Date: 2011-06-14
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: broken clouds

We started off today out of Birch Run shelter. It was a nice place. Of course, we were the last ones out of camp. Everyone who left before us for the breakfast at the hostel that Chicken Wing told us that it wasn't worth going to, kinda sketchy. We were glad we didn't get up early to go get it. It was VERY COLD last night. My sleeping bag is rated 40 degrees and I was shivering under it. Well, I didn't get much sleep.   I waited until the last possible minute before Brandon fired up the stove to come out of the tent. I had the fuel for the stove so he couldn't cook without me. I figured he was getting hungry so I better get a move on. The hike from there to here, Pine Grove Furnace, was actually an easy hike. The only tough spot was a steep down hill of rock. My feet slide to the front of my boot and kill my toes. Most of the trail was very flat today. But those rocky descents kill. My blisters were pretty much healed, now I have a new one on my right foot - one of my little toes. Those little toe blisters I think are the worst. One of the thru hikers told me about a different kind of sock liner that helped him. I think I am going to look for them in Boiling Springs. Well, we stumbled into PGF and immediately ordered a cheeseburger, fry, and ice cream cone. We skipped lunch so we were famished. We decided that my body can't make it when we skip meals and only snack along the way. No more skipping. Many thru hikers do the half gallon challenge here. Half gallon because they have passed the halfway point between Springer and Katahdin. We watched a couple do it. Interesting. It was another cool day today. It is going to be cold again tonight. Hopefully, it won't be as bad as last night. We have met some very interesting people along our way. You'd be surprised that I actually talk to a lot of people out here. Me, socially awkward Jen, talking to complete strangers. I'm going to have to ponder why that is. Why am I able to talk to these people more freely than the people I see everyday? Eh, who knows. Maybe its because they haven't had the opportunity to shut me down yet. Maybe it has nothing to do with that at all. More pondering is in order. I get a shower in the morning. It will be the first one since Saturday morning. This washing off with a wet rag and water from my camelback is not the best, but it at least gets the first layer of grime off. I'd take it tonight except it is getting really cold and I don't want to sleep out here with wet hair. I would get sick quickly. One more month until my birthday. I'll be 38. I think we are going to be celebrating it on the trail. We don't ever get to celebrate each other's birthdays anymore. Something else is always more important. So it will be nice to have a little party, even if we are the only ones at the shelter. Maybe a twinky with a candle in it. That would be cool. Well, we have a short day tomorrow, only 8 miles. Hopefully it will be a bit warmer. I didn't bring anything with long sleeves. Tomorrow we are headed to Tag Run. Then our B&B for Thursday night if my feet can take the 12 mile day to get there. Looking forward to it. We are still loving it out here. Brandon loves chatting up everyone. He is loving meeting all of the people out here. Okay, good night people.