Date: 2019-06-07
From: William Penn Shelter

To: PA183 to Urgent Care to Hamburg Microtel
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

We were all up and stirring by 5:30 and the four guys actually left between 6:00-6:30.  They¢re young and going to hike the 28 miles to get into town. We took our time packing up, eating, getting water, and using the privy.  We didn¢t start hiking until 7:30. It was a good morning with more beautiful weather.  We met Getaway (formerly Grumpy), a guy our age who has tried thru hiking the last two years and stopped in VA both times. He¢s picking up where he left off and trying to finish this year.  We also met two young women, Snack and Late Start, who just started their flip flop in Harper¢s Ferry June 17.  We leapfrogged with the three of them through the day.  We had a lovely lunch spot near a rushing creek and got to wash up and soak our feet a few minutes. I¢ve had a swollen red sore spot on my right shin for a few days.  Every step made it hurt.   I thought maybe I¢d hit it on something but it never bruised.  There¢s no bite or rash.  When the spot became hot, I realized it was an infection of some kind. It may be cellulitis according to Google.  If so, I will need antibiotics; there is no self medication.  We were already planning to be in Hamburg PA tomorrow so I decided I¢d find a clinic to go to then. The longer I hiked today, the worse my leg felt.  When I studied the tough terrain there would be going into town, I started thinking about getting off the trail as soon as possible. We came to a road crossing and sat down to talk it out.  Only a minute or two later a teenage guy showed up from a different trail.  We asked if he knew any clinic or urgent care nearby and he said there was one about 4 miles straight down that road. It sounded like he¢d had experience there.  We chatted and he explained that he and a friend were camping out for the weekend and had forgotten to bring toilet paper.  His mom was on the way to bring him some.  We asked if she might be willing to take us to the urgent care clinic.  He texted her and she agreed and she arrived within a few minutes. She dropped us off and we went in.  There was NO ONE else in the waiting room.  I signed in and gave them my info and was taken to a room immediately and seen within minutes.  The PA said it looked like cellulitis. Thanks, Google. He gave me a initial dose of antibiotic and a prescription for more. It was the quickest and cheapest urgent care visit I¢ve ever had.We got a lyft ride to the hotel  we were supposed to be at in another day anyhow.  They had only one room left because of a wedding, a conference, and a reptile show in town.  We took the last available room. It was a nice suite but more expensive than I liked. There was a WalMart with a pharmacy right across the street that stayed open until 9:00 that filled the prescription.So many ¢coincidences¢!!  Thank you Lord!!!Susan saw a couple of the young guys from last night¢s shelter in Walmart about 8:00pm.  They had done a 28 mile day to get to town.  They had to be wondering how in the world she got there at the same time as them.  She just smiled at them but didn¢t stop to talk and left them guessing.