Date: 2006-11-07
From: S of Tagg Run Shelter, Pa

To: Caledonia State Park, Pa (Frogcaller's House)
Miles today: 26.3
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning started early after another great night's sleep. I went to bed early last night in my tent with my MP3 player's headphones in my ears. I woke up at 8pm and turned that off, then fell asleep again. I woke up later thinking that it must be getting close to morning, but when I checked my watch, it was only 10:30pm. That was nice because I went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 4:30am...a really great night's sleep. :-))) I had some powdered donuts and two pieces of Jolt Caffeine Gum for breakfast, then packed up and was walking before the sun came up. It was a beautiful morning...very mild at about 35 degrees, but it was cloudy, so I didn't get to watch a sunrise. It got light out as I finished climbing Piney Mountain. It was kind of a misty fog out, kind of erie, but I love mornings like that. I walked by Pole Steeple Trail, then got to the Midway Point of the AT...half way between Katahdin and Springer. I only have about 400 miles left though. :-))) I took a few self portraits with the timer on my camera to celebrate and walked on. I descended that mountain and walked into Pine Grove Furnace State Park. When I got to the closed concession area, I stopped and sent in my journal entry and checked email on a payphone that was there. I walked on and saw a water spigot, stopped long enough to fill my water bottle, then walked by Ironmaster's Mansion Hostel before entering the woods again. I stopped when I got to Tom's Run Shelters and signed the register. I saw that Three Dog had signed in a few times recently, so I said hello to her in the register. She is the caretaker of those two shelters. I'd met her a couple years ago. I finished climbing up to Big Flat Ridge. There were a few more rocks in places today than there has been lately, but still no where near as bad as northern Pa, so I was making good time walking. I passed by the side trail to Michener Cabin, crossed a road, then passed by Birch Run Shelters without stopping. I did stop just long enough to get out some soft tortilla shells, salami and cheese, then ate lunch while I was walking. I like carrying lunch meats this time of year when it stays cold enough that I don't have to worry about them spoiling. I've been walking for about 700 miles without my stove to cook on and I don't miss it one bit. I walked down to Milesburn Cabin, but didn't stop. It was empty and there was a fire place in it. I thought about how nice that would have felt right then because it was in the upper 40's and had started raining. It only rained long enough to get me all wet, then it stopped and got foggy again. I climbed about 300 feet up the short hill just past the cabin and kept walking along fairly easy trail. I got to the next road crossing, then started descending to Quarry Gap Shelters. It had started raining again about 15 minutes before I got there. I stopped long enough to sign the register and admire the excellent job the caretaker does. I would say this is probably the best kept shelter on the whole Trail. It so clean that I would even sleep in it if I was in the area when I stopped walking for the day, but I hadn't figured out what I wanted to do for the night yet. I had a couple options. I could tent a couple miles before Caledonia State Park, or I could keep walking and see if Frogcaller and Lew could pick me up so I could move my truck to Waynesboro, Va tomorrow. I spotted a great spot about 125 feet off the Trail to set up my tent. I was about a mile south of Quarry Gap Shelters and it was still raining. I stopped and looked at the spot for about a minute while I was trying to decide what to do. I made up my mind to walk on and call Frogcaller. I figured if she couldn't come out, I'd just stop at Taomorini's Italian Restaurant for dinner, then walk on in the dark for about 3/4 of a mile. I remembered a good spot to set up a tent there. I didn't need to do that because when I got to Caledonia State Park and called Frogcaller, she said; "Sure, Lew and I would be glad to come and pick you up." They are great friends!!! :-))) I sat under a roof and snacked on some Frito's while it was raining and I was waiting on them to show up. When they did get there, we all went out to eat at a local diner, then went back to their house and had desert that Frogcaller had made from some raspberries she had picked in Maine last summer...and we had ice cream too!! :-))) I think I walked too far for my feet today because they were really sore whenever I'd get up and walk afternot being on them for a while. Oh well, they will be better tomorrow and I'm zeroing then to move my truck to Waynesboro at Gourmet Dave's home. I caught 3 more leaves today....143 total...actual catches, not imaginary catches like some of my friends seem to be having. ;-)))