Date: 2013-07-02
From: Tumbling Run Shelters

To: Jeremy & Lera's House, PATC Milesburn Cabin
Miles today: 17.2

I slept okay, but not great. The rain started a little before 5 a.m., and that's when I got the best zzzzzz. Most everyone was packed up and moving by the time I crawled out. My rain fly was wet, so I hung it up in the covered pavilion and moved all my belongs under it to finish packing up and have breakfast. I got a message back from Jeremy saying that he was much closer that either of us realized. So, it seemed that we would link up that evening. What a lovely, unexpected treat! But I'd need to get moving since it was already late, and I hadn't really planned on doing big miles. It was hazy and overcast as I headed out. The morning seemed to be having a tough time waking up as well. It didn't rain, but it looked like it really, really wanted to. There were a few places to hike out to vistas, but I guessed that they would be clouded in so I opted to skip them. I was more eager to catch up with Jeremy. The trail was flattish and smoothish, nothing like I had expected from Pennsylvania. It has a reputation for being really, really rocky, and right now it is anything but. I had a maildrop waiting for me in South Mountain, and South Mountain just seemed to be begging for visitors. There was sign in the woods pointing right down a small forest road. It said: South Mountain, Post Office, Groceries. "Groceries" had been painted over to block it out. I guess they were out of groceries. There were two more chances to turn towards South Mountain, and I took the middle option. It took about .3 miles to get out to the main road. I made a half-hearted attempt to hitch-hike, but no one stopped, so I just kept my thumb to myself. I dropped my pack outside the post office and went inside. My box was waiting for me. The postmaster said it would be no problem if I spread my stuff out on the front stoop. So I did. Each and every person that walked in stopped to talk to me, ask questions and wish me luck. I sorted through the box and realized that I still had too much, so I put the extra stuff back in the box and mailed it ahead to Duncannon, PA. I know I'm spending a fortune in postage, but I'm tired to caring the extra stuff. It's just too much weight to be any fun. I went back outside to have an early lunch (I wanted to be able to leave all my garbage). Just as I was finishing up, a nice lady stopped by to talk. We chatted for about 10 minutes and then she reached out her hand. I thought she wanted to shake hands, so I offered her my hand. And without warning, she started praying for me. It was so earnest, so sincere, so genuine. In the last decade I've moved away from religion, but this woman's prayer moved me to tears. There was a power behind it that I haven't experienced in a long while. Soon I found myself back in the woods, back with my posse of ever present gnats. I swatted and slapped, but they were undeterred. Thankfully, the trail wasn't too rocky so I could devote a substantial amount of time trying to shoo them away. I passed a box of trail magic, but it had long since been exhausted. Oh well, it was the thought that counts. I caught up with Pantry, and she and I passed through Caledonia State Park together. It was a beautiful park with some of the nicest, cleanest bathrooms I've seen yet. I washed the dirt from my hands and watched it stream down the drain. The white blazes snaked us through the park. Sometimes it feels like we're on a scavenger hunt for white blazes. At the base of a climb there was a sign indicating to the park visitors that this was the Appalachian Trail. Below the sign was a small square sign with the words "Difficult" with a jagged white line on a black background. I wondered, is the trail about to become difficult? or are they rating the entire trail difficult? It was unclear, but I was a bit nervous. What lay ahead? I climbed the steps, but at the top the trail flattened out and became soft sand. I like this kind of "difficult."The trail took us through another rhododendron tunnel, I thought those were well behind us. I got up to Quarry Run Shelter and was delighted by the hanging baskets of pink and purple flowers. How charming! The shelter was a pristine dog-run of sorts. If I weren't staying at Jeremy and Lera's tonight, I would certainly stay here. The only thing that gave me pause was the GIANT rattlesnake (about 4') slinking its way up the trail to the camping area. We got close and took photos, but it never coiled or rattled. It still gave me chill bumps.My feet and ankles were starting to ache. But this late in the day, that's normal. I stopped to pick some blueberries. Have I mentioned how much I like berries? I was about .5 from the PATC Cabin when I saw a head pop over the hill. It was Jeremy! We hugged and then chatted our way back down the mountain. It had been over 11 years since I'd seen him last, but it only felt like a few months, if that. He drove me back to Carisle, PA where I got to meet his absolutely lovely and gracious wife, Lera. We chatted for a bit, and then they got me settled in. We walked a few blocks to a cool little Belgian cafe called Cafe Bruges. I ordered the Jean Claude Van Dam special (aka the mussels w/fries) and a warm green bean potato salad smothered in lardon and bacon fat. All of this washed down with a biere miele. I have eaten like a queen this last week. And each morning when I woke up, I had no idea what was in store for me. And not just the food, but more importantly the company that I've been able to share it all with. The trail is so full of magic.