Date: 2018-05-19
From: Rausch Gap Shelter, PA

To: PA 443 Green Point, PA
Miles today: 4.7
Weather: light rain

I got up at 6:00 so I could get to the post office. Just as promised by the forecast, it was raining. I hiked 4 miles. It would normally take me two hours, but this morning it took me three hours 15 minutes. The 4 miles this morning was more difficult than the 18 I hiked yesterday, when the stars were aligned with a nice cool breeze, cooperative trail, and my feet feeling great. I was strong and my confidence grew with each step that I could complete 18 miles. This morning was a struggle to go four miles. It was raining and I had my umbrella up, attached to my shoulder strap. The trail was covered with water. Before I started to hike this morning, I had pulled out my gloves and rain mitts because my hands were cold. I put them in an accessible location, but had put on my pack and started hiking before I realized I hadn't put them on. I tried to keep hiking, but my hands were too cold and wet to continue without covering them. I checked all my pockets and everywhere I could think of to find my gloves with no luck. I finally found a semi-dry boulder to set my pack on, and as soon as I swung it off my back, I saw my gloves and mitts, neatly tucked into a pocket on either side of my sit pad, located in the lower back area of my pack. I had put them where I could easily reach while hiking, but forgot I had put them there. It was a pretty miserable hike. It was cold and raining, with trees down, and a controlled burn area that was still smoldering and smelled like smoke. Today I kept thinking "I just want to hike". I would then hear another voice say "You ARE hiking". It just wasn't my ideal conditions, slogging along in the rain with water flowing down the trail. I kept thinking about my trail family who would be hiking 9 miles today instead of 4 miles, as they had camped further back. The trail went through an area that was the Village of Rausch Gap from 1828 - 1910. The peak population was just over 1,000, but the coal mining industry there was not productive, and the railroad removed its operations in 1872, negating the need for the railroad equipment repair that was located there.  As I hiked through the controlled burn area, a bright red bird caught my eye against the dark, bleak background of rain and burnt forest. It kept moving quickly from tree to tree, barely giving me an opportunity to get a good look at it. I would later find out it was a Vermilion Flycatcher. It was a beautiful, bright red bird, with black wings and a black eye band. No matter how miserable I might be while out here, there is something every day that makes me smile and glad to be here, doing what I'm doing. Today it was the Vermilion Flycatcher.I had to get to the post office by noon in order to get my package. Within half mile of the road I tried to call a shuttle and got an answering machine. I left a message and called the second number listed for the same service. That person was currently in Carlisle. I checked Uber and there were no cars available. I figured if I got to the road, I would eventually get a ride, either from Uber or a passerby who felt sorry for a wet hiker. Uber came available and I decided not to take a chance on missing picking up my supply box so I confirmed. Jonathan was the driver, a very pleasant young man who had been an Uber driver for three months. It appeared that he was still figuring out the system, trying to follow the map as he passed by the street where the post office was located in Jonestown, and kept going until I told him he needed to turn around and go back. The shuttle driver had called me back and I asked him about a good place to eat in Jonestown. He didn't have any suggestions. I asked about a place near the Comfort Inn and he suggested McDonald¢s. I told him I wasn¢t really interested in McDonald¢s and he suggested Moose's LZ. When I mentioned it to the Uber driver, who previously had no opinion about a restaurant, he lit up and said it was a great place to eat. I added Moose's to my Uber itinerary. This choice was confirmed by the Postal Service clerk, and a customer in the post office.The big deck burger is an eight ounce burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, saut©ed onions, saut©ed mushrooms, and bbq sauce. I had a cup of coffee to warm up before my food arrived and a Yards Brawler to wash down the burger. Conscientious of my body odor, I sat at a table in the corner of the dining room, as far away from people as I could get. I would¢ve preferred to sit in the bar room area where sports were being broadcasted on the several tv screens, but I didn¢t want to overwhelm people trying to eat with my hiker stench. The restaurant began to fill up, with many customers from the local military base. Two young military ladies, Jackie and Brittany, sat at the table next to me. They were both in the medical field for the army. We had a nice conversation throughout our meals. Brittany recommended a restaurant in Cumberland Gap, TN of which she knew the owner. I noted it, and they left before I finished my lunch.When I was done eating, I went to the bar area and selected a couple micro brew bottles for later at the hotel, and put them in my pack. I got my resupply box, and began the 1.4 mile walk to the hotel. I had gone about 2/10 of a mile when a large white pick up pulled off to the side of the road in front of me and stopped. As I approached, I saw it was a Pennsylvania DCNR truck. The female driver offered me a ride, which I gladly accepted. We had a nice conversation during the short ride to the Comfort Inn. Another Trail Angel, which I am very grateful for. When I arrived at the hotel, Puddles, Thumper, T-Bird, and RX had just arrived in an Uber. We were all able to check in early. I told them about Moose¢s LZ and that I was willing to go back for another meal with them. We all got busy with our chores before dinner.  It¢s different arriving at hotel or hostel than it was at the beginning of the hike three weeks ago. It started off as a reprieve when arriving, chores were somewhat secondary at the beginning. I felt like I needed rest when I arrived and, other than laundry and getting a good meal, everything else was secondary. Washers and dryers are at a premium because they are usually in demand by other hikers. I needed rest, but would scramble to get the rest of my chores done before I checked out. Now there is a clear process at each stop when amenities are available. Shower, laundry, clean and put gear out to dry, eat, resupply food, back wash water filter, wash items such as freshette and water collection bag, sort food and snacks into daily bags, and tweak the organization of gear and supplies. An example of a change I made to my re-organizing is that I now have a ¢sock bag¢ instead of keeping socks in my clothes bag, which gets packed away each morning. The sock bag remains accessible throughout the day so I can change to dry socks when I stop for breaks. I keep nail clippers, anti-friction lube, and leukotape in the bag. I re-apply lube at every stop that I remove my boots and socks. I have gotten one small blister since I started, but I knew I was going to get it, because I didn¢t want to stop on the steep hill coming into Duncannon. After arriving in Lickdale/Lebanon and began to complete chores, every was hungry, so we went to Moose¢s LZ. I had another Big Deck burger and Brawler. We left there and went to grocery store, then back to the hotel. Puddles and Thumper still needed to do laundry. Everyone was drying their gear as it had rained during the night, and all morning. Puddles was using a blow dryer to dry her tent, which was hanging over the shower curtain rod in the bathroom. She and Thumper were sharing a room, which was like a sauna with all the wet gear and their heater turned on high. I shared my beers with RX and T-Bird. RX was very happy, as he had stayed at the hotel when the rest of us went out to dinner and the grocery store.I organized my food, sharing a few items with my trail family. There is very little down time when coming off the trail, unless a zero day is taken. Even then, there is very little time to relax.