Date: 2018-06-05
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: light rain

First, thank you all so much for the heartfelt messages you have sent our way. The ongoing words of encouragement and kind deeds coming from friends and strangers alike are part of what make this journey indescribably special. You bring WW and I peace. Another place I find peace is walking in the woods. Ironically, WW delivered me to my place of refuge this morning, returning me to Pine Grove Furnace SP. It was a beautiful morning, with sunshine, cooler temperatures and a nice little breeze. I actually considered putting on my glove liners for a second, then thought I would rather just enjoy the cool air on my hands and goose bumps on my arms.The hike out of Pine Grove Furnace was literally a stroll in the park. The paved path passed by picnic areas and Fuller Lake with a public beach. It then crossed a bridge and the now gravel path meandered along a swift running creek for about a 1/2 mile. WW and I used to bring our kids and the youth from our church to do day hikes in this same area. I would draw lessons of God¢s wonder and grace from His creation that was so alive in this area. Today, I listened to what He had to say to me through nature. Peace, be still. The stillness was broken by the cackle of a Red-cockaded Woodpecker. The interesting creatures have teased me lately, but never sat still in one place long enough for me to get a good look. But this morning was different. One of the black and white fellows with the bright red head flew ahead of me several times before perching low on a dead tree just inside the wood line. I stood quietly behind a patch of bushes and watched as he bobbed his head from one side to the other and let out a much lower cackle. I was even able to get a picture (albeit fuzzy). The trail took a turn into the woods and worked its way casually back up atop South Mountain. The elevation changes and terrain remained gentle for the first 8 miles of the hike. The peace was again broken when the trail crossed over PA34. The bridge on the road here was under active construction and one lane of traffic was stopped. There was even an orange Appalachian Trail detour sign and a crosswalk signal for hikers. I caught up to Doc and Chief here as they waited to cross the road. I would end up hiking with the two of them all the way into Boiling Springs. Doc and Chief are from Ohio, where their friendship preceded the hike. They are excellent young men who I really enjoyed hiking with and getting to know a little better. A couple of miles into our hike together we all stopped for lunch. Of course, I worked in a little stretching too. The 7 miles after lunch presented a mini-roller coaster, with five moderate climbs and dips. It was the fun kind of roller coaster, where the climbs were steep, but not stupidly so; you worked up a sweat, but did not become a heat casualty. You hopped over and around big rocks, but they were dry and without jagged edges. You got a good workout, but it didn¢t continue on for three hours after you had reached muscle fatigue. After the first climb we entered into a maze of giant boulders, weaving in, out and over the behemoths scattered along the ridge. The final climb led us up Center Point Knob, where a plaque on a rock signified the original AT mid-point (as the trail has grown longer in distance, the mid-point has moved further south). I remembered doing a few trail runs out of Boiling Springs and up to this point several times during my year at the Army War College. I also remembered the time WW and I hiked up here in about 10 inches of snow. All good memories.After hiking down for about a mile, the trail entered open pastures (corn and hay fields). The hay had been freshly cut on one side of the trail, but the grass stood waist deep on the other. We crossed a road and somehow missed a poorly marked left turn through the next field. This added at least an extra 1/2 mile to our hike. We reentered the woods for a second before hitting some small roads and crossing a few trout streams as the trail brought us through the backdoor into Boiling Springs. The hike ended much like it started. This time the soft gravel path led us past a large swimming pool, a lake, and to the ATC Mid-Atlantic Regional Office. WW met us on the trail with a Dr. Pepper for Doc and Sweet Tea for Chief. I had casually asked them what their favorite drink was during our hike and texted WW the intel. I must say, she is the cutest Trail Angel I have met. She also brought me a can of Mountain Dew, but I handed it over to Mr. Bean who was also just arriving at the ATC building. We offered to take the three hungry hikers to Anali¢s Italian restaurant, where we all ordered our own massive Stromboli. A storm moved in as we ate our food and shared trail stories. After dinner, we gave the three hikers a ride to a local hostel, exchanged contact information, and moved on to a hotel WW snagged in Carlisle. I am happy to report that the A.T. in Pennsylvania brought me peace today. I am also thankful that I get to spend a little more time with my Sheesh (aka WW) before she heads home.Peace & BlessingsNext StepElevation Data:Ascent - 2,980Descent - 3,290Grade - 6.2Weather:Day - 72 / Mostly SunnyNight - 54 / ThunderstormsOver The Horizon: Duncannon, PA