Date: 2015-05-22
From: Carlisle

To: Powerline
Miles today: 24.8
Weather: clear sky

I headed back on the trail after taking full advantage of the free continental breakfast at the Super 8. I made it safely back on the trail after cautiously walking way off to the side of the asphalt strip of death and all the speeding cages of metal and glass on rubber wheels that whizzed by. As the sounds of rumbling diesels, high pitched beeping reverse indicators, and the clanging of trailers being hooked up from the acres of trucking and warehousing lots slowly faded into the distance and was being replaced by the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves and tall grasses in the wind, the light clicking of my poles when they hit rocks, and the barely audible squeaking of Mr. Maroon shifting on my back as I walked, I thought about the fact that it is necessary to have those things I dislike in order to enjoy the conveniences that I enjoy. Like hot showers, prepared food on demand, easy forms of travel, quick delivery of goods, etc. I was conflicted about all these thoughts.I finished my walk across the valley and started climbing the ridge on the other side. I have been asked about the trail in PA a lot. The question usually goes something like this; Are the rocks in PA as bad as people make it sound? My answer is usually; I don't know, but I don't think so. So far the PA trails are much like sections of the rest of the AT. If anything, the trails are flatter and more pleasant than a lot of the other states. Even AWOL seems to be picking on PA trails, there are two sections of trail that I was on today that are listed in the guidebook as being very rocky. Sure, they were rocky. But, come on, so were lots of other sections in other states, and I don't remember it being listed in the guidebook. I think there is an unjustified perception that PA trails are rocky and horrible...or maybe I'm just a bit biased.I walked into Duncannon in the early afternoon and went right to the Doyle Hotel. The Doyle is one of those historic places that must be visited when hiking the trail. It seems as if everyone who is there has some connection with the trail. The lady behind the bar, QB, seemed to put everyone through a bit of a test as she first took your order. She had two long silver braids and peered over her glasses at you as if she was looking right through you. She wore a ball cap and a tee shirt and seemed abrasive when I first met her. After I was there for a while she warmed up a bit to me and I discovered she had a great sense of humor. When I left she insisted on a goodbye hug. This same scenario seemed to play out the same way to all the hikers that came through.After an hour or so of food and conversation with the Arkansas twins, Bag of tricks, Driftwood, and Blue Toes, I moved on down through Duncannon and across the Susquehanna River on the Clark's Ferry bridge. I went across this bridge in a car dozens, perhaps hundreds, of times, but never walked across it before. I recommend it. Several Peregrine falcons kept flying out from under the bridge and dive bombing me, sometimes getting within 4-5 feet of my head.When I reached the other side of the river there was a long freight train parked right across where I thought the trail must go. I got out my guide book and checked to make sure the trail crosses the tracks then tentatively walked right past the large no trespassing sign and went down the tracks and went around the front of the idling locomotives. They were on the tracks that were right up against the large stone wall and there didn't seem to be a lot of room to walk in there. I cautiously walked down the length of the monstrous train between the wall and the cars and kept expecting to get yelled at by someone, but I never did. I reached the place where the trail went up over Peter's Mountain and started climbing. I walked 6-7 more miles and camped by a clearing under power lines just as it was getting too dark to see without a headlamp.