Date: 2004-04-23
From: Port Clinton,PA

To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Log entry: 83Start time: 1115End time: 1915Morning weather: Cloudy and coolAfternoon weather: Cloudy but muggy and warmEvning weather: Light rain then steady once at the shelterBreakfast: Big platter of greasy goodness from the 3 C's restaurant in Port Clinton.Lunch: Malted milk balls and candy barsDinner: Chicken Ramen and fruit rings (peach, apple, and blueberry)Trail description: Welcome to the rock! Some very cool rocky summits today. The pinnacle was my favorite, complete with a cave. I thought about grabbing my headlamp and seeing how deep it goes but I figured this way I have an excuse to comeback with Dad. 3 good climbs and whoever cut the trail must not like switchbacks. I am glad they didn't use them on the climbs but the descents absolutly killed my knees, feet, and toes. The longest stretches of rocks so far and word on the trail is that there are more (and worse) to come.People: Smiley in the morning only, 4 hikers out on the trail, the caretaker at Eckville shelter who I think is called Lazee (seriously), 2 of the guys fromSASH (six Atlanta section hikers) at Allentown ShelterAnimals: Buzzards and lots of chimpmunksMoney spent: About $7 for breakfast and $5 ish to ship my bivy home.Complaints: Missed homeThoughts: I spent a quick night on the floor and was still sleepy but ready to start my day. Smiley and I walked up to the 3 C's diner for breakfast. The food was great and the waitresses were so friendly. Smiley had a good time reading the hiker register there remembering the people he hiked with at one point or another. They didn't have a payphone but let me use the house phone to send journals home.After breakfast we headed back to the Hotel and packed up and checked out.Smiley's feet were way too sore to do 23 miles so he decided to try to catch aride into Hamburg and see if they had a little better accomodations. We saidfarewells and he thought he would try to catch me once he got his feet sortedout. No doubt that he will. Especially once I hit the mountains. That man hits the hills like a goat.I quickly stopped in at the post office to mail my bivy home and then left town.It was a very depressing hour or so. I was glum to say the least. I was aloneagain and would be for the forseeable future. It was threatening rain. And Ijust wanted to be home with feet that didn't ache. So I said some prayers asking for something to pick me up and not much more than 20 minutes later I found some trail magic left by Onefoot and SizzleStix. Oatmeal cream pies and nutty bars as well as jugs of water. This was enough to pick me up and make me almost giddy the rest of the afternoon.The rocks were the worst so far but still mainly just boulder hoping. The pointy rocks were only in moderation.I ate a quick lunch and rested my feet at the pinnacle where I spent a fewtemptuous minutes staring down a black hole, wondering what lies beneath. Butanother day.From the Pinnacle the trail follows a gravel and rocky forest road for about the next 5 miles. It was at first welcomed to have level ground to step but the hard surface soon gave my feet a headache. The road breaks off onto a short trail to Hawk Mt road where I headed to Eckersville shelter for water. The shelter is in the back yard of a house. The caretaker, Lazee, was very friendly and as I walked back up the road he shouted, "Want to know a short cut?" "No thanks" I shouted back. "Hikin' em all huh?" Is there any other way. "If the blaze ain't white, it ain't right".The climb up Hawk Mt was steep to say the least. "Switchbacks? We don't need no stinking switchbacks." There were a lot more rocky and rough areas on top and a gentle rain began to fall. Not enough to put on rain gear, especially since it was so warm, but I did put on my pack cover. I took my time where applicable but boogied where I could. My feet ached dearly but by 1915 I was sitting in the shelter chatting with Mark and Brad part of SASH. Six Atlanta Section Hikers. Brad had gotten severly dehydrated and Mark stayed behind. They were tenting just beyond the shelter so once again I had the crib to myself.The rain became solid and steady about as soon as I sat down. It continued into the night and as long as I can remeber. Before going to bed I called home and chatted with mother for a good long bit. It had been a while since last contact. They are thinking of coming out next weekend to see me in Bear Mtn. WhoooHooooooooo!!!!