Date: 2007-04-29
From: Ironmasters House

To: Caledonia State Park
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Sunday, April 29, 2007Ironmasters House Pine Grove Furnace State Park to Caledonia State Park (Parking Lot #2 across from Oak Shelter) 19.2 milesI¢m worried about Sweet Sixteen¢s blisters but she pooh-poohs them. She¢s a tough lady. Even with the blisters, she¢s hiking about 2 12 mph. 7 or 8 years ago she ran a marathon.I¢m envious of Sweet Sixteen. Even as a young person, I could never have run a marathon. Start 6:50AM. We¢re going to split up today¢s hike. Set the Element at Shippensburg Rd, 8.5 miles. If that hike goes well, hike from Shippensburg to Caledonia.Today I feel like I¢m in shape. A fantastic feeling. Each year getting to this point takes longer and longer. This year it¢s taken me a whole month. I feel thinner but when I get on a scale, I¢m exactly the same weight as a month ago. Each year losing weight on the trail is harder and harder.Life¢s not fair.Deer in the yard at Ironmasters. Deer in the woods at the beginning of the section maintained by PATC.Did someone live here once? Flowering quince, forsythia.Stone fa§ade I remember from 2003. Window holes lighted from behind like a jack o¢lantern.Sign 16.7 to Caledonia.Hello to Blisterbutt from Jacksonville FL! I took 4 pictures of you, Blisterbutt, and none of them came out. Light was coming from the wrong direction. I may try to play with one to see if I can get it doctored up to do you justice. Blisterbutt section-hiked the entire AT and now he¢s doing it again, in the opposite direction! He¢ll resupply at the Pine Grove Furnace store which is open on weekends 10-6.At Toms Run twin shelters hello to 2 groups, a boy scout group and a family group. Breakfasting, enjoying the sunshine. A man with the family group telling me about a beautiful trail beside Long Pine Run Reservoir.Along the AT, cherry red acorn meat and spring azure butterflies. I try real hard to photo those butterflies. No luck. They flit too quickly and when they stop, they fold up their wings.Hello to a group of 3 young weekend hikers and 2 men with a dog also out for the weekend.Hear 4 gunshots off to my right as I¢m approaching Woodrow Rd. Turkey hunting I guess.I mistake Dead Woman Hollow Rd for Shippensburg and waste about half an hour there looking for the car. Try phoning the store to talk to Sweet Sixteen who must be there by now, but directory assistance is no help and the park office is closed due to its being Sunday. Hike on, come to Shippensburg Rd and the car and feel like an idiot. Oh well.Back at the store I have a yummy California burger which has tons of fresh lettuce and tomato on it. Sweet Sixteen¢s been waiting a while. Our plans to hike some of the next section to shorten tomorrow¢s hike are kaput, due to me wasting all that time looking for the car. We¢ll just do Shippensburg to Caledonia.She drops me at Shippensburg and takes the car to Caledonia. Start 1:15. Garter snake showing off his forked red and black tongue. Imagine moving the way a snake does without appendages. I think they are the coolest animals.Pass a man going towards Birch Run Shelter. No conversation. I¢m hurrying, I don¢t want to keep Sweet Sixteen waiting at Shippensburg.Hello to NOBO Boomer.Now in the stand of glistening scented baby white pines, I remember from 2003.2:40 Ridge Rd.2:50 Pass a family at Milesburn Cabin, they rented it out.Hello to NOBO¢s Guthook (started Feb 24) and Fedex.Hello to 3 weekend hikers at Means Hollow Rd and Ridge Rd, their ride pulling up as I cross the intersection.Hello to Sweet Sixteen!! ¢I have a proposition for you¢, she says. ¢Let¢s end our hike today, and return to the Ironmasters for a third night, relax and enjoy the place, get to talk with Donna. Tomorrow take our time driving to my son¢s house outside Philadelphia, enjoying the sights along the way.¢¢OK¢, I say. I¢d been thinking about going for a personal record, night-hiking Caledonia to Penn-Mar, but I like her idea better. :- )))¢Oh good¢, she says. ¢I thought I¢d have to convince you.¢Now the immaculate Quarry Gap Shelters, maintained by Innkeeper Jim. He¢s got every speck of dirt swept up, the floors painted with green enamel that at first glance I thought were plexiglass floors over green water, and hanging baskets of potted pansies. By the time I get to the shelter, Jim¢s gone so I miss the chance to talk and thank him personally.A beautiful place to end this beautiful 300+ mile spring section hike. Thank you, Jim. P.S. There¢s a maintainer on the Finger Lakes Trail, the area around Map 1, named Gene Cornelius, whose work is meticulous, just like yours. It would be great if you two could meet.Hello to 2 dayhikers heading into the shelter as I leave.Hello to a dad and a young daughter ascending from Caledonia.6:25PM out at the car.Beat Sweet Sixteen to Shippensburg Rd!!! Not that her having a 1000¢ ascent has anything to do with that. Thanks for the great hike, Sweet Sixteen.