Date: 2003-07-14
From: Port Clinton, PA - Palmerton, PA

To: Port Clinton, PA - Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 40.3
Weather: clear sky

Port Clinton, PA - Palmerton, PA40.3 miles (1241.8 total miles)Port Clinton is a very small town. There are 2 restaurants, a hotel, an outfitter, and a candy store. I hit them all (several times). It is a hard town to resupply in, as there isn't a grocery store, or even a convenience store. The outfitter has some basic supplies. The hotel isn't exactly modern, but it is inexpensive. The restaurant serves huge, tasty burgers and a heaping plate full of fries. However, they do require hikers to "shower before dining" (which, as Last Minute found out, is strictly enforced).At breakfast on day 102, Last Minute suggested we have the outfitter slackpack us 15 miles to the shelter. I voiced my purity concern about paying for a slack, so Last Minute called it "trail magic" and paid for me. It was questionable, but I accepted.I didn't get out of Port Clinton until about 1:00. I still had 15 miles to do, but with only a daypack. It was a quick, steep climb to the ridge. It rained on me for a while, but the sun came out eventually. It was a very pleasant walk. I ended up doing 15 miles in just over 6 hours, which included stops at a shelter and several overlooks. It was easy miles without a heavy pack. And it felt very good to crank out 15 miles, and not feel like I did any work. The Eckville Shelter was another that was run by an ATC trail maintainer. The shelter was full, so I had to tent. But there was a refridgerator full of soda, powerade, and ice cream. The day was a little too easy.I woke up on day 103 to find everything soaked. It hadn't rained, but the dew was unbelievable. I laid my tent and my gear in the early morning sunlight to dry. I didn't get out until almost 9:00.It was a short, rocky ascent, but the trail leveled. It wandered along for a while, and eventually followed an old jeep trail. This was nice because there were no rocks, and hikers could make good time. I stopped for a long lunch, then continued along the easy path. I stopped at a campsite for dinner, then finished with a tough 4 miles. I climbed up and over the boulders, which sloped down into the valleys on either side. It was very slow going. The trail then descended to a parking lot, and back up over Bake Oven Knob. It was a beautiful Saturday night, so all the locals climbed the short climb to watch the sun set. I stopped on a comfortable rock (away from the locals) and watched the bright red sun fall below the horizon. It was one of those magical moments we sometimes get while hiking the AT. From there I followed the path in the dusk to a ratty old shelter for the night. We were up early on day 104, and we cruised 8 miles into Palmerton. We had major incentive - Cuba Libre had offered to pick us up and drive us to her cabin for a zero day! But we hadn't been able to get her on the phone in Port Clinton, so we weren't quite sure what the plan was. So Willow, Last Minute and I did the quickest miles we could into town. The trail wound around the ridge, up and over the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which went went through a tunnel 800 feet below. I stopped for some wild blueberries, which I later found out were contaminated with the high zinc content of the area. Then it was an easy descent into town.We got a hitch into town from the first car we stuck our thumbs out for. A local picked us up, obviously aware of hikers, and before we could ask, told us where all the hiker needs are in town - hostel, grocery store, ATM, barber shop, restaurants, and pay phones. He dropped us off at the hostel, which is the old town jailhouse. Now they let hikers stay in the basement for free. We dropped our stuff off and immediately headed for the pay phones.Within 2 hours, Cuba was Palmerton. She drove us up to her cabin. We stopped for ice cream and groceries on the way. Cuba wouldn't let me pay for anything. "For all the trail magic your parents gave me, it's payback time!" she said. The cabin in beautiful. We barbequed burgers for dinner, and sat around trading trail stories and gossip, and looking at all Cuba's pictures from the trail. What a great day.I woke up on day 105 to pancakes and orange juice. We got our laundry done, and enjoyed sitting around the cabin. We walked down to the lake, and paddled our kayaks all around. Then we paddled to the beach where we swam and dove off the diving board. It was a beautiful cabin with huge windows that opened to the forest. It was a view like we'd see on the trail, except that we sat on the comfortable couch and ate junk food.Tomorrow we will hit the trail again, headed for Delaware Water Gap. Only 37 more miles of Pennsylvania! It is fun to see the progress and move north. I certainly enjoyed my day off at the cabin. It was such a perfect zero day that I wish I could have stayed a week! Thanks so much Cuba and Mike! 930.8 miles to Katahdin!