Date: 2004-06-03
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter 
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Last out of the shelter today enjoying the hammock on such a wonderful morning. Left the shelter around 10 and thought about staying around for lunch. This is a major grudge I¢ve got against TP manufactures and the grocery stores. It is crucial to have quality 2-ply toilet paper. First off the only TP sold in stores in single rolls were bad single ply TP. Single ply simply does not work efficiently. It¢s scratchy even though it claims to be "soft".....Sorry I had to pull another tick from my lower back. That brings the tick total to three today. I can now continue¢¦.So I could have bought four quality 2-ply quilted rolls for $2.75, and thrown away the other three rolls. Or settle for the bad scratchy non-efficient $.75 roll of single ply. I¢m not a happy camper. Might have to write some angry letters to Charmin...grrr! You just don¢t understand the importance of quilted paper. You take it for granted, realize how lucky you are. In fact every time you use your quilted paper think how well you have it! :-)Got to a good rock overlook and found a side trail leading to a field on top of the mountain with two domes and one garage like telescope platforms. It was owned by an astronomy club. Bet it would sure be a great place for star gazing! Also on the mountain top was a rock painted with black paint with the words "secret entrance 50 feet" and an arrow. Always searching for an adventure I decided to check it out. Last night a hiker headed south was talking about a cave he had seen while hiking so I already knew what this secret entrance was. It took a while to find since it was in the middle of a bolder field. The hole went deep and out of sight. My headlamp was in my pack on the trail. After much thinking about how dangerous it was down I went. It required simple climbing skills to drop down thirty feet. Once my eyes adjusted to the dark light could be seen from another entrance leading to a different part of the bolder field. The "cave" was essentially a bunch of rocks piled on each other. Nonetheless it was a lot of fun to do a little bit of exploring on the wild side. Found another turtle on the trail. I don¢t know what is so fascinating about them. They are just so fun to pick up. It bobbed its head in, then out, and moved its legs and arms in an attempt to escape. It pooped because it was freaking out too much. I realized I was causing this poor little guy a lot of trauma and let it go. That thing flew once it came in contact with the ground. Then it was time for me to get hiking.PA is known for its countless rock fields. Along with the rock fields come rattlers living between the rocks for warmth. Everyone hiking around me had seen and heard rattlers on the trail, and sunning on rocks. Not till today did I see my first rattler. I did not just see one, nor two, nor three, but four rattlers all woven together in a pile. Briar Rabbit was hiking ahead and alerted me of their location. We thought there was only one. But then we counted three rattles. Next after more examination from a safe distance noticed yet another snake blended in with some leaves. That snake had a different color than the other three but was woven with the other snakes. If I would have been hiking first and stepped into the pit of snakes that would have been the last of me...phew that would not be a fun experience.Today was full of adventure. Towards the end of the day I was jamming to the radio hopping over rocks happily minding my own business when I heard this loud and mean sounding growl. I stopped dead in my tracks and just about fell off the rock. Looked around and felt my heart pounding like it might burst. I then realized the growl came from the radio. That¢s a sure sign I¢ve been out here too long. That¢s enough adventures for the day, more to come tomorrow for sure. -Captain Hook, Luck Duck, and Big Blue Boo