Date: 2004-06-30
From: Raush Gap Shelter

To: Hertlein Campsite
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It was a cool morning and I got out pretty early, around 7:20am, before Buick. The hiking was pretty nice. The trail had become a wide grassy path.The Smoker, part 2:About an hour or so into the day when I sensed someone behind me. It was the guy from last night with the cigarette. I was moving pretty well but he had caught up to me. He declined my offer to let him pass but he seemed to be a bit smug about it. We talked a bit. He was a rugged guy in his mid to late 20's I'd say. He had tattooed caves and arms. He had the look of an x-marine to me. That is if there is such a look, realizing that's a pretty generalized statement. My ego really wanted to out pace this guy. After all he was a smoker. Then again I was twice his age. Part of me suspected he was doing the same thing. So, I really hauled but hauling was not uncommon for me and it's not like it was painful either. There was the sense that he enjoyed pushing me. Of course that could have been imagined too.This may be when I learned his trail name. Let's call him Smoker. I had read journal entries of his in the past. Some I found rather insightful. Then there were other entries by hikers who had encountered him on the trail. Some of them were, should I say, less that pleased with him. In particular there was the entry by a woman at Pine Knob Shelter back on June 23. She expressed how grateful she was that he'd had a vasectomy and would not be passing on his genes. This type of criticism was not typical of journal entries for anyone.Maybe he stopped for water, a snack or to take a leak or maybe he just grew weary of the chase. At any rate after a while he was no longer visible behind me. Waterville Iron Bridge over Swatara Creek was coming up and I was tempted to go for a swim. The thought of this guy catching up dove me on.Shortly after crossing the creek which was pretty big the trail entered a highway construction zone as it crossed under Interstate 81 on a dirt road. There were construction workers, heavy equipment and big orange construction signs all around, the type seen on highways in construction zones. White blazes, however, were in short supply as in, there were none. I didn't pay any attention to the orange signs, it was all about white blazes for me. Orange signs are for vehicles, of course. As I began to ascend an old dirt road beyond the construction and there were still no white blazes the sense of having made a wrong turn crept in. Looking back I caught sight of Smoker turning up a dirt road leaving the construction site. He chuckled a bit and gave me a look that asked how I could have missed the signs. It seems the big orange construction signs said ¢Appalachian Trail¢. That left me feeling pretty foolish and laughing at myself. Now he was out in front. We were climbing and I was gaining on him. He caught up to some older folks and we both followed them at a slower pace to the ridge. He stopped with them to chat. I blew past and stopped about 6 miles later at William Penn Shelter for lunch part 1. It had been 13.3 miles. It was just after noon. Smoker showed up at the shelter and immediately lit a cigarette. I was speechless and more than a bit annoyed. Fortunately, lunch was just cheese and a bagel. I just tossed my pack on my back and left with cheese and bagel in hand. I was steamin'. What was up with this guy. How about a little respect for a fellow thru-hiker. This is the kind of thing that gets stuck in my head. What was the big deal. I had merely asked him not to smoke near me and now he was targeting me it seemed. Grrr.The haul continued. This guy was not going to catch me. There were only the briefest of stops to take pictures at outlooks. Hertlein Campsite was 23 miles into the day, yet it was only about 4pm. The next shelter would have made it a 33 mile day. Nah. I stopped at the campsite hoping my nemesis would stop at 501 shelter. After all 501 was more of a cabin. It was right off a paved road and you could get pizza there easily. Lots of thru-hikers pick 501 as a destination.When Buick finally showed up I asked where he had been all day. He said he'd gone for a swim at the old iron bridge and had a great day. I told him of my encounters with Smoker. Then Buick told me that he had actually been taking his time in hopes of not catching up to Smoker. He explained how disappointed Smoker had been when he stopped by Rausch Gap Shelter on his way out this morning only to learn Voyageur had just left. He said that he really hoped to blow smoke in my face. So he set out to catch me. Unbelievable!We laughed about how this guy had me running and Buick dawdling to avoid him. Buick confirmed that Smoker was planing to stay at 501. That made me feel better. He would be behind but there would still be a strong urge to get moving tomorrow.