Date: 2016-05-20
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Ah-ha!!! I'VE GOT IT!!! Pastor Jason lives very near the 501 Shelter which is right on PA 501!!! We'll be there in three days, just enough time to bounce a mail drop forward with some of our food so I don't have to carry it all there!!! Problem solved, at least for today. Once dropped back at the Doyle along with OG Bob in the morning, the trail went right past the Post Office. We just stopped in, fill a Large Flat Rate box and mailed it off to Pastor. Thank you Pastor!!! Jackson was cleared to be a slacker! We then made our way toward our very tough 1000' climb for the day out of the Duncannon valley. All indications from the AT Guide led us to believe that we could make it 16.1 miles today. The hiker bubble that we were now in were of two different minds than heading for this 16.1 mile out campsite. First there was the smart group that had stayed at the Doyle and had enlisted Trail Angel Mary to bring them their backpacks at PA 225. They were all slack packing and moving fast up that 1000' foot climb. The second group were all heading for an 11 mile day, carrying their full backpacks and planning to only reach Peters Mountain Shelter. Both the climb and the now rock littered trail put us in the second group. 16.1 miles was NOT going to happen.It was a beautiful view at the first powerline but there was no time to lingering. The trail was very rocky and tricky to negotiate. Keeping watch for blazes was a constant vigil until PA 225 where the trail turned into a wide path that was used by locals walking up to Table Rock for the stunning views. We found a young man spending the night right out on the rock ledge at Table Rock. Debbie decided to give her husband Mark a call as she had great cell reception there. It was getting late and I volunteered to make the mile hike onto Peters Mountain Shelter and secure us a spot at the shelter while Debbie stayed at Table Rock to make her call.Upon arriving at the shelter and assessing the number of hikers and the large size of the shelter and the forecast for rain, I confirmed with others that they'd be ok if I stayed in the shelter with a dog. This was something I wasn't always fond of doing as a dog in a shelter can many times be much more trouble than its worth. So I staked out two spots in the lower of a double decker shelter and set about making myself and Jackson some dinner. Water here was slim as it was a long hike down to the water source. While making dinner, I discovered that OG Bob was here. He was staying in his hammock. He made conversation at the picnic table with a new hiker to me, Veggie Guy. Why that name? He was a vegan with a large quantity of vegetables with him. He offered me a few carrots from his full carrot bag as we ate. He was flip-flop thru-hiking and had just recently started at Harper's Ferry. 1/2 way through dinner he asked me where my hiking partner was? Oh shit!!! Where's Debbie? And it's getting dark out now!!! Veggie Guy started down the trail toward Table Rock while I tried to reach her on her phone. A few moments later, Veggie Guy and Debbie came walking into the shelter. OG Bob, chided her about her heavy pack as Debbie explained she'd gotten almost to the shelter but doubting herself she'd turned around and went back to the Table Rock to confirm she'd gone in the right direction and then had to re-walk the mile back to the shelter. OG Bob dumped her pack out on the picnic table and by the light of headlamps he and Veggie Guy went through Debbie's gear and made some recommendations on what she could leave behind. It was official, we now had two new hiker friends on this year's adventure!