Date: 2005-07-14
From: Palmerton

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: broken clouds

Started at Palmerton, Pa.Destination: Leroy A. Smith ShelterMiles today 16Total Miles: 1258.8Stayed in shelterDay 125We were at Bert's Diner minutes after they opened at 6am. Soon we were joined by Brother Buzz and his son, Lightening, and Feelin Free. Just before 7:30am Duane, our benefactor for a ride back to the trail, arrived. I decided to sit up front this time rather than sit in the back as I did before. This time I DO remember the clmb up the mountain and can understand now why maybe I do not remember it the first time. It WAS tough. This was Toto's first day out and it was rough on him. I kept thinking I would suddenly remember the first time I climbed but it did not happen. The day was a long one and probably too long for Toto's first day back on the trail. The rocks were what did it, I think. By the time we got to the shelter it was about 8pm and we were both so tired we didn't even cook our dinner. There was enough daylight left for me to go down the trail to the piped spring for water. Water has been sparse and Toto was completely out. There are 3 springs and the 3rd one was the one that I had to go to. It was at least a half mile down since the 2nd one was 0.4 mile down. The pipe was gushing water and it took only seconds to fill my water bag. But then I had to carry it back up the mountain. I was dripping with perspiration by the time I got to the shelter with it. We hurried and filtered the water and filled all our containers. Then it was time to change out of sweaty clothes into dry ones and lie down. We ate granola bars and crackers and hit the sleeping bag. It was too muggy to get inside it but I did get in my sleeping bag liner I bought back in Waynesboro, Va. as a light cover but it was to warm, too. There were ants everywhere so I was hoping to keep them away as much as possible. We think they were carpenter ants. At the shelter when we got there was Tiny Dancer, Clearwater, Bearcan, Lightening, and Brother Buzz. I had not seen Tiny Dancer since way back in N.C./Tennessee. I had never met Clearwater and Bearcan before. The talk in the shelter after it got dark was about feet and I noticed someone had left a Dr. Seuss book in the shelter titled THE FOOT BOOK (I think) and Brother Buzz read it to us with his headlamp on. One Thing and Wild Mountain Honey were tenting in one of the camping spots.After we climbed the mountain today the top looked like we were walking on the moon. Because of emissions from zinc prcessing in earlier years the vegetation was all killed--including trees. So now there is nothing but rocks and dead trees. Some areas had some plants and trees starting to come back. The trail followed a road for some time before it turned off into a wooded area. While on the road we noticed a piece of white paper held down with rocks. It warned of a rattle snake on the trail ahead. It did not rattle it's tail but just lay there. We took a picture and moved on. It looked a lot like the snake I took a picture last week.At the point where the trail turned off the road we stoped to eat a peach we had brought with us. Toto was sitting there facing the way we had just hiked from and he said he just saw a bear cross the trail. He was then anxious to move on before it smelled our peaches. He said it was BIG!Tomorrow is a shorter day (13 miles) but still a long day for Toto on his second day out. That is how far away the next shelter is from this one but there may be some tenting spots somewhere between here and there that are clear of rocks. A road crossing 5 miles from here has a motel that lets hikers get water and also sells sodas so I foresee a side trip from the trail to get something cold to drink and water if we need it.It's been a VERY long day for us and we are beat. Hopefully, we will sleep well and recover from the day's workout.