Date: 2018-05-10
From: Boiling Springs

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: scattered clouds

It¢s easy to love everything about the Trail when the weather is perfect, the treadway is gentle, there are scenic views and interesting people. The 14.3 miles from Boiling Springs to Darlington Shelter fell short of the ideal. Dinner last night at the Rustic Tavern in Carlisle was quite good. Debbie got to visit with her friends. Willow, Sam, and I got our fill of food, starting with the fresh-from-the-oven yeast rolls. I restrained myself and only ate two. Willow downed three. Sam upheld his hiker cred by inhaling five, but he noted that he buttered only the first four. We each had a crab cake sandwich. The crab cake was the size of a baseball and slid down oh so well, especially with the help of beer. I had a Yuengling Lager, brewed in Pottsville, PA. Yuengling is America¢s oldest continually operating brewery, since 1829. I usually prefer a Vermont IPA, but here in Pennsylvania, Yuengling satisfies me. I look forward to their Lord Chesterfield Ale at the Doyle in Duncannon tomorrow. After a Red Roof Inn breakfast of a bagel and cream cheese, yogurt, and orange juice, Debbie¢s wonderful man Rick shuttled us back to Boiling Springs. First Debbie tried giving me a small stuffed raccoon to carry in her honor. Since it was neither edible nor essential, I asked her to hold it until we visit in August. We started hiking sometime after 8. Sam and I moved out ahead of Willow and did 10 miles to Scott Farm, a trail maintenance facility for the Mid-Atlantic Region, in about three hours. It started raining about 9:00, but it was just warm enough that wearing just my running shorts and wicking t-shirt felt good. These 10 miles are nearly level, walking up the Cumberland Valley in a very narrow right of way. The trees and shrubs have grown up significantly since my last visit, but it¢s still impossible to ignore the businesses and residences just outside the trail corridor. After a break at Scott Farm, the trail followed a stream gently uphill and then steeply for a mile to Darlington Shelter. The trail was in excellent condition, with lots of new helical pier boardwalk since my last visit here. At one trailhead, I saw a large red SUV with the door open and a man in an ATC hat in the driver¢s seat. I had to walk by, so I asked if he were a maintainer. ¢No,¢ he said, ¢I¢m a trail angel!¢ I saw no food anywhere, and my hopes were dashed when he said he was waiting for a hiker who was slack packing. On the final rise to the shelter, I met a day hiker with a pronounced belly carrying a 40-pound pack ¢for training.¢ His trail name is Thunder Belly and he was great fun to visit with. There¢s a chance of a severe thunderstorm by 5:00, so I¢m delaying setting up my tent until it passes. Aside from Sam and Willow, Day Maker and Kidska have come in. There¢s also a couple of section hikers from Kalamazoo, Michigan busily napping in the shelter. Kidska informs us that after we had left Scott Farm, a Culligan Man came and announced that the water there has E-coli contamination. I drank several cups and carried out three more. I¢ll use that water for cooking. I¢m sure I¢ve imbibed worse. The spring here is a trickle, so we all loaded up at a stream about a mile before we came up here. Even with the rain and the E-coli, it¢s been a good day, my first 14-miler. I met at least one interesting person, Thunder Belly, and now I¢m surrounded by friends. The rain feels like it will start any minute!