Date: 2008-07-27
From: Duncannon, PA

To: spring
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I was up and out of the hotel before 6:30--headed across the street to Goody's for some pancakes, then started walking. It was a long way through town, down the main street, then over the bridge over the Susquenanna River--the longest river that the AT crosses at a length of 444 miles. Headed immediately up a steep slope to the top of the ridge. Whoo hooo, there were lots of rocks and poison ivy, just what I love. It was slow going.At the powerline I climbed to the exact middle where I had a view of both sides and sat enjoying a snack. Two women joined me and we chatted for a bit. Patty and Stephanie were just out for the day. I so enjoyed talking with them and as a result, took a much longer break than usual. But hey, that's what I'm best at! (Stephanie and Patty, I hope to put up some pictures, including the one of us in the very near future, maybe when I am in NY and will be slack packing. This should be in the next two weeks)Walked on--had a delicious lunch at the first poison-ivy free place I came to after noon. I had tuna on a buttered crossant with combos, cookies and a dark chocolate stick. At around 2:30 I was walking along, hot and sweaty, when I saw an animal leap from a about two feet off the trail, 10 feet in front of me. At first I thought, fox? But no! It was a bobcat!!!!! The cat leapt a few feet then stopped and turned back to look at me. Naturally I wanted a picture but I didn't want to make any sudden movements. I stealthily tried to get my camera. While we looked at each other. But by then the bobcat was ready to move on. He turned and walked off--in no rush. But lots of poison ivy and other undergrowth blocked my view and I never got a picture. But oh, how exciting!! I have always wanted to see a bobcat. Surely that will be the high of my day! Now I sit--3:00, at a place called Fumitory Rocks. I am in the shade, by shoes and socks off, leaning against a tree. Two ridge lines are across the valley. I look and wonder, was I up there? I often wish I could know or have someone here pointing where I've been and where I'm going. I will relax here a few more minutes, enjoy the peace and quiet, maybe read a few pages of John Irving...while the vultures float in front of me, silently rocking in the cloud-filled sky. 5:37pm. Am sitting again, mostly to rest my feet. This is the time of day that I usually start to feel the burning pain in the center of my feet, not constant but when it comes on, boy, does it hurt! A little while back I got water at the spring by the Earl Shaffer shelter. Apparently this shelter will be taken down and put in a museum next Saturday. I took some pictures of it, not knowing the history or why it will be moved. The spring was a LONG walk downhill, of course. There were 296 stone steps to get there. I actually did count. Because on the way down they just seemed to go on and on and on and I thought, I wonder how many there are? So on the way up I counted. Boy that was not a good trip. Luckily the spring was a dream--cold and clear and completely floatie free. Ahhh, it tastes so good that I am now spoiled when it comes to water. I immediately drank one nalgene down, then filled it again for the walk up. It is work to get water out here!! None of this, walk to the tap, turn the faucet and out comes water. We work for it here! I am hoping to do 20 miles today as Honey and I have planned a rendezvous for Wednesday and I would like as much time as possible with him. 72 miles to get there. Hopefully that will mean 20, 20, 20 and 12 for the last day. Of course my feet might now allow me to do that but I will try.Can't believe it but the boots I bought in Harper's Ferry are already falling apart! One of the lace loops broke today and the mesh tops on both are tearing. I guess they are not designed to be worn hiking 12+ hours a day, day after day after day. 8:45pm I was sitting on a fallen tree, kind of a big one, a foot or more off the ground, finishing my dinner when a wood frog hopped into camp. He stopped to my right about 2 feet away, and a half a foot from the tree. He sat there a long time, motionless. I watched him as I hurridly tried to finish my dinner so I could hang my bear bag before it was completly dark. I wondered how he would get by the tree. Go around? Hop on then over? Suddenly, in one leap, he cleared the fallen tree and landed a foot out on the other side! I did not realize they could jump so high and far. In a single bound!