Date: 2006-10-31
From: Port Clinton, Pa

To: 1 mile N of Hertlein Campsite, Pa
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: clear sky

I was not ready to get up this morning. I guess I needed more sleep, but Yolanda and I were meeting Honey Boy at 9am and I had breakfast, coffee and resupply to take care of before that. We drove back to Red Lion Cafe where we ate at last night and we had a good breakfast. I had a mushroom and cheese omelet and home-fries along with a homemade biscuit. When breakfast was done, we headed back into Pine Grove and resupplied with enough food to get us to Duncannon. On the way to Honey Boy's home, we stopped near 501 Shelter and stashed some food we didn't need right away. Yolanda didn't like the idea of putting food on the ground and covering it with leaves, but I've always done it that way and have never had as much as an ant get into my food. I wrap it up in a trash bag and I guess that hides any odors. We then drove up to Honey Boy's home. I backed my truck into an area that was out of the way, then we went in and talked to Honey Boy and Honey Girl for a while. It was good seeing both of them again. Yolanda had coffee, but I was all coffee'd out. :-))) We got a few pictures, then Honey Boy drove us over to Port Clinton and dropped us off at the trailhead. We said our goodbyes, then started climbing the steep mountain out of Port Clinton at 10am. When we got to the top of the ridge, the rest of the day's walk was easy...except for all those Pa rocks. There are lots of leaves on the ground now and they cover up the rocks, so it's that much harder to walk because you never know when you're going to step on a hidden rock. It was a beautiful, mild day with deep blue skies. It's hard to believe this is the last day of October here in Pa because it's so mild out. Bet that won't last long. :-))) We walked by the side trail to Eagle's Nest Shelter without stopping, but we did stop for lunch when I found some rocks big enough to sit on. I took my shoes off and aired out my feet while I ate a salami and cheese sandwich. Yolanda checked her cell phone and saw she had a message from Amoeba. She called Amoeba and we made plans to meet her tomorrow at Rt 501. Sounds like I might get some fried chicken tomorrow. Ha!!! :-))) We walked on...walking on lots of rocks that were making my heel ache. We finally came to Rt 183, crossed it, then walked by the Fort Dietrich Snyder Marker. The trail got pretty wet for the next several miles. It looks like the trail is a stream in this area. Yolanda was wearing a black wig today for Halloween, so I got a picture of her by a marker. I had taken a few along the Trail earlier too. She just doesn't look right with black hair. I'm already scared of her, today I was even more scared. :-))) I found a log to sit on. My feet were tired, so I suggested we sit right there on that log and eat dinner....and we did. I had a couple more salami and cheese sandwiches. It was getting late, so we walked on. I found some tent sites way back in the woods, just before we descended to Hertlein Campsite. We got set up and I crawled into my tent for the night. It was hard to get busy and type out this journal entry because I was tired and almost fell asleep when I laid down. It sure feels good to be back on the Trail and walking again. I also have less than 500 miles left of this Trail now. I heard from Tricks that a 700+ lb bear got hit by a car on Rt 309, so when I had my laptop yesterday, I googled a 700 lb bear in Pa and I didn't find out about that one, I did read where a 733 lb black bear was shot here in Pa last year. Guess I'm going to have to start spreading crumbs around Yolanda's tent again. :-)))