Date: 2007-07-01
From: creek by Rausch Gap, Pa

To: 501 Shelter, Pa
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We all slept in a little, around 7 am. We soon were on our way around 9am. We had the fire going and talked some with "NumbToes" brother before we got going. There were a few more rocks today. It makes the going really slow because you basically have to make a decision whether to "rock hop" or step around them. I like rock hopping and used to do alot of it in the Wichita Mtns in Southwestern Oklahoma; but, that was when I was 20 and in the military and you know! There were spots where the trail was totally rock free and when I would see a stretch like this; I literally would run to make up the time. It was fun! These flat spots were usually near roads where there used to be roads where the trail is located now. At Pa 72/Swatara Gap I saw "Red" and Carl. It seems that Carl had some serious blisters and was going to go into town for a hotel. Shadow and NumbToe showed up as well. There is a steel foot bridge here and a nice place to eat lunch. I did not have much water; so, I ate a snack and headed out when I saw "Red" head up the mountain. I caught her half way up and passed her. Then she passed me. Then I stopped and sat down with her in a boulder field and looked at her map with the trail profile. I confidently said that we were about a mile and 1/2 from the shelter and took off. I was being extra careful through these sunny boulder fields because yesterday I was going down to Clark's Valley when I hit one of these fields and saw a note. It said "snakes"! I saw a sign a few days ago that said "Bees" which I basically ignored. But I could not ignore that familiar, startling sound of the rattle of a rattlesnake. Ive learned to always try to stay in control and be ready for anything and not get startled. Getting scared and panicking is what gets you in trouble. In my 2005 summer hike of the GSMNP's Lakeshore trail. I was walking along; singing a song; "doo-dull-EE-do"; When I came to this massive blow down(trees that have blown down and cover the trail). As I was looking for a way across and rambling through the limbs; I see a giant spider in a giant web; and right in the middle of my thought(man I would hate to run into that web and get bit by that thing); I heard a rattle and was totally surprised! I usually stay alert; but, I was dealing with one threat(the spider) and was not even ready for that loud rattle. It startled me so much; I slipped and fell down hard into the blow down with this rattler going crazy with its rattle very near to me(within 10 feet). I thought I was going to get bit and I was 20 miles from anything or anyone. I was trapped in the limbs and it took me, what seemed like 5 minutes to get up. I never saw the rattler; but, I did put a sign up to warn others. OK, back to the present. I heard the rattle in one direction; but, could not see where it was. Where in the "Sam Hill" do I walk. Then I looked up to my left and saw 4 rattlers outr sunning; but, not rattling. It was three darker, smaller rattlers and one big yellow mother rattler. She had her little snake harem. I still could not see where to go. I took one baby step; then another; feeling with my hiking poles. Finally I saw two smaller darker snakes coiled up; rattling; and hoping to strike something. We had a saying at the Boys Camp regarding snakes on a trail: the first one steps over the snake; the second one kicks it; and the third person gets bit! These snakes had been stirred up by at least 10 other hikers and were "P.Oed"! I made my way off of the field after some pictures and thanked the lord for the note. All of us hiking were thankful that we were not running through here and ran "smack dab" in the middle of them! I left "Red" again and went what I thought was a mile and 1/2 and then 2. I was wrong with my "guesstimation". It ended up being about 4 miles from where I smugly told Red it was 1.5 miles. In all from the metal bridge; it was 8.5 miles to water! I was thirsty; but, happy it was a nice cool day. I did get to the William Penn shelter and went and patiently got water. I then hit a rock free area and turned it on the the 501 shelter. Ahhh, soft dirt, instead of rocks. There was a nice rock view before the shelter. I got to the shelter and was surprised by how nice this totally enclosed shelter with sky light is. There is a solar shower here as well. There were also Thru hikers, "Silver Cloud, Touch my stuff, Lynx". There was also section hikers: "Rhode Island Red, and a family group from the Delaware Water Gap area: Monkey, Zephyr, and two others. I went and took a very cold shower. It was around 65 degrees with a 15 mph wind. You know that in all my hiking days; I have had only one hot solar shower and that was at The Wood's Hole Hostel in Va. Anyway, the shower was worth it! There were several females around and I wanted to be presentable. The water spigot was right on the shower wall; so, some ladies got an indelible memory of "Zero" naked. I should have given them my camera. When I went back into the shelter; everyone said that I was a brave man taking a shower in this cool weather. I stuck my chest out and said, "Ah, it's nothin'. I started January 14th at Springer"! And before I could sit down; the family of four offered me a piece of pizza that they had delivered from Bethel, PA. Eventually, I ate about a whole pizza with good conversation. Just as I was getting to sleep; in came Shadow and NumbToe. Shadow was inebriated. Evidently, they had accepted an offer to go to a local "PennsylTuckians" "cabin". He said that people like to make fun of us in the south for living in trailer parks, etc; but, he said this place was the worst that he had ever seen with a 5 gallon bucket as the toilet. He said Numbtoe said get me out of here now! They got a ride back to the trail and he was instructed to never do this to her again. We went to sleep after this exciting story.