Date: 2007-10-16
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: Peter Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

mi10.0sleep hammockdest. Peter Mountain Shelter day 96 Last night was another great night of sleep. Great too because for the first time I was able to hammock in th shelter. I looked close and did not find any good trees, there were some close enough. I have just been wanting hang in the shelter for awhile. Another thing I noticed is that all of the dreams I remember have or are able parts of my hike. They are usually not about hiking. But they have people or experiences I have had as the basis. I can't remember when this started. I'll have to include one if I can remember it and it is good. The trail today was another mix. I know everyone talks about the hard parts. I try not to. I usually do not take pics of it anymore unless it us unusally hard. The rocky pics have already worn off. But today I took one of the look there are easy parts pics. The trail before and after the shelter was on an old rail bed. Easy sailing. In terms of the rocks I think they are starting to lighten up. It was nice though following an old carriage road from the 1800's. It went past an old mining village. All that really remained as a couple of stone walls. You could see next to the trail other grades that went up or down. I didn't realize it to later but those are the old coal mines. They are probibly sealed up, but it would have been cool to check them out anyways. Ok I have to include a little rant. Only because today we ran into and talked to the first hiker, or person, in 2 days. The only others have been a couple hunters, they usually do not say anything. He was just getting back into hiking and was doing a week or 2 north. It was funny becasue Torque and I were sitting next to this spring taking out usual long lunch when he walked up. So there was no walking away from the guy. But in the span of about 2 minutes he asked us if we were going to make it, wasn't it going to get cold, and then proceeded to tell us about the trail coming up and asked us about what was to come. I gave my usual answer of it was like this and what you have been seeing. Torque went into a little more detail. Other than that nothing really exciting happened today. I looked in this shelter to hang and did not see anything good. It would have worked in a pinch, but would have been in the way. It is a rather huge one though. Rated for 20 people and has a loft and a picnic table under its roof. Really roughing it here. It could easily fit 30 people in the rain. Funny thing though, or at least to me. The guide says it is a steep down to the water and there are over 300 stairs put in. The map says 275+. For some reason they like to make big deals about rock stairs here. Up north they were no big deal. The rocks for them were even harder to find and had to be moved farther. I will say though the walk down would have really sucked without them. Torque went o the last majopr water run, s this was m turn. And yes o the walk u                                                      For those who are wondering the firepit count stands at 51. We'll have to see what the hike into Duncannon brings. A look to come. I wouldn't say we are planning really far, just mainly getting an idea. Tomorrow definitly staying at the Doyle. I'll do a writeup on that then for the people who don't know about it. The next day more fun there in a zero. Wwe might hit up a woman who helps out and takes in hikers in town, not sure yet. Then Saturday morning into Boiling Springs to get my maildrop. Then onto the iron masters mansion. That will be close to or past the half way point. Best of all the half gallon challange at pine grove state furnice. Hopefully some football watching after that. Well enough planning on to bed.