Date: 2004-07-02
From: Leroy Smith Shelter

To: Wind Gap, PA (Gateway Motel)
Miles today: 4.6
Weather: few clouds

Pennsylvania ROCKS!!!Mileage Countdown: -927.1After yesterday's high mileage I decided to take a nero (near zero day) today. So I only walked 4.6 miles this morning, and was checked into this motel by 10AM. I was looking forward to a town breakfast, but there are no restaurants nearby. Besides I hadn't done laundry since the Appalachian Motor Inn ten days back, so that became my first order of business. After a quick shower, I ate my usual lunch (PB & a candy bar) for breakfast and set off to the laundromat, a 'half mile' away. It is interesting how people whose principal mode of transportation is the automobile have no accurate concept of distance. The half mile turned out to be closer to a mile, or more. To a hiker, such a mis-estimate of distance could mean the difference between a leisurely dinner and evening at the shelter, and stumbling into the shelter with the last rays of daylight and having to eat dinner in the dark.After laundry was done I decided to pamper myself a bit, so set off toward an upscale restaurant, The Galley. As I asked directions along the way, estimates of distance ranged from a half mile to 2 miles. The latter turned out to be closer to the truth. The only time I got an over-estimate of the distance was when I asked directions at a confusing intersection. I got a bit discouraged when I was told 'a half mile', but it turned out to be not much more than a quarter, so I was happy.I'm glad I pampered myself. At The Galley the staff was pleasant, the atmosphere was charming (or maybe it was the other way around), the food was good, and not all that expensive. I thoroughly enjoyed my leisurely 2 hour lunch there.Next was re-supply, at the only supermarket in town, Giant. To get there I walked one of the 3 miles back toward the motel, including a stretch of road that is surprisingly hairy for pedestrians, considering how small a town it is.There was no trouble getting what I wanted. After putting my purchases (including a gallon of spring water) into my pack alongside my laundry, I stood outside Giant with a load as heavy as I carry on the Trail and a perplexed look on my face as I tried to figure out how I was going to go the 2 miles back to the motel without having to negotiate the hairy stretch of road.Saved by BIG trail magic. At that instant a pickup stops right in front of me, the window rolls down, and the driver shouts "Want a ride back to the Trail?". Boy, did I ever. The driver, Al, lives right next to the Trail and gives hikers rides often. He dropped me right in front of the door to my motel room. Instead of having to slog 2 miles back up the hill to the motel, here I was in 5 minutes lying in bed watching the Wimbledon semifinals. I could hardly believe my luck! Thanks, Al!Tomorrow I will be in New Jersey. I will be out of Pennsylvania with its infamous rocks. It certainly does have rocks, but not as bad as I had feared. And many of the boulder hops were a lot of fun, even though strenuous and a touch risky at times. Including the ascent out of Lehigh Gap. And there are miles and miles of smooth trail in this state, with lots of scenery, which while not as spectacular as the Smokies or southern VA, were very pleasant to the eye.Goodbye, PA. Hello, NJ.