Date: 2004-07-27
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: Willialm Penn Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: mist

Trail Day 27 - A miserable rainy day.        I hiked in the rain all day. It stopped only briefly, giving me a little time to pour the water out of my boots. I passed World Bridger, Havin' Fun and their dog Casey on the other side of Second Mt. I had tracked them in the mud yesterday all day and expected to see them soon. I knew it was their footprints I saw because they had signed several shelter registers recently and their dog is so small. I knew I would pass them because they go slow. The last time I saw them was long ago when I stayed at Wildwood Campground just across the James River in Virginia. Seeing them reminded me of that very enjoyable night when I camped by a frog orchestra in a pond.I crossed the Swatara Creek on the Waterville Iron Bridge, which is 150 years old. This led to a gravel road that went under I-81. There I talked briefly to a construction worker who was curious about my hike. I told him I would be one of the ones to finish. He said "that's good to hear." I think that affirming my thruhike to others, even though I am not confident, is a good way to bolster my resolve. I labored up a steep dirt road that was marked by a sign as a detour for the AT. The trail cut off the road to climb a hill where I was attacked by horseflies on my arms and legs. They continued to land and bite all the way to the top, even though it was raining. They are large and slow, so when I feel one biting I can always slap it. I killed at least ten of them, but they were very annoying. I could feel them flicking my calves repeatedly as I walked. On top the vegetation was thick and the trail badly needed maintenance. There were few white blazes painted on the trees. Those I could see were old and faded. I was not sure whether I was on the current AT or on a prior route that had been relocated. There were no signs or landmarks to indicate where I was. I saw no footprints in the path, but they may have been washed away by rain. Since I did not know where I was, I had no choice but to keep on following that trail to a road or some other recognizable place. I suddenly came on a sign pointing to the William Penn Shelter. It was the right AT after all, but just a poorly maintained section.The shelter was a newer, 2-story version. Nobody was there. Little Feet, Sharon, World Bridger, Havin' Fun, and Casey came in later. It continued raining all day and into the night. It was one of my most miserable days on the trail what with the horseflies, puddles in my boots, thick wet weeds and brambles to fight, and uncertainty about the location of the trail. My new boots are Goretex, good at keeping water out but even better at keeping water in that runs down your socks. I found out the hard way that you must wear gaiters with Goretex boots. My wife mailed my gaiters from home but I would not get them until Port Clinton.Late that night we made room for four hikers in the shelter who had hiked a 30-mile day. They were so tired that the next day they only hiked 4 miles. When they came in they remarked that they would never do that again. I would see them again in Port Clinton.