Date: 2004-07-02
From: Tumbling Run Shelters

To: Rite Spot Motel - Fayetteville, PA
Miles today: 10.0

Last night 2 a.m.: heard thunder and lightning while gazing at the moon and the stars. So where were the clouds and the rain? Very odd. We tenters got up long enough to put the tentflies on to protect us from the ensuing storm but nothing materialized. Froggie Pete rousted everyone out at 5:30 by banging his cooking pot and lid. I don't think he heard me say last night that we needn't leave quite so early with only 10 miles planned today! Consequently, we were back to hiking business by 7:30. The initial 30 feet presented us with a major climb but the terrain settled down and gave us a great hike the rest of the day. About 11:00 we paused for lunch at the signpost to Rocky Mountain Shelters. Section hiker Hank joined us. It's great fun making acquaintance with hikers we haven't yet met. Using Blue's cellphone we phoned the motel from 3.5 miles out to arrange a shuttle pickup. Hank was hoping to stay in Fayetteville for the night and Blue was undecided.Post-lunch I led the pack north and put some distance between us quite unintentionally. Coming upon a huge boulder field I shinnied on up following the white blazes which I noticed were a bit faded. However, knowing how the AT planners love taking us up to viewpoints and vistas I kept right on trucking following a well-trodden path. Within a few minutes I began doubting my route so I sat down to wait for the entourage behind me. I had another snack and waited ... and watched ... and waited ... and watched ... and waited some more. Leaving my pack, I bounded ahead and still was seeing white blazes. Then I turned back, again sans pack, and retraced my steps. Guess what I found: a turn of the path downward, before the boulder climb! Argh! Back to my pack. Back to the turn, only now I'm so discombobulated I don't know which way to go. I carried a compass over 1000 miles never needing it. But I used it today! At noon, the sun's position in the sky was of no assistance whatsoever. Still only 80% sure of myself, I started running. Either I'd end up back at the shelter signpost, necessitating a couple mile retrace or I'd catch them. Everything looks the same in the woods whether traveling northward or southward. There were no major landmarks. I was only slightly panicky and then only because we had scheduled a shuttle pick-up. I was one relieved Swan to hear traffic, signaling a crossing of Highway 30 leading to Caledonia State Park. I found it interesting how I could run with a full pack feeling no pain and no weight. Perhaps I should run to Maine.How they all managed to scoot past me when I was at a perfect perch with a vantage point looking directly down onto the trail, I'll never know. They were concerned, I was giddy, and our ride was late. All's well that ends well. An ice cream treat, a foot soak in the creek in the park, a check-in at the motel (Blue came on in with us.....yippee!), dinner at the local Flamingo Restaurant, and now laundry, and our day is over.The owner of the Rite Spot took us into town for a resupply. I had phoned all over and found only one locale which carried my Pentax Optio camera. I had hoped they'd be able to do an on-the-spot repair but such was not my good fortune. I now own a Pentax Optio S4i, am a few hundred dollars poorer, but am very relieved to have an operating camera so quickly. Tomorrow we cross the halfway milepost; it must be recorded photographically. The only photos I really missed were the "Mason - Dixon Line" sign and the "Welcome To Pennsylvania" sign. Blue and Ursa Minor took photos so I'll simply get copies from them.Thank you Hank and Froggie Pete for your company this evening but now it's late and we've a long day planned for the morrow. Day 90 ended.