Date: 2014-06-10
From: tent site

To: tent site
Miles today: 31.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I had two three days to get from duncannon to hamberg. Knowing this i wanted to get a good long day in today to make tomorrow shorter. I had a tent site at 28miles and one at 31miles, either one would make me happy. I started out by packing up everything soaking wet due to the rain. It was only sprinkling while packing but still not good. Everything that wasnt soaked was damp and i knew that it would be overcast all day so even if i got to a shelter things would not dry. Oh well, its part of the journey, ive been super lucky with the weather so far. Right from the start the trail was a drainage ditch. I tried to stay dry as long as i could but it was pointless. Feet were soaked to the point where they could not get more wet so i walked right up the river. As you know, i dont like wet feet, my feet dont like wet feet either. This too is part of the adventure but not my favoritest part. I made good time once i didnt care about where i was walking and soon got to my first water source. I needed some because i used all the yellow water i got the night before for dinner and breakfast. The trouble was that all the rain had this stream raging and muddy. Hmmmm, how bad do i need water and how far to the next stream, this would surely ruin my filter. I tried a couple different methods to try to get the least brown water, the best result came from getting it off to a slower area off to the side. It wasnt great but i needed some and the next opportunity was a long way away. I filtered a liter and cleaned my filter hoping the next water source would be better. The next would be about nine miles away and anothe rstream that was brown. Not the best. I put about a liter in my dirty water bag hoping i could find something better but i had it if i needed it. Thankfully i found a small stream not much later that was much cleaner. I dumped the brown and got some tan water. It was still drizzling so i made it to the I-81 underpass for lunch. It was noisey from all the traffic going over but it was dry and someone had put a couple log benches there, perfect. As i ate dry ramen noodles with almond butter on it, two guys came along. One was rob, a thru hiker and the other was his nephew doing three weeks with him. We chatted the normal chat and when he asked where i was from i gave the standard answer, near syracuse. The nephew said he was from norwich. I was shocked, thats only about thirty minutes from me! Rob was from ogdensburg, he was truly from upstate ny. I left them and pushed up the only hill of size for the day. I was dripping when i got to the top. The rain had stopped but the air was still close. I got good spring water at the william penn shelter and had a sit down. I was in the home stretch of a long day and making good time. Then the rocks started. First it was rocky for a bit then it got ROCKY for a bit. I slowed drastically. The rocks were still slick and nearly everytime you pushed off to step your foot would slide. I was not a big fan of this part. Luckily it did last for too long but it did stay rocky. The pace was slowed, i might not get thirty today. I was ok with that as it would still be a long day. I passed the 501 shelter knowing i had enough water to get the last three miles to the first tent site. There was water there according to the guide. When i got there i saw lyons and tatiana sitting on a rock. It was a nice site but no water anywhere. They were bummed, i was bummed. Well better get along to the next one and hope there is water there. Nobody like this but it was what had to be done. The trail got better so it only took an hour and got me over the thirty mile mark. Right before the tent site was a side trail to a boulder field. I looked at it from the edge and let me tell you it was a legit boulder field. I have never seen anything like it. Boulders as far as you could see. My feet started to ache just looking. I told them it was ok, we werent going over there. I got set up for the night and once again hung up clothes hoping they would dry at least a little. It was a nice spot with a nice creek. Other than being wet i couldnt ask for anything more. The only person who has it better than me tonight is sitting in his easy-boy listening to my ma read him my journal.