Date: 2004-07-09
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: US Hwy 11 (Carlisle, PA)
Miles today: 27.4

I didn't plan to do 27 miles today, and I didn't want to; Frank made me do it!We were out of the hostel at 6:30am, planning to hike to Boiling Springs, PA. Lodging for the night was questionable. Only one room with one bed was available at the B&B that we were able to contact. No one answered at the only other one in town. The fallback was an AT campground outside of town by the train tracks. No camping allowed in other places across the valley.We soon came to the old midpoint marker where a big official sign was erected. More photos; why not celebrate again? No ice cream out here in the woods though. Shortly afterward Frank came up with what I dubbed Frank's Big Thought. When you're hiking along you have plenty of time to think and you tend to have one or two Big Thoughts in a day. Unless you're listening to the radio, in which case you only have the thoughts of others in your head. Frank's Big Thought of today was to make it a really big day, hiking over 27 miles to US Hwy 11 and hitching the short distance into Carlisle for a zero day tomorrow. The rationale was compelling - uncertain lodging in Boiling Springs, hiking across part of the 15 mile wide valley through the cornfields in the cool of evening, positioning ourselves for a one day hike to Duncannon afterwards, a day off, internet access at the Carlisle library. I signed up, reserving judgement on whether this Big Thought was a Really Good Thought.We moved on to PA Hwy 34 and took the short side trip up to the Green Mt General Store for a lunch of sub sandwiches and ice cream. I also bought a flyswatter. It's payback time for the bugs! Frank called ahead and finally got the last room at the EconoLodge in Carlisle - a two bedroom suite. Both a bluegrass festival and an antique car show are in town this weekend and everything is full. Dave, the organizer of the bluegrass festival, happened by and used his cell phone to help us search for rooms. I've ceased to be surprised by these coincidences along the trail.With the reservation made we were now committed to the 27 mile day. We pushed on to the Alec Kennedy shelter for a short rest, then into Boiling Springs about 5:00pm. Boiling Springs is a beautiful little town named for the huge springs at the center that appear to be boiling. Too bad there was no place to stay. We discovered that we were unable to contact the second B&B because the owners were out of town on vacation. We went over to the very nice tavern and restaurant - so nice that thruhikers are restricted to the bar area only. I had a delicious fish sandwich and fries, and a couple of Whitbread ales.Loaded up with carbs, we launched on the remaining 8 miles. Most of it was along fields of corn and soybeans, and the hike would have been pleasant if not for my barking dogs. My feet were reminding me that there is a limit to what they will do for me. One consolation was the ripe raspberries along the trail. I took time to pick and eat handsful of them for a delicious dessert.We crossed US Hwy 11 about 9:00pm just as twilight faded and darkness fell, and walked up to the ABF truck dispatch facility to call a taxi for the ride to the EconoLodge. We were immediately confronted in the huge parking lot by a tremendously fat man in a pickup who barked "You can't walk through here!" I explained that we were just looking for a phone, and after a moment's hesitation he told us there was a pay phone inside. Turns out that this is the central dispatch terminal for ABF and cars and trucks were coming and going all the time. There was no security except for Deputy Dawg's vigilant watch for thruhikers.Frank called a taxi and we waited and waited and waited. A local couple walked up from the trail about 20 minutes later - they had been out for a short walk (why so late I didn't ask). She owns a B&B in town, but all her rooms were taken. They offered a ride in the back of their pickup to the EconoLodge and we piled in. After checking in I took a welcome hot shower, gave my feet a good massage, and hit the sack. This is my big-mile day of the trip so far and I'm not anxious to beat it. Still reserving judgement on whether this was a Really Good Idea.