Date: 2015-06-20
From: George W. Outerbridge Shelter

To: Stealth campsite south of Hahn's Overlook
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Big R, little r, what begins with "r"?I bet you can guess at least one of the answers I'm looking for!Rocks, rain, remediation, and RED. Red Panda, red swollen toes, red chafing butt, red blood trickling down my legs because I keep reopening my scratches (by running into thorns and branches over and over and over).All is well, though. What's a day without a little bit of red? No pain, no Maine!My feet hurt all day. ALL THOSE ROCKS. The morning started with rocks, rocks, rocks. We descended down to Lehigh Gap and then had to climb back up, up, up. And it was all rocks. All dangerous. All AWESOME. So steep, I felt like a mountain goat, not a red panda. It was a tough climb again. As I climbed, I kept thinking about how much Candace would have loved it (maybe we can hike together again someday?!). I lagged way behind Chris, my short legs struggling to lift the weight of my body plus Gertrude (with two liters of water - water is HEAVY).I really enjoyed it, even dripping sweat and struggling as I was. Then it started sprinkling and I panicked a little. I did NOT want to climb on those rocks while they were wet. I pictured myself careening down the rocks to certain death. After my fall the other day, I am super paranoid about wet, slippery rocks.But the rain didn't last, and I caught up to Chris (who stopped to wait for me), and onward we went! Our next trail encounter? A detour around the Palmerton superfund site. There used to be a zinc mine nearby, and the smelting operations released all kinds of toxic heavy metals into the water and air, killing off something like 2,000 acres of vegetation. The area is now under remediation, and is being revegetated. Pretty scary but also pretty cool. Another awesome place and story encountered on the trail...We stopped for a snack after two hours of hiking. I ate the second half of a protein bar - I had the first half with breakfast. I really am working at eating more protein. While we were stopped, we discussed our options for the day: stop at Leroy Smith Shelter, or continue past it. The only issue was that water sources past the shelter were scarce, so if we decided to camp past it, we would have to carry extra water. We do this EVERY DAY. Where should we stop? What are our options? Eh, let's just keep going and see how we feel later.After snack #1, we continued on, crossing under power lines, the buzz of electricity humming above us. Lowbush blueberries were growing under the lines. Chris bent to pick some, and I said, "You are going to get poisoned from toxic zinc!" In reality, I have no idea if there was a risk of this at all. He just shrugged and ate them anyway. So I ate a couple, too. Hello, more carcinogens!Anyway, we progressed through the hike pretty consistently today. Not to many breaks, and all short ones. We knew there rain was due to hit, possibly as early as in the afternoon, so we were eager to establish camp before it started. Today's stretch of trail was fairly rocky but not too bad. My feet were sore all day, but that's normal.When we got to Smith Gap Road, we saw a few cyclists crowded around a table. A table of food. Real food. Chris eyed the table longingly as we started to cross the road.And then the couple manning the table called to us, "Do you guys want something to eat?"The answer to that question is ALWAYS an obvious, resounding, "YES, PLEASE!".Keith and Sharon were manning the table, which was a rest and refueling stop for an endurance bicycle Epic. The last of the cyclists were just passing through, so they invited us to help ourselves to the leftovers. We were a little hesitant at first. But they encouraged us again and again, offering to put food in ziploc bags so we could take it with us (Sharon even put some napkins in a baggie for us, too). We had sandwiches, bananas, watermelon, and cookies. Real food! It was amazing.We talked to them for a long time, about the trail, the hike, and biking. The cyclists were biking something like 1.5 miles up a 15% grade as part of a 200 mile ride (I think... it was long, anyway). That's crazy! I loved biking in Korea, but it was so easy there. Hardly any hills.They also introduced me to the idea of " bikepacking"... like backpacking, but with a bike. Sounds AWESOME. Might be a new hobby to try after the AT. I also want to get my motorcycle license (vroom, vroom!).They were amazing, so kind and friendly. They made me feel so lucky, once again, to be on the trail.Then we continued. A trailhead signboard had a map of the entire AT, with a "you are here" pushpin in it. Chris and I stopped to marvel at our progress. "There's home!" I pointed to Connecticut excitedly. "WE'RE SO CLOSE!".Have I mentioned how excited I am to get to Connecticut? I am so excited. I get to go home! I am really into the idea of throwing an awesome trail magic picnic, too. It looks like lots of friends and family will be willing to help, too! Hooray!Anyway, my butt was dragging by the time we made it to the next shelter. Samaritan was there, along with a section hiker, who was VERY talkative, asking kind of stupid questions. I thought he was a bit strange but he didn't bother me. Chris, however, tired after a long hike, did not have any patience for him. I had to try not to laugh.We ate our sandwiches and bananas from Keith and Sharon, yelling responses to the strange guy's questions as we did so (he was IN the shelter and we were sitting on rocks practically behind it). Then we climbed down to get water from the distant, slow-moving spring (but it was cool and clear!).The shelter was small and unappealing (not just because of the guy inside), and it was early, so we had decided we should hike on. More miles today mean fewer to hike in the rain tomorrow. As we walked back, Chris asked if we should continue as soon as we got back to the shelter, or if we needed to rest a little longer.I was not shy to proclaim my intention of trying my best to make use of the privy while it was available. I did NOT want to have to dig (or fill) a poop hole in the rain tonight or tomorrow.And that is what I did. My mission was successful. There was even a substantial amount of reading material available: the same sign about how the privy was made and maintained by volunteers and please take care of it and something about the park service was plastered on the walls at least five times, in various forms - handwritten, typed and laminated, typed and laminated with slightly different wording... They really tried to get the message across.Chris was a copycat again and also chose to make a privy trip. Gotta seize those opportunities!As we departed the shelter, we met Redback (of the Aussie Legs) and Miles heading for the shelter. It was due to be crowded tonight, as there aren't any other water sources nearby.We were playing with the idea of hiking into and staying in Wind Gap tonight, but I am cheap and really didn't want to, since we are planning to stay in Delaware Water Gap tomorrow (there is a church hostel in town). I don't mind camping in the rain, knowing that I will be able to dry out in town tomorrow. Luckily, we found a decent campsite after a little more than an hour of hiking. Chris asked if I wanted to keep going farther, but I was so tired and sore I was happy to make the decision "LET'S JUST STOP HERE."So, we cut three miles or so off of the 20.2 we would have had to hike to Delaware Water Gap tomorrow had we stayed at the shelter.We arrived and set up. I was eager to finish with chores so I could climb into my tent before the rain started. I was done with dinner and ready to hang my food bag by 6:00. SO READY. I had to wait for Chris, though. As he finished eating, I examined the map of Delaware Water Gap. There is a pizza place! But no laundromat. And there are no laundry facilities at the church hostel. Bummer.But then, as we were preparing to hang our treats from a tree, in case any hungry bears stroll by in the middle of the night with a craving for M&M trail mix, Coco and Magnus appeared!"Where are you guys going?" I asked, curious if they were headed all the way to Wind Gap."Here, if you guys don't mind." They said. Of course we don't mind friendly campsite companions!They'd had exactly the same plan as us... continue past the shelter to shave miles off of tomorrow's hike.Also, they have a room reserved at the Pocono Inn in Delaware Water Gap (which has laundry facilities), and invited us to share the room with them. Split four ways, the room will be cheap. Everyone benefits! Showers! Laundry! Power outlets!I enjoyed laying in my tent with the vestibule open tonight, the forest spread out beautifully before me. I trimmed my nails and called home and relaxed. It was wonderful.I am thankful to have my tent pitched before the rain starts. I am thankful for a SANDWICH and fruit for lunch! I am thankful that there is a pizza place in Delaware Water Gap. I am thankful for trail friends. I am thankful that I will be clean tomorrow because I smell terrible and feel gross and yuck. Just yuck.BRING ON THE RAIN! BRING ON THE PIZZA!