Date: 2004-06-09
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Road
Miles today: 17.3

Day 101 Start: Rausch Gap Shelter Dest: 501 roadMiles: 17.3 Total: 1178.9 I slept in the shelter last night and I really should have slept in the hammock. I didn't sleep well at all on the hard wooden floor, not to mention the bugs were starting to attack. I was up and going by 7:30. The hike was pretty good with a lot more ridge walking. There were a few really rocky sections but nothing too bad. I came across three older guys doing a day hike South from 501 to Swatara Gap. They said they saw a big rattlesnake on the trail about 1 mile north. It was on the edge of the trail when they came by. It moved just off the trail and coiled up and started rattling. They had enough room that they were able to safely walk by it. They figured it would wonder off by the time I got there. So, I have heard stories from people in front and behind me, all seeing Rattlesnakes just before or after I walked by. I was beginning to wonder if I would make it through PA without seeing a snake. It didn't happen. About a mile North of meeting those 3 guys a saw a head sticking out from the weeds on the left side of the trail. I think the snake was startled just as much as I was. I was moving along pretty good and trying to watch out for snakes but he was so well hidden on the edge of the trail that I almost walked by him. We both jumped, the snake back into the weeds about a foot and coiled up, me about three feet back down the trail. The rattle was very loud and there's no mistaking the sound. It rattled for about a minute before stopping. I waited thinking it would slither off. It didn't. So after about 5 minutes I tossed some small stones in front of it hoping it would move away from the trail. It didn't, it just rattled each time the stones hit the ground. I finally got a really, really long stick and poked the weeds in front of him. He didn't like this and jumped rather quickly up the back farther off the trail. His speed startled me and I was off down the trail as quickly as I could go. The poke with the stick had the desired effect but the speed of the snake made me realize that he could have struck me at anytime if he wanted to. I think it took about an hour for my heart rate to go back to normal. The rest of the hike was uneventful. The temp was supposed to hit about 92 today. On the ridges it really felt like it made it to 92. I was soaked in sweat by the time I made it to the 501 road. I changed shirts hoping that if I was lucky to get a ride I wouldn't stink too bad. I tried hitching for 20 minutes with no luck. There was a lot of traffic, just no one interested in picking up a dirty, smelly hiker. A van pulled into the trailhead parking area and it turned out to be the three guys that told me about the snake. I showed them pictures of it and then asked if they were headed back into Pine Grove. They weren't headed that way but said they would give me a ride anyways. Two of the guys left in the van because one had to be to ball practice soon. The third guy gave me a ride in his Volvo down into town. It was a nice ride with the A/C on. He dropped me off at McDonalds next to I-81. I thanked him for the ride and offered to buy him a coke but he declined. I thanked him again and we were off on our seperate ways again. I called Wolf Cookie and told her I was in Pine Grove a day early and she is now on her way to pick me up. I hope she gets here soon or I might spend all my money on Big Macs and fries. It seems weird thinking I won¢t be back on the trail until Tuesday the 15th. I hope I don't lose my trail legs. If anything this will hopefully give the sore, tired muscles and bones time to recoup a little before I tackle the really rocky sections of PA north of Port Clinton. ~Dances with Wolf Cookie