Date: 2008-06-05
From: Rte 52

To: Rte 55
Miles today: 5.0

Sunday, June 1, hello to Stride, at the Albany NY airport. She spends the night at the Farm. Monday, June 2, I take Stride to the Rte 2 North Adams AT trailhead. Check out today¢s photo of this vibrant young woman, tears streaming from a body bursting with joy and confidence, striding towards Vermont. Hike well, Stride. Take it all in. Yard work at the Farm amidst clouds of biting female black flies, clouds thicker than any I've seen since the 1970¢s. Grateful for my brimmed hat, bug-baffler, long sleeves, pant-legs and gloves.Wednesday, June 4, from the Farm I drive to Palmerton Borough Hall where I meet Uncle Bud and Auntie Anne about 6:15, much later than planned due to construction, traffic and me not taking the best route. As part of their 42nd wedding anniversary celebrations, we have tasty Italian at very reasonably-priced Mama¢s Pizza in Slatington, accompanied by glasses of chilled red wine.What kind of wine is it? Red.What KIND of red wine? Red. A red wine toast to you, Bud and Anne. Happy 42. We spend the night in the Palmerton clink with Catfish, Pierrette, 2 hiking friends of Pierrette whose names I don¢t remember, and I believe one or two others. Each of Pierrette¢s hiking friends have injuries and are going to get medical care in the morning. Pierrette doesn¢t want to walk PA rocks without her hiking friends, so she¢ll hang out at the Borough Hall while they¢re being treated.Thursday, June 5, 2008NY 55 to Dover Oak, County Rte 20, Amoeba and Spinner, 5 miles After breakfast at another good food reasonably-priced establishment, Bert¢s Steakhouse Diner, I drop Uncle Bud and Auntie Anne at the trailhead. After Bud and Anne finish this section, all Uncle Bud will have left on the AT is from Thornton Gap to Harpers Ferry. He¢d like to finish at HF in October after the ALDHA meeting. Maybe I could join them, and help with the shuttle, and hike a bit together? I¢d love to.The people of Palmerton are just super about welcoming hikers. One of the great trail towns, in my opinion. About 1:30, Spinner and I meet at Helen¢s. Helen¢s headed out. She¢ll be back at eight. Despite me taking a long driving route, hitting a traffic jam, and having to stop in Milford to find a pay phone to make calls, Spinner and I have enough time this afternoon to hike 5 miles.A landowner working in his yard on Old Route 55 helps us with the car set.Start at 55 at 3:50. Overcast.Flat for a while. We walk past Nuclear Lake, its waters the result of damming a swamp once known as Pawling Pond, from 1958 to 1973 its lakeshore the site of now-defunct United Nuclear Corp's bomb-grade uranium and plutonium experimental research station. In December 1972 plutonium dust was released into the surrounding wooded area by 2 chemical explosions at the plant. Researching this disaster, I read that at a cost to all of us of $3,000,000, the National Park Service removed all buildings and decontaminated the wooded area by removing soil, etc. Today Nuclear Lake and vicinity is up-to-code.I agree with ATC decision to site trail past Palmerton zinc and cadmium contamination and past Nuclear Lake. Human-caused environmental pollution happens in an eyeblink. At these 2 sites, for me, an AT hiker, I directly experience (the only way I really learn anything) the sobering effects. One interesting website for more information: www.scorecard.org450-foot climb over West Mtn, first challenge for Spinner. She takes it slow, and does fine.Pass Telephone Pioneers Shelter without stopping. Out at the Dover Oak at a little before 6:30.All of us arrive at Helen¢s late and tired, revived by wine and Helen¢s seriously good cooking. Like the incomparable Queen Diva (whose birthday by the way is August 31), Helen¢s cooking not only tastes marvelous, her dishes are elegantly presented. Like Queen Diva, Helen¢s got the knack.M-m-m-m, goodnight. Thanks, Helen.Thanks for coming out to hike with me again, Spinner, old friend.