Date: 2018-08-20
From: Smith Gap Rd 

To: PA 191
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: broken clouds

My morning started with a chiropractor appointment. I really like this guy here. Wish I could put him in my back pocket for the rest of the hike.  It was chilly again this morning. When we arrived at our starting location, my tank top just wasn¢t enough.  Papa Big Swig gave me the shirt right off his back. I was grateful.  The terrain continues to be mostly rocks. My feet hate me again! However, I am so glad I bought new boots just before dealing with this Rocksylvania business! It was a good day for wildlife. I came out to a grassy clearing between two mountains and looked up to see two Golden Eagles! Wow! Who knew PA had eagles?!?I hiked on with a smile, right back into the woods and right back onto the rocks. They are so jagged and uneven. Sometimes I was knock kneed and others I was bow legged. A normal gait is impossible. Hugs and I chose to meet at a tentsite for lunch. I arrived first.  As I walked to the log that we would sit on, I noticed a rock with a blaze on it. I said to myself, ¢ why on earth would anybody carry that bowling ball sized rock to the tentsite?¢  I dropped my pack and grabbed my wipes. I started searching for an appropriate tree. As I passed the rock with the blaze I realized the blaze wasn¢t painted on the rock...it was a REAL blaze! A tree bark blaze! I can¢t believe it! Yesterday I found a fragile piece of tree bark blaze. It wasn¢t whole, but almost. I was going to take it home, but I accidentally bumped it with my Harry Potter stick causing it to fall and break. I can¢t believe a whole one was right there today! I can¢t wait to put it in a shadow box with my thru-hiker certificate.  After lunch we hiked down to Wind Gap. It was straight up from there. I think it was only 600ft but the steep grade made for some hard work.  I met a couple of SOBO¢s up there. First was 1K. He just graduated from college with a degree in botany. He does landscaping in Florida. He was a super nice young man! Right behind 1K came Blood Hound. He¢s the second Blood Hound I¢ve met this year.  I took the lead after we talked with our SOBO¢s. It¢s so rocky that I rarely get a chance to look into the forest, but I heard a rustling to my right and looked up. There was a mama deer with her baby. The baby still had white spots. I love that! Less than a mile further up the trail was another deer. I watched its little white tail jump into the ferns and hide behind trees.  I hiked on over the rocks. 16 miles of rocks really wears on your feet. At one point a sharp one stabbed me in the side of my foot and I literally moaned out loud. I¢ll be so glad to be done with PA tomorrow!  I met one more SOBO. His name is Colorado. Also a very nice guy. He let us know that New Jersey has its fair share of rocks too....UGH! With only a couple of miles to go, I had gotten pretty far ahead. A painted rock by a tree grabbed attention. I¢ve seen a few of these on the trail and usually hike past, but for some reason I decided to take a closer look this time. It was pink and blue and written on it were the words ¢Harry Potter¢.  This is just crazy! Yesterday I was calling my stick the Harry Potter wand. The universe is listening to me. I put that rock in my pocket.  It was a great day!  Until Next Time Blue Raccoon (2018)Where¢s your faith?