Date: 2016-05-02
From: Pine Grove Furnace - Ironmasters Mansion Hostel

To: Carlisle, PA
Miles today: 27.3
Weather: light rain

Long day today. I had a tough night's sleep last night as the room temperature kept getting hotter. Figured I was so uncomfortable that I might as well get organized and start hiking. So I started hiking at 6:00 when I could hike without my headlamp. Initially it was hard to differentiate tree rain from falling rain. Fortunately, the rain stopped before noon. The trail all day had few rocks so it was easy on the knees. Most of the trail was flat and the climbs that were encountered were comparatively easy. This combination enabled hiking many miles today.I was concerned after reading about two rock mazes. I didn't recall seeing such references before and thought Rocksylvania was about to crush me. The first rock maze eliminated my concern. These really were mazes and were not rock scrambles that will soon be encountered. The first rock maze was fun. It took me up and around huge boulders. There was a step or two that required pulling myself up with my hands though a younger, stronger hiker probably would've just quickly lept up and through. The maze seemed like something I'd pay to go through and enjoy. The second rock maze came in less than a quarter mile. It seemed a bit harder and longer than the first. There was a somewhat steep descent after the mazes but I found a big grin on my face thinking how this trail is so full of surprises. Who would've ever thought such fun could be found using mountainous terrain. Then I thought how much fun youngsters would have playing hide and seek here in addition to scrambling through them. A father approached with two little ones and I told him I knew a couple young boys who were about to have a fun time. The dad said he lived in Boiling Springs and had enjoyed them himself numerous times before and was taking these little ones for their second time. People living in this area have a real treat awaiting them and I wondered how many know what they have here.Yesterday's song title choice led to a question from Andy. The song, Look On The Bright Side Of Life, comes from Monty Python and probably isn't that well known since many either love or hate Monty Python. Coincidentally, I began eating Spam about a week ago. Monty Python does a hilarity segment on Spam and I suspect Doug and Tom are now replaying that in their minds now.After the mazes I was challenged to live through yesterday's song title when one of my brand new hiking poles began to fail. The hiking pole came apart after being placed in sticky mud. The bottom portion of the pole remained planted in the ground as I'd continue to hike, then I'd attempt to plant it with my next step and realize that the bottom portion of the pole wasn't there. I carried the pole after doing this a dozen times and not being able to fix the pole. Don't think these poles lasted 3 weeks and yet they have a three year warranty. Look On The Side Of Life - yup, walk the walk and walk the talk.Just as I was about to walk through a cornfield, I came upon a young family happily hiking along. The Dad (Red Wing) originally thru-hiked in 1999 and then he and his wife (Hopeful) thru-hiked together in 2005. I answered a few questions and learned that their oldest child, who seemed very young, hiked over 200 miles last year. This young hiker had two siblings hiking while Mom carried her younger sibling in a baby hiking carrier. Wonder when this family will thru-hike. It seems inevitable. As I walked away, I could hear the Dad telling his family about his thru-hike experience.Lots of fun and smiles today as the miles flew by.