Date: 2004-07-05
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: Port Clinton Pavilion
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Got up early this morning to head into Shartlesville for a Western Union pick-up. The road into Shartlesville was just a dirt road, I could sit at the intersection for days or maybe even weeks and not see anyone but trail-hikers, so I opted for moving on to Port Clinton and back-tracking to get there.The downhill into Port Clinton was scary steep, and of course, rocky. The trail headed straight into town until it was road-walking again (alot of that PA). A few blocks off of the official path is the town pavilion, where they allow hikers to spend the night.I got to the pavilion, where I met former thru-hiker and one of the founding members of Billville (that's another story) Bag O Tricks, calling himself a "trail angel". He did not prove to be much of a trail angel. I mentioned to him and someone else that I needed a ride into Shartlesville, even asked if they were heading that direction, and neither of them picked up the hint. Later, Hawk and his wife were around, and had bought diet cokes for everyone, and this guy has the nerve to gripe about that, because most hikers would want regular cokes. Yet I never saw Bag buying anybody cokes. The only thing I saw him do for anybody was give me the crumbs from his bag of chips. Whooppee. I would not have had a problem with any of this if he had not introduced himself as a "trail angel" right off the bat. Trail Angels are special people and to even call yourself one is a little bit arrogant. True trail angels don't even think of themselves that way.However, a little bit later, I was fortunate enough to meet a TRUE trail angel. He picked me up off the highway going out of town. It was fortunate I was carrying my pack, for he let me know he would not have picked me up if I did not have my pack on, thus confirming traditional trail wisdom that carrying your pack improves your hitch-hiking chances. I told him I was a thru-hiker and he was really interested and we got to talking.We found the Western Union, but I discovered I could not find my I.D. I was thoroughly dejected. So we turned around and headed back. Initially, I told my trail angel to just drop me off on highway 16 so he could just go on about his way without going any more out of his way. Well, because he knew I was a thru-hiker, and was just fascinated with what I was doing, he volunteered to take me back to the pavilion to get my I.D., then to the Western Union to get my money, then BACK AGAIN to Port Clinton. Is this guy great or what?On the way back from the Western Union, there was a grocery store along the way, and I said he could drop me there and I would find a way back to Port Clinton after re-supplying. Well, this guy was so nice he volunteered to wait while I finished and take me back. This guy was awesome! So, into the store we go, and 20 minutes later, we're on our way. He took me back to the pavilion, and hangs out for another 15 or 20 minutes talking with me and some other guys. The whole time, he asked me lots of good questions, for he has done alot of hiking in the area.What could have been a dreadful day turned out smooth as silk. There was plenty of time left in the day and I could have gotten to the next shelter 6 miles down the trail, but I decided after all the stress I was going to take a break. So I went and relaxed in the Schuykill river for awhile. The river was shallow, and so I laid in it and placed my glasses on a rock. My relaxing day almost turned to disaster when, a few minutes later, I knocked them off the rock reaching for them. I could not see them anywhere and I was very worried they washed away downstream. By dumb luck I found them again, feeling in the river. Disaster averted.Later that day I got a ride to Cabela's, a big chain store hunting outfitter that I heard had good meat dishes. This place is so big they have a small cafeteria-style restaurant on the second floor. So, I went and got the elk stroganoff, which was good. I wandered around, looking at the stuffed animal displays, and then got a ride home with the Cabela's shuttle, along with a young family doing about a hundred miles of the trail. Magic Rat and Tofutti were a nice married couple that looked to be about my age, and their toddler who was along for the ride was a little girl trail-named Beep-Beep. Beep-Beep was the sweetest, happiest little baby and just adorable. I held her on my lap for the return ride home and got to be friends with Magic Rat and Tofutti. Overall, this was a very good day.