Date: 2010-06-19
From: PA225

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: few clouds

Exhausted this morning. Feet sore from last nights fiasco. Just thought there would be a flat spot to camp like usual. Every state is different! Found out last night that the Ye Old Backpacker is closed. My new journal and food was already sent there.Met Frank at the Table Rock vista and he talked my ears off. He¢s a trail maintainer so I made sure to thank him for his efforts. Told him how grateful I was for all his work on the section that I came through in the dark. Without all the removed blow-downs I would have had to of slept on the trail itself last night. The trail was rocky, but the condition of it was very well maintained. Freshly cleared blow-downs and clipped weeds.Stopped at Peters Mtn. Shelter. Boy Scouts there. They warned me of the 300+ stair climb to get water. Such an impressive amount of labor went into that watering hole. The PA maintainers here are GODS! Wish we had their help back in NC. Got back to the shelter and Frank was there again. We chatted and he gave me bacon and a banana! See kids, it pays to take time to talk to your elders! I repaid him by trying to convince him to try a thru-hike. Really nice guy and I enjoyed talking to him, but he made me LATE for my shelter run.Wish I could be more positive about my hike today. Worn out. Feet hurt! Rocks. Rocks. Rocks, and rocks! Stopped at PA325 to write, break and try to take a nap in the hot afternoon. No wind. No clouds. Humid. Wished for a thunderstorm and more butt chaffing. Anything, but this heat. Flies horrible. Biting me at every stop, every resting moment. Met Rocket and Skip! They made a wrong turn right in front of me and I didn¢t even notice to tell them any different. Tried napping but a father and son kept arguing and yelling so I had to leave in the blazing hot afternoon sun. PA must have longer rulers than any other state. Miles clock by slowly. Met a day hiker couple that was lost and I helped them get their bearings again. A helicopter keeps flying the exact same pattern nearby. This crazy bird that makes random, pattern-less chirps was everywhere. It sounds like a bird trying to read Korean. It¢s jerky and like two syllables at a time. While taking another break, some nearby military base was practice firing an automatic machine gun. Every second. Poppapoppop! Sat down at the Horse-shoe trail and ate all of Lish¢s cookies and the Almond Butter. Low energy. Glad I¢ve practiced this sort of mental challenge many times back at home. How I¢d distract myself from it. How I¢d keep moving despite the tormenting thoughts and feelings. Getting my discipline down to a habit. Sometimes it¢s like my feet move by themselves. Involuntarily. Compelled by something other than my muscles and brain. Lots and lots of chipmunks!Absolutely dragged myself to Rausch Gap shelter. Hardest day yet. I know, it¢s mostly flat, but damn it was hot. Camped far away from anyone to assure a peaceful nights rest. Made turkey and couscous. Thought Lish sent veggie broth mix, but it was instant milk. Added it to the turkey and couscous by mistake. Turned out better than anticipated. Belly full of food from people who care about me! Fell asleep before dark. Staring up at the tent ceiling, thankful that the bugs can¢t get me here! Thought about taking the good with the bad. Bad days will come, but the vast majority are good days. Everyday has something good about it if you keep perspective. Good days ahead! Buenas noches!