Date: 2010-06-21
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke at daybreak and packed quickly. Trying to make a 30 mile day. Ate leftovers as we all joked about today being ¢Hike Naked Day¢. I¢m not doing it! I hope no one here does it! I don¢t see anyone I¢d like to see naked here. No thru-hiker that I know should be doing that. Covered in bright red bug bites. Farmers tan. Ugh.Felt great and I announced the fact to everyone. They all laugh and rag me about it. I feel a sight different that yesterday! High energy level from all the food I had. That¢s what¢s been the problem! I¢ve been starving! Seemed like there were less rocks today. I could hike quickly.Passed Boston and Hiker Bill. Thankfully, they were clothed. Caught Creepy and Nobody at Hertlein campsite. Lots of Boy Scouts out in this area, which is funny because it¢s so flat. I wonder if they realize what today¢s date is and what that might mean for them! Ugh!Found a trail magic sign from Fiddler ¢09 leading to cokes and mountain dew at Sand Spring. Tasted so great! Two trail magic¢s in a row! When I got to Eagles Nest Shelter¢s blue blazed trail, I could tell that I was hiking in the same direction that I just came from. I was going backwards 0.3 miles when they could have easily shortened the trail to the water source by entering from the other side. I could tell because I have a good sense of direction now. That and there was an annoyingly loud barking dog yapping nonstop. The trail is 0.3 miles when it probably could have been right on the AT. I was cussing aloud at this observation when Stambler came walking around the blind corner in front of me. Embarrassed again! I didn¢t say much to her.Got water from a puddle, but didn¢t go to the shelter. Took a break by the AT with Boston and Freight Train. Everyone seems irritable in this heat. Yeah, it¢s hot again. Hiker Bill passed by saying that he needed new shoes. I¢m not a fan of trail-runners in PA. They seem to fall apart quickly. Glad I¢ve got these trusty boots.Hiked behind Creepy and Nobody to pace myself in the heat. They got Fiddlers trail magic because I told them what it was. Freight Train and Boston upset because they didn¢t even see it. They must have been staring at the ground pretty hard to have missed that white paper sign tacked to the tree right in the middle of the trail.There was a heck of a surprise uphill climb and then it was pretty smooth sailing until the bottom feel out of the trail. I started experiencing a pain in my outer thigh muscles. Hurt so horribly! Never had this level of pain on the trail before. Crippling pain. I had to turn around and walk backwards. Afraid I might fall because it¢s straight down and I¢m in agony! By the time I hit level ground, I was in so much pain I almost crapped myself. I just did make it!Hobbled over the train tracks and limped down to the river to soak my legs in the cold river water. I washed my shirt out in the stream. The shirt made the water look like someone poured a box of Epsom salt in the river. Felt so good to my tired feet and legs. I guess I pushed to hard, thinking I could blow past Port Clinton tonight.Walked towards the town pavilion where they allow hikers to camp overnight for free. I ran into Thin Mint sitting on a porch chair at a Trail Angel¢s house! Amy and Fred are trail angels in town. They gave me a Coors light! ICE COLD! Ummm. Creepy and Nobody needed a ride to town so me and Boston went to get something from Wendy¢s while he was on the way. I drank a large drink half the way down and asked if I could get a refill before I even left the counter. The cashier actually gave me another drink altogether.I¢m barely able to walk. I¢ve taken enough Tylenol and Aspirin to kill an elephant. Hard to climb over the roadside curbs, much less get up steps. I could barely get into the truck that Fred was driving. When the drugs kicked in, I felt good enough to stagger down to the pavilion. Hung out with Boston and Freight Train waiting on the sun to go down. Laid flat on my back and stretched my sore muscles. Decided to put up my tent by the river at the last minute. Stupid bugs. Need to sleep good tonight. Need to wear minimal clothes to dry off my skin. Need a night without mosquitoes drinking my drug laced blood.