Thursday, 6/25

AT Miles = 14.7 / 1213.3
Other Miles = 0.3 / 43.4
Total Miles = 15.0 / 1255.7

PA Rocks!

No, not like, PA is so cool, it rocks! I mean the damn rocks in PA. The rocks in northern PA are pounding my feet into mush. Usually my feet start to hurt around mid-day, but for the last couple of days they've hurt when I get up in the morning, and just get worse all day.

I left Eagles Nest this morning and hustled the nine miles to Port Clinton. The hike wasn't bad, with some reasonably smooth sections mixed in with the rocks. The last mile into town was a ridiculously steep downhill, with nary a switchback.

When I got to town I headed straight to the post office to collect my packages. I had my bounce box there, and since I decided not to stay over in town I didn't collect it but rather had it forwarded to Delaware Water Gap, where I should be by Monday night.

I did collect the food package Jodi had sent me, and I expected a package from Anju but it wasn't there. I left a forwarding address for DWG in case that package shows up later.

After packing all my new food into my backpack, I headed around the corner to the outfitter. I had a mental list of four things I needed at the outfitter: Aquamira for treating water; they were sold out. Dr Bronner's soap; they were sold out. A new hoser for my platypus; they were sold out. I also needed new tips on my hiking poles, and she was able to sell me those. So, a disappointing visit to the outfitter. I will have to be sure to get aquamira when I am in DWG early next week.

After the outfitter I went around the corner to the Port Clinton Hotel and had lunch in the hotel bar. I made the mistake or having a second beer with lunch. While eating the TV was on and I was watching the news when they gave the air pollution and hear advisory and warmed against strenuous outdoor exercise. Ha! So I left the hotel around 1:00PM and strapped my now fully stocked pack on my back and started humping it up the hill out of town in the 90 degree heat. I quickly started regretting thaqt second beer.

I only had six more miles to go after leving town, and it went fairly quickly. My feet still hurt like the dickens when I got here, but at least it didn't seem to take forever like it does some afternoons.

I just figured out that I can make it to Delaware Water Gap in four more days, and I have just enough food that I should be able to make it without stopping to resupply along the way. I have set myself the goal of getting out of Pennsylvania before the end of the month, and it looks like I am going to succeed, barring unforeseen events.

—
"Home is where I hang my food bag"

Monkeywrench
Allen Freeman
allen@allenf.com
www.allenf.com
allenf.blogspot.com