Date: 2015-06-06
From: Duncannon, pa

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 70.9
Weather: clear sky

My miles were not added daily so I updated by putting in the miles I've went altogether so far and should total 194.4.Got some rest at Matts house and he dropped the crew off at the trailhead early in the morning. I stayed behind and went to church with Matts friends. I was extremely glad I did that because we went to Capital Area Christian Church and it was awesome! I got on the trail again around 1:30 and made it to the shelter around 6:30. The climb up was really rough but the views were amazing. I sat and ate a snack on a big rock at the top. I thought I might be hallucinating when I saw an Amish family at the top. Still wondering. Lol. A big storm was coming so we got in the shelter and hung the hammock inside because it was a huge shelter. Woke up to hear all the chattering about an even bigger storm and hurried to get hiking. Made it around 6.9 miles and the sun was still shining beautifully. Tales of the big storm were still coming so we called our trail angel Matt to help us out. We met a great kid named Ryan fishing at the stream where we were waiting and he took us to the nearest town which was Tower City. We ate a HUGE lunch at DWs Subs and waited for Matt. as soon as he arrived the storm was brewing and we made it home in time before the brunt of it hit. There were tales of funnel clouds so we were glad to not be hiking during that time. Stayed with Matt again and he dropped us off early again the next morning at the trail. We slack packed 17.9 miles into Lickdale to the KOA. We were dead on our feet and Phil was making me laugh so hard because he was so tired. He said to leave him in the road so a truck could just finish him off! Next morning we slept in til 6 and just relaxed until around 11 at the KOA. I sat on the porch there and chatted with a group of older men that sit there everyday and talk. I could have sat there all day and listened to them. A man named Hawk took us to the trailhead and dropped us off. I got a day ahead of the crew and we all ended up meeting in Port Clinton. At the 501 shelter without the crew and hung out with some really nice hikers-Rush,Sugar Magnolia and her dog Sullivan. I hated the hike the next day which was a 15 miler and ended up eating my share of bugs and gnats! The air was heavy and muggy and my blisters were on fire and I felt like a falling star rather than Starshine. The next shelter was a Eagles Nest and I slept in the shelter due to more impending storms. I hiked 15 miles by 2 pm and was too done to go on any further. Hung out with Monk, Pete, Danger Ranger, and Sweet a Feet and Frodo T Baggins. Great night watching them eat for what seemed like 2 hours and listening to guy talk. Made me miss my own boys. Got up at 5:30, left by 6 and got 9 miles to Port Clinton by 10 am. I ran 2 miles of it because I had learned that David was going to meet up with me at the bottom. He ended up hiking up and meeting me about half a mile from the bottom. It was like seeing a cool drink of water in the desert! I was so excited and almost missed my friend Missy hiding behind a tree taking pictures! I screamed when I realized that the whole group was there! I was swept away for some rest to the Cracker Barrel and a comfy house in Adamstown where Missy had all kinds of girls spa items waiting for me so I could finally smell good. I've spent the last day and a half enjoying Friends and trying to give my hobbit-like feet a chance to heal a bit. I'm a blessed girl for sure.