Date: 2007-06-25
From: Haystack Creek Campsite

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Surprise... It's RainingI was awoken at 430am to what sounded like rain coming through the forest. I was correct and it started to pour as I was setting up my tarp. I think I had that thing hung in about 3 min and managed to stay dry. I went back to sleep as the rain storm brought in a warm front. When it rains at night I have such a hard time getting going in the morning so I slept until 10. The rain had stopped earlier, but was falling from the trees. I packed up my gear and was about to leave as stone age and triple deuce rolled up. We left together. The trail went over second mountain then down to swatara gap where we stopped for a break. The trail went under I81 for the last time and we found a 1978 penthouse on the dirt road we were walking on. We thought that was strange, especially since it was in great shape. Deuce strapped it to his pack since we figured other hikers would get a kick out of it. We climbed up blue mountain and were overwhelmed at the poison ivy on top. It was up to your waist all along the side of the trail. Luckily you could mostly walk without touching it. We found a huge patch of blackberries and I picked 3 large handfuls. Those things are so tasty. I feel like a real mountain man when I can forage like that. The rocks on blue mtn wern't large ones like near duncannon. These ranged from baseball to baskeball size and liked to roll around when you stepped on them. It made for some interesting walking. They eventually thinned out and we had a greatly appreciated smooth trail. We stopped at william penn shelter and got water with couch, quake, and matterhorn then cruised onto 501 shelter. 501 shelter has a caretaker so there was running water, a solar shower, garbage cans, and chopped wood. We thought we could order pizza there since it was so close to the road, which is true, but they were closed on mondays. Since we had our hearts set on town food, stone age, triple deuce, and I decided to hitch into town. Quake, couch, amd matterhorn got a ride from a local that came to meet some hikers. We got a hitch within 5 min from a wonderful woman named Jane who is a local school teacher. We were supposed to meet the other 3 guys at a bar in town, but we thought it was closed. Jane took us for ice cream and bought us milkshakes then drove us to the grocery store. As we were getting out of the car she said she would be back in 20 min to drive us back to the trail. We were blown away by her kindness! I bought a 3 course dinner of pepper shooters, a sub, and pudding. I got subs and a soda for little red, wolf, and gimpy who were at the shelter. Deuce got a 30 pack of hot dogs to grill up for everyone. Jane met us and dropped us back off near the shelter with our feast in hand. I ate dinner and took a shower then met some other hikers who had taken a zero there and were also in town. Hop a long, singe, old yeller, and glen had taken a day off since yeller had a nasty bite. They were afraid it was a brown recluse bite so they went to the doc to have it looked at. Turnd out it wasn't and he was OK. We had this crew of 10 really cool people so we stayed up until midnight playing guitar and eating hot dogs around the fire. Nights like that are what the trail is all about!Today's StatsStarting Point:Haystack Creek Campsite Ending Point:501 ShelterMileage:16.5Elevation Gain:errorftElevation Loss:errorftHiking Time:errorWeather:early am rain, hotter, humidPain Factor:2