Date: 2006-06-24
From: Palmerton, PA

To: Windgap, PA
Miles today: 20.4

Agony and ecstacy, or the other way round. Started the day around 6.30 and shuttled out to cliff about Lehigh Valley. Crossed the bridge over the river with Park Bench, Lunchbox, and Texas. It poured rain last night and the whole ridge was under cloud cover. After everything I'd read and heard about the climb out of the valley plus the wet trail and rocks had me more than a little worried. Shouldn't have been. I've learned along the way not to listen to predictions and that all worries are completely overblown. Besides, I am boulder, hear me roar. The climb was a ball, best one so far, closest thing to New Hampshire so far. I stowed my poles in my pack, grabbed some rock and started climbing. Why was I worried? Off trail this is what I do. Not well, but I love it. Some precarious spots especially carrying a pack, but great fun. When I got to the top the other three were all on hands and knees picking low bush blueberries.Ordinarily hikers don't like the ridge. It's part of a superfund site, completely denuded of trees after years of zinc mining. Under cloud cover and thick fog, a mysterious moonscape. Fun. After 10 miles or so the fun was over. Again, just running on endurance.I was watching for water sources having learned my lesson before Port Clinton. I wasn't sweating much but had a long way before each source, most of them probably dry. Some of them had notes from hikers warning they were dry or far off trail. Wing Foot lists a house off trail with a spigot for hikers. I got to the trailhead and detoured down the road. I got to the place after a mile of pounding pavement. All I wanted was water, a spot to sit and eat my peanut butter tortilla and maybe a shuttle back to the trail. I got so much more.John the local trail maintainer came to the door and invited me in. I wanted to park in a chair to rest my sore back. Instead I got a tour of his autographed AT book collection. Then he dragged me to the computer where he sat in the only chair and showed me all his section hike photos. Next came photos of his 10 year old son's bicycle races. His son ran to get me a Gatorade, but still no offer of a chair. Finally I flopped into one as John told me about his newest blue blaze trail to a good spring. About this time I was wishing I'd hiked the 45 minutes down and then back from the spring. The best thing about stopping was that I got to call Betty in Windgap. She's 8 miles up the trail and had a house full of hikers there.Finally shuttled back to the trail. I put on speed to kill that 8 miles. The usual rocks, long stretches of them. Then the hard rain. I don't mind hiking in rain at all but my wet boots led to opening of old blisters and development of new ones.Finally in Windgap I settled in front of a convenience store with 3 Krispy Kremes and a chocolate milk. I started laughing out loud and shouted "I love this life!"Betty pulled in, horn blowing. Lilly of team John & Lily threw my pack in the van. Five hikers at Betty's before me. I hadn't seen John & Lily, now known as Ice Tea and Slugger, since March at Standing Bear. I met Firefly and Uberdude for the first time. Sidewinder, who I'd met at Maupin Field at the end of May, rounded out the crew. Except for Firefly, who's giving up her hike, the others all have a new philosophy. They've started doing short days and taking time for as much fun as possible. I told them even though we're only in PA the end of the trail is in sight and I'm missing it already. John said the worst about ending the trail is regretting that you hadn't taken enough time to enjoy and build memories. John and Lily put together a spaghetti dinner to remember.