Date: 2008-07-01
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Eckville Shelter, PA
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up at 4:50am and I knew that 3Cs Restaurant opened up at 5am. I walked the half mile there and had coffee! I had three eggs over easy, bacon, homefries with onions and rye toast.Their advertisement on their placemats said it is the best breakfast along the AT. I thought about it a minute and it just might be. The homefries were excellent! :-)I had three cups of coffee with breakfast, then I walked back and packed up my stuff and my tent.I walked over to the pavilion and wished Professor Longjohns good luck with getting better from Lyme, then started walking north at 6:40am.I had another 1,000 foot climb out of the gap. I had worked up a pretty good sweat on the way up, but I got into a really nice breeze on top and it cooled me down nicely.I started down the first little hill and ran into a sobo by the name of Camel who was doing a 150 mile section. He told me about the nice spring at the bottom of the hill.I dumped out my town water when I got to Pocohontas Spring and made 32 ounces of lemonade and drank that. I then topped off my two water bottles and started walking after a little snack.I climbed the next hill and got to another spring called Minnehaha Spring. I kept walking.It was easy trail and the humidity level had dropped and there was a nice breeze blowing, so I was feeling great!I walked by the side trail to Windsor Furnace Shelter without stopping, then climbed about a 700 foot hill. That was my last big climb of the day.When I got to Pulpit Rock, I stopped and ate a snack while my pack and my shirt dried out.I was walking along and my ol' buddy Chief called. He has a backpacking trip coming up on The Long Trail and had a few questions about backpacking. ;-)I got to the side trail to The Pinnacle and walked out there for lunch. It's probably the best view in all of PA.I always hear about all the copperheads and rattle snakes in the area. I looked in all the cracks and crevices, but didn't see any. I think I've only seen 2 rattle snakes in the area before.It was nice on The Pinnacles. The buzzards were flying around below the level I was at and I always love seeing birds fly below me.I had some chicken salad and crackers, diced peaches, nuts and a Tootsie Roll Pop.I laid all my stuff in the sun and it was dry when I got ready to leave 45 minutes later.The walking had been easy this morning with not too many really rocky areas, but it got even easier after The Pinnacle. Most of the next five miles were on an old forest service road and was well graded and hardly any rocks.I descended about 700 feet to Hawk Mtn Rd, then walked the .2 miles to Eckville Shelter.Mother Nature and Smokestack were there!I gave Mother Nature a hug and she told me how gooooood my shirt smelled. :-)They both seem to be enjoying their walk this year. I get to walk with them for a few days. When I asked about how many miles we were walking tomorrow, they said 11 1/2. I said; "Good, we'll have enough time for breakfast, huh?" :-)They have two cars and we are slacking tomorrow and the next day. I'm looking forward to a couple easier days after walking bigger miles to catch up with them.I was plugging my cell phone in to recharge it when I saw Gator walk up. I hadn't seen him in almost two weeks.We got to talking and he said his girlfriend now has a trailname....Gatoraide! :-)That's a fitting name because she helps him out so much. Hello Gatoraide...Gator said you've been following my journal too. :-)A sobo by the name of VA Mtn Goat came in, then Neon and CC Rider. Oh yeah, Doxie and Meat Bag were here when I got here, but they walked on.I set up my tent in the field and took a solar shower and washed my clothes. (I think Mother Nature was impressed with my socks) ;-)Today was so much nicer because of the lower dew points than the last two days. It has really been an easy year for walking the Appalachian Trail weatherwise...the best I've seen so far.Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)