Date: 2003-07-08
From: Doyle Hotel, Duncannon PA

To: Campsite 1.0 miles S of PA 325
Miles today: 17.5

"What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."--Jane AustenAfter another night of wrestling with the Doyle¢s best mattress, we packed up and descended to the bar for breakfast. We split a ¢hiker¢s special¢ breakfast¢two eggs, two pancakes, two sausage links, toast, fried potatoes and coffee. While we were sitting in the Doyle¢s dingy bar eating and talking about what a dive the place is, I glanced up and saw, hanging over the bar¢s mirror, in beautiful calligraphy, a sign that read ¢Hotel Doyle Gift Certificates Available.¢   I about fell off my chair giggling, and still laugh whenever I think of it. I can just imagine who we¢d feel strongly enough about that we¢d want to treat them to a weekend at the Doyle!After breakfast we hiked down to the post office to mail our bounce box to Brandi, and our tent and sleeping bags to Jack and Shelley. We¢d decided to try our hammocks on this stretch of the trail, but we wanted our tent close by in case we change our minds.It was nine by the time we left the post office. The walk out of Duncannon took us through the center of town and across the Juniata and Susquehanna rivers. By the time we hit the climb up Peters Mountain, it was already hot and very muggy. I¢d heard on the radio that, with the humidity factored in, the temperatures today would be the equivalent of 115 degrees.   I was dreading the steep climb with full packs, four days food and lots of water. My pack was heavier than ever. Duane had carried the entire tent, but now we each carried our own hammock, adding about a pound to my pack.I was preoccupied all morning, worrying about my mother and feeling guilty about being gone when she needs me at home. My brother had reassured me that I need not worry, but I just couldn¢t get it off my mind¢other than when I was feeling sorry for myself about the heat and bugs! We had not a single breath of wind today to relieve the heat. The gnats were so bad that I actually inhaled two of the critters-yuk! A third gnat flew in my eye, and fifty of his friends were buzzing me continuously. What is it about my mucous membranes that the blasted gnats find so attractive???The mosquitoes were also ferocious today. We sweated off the Deet as fast as we could apply it. During a break I counted thirty seven mosquito bites on my arms and legs alone. Add to this picture the fact hat water was scarce and we hiked an hour rationing the last of our water, hopping the next source wouldn¢t be dry And the infamous Pennsylvania rocks started in earnest today¢up and over and around boulder fields that were¢seemingly-- randomly blazed.   The last hour of the day, we walked more rapidly than usual, hoping to find good water or make it to the next road--where we knew water could be found¢before dark. I was so focused on hurrying and worrying about our water situation that I wasn¢t as careful as I should have been while crossing the last boulder field. I knew I had a problem as soon as I wrenched my left foot. I¢d injured it back in Tennessee and it had bothered me off and on for four weeks thereafter. This time the pain was immediately worse, but I kept on until, half an hour later, we found water and decided to stop for the night. Poor Hoover was bewildered when I tearfully announced that I¢d HAD it, and I wanted off the trail. I told him I¢d hike to Delaware Water Gap, but that was it, that my foot hurt and I couldn¢t imagine hiking another 1400 miles on it.By the time I¢d tossed in my hammock for several hours, I knew that my hike was over. My foot throbbed with pain and I was pretty sure I couldn¢t hike far on it.   I was also horribly homesick, and the timing for getting off the trail now just seemed right. We were less than a mile from a major road, and I was confident that I could catch a hitch into Harrisburg where I could rent a car to get home. I didn¢t know whether Hoover would go home with me or not, I just knew that I needed to go, and I needed to go now rather than a week from now.