Date: 2007-05-09
From: TheDoyle Hotel, Duncannon, PA

To: The Dalton Residence, Blairstown, PA
Miles today: 156.5

Sorry haven't been able to update for a while-busy hikin all of PA.Let me summarize Pennsylvania. ROCKY. Miserable Rocky. Sore feet. $#@* ROCKS!Hurt our feet. Destroyin our new shoes. When will the $#@* rocks end?!!!A few quotes from various hikers' entries in various shelter logs:"Love the rocks""10 mile River of Rocks""If I had a hammer....I'd hammer ...THESE ROCKS!!""We need more rocks!""Gonna miss these rocks""What happened to all the rocks today?""Can't wait for more rocks tomorrow"GET THE IDEA??Pennsylvania is notorious for destroying boots cuz of all the sharp rocks. Mostly smaller jagged edges sticking outta the ground. Too small to step on without killin the bottom of your feet wherever it pokes you. Too many to avoid or step between. Mostly we hike sections of intense rocks then brief sections with less rocks and short sections with fewer rocks then more rocks again. Once in a while we hit sections with bigger rocks where we can rock hop. those are fun interesting and not so bad, except your feet are already really sore.PA also doesn't seem to beleive in switchbacks, the climbs are just straight up the peak. Fortunately the elevation never goes over 1600 feet or so, so not that bad. We've done MUCH bigger climbs south of here. And climbin up rocky areas isn't all that bad cuz you can choose your footing since your pace is a little slower, though we typically still maintain 2.5mph.Downhill sucks cuz the little rocks hurt like hell when they jab the ball of your foot or your arch or heel or the side of your foot. My heels are killin me even with new shoes and extra gell inserts. Virginia took forever to get done, being the biggest state ~ 500miles. Many talk of the VA blues. But PA SUCKS!AND NOW WE"RE FINALLY DONE!! But we earned it....Guthook and I will press on doin 20's or better until NH. This will get us there by June 1st, leaving 30 days for NH & ME, two tough states. This will get us both done by July 1st. He has to be done and I basically do too. If not my plans afterwards change a lot.Anyway we decided to keep track on a daily basis of whether we were on schedule or note. We will "Bank" any mile over 20.3 each day and subtract if less. Zero miles in the bank will keep us on schedule. 12 or so means we can take a half day off. 20.3 means a true zero. Starting 5/4 we implented this.5/2 The Doyle, Duncannon, PA to Peters Mountain Shelter   11.4 miles [half day outta town]Had a great time at The Doyle. One of the best stops in recent times.A classic vintage hotel on main street in a small town. A huge banner hangs out front saying Welcome Hikers-the first thing you see entering downtown. There is no lobby. Just the tavern as you enter. Great selection of awesome tasting food. Hats off to the owners, Pat & his wife and Vickie. It's not the newest looking hotel rooms, but it's got a lot of nostalgia and is very cool. Can't imagin mid summer with a zillion hikers on the second floor balcony chillin. Coulda stayed there for days! Left The Doyle @1400 with a BIG climb outta town. But it was fun. Guthook was hikin a little ahead of me. Stopped to snap a photo overlooking the town & the river below. Then I spaced and missed a turn off the main trail just after the power lines. By the time I noticed no more white blazes & tried to shortcut backtracking (unsuccessfully),I was just wasting more time. I finally retraced my steps and got back to the AT. But since I hadn't taken the wrong turn while watching, I didn't know which way to go on the AT. [There's no North or South markings, just white blazes on trees] Of course I selected the wrong way and backtracked further until I came to the spot I snapped the photo. Wasted almost an hour. Oh well. Finally "caught up" to Guthook when he stopped for a break. Some day hikers were chillin at a shelter of sorts and offered us a beer. We accepted-to be polite of course. Sam never tasted SO GOOD! Chilled for a bit, but had to crank out another 3 miles to our shelter, but the trail magic was appreciated.Chilled at this palace of shelters.   5/3 Peters Mountain Shelter to Rausch Gap Shelter 17.8 milesAwoke to chillin morning, mid 40's. It's been a while since this chilly, but good hiking weather.Met Little Spartan Flip Flopper just starting out. Nice guy, lots of extra stuff in his pack, but he'll drop some stuff soon enough. Hiked with him to nite shelter. 60's sunny all day. Rocky but flat. Sustained flat. Very few climbs which are actually a releif to our feet. Of course the descents which follow are painful, but flat sucks cuz of the rocks. Normally we crank on the flats. Now you get extra tired. There are some long minor climbs but the grade is low so feet slip on loose rocks and gravel. Ouch. Steeper climbs actually make it easier to place your foot.We forced Little Spartan to do his first 18miler with us. He did all right. Has been doin 10-15 tops. And the rocks took their toll. Got into the shelter, let out the dogs. They were barkin and hot as hell. Even stoppin for longer breaks to air our our feet helps, but it's not enough. It's one thing when you hike 5 or 7 miles and your feet are tired, but bangin out 20's on rocks kills ya. Even without the rocks AT thru-hikers can hardly walk as soon as they stop walkin. Look like old west movies when cowboys been ridin horses all day. This is a regular thing every day since day 1. We look odd in town tryin to just get up and walk across the room. It takes a few minutes to get our legs and feet goin again each time. they resist the torture i think.Anyway, chilled for the nite. Awoke like always with still sore feet, though remarkably better than the nite before, as always (thank God!)5/4 Rausch Gap Shelter to 501 Shelter Another 17.4 miler   First day of the Bank System: 20.3 - 17.4 = 2.9 In the whole!!   BANK = -2.9These 18 milers were supposed to be easy days to give our feet a rest from 25's. Didn't work so well. Tonight the 501 shelter we'd heard about is fully enclosed and has a caretaker (Ranger Ron) who lives next door in a house. Skylight, sleepts 12. Solar heated shower. And pizza nearby that delivers. We couldn't wait. [Forest Ranger Ron is a great guy, very friendly and really takes good care & maintains the place. THANKS for your efforts!!]Guthook and I cranked as best we could all day throught the rocks. Same as yesterday, weather, rocks etc.Little Spartan fell behind but we told him to press on. We were gonna hitch to town for food and would wait til 6pm for him. We got there by 4 so we decided to use the backup plan, hitch to town and bring back food for him. But he made it just before we got a ride! Went to Sholls Family Restaurant with AYCE buffet. Stuffed ourselves with lots of good eats. Got a ride back with previously arranged nearby hostel owner Amy from the PA Moneypit Hostel. She talked us into another deal....rake a few leaves at her place and she'd give us some beers & burgers at a bonfire they were planning for the nite. Sounded good. Turned out to be more hassle than it was worth.First the PAMoneypit Hostel is nothin special. Yard is mega rocks. The "Bonfire" was more like burnin brush,leaves and anything else. But the worst part was the yappin dogs. She has registered dogs in kennels in the yard. If that wasn't enough she finally let them out and then they ran rampant - out of control jumpin all over ya and racin round the yard. Her friends were over for the bonfire with kids and all. Climbin all over Guthook and pulling on his beard and dreds! Pulling his hat off. wouldn't leave him alone. And he LUVS kids!! he he. It was WAY too much. Another thru-hiker Groovasaurus recently stayed there with his dog Hugo & had a run in with her puppies, enough that he left wanting his $$ back. So he wrote comments about her hostel in the 501 Shelter register. Don't blame him. Later she came to the 501 shelter and wrote a rebuttle to Groove's lambastin her in the 501 shelter register. She missed the boat. It wasn't Groove or his dog. It was HER dogs and lack of a clue how to run a business. Or pet etiquette. HE was the guest. After going there I COMPLETELY understand how it likely went down. I'M VERY GLAD I DID NOT STAY AT THE PAMONEYPIT HOSTEL. AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT AT ALL! Peace and quiet is what we want not a playground!Anyway she drove us back to the 501 shelter as agreed and we chilled. Unfortunately this would be our last nite with Little Spartan as his great grandfather somehow ended up in ICU. He had to bail in the mornin after just 3 weeks on the trail. Bummer. But family comes first. The trail will be there. Hope everything turns out all right for him and his family.5/5 501 Shelter to Port Clinton [The Pavillion] 23.7 miles   Miles in THE BANK = -2.9 + 3.4 = +0.5 YEAAAH!Got an early start @ 0545 to get to Port Clinton early enough to get ride to Sat nite church service then hook back up with Guthook for dinna. Saw a red fox just a little way down the trail, then saw ANOTHER Turkey hunter. This is kinda scary. these guys are out early legally hunting wearing all camo colors ON THE TRAIL. And I'm wearing a RED nylon baseball hat (think Gobbler bird with big RED throat!) Apparently it's shared land and it's allowed. Guess they must figure buckshot would just mame us (Like VP Dick Cheney did to his "friend" while bird hunting). Anyway 40's morning quickly became high 60's and hot but low humidity. My feet were burnin up by had to take short breaks to get to town by 4pm. It was of course rocky as always, but I was flyin, my feet payin the price.Made town by 1545, caught my ride (trail angel) to church then caught ride back. Got quick look at The big attraction here just outside of town-Cabella's fishing/sporting goods store. Their biggest store. 250,000 sq ft. Even has dog kennels and HORSE CORRALS to let out your traveling companions while you shop. Draws 8 MILLION visitors annually. More than the Liberty Bell in Philly!(Sounds like Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun to me!)Anyway got back grabbed great dinna with Guthook at the Port Clinton Hotel. Though they seemed to be kinda dissin us. Not too hiker friendly. Glad we listened to advice from hikers and stayed free at the outdoor pavillion down the street, kinda run down but its easy shelter in town. Free. 5/6 Port Clinton Pavillion to Allentown Hiking Club Shelter 22.6 miles   Miles in THE BANK = 0.5 + 2.3 = 2.8 miles totalAwoke another 40 degree chilly morning. Breakfast at 3 C's restaurant. Double big breakfast for Guthook. Just one big one for me. Lucked out last nite. Former thru-hiker now caretaker at Eckville Shelter, Mike, stopped by and offered to drive any extra unneeded weight to shelter and we'd pick it up when we got there. Sounds great. Lost a couple pounds in meals and cookware. Hit the trail @1000. Climbed up to Pulpit Rock and The Pinnacle, PA's highest Peak 1615feet. nice view. clear skies. a few folks here chilling. Weekenders. Got to Eckville 15.2 miles way too early to stop here, It's only 1345 hours. On to Allentown Shelter. got in by 1845.Like usual read shelter hiker register for entries by other thru-hikers especially of their days journey, their plans etc.. This is how we know how far ahead they are where they are and what's been happenin to them until we read their journals. Entertaining at times. Today Bluebird slammed Fruitfly in the register log (AFTER he left the shelter, so he doesn't even know it!)bitchin about their time in Port Clinton. Sounds like a bitch to us. hereafter renamed BlueBitch.Dinna and naptime.Big day tomorrow. Hike all day to Lehigh Gap, then late in our day climb up outta Lehigh Gap, "among the most challenging on the AT south of NH."   Lehigh Gap 380ftTop of Ridge 1580ftMost of climb is first 1100 feet in first mile, VERY STEEP, rocks & loose scree and then huge bolders to the top.And NO WATER FOR 14 miles, so gotta carry lots![this has become a regular thing now since mid VA. Most stream beds are dry which means filling up everything you have whenever you see water...and then carrying the added weight. sucks.]Can't wait for tomorrow.5/7 Allentown Hiking Club Shelter to Campsite after Little Gap ~22.7 miles   Miles in THE BANK = 288 + 2.4 = 5.2 total40 degrees again this morning, but thats good to hike. It will warm quickly.Early start at 0715. Climbed up over THE CLIFF & KNIFE EDGE on way to first shelter. Warmed up a lot on way to 2nd shelter. Here we must rest and fill up with mega H20. No water sources for next 14 miles. Gotta carry enough to gonna climb the infamous Lehigh Gap then walk the ridge for 5 miles in the hottest part of the day after already hiking 17 miles. Then need water to cook in camp. then need water to hike first 5 miles tomorrow! Yikes!I filled my 2 2/3 Liters, Guthook filled 4 1/2 Liters! That's a lot of weight. I filled all I carry. Probably should have more since PA water sources are often 10 miles apart. Descended to the gap crossed the river looking up at the ominous climb. Wow. Impressive. Blazin hot now. Hit it pretty hard. Sweatin to death, walkin up loose scree and rocks. Then came the bigger rocks. hand over hand climbing now. Trekking poles useless. But this is fun! Don't slip or fall it's a long tumble down, who knows where you'll stop. Looks painful. Finally made it up over the top to the desolate land. Barren. no vegetation. Dead stick trees. No grass. Old Zinc smelting operation in Palmertown down below left this devestation. It's now an EPA Superfund Site. After 25 year of efforts this is all they've been able to regrow. Everything looks dead and is gray-white. Long flat ridge for 5 miles in the blazin sun. Damn. Looks like another planet as one hiker described it to us. Reminded me of the movie Planet of the Apes when they're walking along the shore and find the half buried and collapsed Statue of Liberty.Walked and walked and waked along scree and loose rocks along the flat ridge.Finally began the descent to Little Gap. Finally some vegetation. Scant grass. A few shrubs. not much alive here. Got to bottom and headed right back up to next ridge to find a campsite for tonite.Still very rocky so hard to find anyplace we can camp. Finally found something we could make work @ 1900 hours. Pitched tents, tarps and cooked dinna. Time for bed. Gettin dark almost 2030 now. Gonna be chilly again tonite.5/8 Campsite to Wind Gap, PA ~15.4 miles   Miles in Bank = 5.2 - 4.9 = 0.3 miles totalGot moving fairly early to get to our host's house ASAP! Can't wait.Chilly mornin 40's. quickly 60-70's. Hiked a bit then finally got to water source. Got to Wind Gap and walked into town ~ 1.5miles to grab some food while awaiting our ride.Italian pizza place with pretty good stuff. Guthook is hookin us up big for a while. He works summers for the AMC and has friends from a camp he works at every year. "Irish" Noel (2006 thru hiker) offered to help him and put the word out to all the campers that regularly attend, many who live along the AT.Mike & Tanya Dalton our first hosts are longtime regulars at this AMC camp. Picked us up, fed us a great home cooked meal and provided laundry, showers and a place to stay at their home. Can't beat that. And Noel is here visiting! Naptime.5/9 Mohican Outdoor Center, NJ to Wind Gap ~ 25 miles   [SOBO slackpack to finish up PA!! YEAH!! Then get picked up and return to   same home and do more slackpacking tomorrow]   Miles in the Bank = 0.3 + 4.7 = 5.0 totalONE LAST ROCKY DAMN DAY IN PA!!We started ~ 10 miles north in NJ and hiked over not as rocky ground around Sunfish Pond, etc.to Deleware Water Gap. Jumped of and grabbed breakfast in town and a sweet deal $1.49 for a warm slice of apple pie & a hot dog [which we opted to pass on] at the bakery next door. Mmmmmm! Then on to finish the last 15 miles of PA!MEGA ROCKS. Punishing. And the heat cranked up after lunch break. Some minor climbs. A great stream we cooled ourselves with and soaked our headbands.More rocks. Punishing. Brutal right to the end. We will not miss PA rocks!!Our new trailshoes are seriously damaged. Chunks of lugs torn off, rips starting, evidence of delaminating soles and after just 2-300 miles of mostly PA rocks! remember our last shoes got us 1300 miles! And some of the contact points for the front, the ball of your foot, arches, and heels are well worn. the last shoes tread was in great shape, the shock absorbing layers were just crushed down and moderate tears in the sides of the shoes. This is crazy.FINALLY after another agonizing day of trying to push to stay on pace we finished in 11 hours. Deduct 1 hour for lunch and we stayed on pace @ 2.5mph counting all breaks even through the rock fields, many of which were very long today. Ughhh.We will not miss them.Caught our ride home at 6pm. Irish bought us all dinna at Mediterrainian Place. Good food. Much appreciated.Another shower. Ahhhh. And now it's bedtime. Another 23 or so tomorrow. Then more slackpacking all through NJ with other contacts through the AMC. It pays to know Gutook. It pays to know Irish!FedEx