Date: 2009-05-08
From: Tom Run Shelter(s)

To: James Fry (Tagg Run) Shelter
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: few clouds

Friday, May 8,2009Day #76am "Jigsaw" is up very early this morning to get into PINE GROVE (IronMasters Hostel) to pick up our food drop boxes & get a shower.I prob wont make it before the Caretaker kicks out the hikers @ 9:30a.m."Model-T" & I leave the shelter @ abt 6:45am...Water is still plentiful...running down the middle of the trail.I had to bandage 4 blisters again this morning...bandages, band-aids, & duct tape seem to be holding them in check...for now.There are smaller blisters all over my feet...but having to hike thru the pain of the smaller ones...they dont bother me compared to the major ones on the side of my feet.Out of Tom Run Shelters & a few miles later we cross Hwy PA 233 & less than a mile after that...hike into PINE GROVE Furnace State Park (where IronMasters Hostel is located)"Jigsaw" has already got my food box & was sitting next door in front of the grocery store with "Model-T" when I arrived...I walked over & asked them had they..." already finished your Ice Cream?""Model-T" turned to "Jigsaw" & said:..."YOU tell "Jaybird" the BAD NEWS!""Jigsaw" simply said:..."CLOSED!"...WHAT!?????The grocery store where the Legendary HALF GALLON CHALLENGE takes place is CLOSED?????Whats the deal with this?"Jigsaw" said they asked a Park Ranger abt it & he told them the grocery "MIGHT" be open this afternoon...maybe around 5pm or so...Its 9am now...what to do...Can't waist a day sitting...."Jigsaw" & "Model-T" leave & hike out of the park...I sit & open my food drop box & re-arrange my food & my back-pack...& eat a WHOLE BAG OF TRAIL MIX...while sitting @ the picnic table in front of the grocery...I wuz so depressed...NO ICE CREAM....I was tasting the BEN & JERRYS that whole last mile of hiking....DARN!!!!   DOUBLE DARN!After I polished off the bag of trail mix...I grabbed a Coke & sat for a few more minutes...watching the birds eat the raisins I had dropped...thinking with every passing car or truck it would be the store owner...ready to Open the store & hand me ICE CREAM.....DIDN'T Happen!As I was finishing my Re-Packing job on the backpack...a young female thru-hiker shows up...."Evergreen" a 2009-Thru hiker from Ohio.(photo)...Also looking forward to ICE CREAM...i had to break the BAD NEWS to her...She was very pissed....I grabbed some water...hiked out & wishing her a good journey to Mt. Katahdin.(we would see her later @ another shelter)Out of the park...you hike around some of the old Iron Furnaces...(a little road walking) then into the woods...My feet are feeling "BRUISED" & swollen today.The blisters (All 4 of 'em) are covered well, but they continue to CRY OUT to me with each step I take on a rock or hit a tree root.A few miles later a side trail to Pole Steeple (1300ft elevation) then over Linekiln Rd...then a few miles later...Mtn Creek Campground...& then hike down the side of a hill to the James Fry (TAGG RUN) Shelter...as I turn into the shelter...you guessed it...the RAIN begins again!This shelter is nice w/ 4 bunks on the side walls & plenty O' floor space for abt 6 more hikers.As I take off my pack...a young hiker from NJ, "DUBS" stops in for a quick break & a privy run...then he is off again on his 35+mile day...WOW!These young hikers I've noticed are not carrying tents...not even a tarptent(very lightweight)...counting on the kindness of others to "MOVE OVER" when they get to a shelter...They hike from shelter to shelter & hope that hikers will be nice enuff to let them "squeeze in".I've been thinking abt taking a "ZERO DAY" (a day off the trail with NO HIKING MILES) to let my blisters start the healing process & to just simply DRY out for a day.I called Donna Faye (aka: "D-bird") & she is OVERNIGHT shipping my Vasque Sundowner boots to me...then I'll be shipping home my "trail-runners" (Vasque Velocity)...they're killing me....they seem to work great on the trail when it is DRY....but, its been RAINing for almost a week now...(between the wet socks/shoes & the rocks the BLISTERS abound!)We have a couple phone calls into some B&Bs in Boiling Springs,PA that are rumored to be "hiker friendly"...we might stay @ one of those tomorrow night.(as I wait on my boots)"Model-T" plans to leave the trail Saturday as we hike into Boiling Springs & will be heading South to Damascus, VA & TRAIL DAYS 2009 (an annual gathering of hikers to Celebrate the Trail & hiking,etc)to sell some of his books: "Walkin' On The Happy Side of Misery" & "Walkin' with Ghost Whisperers"You can check them out on his website: www.ModelT.netIt's 4:30pm now...I'm gonna cook some 4 Cheese mashed potatoes & mix with Smoked Tuna.Lots of Scouts & their Leaders (abt 30)show up as we begin to cook supper...they decide to tent just up the hill from the shelter."Mountain City" & "Morning Sun" arrive abt 5:30pm...Good to see them again.I'm tired!                              10.9 miles today