Date: 2003-05-28
From: Peters Mtn Shelter 

To: Rausch Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: mist

Aloha All! It's me again. Back to thrill you with all the excitement, or lack thereof, of my day. I'm quite tired from my long jaunt though so I'm warning you in advance - there's no telling where this entry may go. Consider yourself warned!   Ohhh... it just started thundering and raining. Perfect timing for story telling. And it's proof that once again I made the wise decision to do the shelter thing vice tenting. One day I'll sleep in my tent again. One day.   So... the morning started off normal enough - coffee, Carnation Instant breakfast, a breakfast bar, and privy clean-up detail. Okay, maybe not exactly a normal morning but close. Being the good camper that I am, I felt the overwhelming need to clean up all the mouse eaten toilet paper and plastic bags in the privy. The shelters up here are good about supplying a broom and dustpan. I will admit that I'm only a so-so good camper though. I cleaned it up but didn't carry it out. I'll leave that to the next good camper or caretaker. Sorry.   With breakfast and privy detail complete it was back to the trail. The morning started off Alfred Hitchcock eerie and turned to a light and pleasant shower within an hour. It was a great walk actually. I know there are those out here that are fair-weather hikers only but I actually prefer what we're having now - slightly overcast, light showers and comfortable temperatures. The dog days of summer are right around the corner so I'm treasuring these temperate ones. I feel for those thru-hikers that have had nothing but rain for weeks on end but for now I'm good with it.   Truthfully there isn't all that much to tell you about today's hike. It was a long hike in distance but it really wasn't all that terrible otherwise. Yes, there were rocks; all sizes, all types, all directions - but not as bad as in other days. Yes, the trail went UP. For 2.5 damn miles it went UP - but not nearly as severe as in other days. Yes, there was mud and the stream called the AT - but not nearly as much as in other days. The newest additions to today¢s hike were the logs. Hundreds of logs lay across the trail. I'm sure they were meant to help with erosion control and such but I tell ya, I sure got tired of lifting these long legs and boots over them! Very tired!   In route to this shelter the AT passes near the remains of old mining villages dating back to the 1800s. Remnants of Yellow Springs Village are still visible along the trail. In this case it was mostly just a few short walls remaining and a mailbox. I don't know but I'm thinking the mailbox was added relatively recently. Ya think?   None of the books say anything about the trail following the woods road that was known as the old Dauphin-Pottsville stagecoach route in the 1800s but the map does. If it really is I think that's kind of cool. Always liked the cowboy days. Now I get to be part of them - sort of.   There was one part of the trail today that took my breath away. No, I didn't fall and knock the wind out of myself. I had been battling the ankle twisting rocks in the ravine known as the AT when I turned a corner and was greeted with a green grassy picture postcard trail. It looked like it came out of a county homes magazine and I was about to walk the country path to whoever's front door. It was absolutely lovely. No rocks, no ravine, no mud, no nothing but a lovely stroll. Unbelievable. I do hope the pictures I took turn out. It's always hard for me to capture on film that my mind's eye sees. Fingers are crossed.   From that moment on and for the next half-mile or so, I meandered along that path and next to the Rausch Creek with its many small waterfalls. Lovely camping areas beckoned at every turn. Maybe next time - the thunder rolled.   Upon arrival here I once again felt that spiritual calling of... PeeWee and Sugar Daddy! Yep, the register shows them as having been present about five weeks ago. I don't know; it may seem silly but it's sort of nice knowing that they were here. A hiker bonding of sorts.    With me tonight, and off and on through the day, is Quasimoto. I have a feeling that this is the last I'll see of him for a while. He's going to go about four miles further than my intended end point tomorrow in order to catch the shuttle to the new organic farm hostel the next day. Recently opened, they drive to a particular highway at 11a every morning take hikers back to their farm for a bed, shower, and dinner/breakfast. All free but donations for food are certainly accepted. I know that there are some shady spots out there but this one seems legit. I found out about it at the ATC Regional Hq in Boiling Springs and they don't allow non-licensed or blessed places to advertise on their bulletin board. Anyway, everyone has been trying to hit the shuttle and its located nine miles after the 501 shelter, which is another 17 from here. I don't think it's happening for me. I can cover the distance but I'm slow. So, it looks like I'll be saying aloha to Quasimoto tomorrow.   With a big yawn I'm going to end this here. I'm really bushed. My delicious dinner of Mexican Spicy Chicken with Rice has topped off the day and I believe I have just enough energy to eat a dessert bar and read a chapter in my book. Hope you don't mind too much. For now then, sleep well and dream sweet dreams. Ohhh... mine are going to be thunderous!BS&T: nope!A&Ps: feet and ankles are definitely tired from the rocks today. The Motrin is working wonderfully though.M&Gs: went to take a picture to find that the battery in my camera is almost dead. I put them in new immediately before leaving Duncannon. Silly me - using lithium rechargeable and they've obviously already discharged. Waah!Critter count: 3x squirrels. A guy in a truck mentioned a bear walking up to his house last week - does that count?