Date: 2023-05-28
From: Duncannon

To: Campsite at Kinter View
Miles today: 13.7

As a light sleeper, I basically woke up with the first riser in one of two bunk rooms around 5:30. No matter, I had plenty of chores to do. I organized food, gathered dirty clothes. I recharged my phone and uploaded photos, since I couldn't see where the outlets were last night, nor the wifi password.After that was done, I went to Trail Laundry, a nearby 24 hour laundromat, and started washing around 8:30. The hostel owner, who also owns the adjoint Kind Of Outdoorsy resupply and outfitter store with a hiker box, arrived around 9, and I paid for my stay, and also bought even more food.I put my stuff in the dryer, and headed to Goodie's for breakfast. Despite being cash only, I managed to get OJ, oatmeal with blueberries, brown sugar, and milk, specially prepared scrambled eggs with green peppers and mushrooms, bacon, toast, and three slices of French toast for just over $20, including tip! Best breakfast I've had since the all-you-can-eat buffet at Skyland.I got my clothes and sprayed the Permethrin that I'd shipped to the hostel on them, plus my tent, sleeping bag, and boots around 10. While that was settling, I walked over to Karn's Foods to get some produce, fruit,and also ended up with some kombucha, yogurt, dark chocolate coated pecans, and a big three piece fried chicken meal with mac & cheese, home fries, and a dinner roll for lunch. Glad I stopped there, though I had to walk along a highway that sometimes had no shoulder, had a sharp turn, and had to watch out for trucks zooming by me.Shortly after I returned around 11:15, Plunger and Skippy arrived while I was reorganizing my food, which is now kind of ridiculous in size. We chatted a bit, then I got to work on all the journal entries I was missing and ate lunch. Also gathered my newly Permethrin coated clothes and gear, and repacked. Finally got up to date on journal entries around 2.I prepared to head back out on the trail. I knew it wouldn't a big day, and I was glad I got to relax so much. The chores don't require much effort. Plunger and Skippy also wanted to keep hiking, and we chatted about destinations. The Peters Mountain Shelter, 11 miles ahead, looked like a reasonable stopping point, so I said I'd aim for that, but also remarked I might wing it.I left around 3. The first mile and a half from the hostel, which is right off the trail, was a road walk through town and on bridges crossing over the Juniata and Susquehanna rivers. As I recalled from a previous section hike several years ago (I can't believe it's been so long!), the next six or seven miles to PA 225 was a long, steep climb back up to the plateau, which had rocks galore. But there was also a great view over looking Duncannon with the two rivers at field crossing by a power line.It was definitely about as tough as the rocky course in MD.  Fortunately, these rocks, while requiring careful maneuvering at times, were orderly and easy to predict. Sometimes like a slanted sidewalk, other times a little bit of a scramble. I prefer that to what looks like disheveled rocks that looked randomly displaced by angle, location, and size all across the footpath, which is what the ridge walk to Hawk Rock was like yesterday. No tripping today.I made it to PA 225 around 6:40, had a break, and left around 7. The trail was much easier. No rocks and terrain that was basically flat. There were also great views of the valley, again due to power line crossings.I made it to Peters Mountain Shelter just past 8. I shrugged and decided to go a bit further. I noticed from this year's AT guide that Kinter View was just a couple miles away, and was thinking I could catch the last remnants of the sunset and then camp there for the sunrise. The terrain was still easy enough to hike the 2.6 miles to get there around 9. By then, it was dark. I set up camp, and set my alarm for 5:30. Because I had two huge meals today, I just drank some hot water and at a few snacks before I went to sleep.