Date: 2008-07-17
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today so far has been the rockiest day yet in Pennsylvania. Nothing like the horror stories I have read, mostly just annoying and challenging. It does slow you right down though. After several miles the trail emerged onto a 2 lane hiway. As I was crossing, I noticed a short distance down to my left, was what looked like to be an Inn?The day being what it was, (hot) and my hunger being what it was,(hungry), I decided to make a little detour and check it out.As I approached, the neon "Coors Light" sign in the window, it may have just as easily read "Come in Papa Sarge, sit down, enjoy a cold one" so I did!This was the Mountain Summit B&B Restaurant. Atmosphere was good, but hikers had to sit at the bar with no other patrons or at specific tables with vinyl backing instead of those that were upholstered. I understand why they do this, not everyone who hikes is minty fresh.Glad that I practice adequate hygiene and do wear deodorant, I enjoyed fair service while I waited for Sprite & Freckles. I'm sure they would see my "arrow" at the road indicating I was here. In the mean time, a Philly steak & Cheese w/fries had my name on it.They still hadn't shown up after about an hour, they probably stopped for a break, so I got moving again. I tried getting 2 ginger ales for the road to give back some trail magic to S&F, but they didn't have any. Both girls,but especially Sprite, take great delight in leaving Trail Magic for others. I know, I have been the recipiant many times of their trail magic. Today was going to be a 17.6 mile day. I was heading for the Bake Oven Knob Shelter. The sky was getting dark and thunder was rolling in from the distance.Along the way I passed John & Kelly who were slacking heading the other way. The fast encroaching storm minimized our conversation. They had to get to a specific trail head where "Party Animal" was going to pick them up.Just before we headed our seperate ways, John told me there was something he had party Animal leave for us at the spring near the shelter. Thanks John!As I continued up and over the rocks, the sky was getting even darker, the wind was picking up, the thunder was now overhead and you could smell the rain. I had a fast pace going trying to reach the shelter before the sky opened up.The little sign for the shelter was missing, I just happened to see a nail in the tree and noticed a trail off to my right. Several yards down and to the left was the tiny shelter. I made it! With the drops starting to fall, I decided to push my luck and go downhill toward the spring.Once there, I saw nothing! I began to move some rocks and there just like buried treasure, were 3 cans of beer. Score! Thanks again John & Party Animal.I grabbed them and scooted back up the hill. Just steps before reaching the shelter I felt the cold hard rain hammering down.Eventually S&F showed up. I gave them their trail magic. I had already settled in the shelter but they tented up the hill. I had the shelter alone until right at dark, when "Rodeo" & "Dah Wah He" showed up. I first met Rodeo back at the Anthrax Inn in Virginia with Bojangles. This was my first introduction with "Dah Wah He". This is a Hope or Navajo translation for "bearded one".Fortunately, the shelter didn't leak, as it rained off & on throughout the night. Tomorrow I will be heading into Palmerton. Town stops are much more frequent as you move north as compared with the early weeks back in Georgia & North Carolina d Tennessee. I wonder if Little Debbie will be there to greet me?