Date: 2007-06-22
From: BOILING SPRINGS PA

To: COVE MOUNTAIN SHELTER
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: broken clouds

To: Cove Mtn ShelterToday Miles:21.6Total Miles: 1128.9We knew we had big milage to do today so we were up early and walked to the Getty Mart to buy breakfast and use their restroom. It was great to sleep in the Garman's yard, but there are no amenties that come with it except a soft lawn and a water hose. We heard more wildlife last night in town than we do in the woods. There was some animal yelling, and owls hooting, and very early the birds were all singing. We have not seen much wildlife in the past few weeks, I guess they are all in town!Thunder was up as we left, but Blue and Ishmel were just waking up. We were walking by 7:00 AM again. The first part of the day was so unusal for us. We have been walking in the woods for so long, but today we were walking through wheat and corn fields and crossed 14 roads by 1:00 PM. The walking was flat and easy with lots of things to look at along the way. At one point, we heard hyms being sung on one side of us (I think we are in Amish country?) and gunshots being fired on the other side. It was a little wierd. For the most part, the trail was well maintained but the poison ivy that we have not seen in PA is back.We walked over the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-81 also. Around 1:00 PM we crossed the Conodoguinet Creek pedestrian footbridge that was very long and well built. It is a 500-foot-long boardwalk and replaced an old bog bridge in 2005 so thank you ATC. At the end, was the ATC Work Crew Center. There was a picnic table, water spigot, and a porta john for us, so we sat down for a break. Camel was there as he is doing a section hike from Harper's Ferry to Mass. He also did a thru hike in 98 and the PCT and CDT! After this break, we were back in the woods and back into the hills. We went from 390 feet to 1170 feet to get to the Darlington Shelter. A huge uphill climb with a lot of rocks to get up and over. I think the trail does not want our legs to get soft on us. Again, we stopped for a break but needed to go another 7.3 miles for the day. The first part we did quickly, but once we had to get up onto another ridge and the trail turned rocky for 2 1/2 miles to Cove Mtn. Shelter. If this is how it is going to be for 100 miles, I am in trouble. My feet were very sore by the time we reached the shelter at 6:30 PM. Cove Mtn. Shelter was built with boards from an old barn. Some of them over 100 years old. Gimpy was there, as he had passed us 15 min. sooner. We had all wondered together if we had missed the shelter as there was a blue blazed trail but no sign so we went on over the rocks. Camel came in as did Blue, Thunder, and Ishmel. The water source was 400 ft down a steep embankment so that added to the hard day. The gypsy moths are flying all over. I hate these things! We were all tired, except maybe Gimpy, who does this kind of milage every day, so we cooked, ate, and went to bed. This shelter has bunks so Calamity slept on top and I slept on the bottom and Blue in the other bottom bunk. The rest tented. It was the first time I have slept in a bunk style shelter. We only have 4 miles tomorrow and can get a little rest in Duncannon, PA.