Date: 2021-05-14
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Stealth Campsite
Miles today: 21.31
Weather: clear sky

The Trouts encouraged me to set up my hammock near their tents last night, i forewarned them that reliable witnesses have informed me I snore and I could move further away. Trail veterans that they are, they said it wouldn¢t bother them. I did ask what time they planned that be up so as not to disturb them so 5:45 was my wake up alarm. The privy at the shelter was interesting. Many of the newer ones on the trail are composting privies that use the open air and microbes to break down...material. This privy was open on one side and whatever you choose to put down the chute can be seen by anyone strange enough to want a look. Though I do suppose if you were hiking with your Gastroenterologist, she could make a quick diag of any issues your issuances might have. Any who...I said my good mornings to all the breakfast nerds and walked out to the trail at 6:20, knowing we had a few climbs today and a lot of Pennsylvania¢s finest rocks ahead. What I didn¢t expect (because I didn¢t look ahead) were two great views. The first was Preacher Rock that I reached around 7. The rolling farmland looks so inviting from up on high.  Right behind Preacher Rock were 3 small observatories, I¢m not sure if they are still in use or if they are obsolete. There were a few amateur astronomers camped out who had been star gazing with their own equipment overnight. Next up was Pinnacle Rock which was the real show stopper (pic above). Just as I got to the overlook Tall Son caught up to me, followed shortly by the rest of the crew: Not Yet, Roo, Wicked and Viking Man (SKOL!!¢ They had a Nero planned and were getting picked up by a relative of Viking Man - who apparently is one of those people who has relatives spaced 6 days apart through most of the Eastern US. I would say ¢have a great afternoon off, thanks for letting me tag along, and see you up the trail¢ about 3 miles further ahead at a road crossing. It was enjoyable listening to their banter and hearing their perspective on having less than 900 to go. I¢m sure they¢ll pass me once again on the trail in the days ahead. I also saw Maps at the road crossing (thanks for following my journal!) as he was now hiking southbound back to his car to complete his section hike. Near there was Soundscape, yet another flip flopper who started his hike in Harpers Ferry on April 22. I chatted with him for a bit just up the trail, he had just received a call that a close colleague of his had passed away unexpectedly at the age of 53. Just awful. Life is short, off times shorter than we know. After that it was rocks rocks rocks rocks rocks and then some rocks. Pennsylvania is persistent in that way - and it REALLY gets rocky starting tomorrow, or so I am told. If I was being recorded when rock hopping through a boulder field, it¢d sound like this;*tuneless, nervous whistling*Oop!Hi-yah!OuchNO!!!Hagrunich!Careful!Garn!AAAHHH!Whoa!Don¢t you move!*mild to severe curse*Humph GnurtPhew!And then on to the next boulder. I will say this, it does tend to help you focus in the moment, you (okay, I) really can¢t think more than one step ahead. And then here comes Megn (real name, no trail name 1209 miles in) a hiker who started in Georgia March 8th and is already here, stepping by me like a mountain goat. Oh, and no trekking poles. Show off. Late in the afternoon I made the difficult decision to grab some Buffalo wings from a restaurant just a stone¢s throw from the trail. Just behind me the Trout Train arrived and they kindly asked if I¢d like to sit with them (we were all outside - hikers be gamey), so I gratefully accepted and didn¢t dine alone. At 6 I limped away from the table to hike another mile to the stealth site where I am camped. Harry¢s big toe looks like a scene from a cartoon when someone hits their thumb with a hammer and it immediately swells and pulses red or purple. But, it didn¢t get worse today! So there¢s that!I plan on getting out early on the morrow to make some slow miles and hopefully cover the 50 miles to Delaware Gap, Pa by Monday. Be nice to each other and have a great weekend!