Date: 2010-06-27
From: Sunrise Mtn.

To: unionville, ny (mayors house hostel)
Miles today: 17.7

Slept fantastic other than the insane Whippoorwill traveling around the area all night. No mosquitoes bugging me in my tent though. They were thirsty when I got out of my tent. Rest Stop gave in and put his tent up also in the middle of the night. Thought mine might blow down because it was so windy and my stakes were barely in the ground. No wait, I saw that HUGE bear today. The one from yesterday was smaller. The one today looked as big as the one I¢d seen at Spy Rocks! He sounded like a Clydesdale running on cement.There were water bottles at Mashi Shelter thankfully. Rutherford shelter looked like a tough access trail. Straight down on a rock face. A random guy told us that High Point had some tight squeezes with cliffs on the side. I was sadly disappointed that it wasn¢t as exciting as he¢d described. The rocks were typical and ¢rollers¢ (up and downs) weren¢t scary at all.Thought I might get a soda at the state park but they didn¢t have a machine in the office. Some day hiker told me, ¢You look like you walked here from Georgia!¢ when I told him I was having a tough day. I am looking pretty sketchy and trashy these days. Stink too. Checked out the cheesy monument that looks like the Washington Monument (in DC) from the observation deck. What an eye sore in an otherwise beautiful area.Up and down through the huge rocks and down stairway rock piles to High Point Shelter. The privy there was a plastic port-a-john equipped with it¢s very own wasp nest! When I left the shelter there, I noticed a significant drop in the rock population! Could it be?! Am I finished?! Finally, I reached a field without rocks! I shouted until my lungs hurt. I ran out of break yelling ¢YEAHHH~~~~!!!!¢ I actually cheered and yelled out-loud without a single care for anyone¢s consideration of my sanity! I was excited! I¢d heard that 30 miles into NJ that the rocks would lighten up! Finally, my feet can¢t take it anymore!Sitting in a field listening to someone playing ¢Simple Man¢ at a party nearby, I thought of the perfect way to describe PA/NJ rocks. It¢s like walking on ice skates for 20 miles a day.Counted down the miles to Unionville and my 9th State line! Got to town and Orbit and Rest Stop shouted from Horlers Grocery at me. Got an expensive coke and took off my hot boots. Iketojoe told me to stay at Dick¢s Outhouse. $10 for breakfast, dinner, shower, laundry and a place to sleep!When I got to the Outhouse, I must have seemed weird to Butch (head of security). He asked if I was alright a couple of times. I¢m just so happy to have a roof over my head an a bunch of friendly New Yorkers to take care of my ailing body and mental condition. I need human conversation! I need rest! During the tour of the accommodations, Butch told me my eyes were bugging out and to relax. He thought I was a weirdo, until I¢d taken a shower and calmed down. I¢ve just been in the woods for to long I say.The house rule was any word with more than 3 syllables cost $0.25. Don¢t call Butch, ¢Sir¢. He said he¢d punch you in the face for saying that, and he looked at Orbit and said he¢d punch me in the face if she said that. Orbits a girl.After the shower, I found some clean clothes to wear while my dirty clothes were washing. Bill made eggplant lasagna. Bill is an older man who¢s a comical character. He¢s a retired hotel entertainer and he has a billion jokes and stories. He¢s also a great cook and I can¢t bring myself to express how much I appreciate his kindness. What an amazing time with some of the best hearted, nicest, funniest people on the trail side. It¢s a shame that this place will be closed to thru-hikers next year. They¢re stopping because Dick is moving on with his new love interest who isn¢t interested in smelly AT thru-hikers. Lucky me!Oh yeah! PA rocks finished! Update soon to fill in the long blank.Running fine, having fun! Gotta return home for a while, no telling when. Might be in Mass. before I have to turn back for two weeks. Decided to run and not fill in these journal entries. Going to wait until I return home for a while to upload pics and Lish will probably type all the things I've written.I saw 1 bear, 4 deer, 2 groundhogs, and 2 turkeys today! Feet tired beyond belief but I'm so thankful that the PA rocks are behind me! So happy and enjoying myself, no worries!