Date: 2004-04-19
From: Cove Mtn Shelter

To: Peter's Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 15.4

Log entry: 79Start time: 0845End time: 1830Morning weather: Warm and clearAfternoon weather: Hot and clear, in the 80sEvening weather: Warm, I think clouds overhead but no ambition to get up to lookBreakfast: French toast flavored oatmealLunch: Meat stromboli from SorrentosDinner: Chicken noodle soup and hot chocolate. Not exactly what I wanted after a long, hot day, but I shouldn't complain.Trail description: So far Pennsylvania is a flat state with some rocks now and again, but nothing as of yet to fear. Even coming down Cove Mt which is supposed to be a "tough part as far as the rocks go" but Smiley lead me over them without incident. Pennsylvania is another beautiful state. Rocks are pretty when they aren't trying to kill you.People: Smiley and townsfolk, then back on the AT we ran into Spammy, NOBO class of 2000.Animals: Dogs and other domesticsMoney spent: $11 for stromboli (with soda and a big bag of chips), 69 cents for white gas, $6.05 to send some stuff home, $27 or so for groceries. Big spender today, seems like I am single handedly trying to get the country out of the recession.Complaints: Feet hurt a little but very thirsty, hot and dry already and it is only mid April.Thoughts: I misjudged how long it takes to cook a hot breakfast and we didn't leave the shelter until 0845. But we made good time down the hill and over the rocks, making it to the southside of Duncannon by 1000 (like 4 miles). Smiley can really move over the rocks, skills he learned after years in Colorodo which is rocky like PA above treeline. So I follow his routes but he still moves faster and quicker, I can't wait to lose these boots. Once in "the Dunc" we stopped at the mobil mart for gatorades since last nighthe talked me into never carrying a Nalgene again. There wasn't enough toresupply here so we pushed on and bought stuff at the convience store, not surewhat the name was. They had enough but it would have been nice to have a widerselection. There is a nice grocery store 0.5 mile up PA274 but we didn't try tocatch a ride.After buying food we headed over to the Methodist church and hung out with thesenior citizens as I journaled and repacked my pack Smiley sent a mass email tohis buddies. We were invited to stay for the sauerkrought (sp?) but optedinstead for stromboli. Besides we had just had sauerkrought.Lunch was wonderful. I ordered the medium size and it was huge. I finished itbut needed a nap afterwards. But instead we went to the post office. I sent home my maps that I was done with, they weighed at least a pound. After all the talk about going light and seeing how easyily Smiley moves, I finally came to the painful realization that I have been doing things wrong for quite some time now.We hit the hardware store, which is on the trail, and got fuel and water. Fromthere we passed through town and back into the mts. It was by now about 1430 and the sun was blazing with no leaves to block it. The climb out of town really got the sweat out of me and soon noticed that the only water remaining was in my Gatorade. We continued to make good time and progress but without water the hike wasn't much fun. By 1800 or so we arrived at Peters Mt shelter. As tired and as sore as my feet were thirst was priority one. We gathered our water collecting gear followed the blue-blazed trail down down down to the spring.The trail down was very steep and about 0.2 of a mile down but the spring at thebottom was ice cold. Plus some volunteers built the trail down there which wasall rock steps, must have been weeks to finish.Smiley and I drank and drank from the spring. I had a full 2 and a half litersbefore heading back up.I made a quick and easy dinner and Smiley and I talked until about 2200, oops,that's well past bedtime.