Date: 2022-09-01
From: George W Outerbridge Shelter

To: PA 309
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: clear sky

I woke up early in the morning, maybe around 2:00. I laid there for a bit trying to decide what had awakened me. A boy? An animal? A night hiker? I heard nothing. As I laid there, it was my mind that spoke to me. ¢The Chili Mac, you fool!¢ At our Lehigh Gap dinner spot last night I had added some freeze dried Chili Mac to my mug before the mashed potatoes, bacon bits, and cheddar cheese. The chili Mac had joined us back in the 100-mile wilderness at one of the food drops. I had opened it at Katahdin Stream campground and eaten half of it. I carefully rewrapped the remaining freeze dried portion and sealed it in a ziplock bag (double bagged!). Ten days later (twelve?) I poured a half cup into my dinner mug and ate it with relish. Big mistake. Freeze dried food will last a century or more when sealed properly. The companies themselves pit 50-year expiration dates on them. But after the seal is broken tree food is only good for a day or maybe two. Certainly not 10. I knew all this. So I knew. At 2:30 am, that September first might shape up to be a tough day for me. I didn¢t yet feel sick at all but I knew, without a doubt, that my body was about to fight a fight. We woke at 5:30 and started packing up camp. I still felt fine. Breakfast was oatmeal, breakfast essentials, and coffee. I started a pack of oatmeal but couldn¢t finish it. My body didn¢t want food. We got moving about 6:45 and climbed back up into the ridge. The sun was behind us as we climbed and the views to the southwest were expansive. The Lehigh River was winding it¢s way towards the gap while the roads, rail lines, and power lines converged towards the same destination. Pennsylvania was waking up. We continued an easy hike along the ridge. As we walked I started to feel weaker and more lethargic. I stopped for water as everyone passed and asked Jasper to hang back with me. ¢If I pass out just splash some water on my face.¢ ¢What!?¢¢I feel terrible.¢We cranked out 5 miles before getting to a gravel road. ¢I¢ve got to lay down,¢ I told Joni. I got out my Switchback and laid down at a campsite. As I got the chills I put on my puffy and Joni¢s quilt. She gave me a pill of activated charcoal. I fell asleep for 2 hours. I woke up feeling a little better. My body had shivered it out. I never got explosive but I was still very tired. I drank a quart of water, took another pill, and fell asleep for another hour. ¢We really enjoyed that three hour break,¢ Jasper said later. Brothers agreed. I was able to eat a snack and start walking again about 1:00. The next 8 miles we¢re rocky and unremarkable. I was tired but could push on. The boys and Joni were fresh after the long rest. We made it to Thunderhead Lodge and Tavern about 5:00. We put packs on the deck out back in view of our indoor table. Everyone ordered a cheeseburger except Baxter, who ordered a bowl of Macaroni and cheese. Lemonade all around. I ate half of my burger and all of my fries. I was past the worst of the sick. We shouldered packs after dinner, refilled bottles at the spigot out back and hit the trail again. Three tenths of a mile later I found a site for two tents. We threw down, pitched tents, hung beat bags and settled in for some sleep. Fourteen miles sounds like a short day to us here in PA but I¢m glad we could pull it off!