Date: 2018-06-08
From: Susquehanna River

To: Campsite Vic Horseshoe Trai
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: broken clouds

On the way back to the trail, I asked Dick to swing by Goodies for breakfast. Since he and Pauline have been picking up the tab at every meal, I told him I could at least treat him to breakfast. Goodies is located in downtown Duncannon across the street from the Doyle Hotel. The place was pretty empty at 0700 with the exception of a couple of hikers. One of them was Twofer, who I hadn¢t seen since Hot Springs. He was at the booth across from where Dick and I sat, so we were able to catch up a bit. While Twofer and I were gabbing, that rascal Dick made a beeline for the cash register to pay for the meal. As we were departing Goodies, Twofer ran up to Dick and thanked him for getting his meal too. Evidently the server tipped him off before we got out the door. Dick is truly a generous man and now, a certified trail angel. Dick drove through town, retracing my walk from yesterday, and arrived at the parking lot located on the far side of the Susquehanna River. He said a prayer for me and then we parted ways. His kindness will not soon be forgotten.I exited the parking lot, crossed a busy road, some railroad tracks and entered the woods at around 8:00. Every step of the A.T. we take from here to Maine will be new territory. The hike started with a a steep climb and I was thankful that the heat and humidity had not taken hold yet. My pack was filled with three days of provisions and hadn¢t felt this heavy since we started into the Shenandoah NP. The terrain became a little rocky towards the end of the climb, but it was manageable. The Clark¢s  Ferry Bridge Shelter is located at the top of climb. I stopped by the shelter to filter water and knock out my morning stretches.The trail continued along the ridge line for the next 12 miles. The terrain was mostly gentle and there were several views along the way. One of the vistas was called Table Rock. It was a perfect spot for lunch. The main course was a salami and Colby pepper jack  sandwich on a whole wheat thin round bread. For dessert, a Starcrunch.I passed by several day and section hikers during the hike. At one point, I caught up to Boy Scout Troop Leader who had fallen behind his group. The other 13 hikers from the same Troop were spread out over the next two miles. They were out for a 50 mile hike. That is quite an accomplishment youngsters. They all seemed in good spirits.The trail eventually descended to PA 325 and crossed Clark¢s Creek. Just before hitting the road I caught up to two NOBO thru hikers who had skipped forward from Pearisburg to the Cumberland Valley. They started on 29 March, so I guess they felt that they didn¢t have enough time to make Katahdin by October. Get ready for the couples trail names¢Mighty Mouse (her) and Which Way (him). Totally unacceptable! I had thought about camping alongside the creek, but I didn¢t want to deal with the bugs and dew. Plus, it was too close to the road, so I hiked another 3 miles, climbing 1,000 feet. There was a pretty cool tent site located just past the junction of the Horse-Shoe Trail. The site is not listed in the AWOL Guidebook. The thing that makes it a cool site is the stone chairs erected around the campfire. It offered a nice place to sit while I was eating and typing up the journal entry. There was also a little breeze blowing across the top which helped to keep the bugs down.As I was going through the post-hike routine, I really started missing Which Way (the real one). We usually set up the tent and cook together.  It is so much more fun hiking with her. Still, I am living the dream and will not be deterred.Peace & BlessingsNext StepElevation Data:Ascent - 3,700Descent - 2,490Grade - 6.1Weather:Day - 82 / SunnyNight - 62 / CloudyOver The Horizon: Port Clinton, PA