an hour on my Tyvek sheet in the shade.  I reached Boiling Springs at 7:15 PM and ate dinner at Caffe (yes, that is spelled right, two f's) 101.  I stayed the night at the Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse.  The thru-hikers have a special rate at this plush resort of $40 which included an excellent dinner.  I hiked 19.4 miles.  On Saturday morning (6-11) I walked 10 minutes back to the AT and started hiking at 9 AM.  The hike had two distinct parts.  The first 12-13 miles was flat and the trail winded through farmlands where corn, wheat, and soybeans were growing.  Some fields were just uncut high grass with the small AT path.  About 1/3 of the time I was in the shade of nearby trees, which was nice.  It was very hot so being in the sun for several hours was bearable.  After lunch at Darlington Shelter, I napped for a little over an hour on a wooden bunk in the shelter.  The second part of the hike was over an uneven and rocky terrain.  After a steep descent for the last 30 minutes, I reached Duncannon at 8:15 PM and ate what was called a "hearty haddock dinner" at a hostel called The Doyle.  At 9 PM I walked another mile to a campground on the Susquehanna River.  During my stay at the campground, many trains passed about 80 yards from my tent.  A few trains sounded like they might hit my tent.  I hiked 25.7 miles, a PR which I doubt will be topped on the rest of my journey.  On Sunday (6-12) I left the campground at 8 AM and had breakfast and bought some supplies at a Pilot truck stop.  Coming out of any town on the trail is tough as the towns have a much lower elevation than the surrounding mountains, so up and up I went, sweating profusely.  Of all the 14 states on the AT, PA is known as the rockiest.  At 1:30 PM I reached the parking lot on PA 225 and enjoyed trail magic of pop and a candy bar.  I started on my way towards the next shelter 3 miles away.  After I traveled about 1/4 mile, it began to rain.  It quickly started pouring and before I knew it, hail was pelting me and rain was coming down in buckets.  Within just a few quick minutes the trail turned into a creek and the water was running above my boots and my boots were filled with water for the first time ever on the trail.  I was cold and soaked.  I thought about hiking ahead to the shelter but decided that my wisest decision was to go back to the parking lot.  I turned around and when I got back to the parking lot, I saw four cars.  I approached one car with a man and woman in it.  I had seen them several minutes before as they were out hiking for the day.  I asked them if they knew where the closest motel would be located.  The man, Rick Steele, offered to drive me and all my soaking wet gear to a motel.  I arrived at the Days Inn in Harrisburg at 2:15 PM and the storm was still very much in full force.  I checked in for the night.  Although I only hiked 8 miles, I was thrilled to be able to do laundry, take a shower, and eat a meal at the Wendy's next door.  What a day!  Thank you Rick!  On Monday (6-13) after breakfast at the hotel, I got a ride at 7:40 AM from "Trail Magic Mary" to where I left off before the big storm which was 7 miles away.  Mary lives in Duncannon and is well-known in the thru-hiker community as someone who helps out hikers.  I started back on the trail at 8 AM.  I have noticed after heavy rain there are cobwebs everywhere so I use my hiking stick to clear the way.  It was a cool day which was really nice for hiking.  Although there were rocks everywhere, there were no steep ascents or descents and my feet thanked me!  The highest ascent I climbed for the day was 1,100 feet but that was over several miles.  I napped for an hour mid-afternoon and hiked until 7 PM.  I tented just before Rausch Gap Shelter.  I went 20 miles.  After 12 weeks, I have gone 1,166 miles for an average of 13.9 miles per day.  Carry on!