Date: 2007-10-10
To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: clear sky

mi. 17.7sleep hammockdest. Allentown Hiking Club Shelter day 90 Ahhh day 90 and finally back in the hammock. I didn't realize it has been 4 nights away from it. 2 could have been helped, but I was lazy one night and enjoying the company the other. I was also thinking back of my last 10 town nights, only one placed charged and that was the hotel. All the other places were free hostels or great people who take hikers in. There was last night in Polmerton at the city building, Deleware Water Gap Church Hostel, The mayor's in Unionville NY, Rob's house in Dalton Mass, and the 12 tribes hostel in Rutland VT. I had the one hotel night in Fort Montgonery, NY. The one before it was the hostel stay in HN. Not too bad. There is a wonderful woman who takes in hikers in Duncannon, PA I want to stay at. There is also of course the Doyle in Duncannon. For those who don't know about it, it is a cheap hotel bar that pretty much only has hikers stay overnight. I don't think too many other people would, more on that when I stay there. Both of!them in the same town pretty much means another wonderful zero day. Anyways. Today we actually got up early. I finished packing up as Torque headed to the dinner. I was finished and joining him for breakfest by 7am. Out ride came at 8am to take us back to the trail. I got the chance to read up on a couple news stories. Nothing good, just polotic crap. I'm glad I am missing all of those wonderful tv commericals everyone has to put up with now. We did get a chance to talk to a couple locals. One of the things I like about sitting at the bar in resturants or bars. I asked him about the Zinc plants. It turned out that they did not mine the zinc there. Only process the ore. The damage I saw on the mountain was from the pollution from the factory. It basically killed all of the trees and plants on the mountain. After all of them died, erosion took over and exposed all of the rocks. A lot of money was spent fertilizing and dropping seeds from planes to help everything come back. He also said there was a plane crash there when he was a kid, back in the 60's. When the mountain was bare you could see the old plane wreck. It is still up there somewhere. He said the factory itself basically made the town. He was paid $14 an hour out of high school in the 70's. Great money back then. They built a lot of the houses, the hospital, and either the building I stayed at or the school I can't remember which. After a great breakfest in 3 huge pancakes and sausage I headed back and finished packing up. We got out front just as our ride pulled up. A guy left his number at the hostel. It said to call the night before and he would shuttle you back to the trail. I offered him a couple bucks for gas, he declined. Great guy. I think he owns his own HVAC business. H said h used t work for a company that said h could not give hikers rides. Now that h owns his own company, h said h can d what ever h wanted. Another great guy. PA seems t be filled with great people willing and wanting t help out hikers. We yellowbalzed yet again. He dropped us off at the trailhead going south instead of where we got off. I prefer this and would have asked him anyways. This took away a busy road walk and across a busy bridge. Can't say I lost anything by not hiking that .5 by road. We passed a section hiker early own going into town that reminded me of me back in NY. He said he hit the wall and needed a break in town. We told him about our stop and what there was. He looked as if he and his stuff got wet last night. Can't say that was much fun. Side note I am setup in some trees by the shelter. It is the time of year the trees are continualy conducting an all out air raid when the wind blows. Acorns or something is always falling. A could nailed my tarp straight one. A few just landed close. It is all over, I just happed to choose the trees they fall from to hang one tonight. Could be interesting. Nothing to special to report on the hike in today. I enjoyed it, some rocks, some old forest or service roads. All in all I am feeling good. Except for when I nailed my ankle on a rock when my other foot slipped. I also determined I walked at least an extra mile today just for water. I'm glad it is here, but the trail is on the ridgeline and the springs are way down off. The close ones are all dry. One I walked at least .4 round trip and the one for the shelter is at least that. It is way down across some fun rocks. It's flowing good though. I pakced up 4 liters in order not to have to go back tomorrow morning. No water for 7 miles tomorrow. I also passed a school group of middle schoolers hawk watching on oven bake knob. One said look a hobo. I yelled back, Hey now! Another said a hiker. I just kept walking. They were at the peak just off the trail. I don't mind being called hiker trash, a term of affection in the hiking world. But a hobo, come on. Dinner tonight was great. I packed in mechanically seperated beef parts and chz, Torque packed in the buns. He also made some dehydrated chilli his mom sent. We had some great chilli dogs. This is what I pictured doing on my hike back home. Hiking with someone else. Putting some food together and cooking at the end of the night. A nice little wieene roast over a little campfire. All in all another great day. The plan seems to be 20 to a campsite tomorrow, then a quick 3 into Port Clinton the next day. Where we will celebrate 3 months on the trail. Torque started on the 12th and me on the 13th.