Date: 2008-04-28
From: Quarry Gap Shelter, PA

To: Stealth Site .2 miles into Pine Grove Pk, PA
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: moderate rain

Start: Quarry Gap Shelter, PAEnd: Stealth site .2 miles into Pine Grove Furnce State Park, PAMiles: 17.5HammockOh man, what a day. Last nite, it rained all nite, got down to 45 when I woke this morning. It was still pouring when my alarm went off, so I decided to sleep a bit more and see if the rain would stop. I woke again @ 7:30 a.m. and it was still going, so I finished journaling until 8:15 and the rain broke just long enough for me to move everything under cover of the shelter.I did my chores, but also restrung my tarp under the shelter so I could wipe some of the water off. Oh, I went to the privy, and there's a book in there, "Ode to the Outhouse!" I died laughing.I wore all of my rain gear today (I love my new pants!), and stepped off @ 10:00 a.m., in the rain.It was the worst kind of hiking day, cold (not sure it hit 50 even), wet, rainy, and the trail....man the trail was 70% of the time a total stream w/the water sometimes as high as my knees. It is so flooded out here right now. I don't know what dripped more today, my nose or the brim of my rainhat (OR Sombrero..it rocks, hair stayed totally dry).I moved steadily today because if I stopped, I'd get cold. I will say, however, this section I did today gets my vote for the easiest section of the entire AT. Flat and non-rocky (haven't hit the infamous PA rocks yet). I was glad, because everything else was trying.Today,I saw nobody @ all. Sort of nice. I stopped @ the Milesburn Cabin and had lunch. Then it was a short climb, which I like because it warms me up. The word for today is, "splash." It became futile to even try to keep my feet dry. Oh, and while on this muddy service road, 2 work trucks drove by, ad one of them hit a muddy pothole and splashed it All OVER ME! I mean really?I got to Birch Run Shelter and took a short break, got water, etc. I don't write about this everyday because quite frankly it's boring, but after a few hours of hiking every morning, my feet are pretty much hurting constantly for the rest of the day. Not the plantars, just hurting from the pounding I guess. It's been that way my whole life actually never knew why though, so these short breaks I take are because the pain is approaching unbearable, but it helps to stop for even 10 minutes every hour or two. Anyway, just thought I'd mention that, because I hardly think I'm the only one experiencing this, but people don't mention it much.So after my break, I headed on towards Toms Run Shelters, where I was planning on staying for the nite. About 1 hr before I got there, the rain finally subsided and it felt "a little" warmer. I showed up there around 5:30'ish. It's 2 separate shelters, and a huge area that you could tell was heavily used. I noticed signs all over stating these areas were for backpackers only, and parking @ the ttrail head and walking did not count. I also noticed a red sleeping bag in one of the shelters. It struck me a little odd, but I have seen gear left before.I got camp all set up with an amazing duff build-up for my tarp, and walked up to the shelter (with the bag in it) and changed into my dry camp clothes. I was about to start dinner, but just randomly decided to move that sleeping bag. When I did, a pack of cigarettes fell out.Now yes, this sounds "weird" (because our society rarely gives merit to intuition) but something about this place just felt off to me. I knew it was an easy 1 mile to the road, and I had an overwhelming sense of discomfort. The sleeping bag and pack of smokes just felt too settled. So, @ 6:20 p.m., exhausted and hungry, I did what I always said I would, I packed everything back up, changed back into my cold wet hiking clothes, and decided to hike the next 3.7 miles to the Iron Mansion Masters Hostel, which is just as you enter Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA. The guidebook said check in was from 5-10 p.m., and I knew I could be there around 8:30 p.m. I made sure my headlamp was accessible, and after a quick pack up I was of again @ 6:48 p.m.Alot of these miles were actually a road walk, which I didn't mind. It was cold though, and as usual, the trail was a stream.I hiked across the road near this shelter, and just as I got back into the woods, a pickup truck drove by. I'm sure it was harmless, but I trust my intuition over ALL things, so I was glad I left. PA is tough in that there are so many roads, you almost can't help but be near one. I don't like that at all.I actually made it within sight of the hostel by 8:15 p.m. I was pretty excited actually, at the thought of being dry and warm. So I go up to the door, and it has signs confirming everything my guidebook said. It did say you need 24 hr reservations Dec-Feb, but hey, it's April, so no sweat.I could see a light on in an office and knocked on the door. I went around to the other side where there was a sign "Welcome Weary Travelers" and an arrow asking you to ring the bell. I did...nothing. There was another sign saying a hiker welcome room was around the corner, so I went there...locked. I knocked on every single door of this place, and not one person ever came to te door!! There was nothing stating that they were closed, and this place is run by some group caled Hostel International, not a actual person.   I tried for cell service to call the #, no signal.Ok, so now, it's dark, it's 8:40 p.m., I still haven't eaten dinner, I have NO idea where to camp, and I'm totally exhausted (and pissed off @ this place too!)So I started walking again, following the blazes into Pine Grove Furnace State Park, where you can't "just" camp anywhere. There was a sign for campgrounds, which normally means a nice flat cleared area with few trees, so I opted to follow the AT.I came upon a huge field w/picnic pavillion, and 2 potential trees, but how much more obvious could I get?So just as I'm about to set up my gut said, just go a little further, so I did. I somehow found this little offshoot of a path that had 2 trees exactly the distance I needed and it was out of sight of the main park. When I walked up there, I scared a deer, so that was a good sign to me.I quickly put up camp...again, threw on my dry clothes (but my favorite long sleeved Moose Jaw shirt that I wear both hiking and sleeping got wet on the back from the rain..DAMN!) I was too tired to cook, but was starving, so I ate one of my lunches, hung my food, and @ 10:00 p.m., crawled into my hammock. I am so illegally camped right now, but I don't give a shit. Let them fine me, haul me off to jail whatever, I'm too tired to care. I feel safe, and it's already 48 degrees, so I best get zipped up.         ~Certain