Date: 2005-08-30
From: Bethel, PA

To: 501 Shelter, PA
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: light rain

23.8 miles todaySleeping in a bedHoney Boy and Dee's home.Bethel, Pa.I'm at 501 Shelter on the trail, but spending another night at Honey Boy and Dee's home. I woke up at 5:50am and started getting some stuff together for today's hike. I heard Honey Boy get up at 6, so I went down and had breakfast and coffee. He cut up some fruit and I had it on cerial. That was really good. I don't get breakfast like that until I get home and I almost never get home. He drove me to Port Clinton, but showed me how to get back to his house from the trail first. He only lives half a mile from the A.T. I started walking at 7:45. The first task was climbing 1000 feet to get up on the ridge. Most of today's walk was on that ridge with just a few small ups and downs. It started a lite rain right when I got started walking, but that didn't last too long. About a mile into my walk, I saw a doe that was bedded down and she just watched me walk by. Three miles after that, I saw a large buck, but his antlers had only two points. They were unique looking because they were about a foot long and both culed in at the top, but I couldn't see any other points. I kept walking and a hawk flew out of a tree as I got near. It was easy walking with not too many rocky areas, so I was making good time. I walked past Eagles Nest Shelter without stopping because it was .3 miles off the trail. I even brought my smiley face stickers for the registers today and didn't want to walk that far off trail. :-))) I saw a big, healthy looking doe watching me walking and when I got to within 30 yards of her, she and two spotted fawn fawns took off running. It started raining litely right at noon, but again didn't last too long. I ate my lunch while I was walking. It was just some snacks and a Milky Way bar. I got to the road crossing at Rt 183 and saw an older guy that was waiting on a resupply from a relative. His name was D Man and he's doing a section hike to Harpers Ferry, WV. I kept walking and when I got to Hertlein Campsite, there was another section hiker that was on his way to Harpers Ferry. His name was Diddy. I kept walking and the last 5 miles or so got pretty rocky. All I did on today's walk was walk. I didn't stop at all, other than talking to those 2 section hikers for a minute. I got to the trail that took me back to Honey Boy's home, but I kept going to the 501 Shelter. I had to use a smiley face sticker today!! It ended up being right at a mile to the shelter and no one was there, so I signed the register, used a couple extra smiley faces and walked the mile back to the side trail and another half mile to Honey Boy and Dee's home. Honey Boy had to go to town, so I got a shower and rode with him. We stopped by 501 Shelter and picked up Diddy who had walked in to the shelter, so he could get a few things at the store too. We dropped him off on the way back and we were right in time for dinner. Dee had made some Pennslvania Dutch sausages and baked some beans along with more fresh corn on the cob and a salad. It was really good and I ate alot. I finally stopped when I got full and Honey Boy said; "I hope you saved room for desert." I smiled and said that I always have room for desert. We had brownies and ice cream. We sat around and talked a while and by about 7:30, I excused myself because I was sleepy and went to my room. I hadn't got to sleep until about midnight the previous night and was up early this morning. It just caught up to me. They were both winding down too, so I think they were going to bed early also. I started writing my journal, but fell asleep. Thanks Honey Boy and Dee for another great day!!!