Date: 2005-06-24
From: Harrisburg Pike

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Up and gone by 5:35. It was earlier then normal because I wanted to get out of the valley and back into the trees before the sun came up. I stopped by the Scott farm and filled up on water, ate breakfast and then moved on. Evidently, according to my notes, it was not Socks who passed me by that evening. Socks though was a strong hiker. She was a little unsure about herself but, time and time again she proved just how tough she really was. She became my friend and we kept bouncing into each other all the way to the end (she did finished the trail, way to go Socks, I knew you could do it).   The plan that day was to make it to Duncannon, PA and try to get a room at the famous Doyle Hotel. I ran in to New Heart along the way and he told me he knew of this area because this is where he was from. He also told me that he had planned to do some trail magic a little further on up the trail. I remember from way back in the beginning that he wanted to do this and he had made mention then. I forgot all about it until he reminded me that day. His plan was to serve barbequed chicken and other home made goods. His church group was going to assist him in this endeavor. I made it a point to stop by that day (the timing was perfect).   Just before we entered Duncannon we same upon Socks sitting in the middle of the trail. She was out of water, disorientated, dehydrated and near becoming a heat casualty. I was carrying some extra water and told her to sit in the shade and drink it. There was an unrecorded change in the trail that took a hiker back up a huge hill we just walked down. It did not make any sense why it turned the way it did and in her condition, it was enough to put her very close to "going over the edge". The water helped her clear her mind and New Heart and I helped her out of the wood line. We found two coolers full of iced drinks set up on the trail near the towns edge and we helped ourselves. Trail magic and trail angels do exist. The three of us worked our way to the hotel and each got a room to ourselves.    The Hotel was a Victorian style Hotel that in its day must have been one heck of a hot spot for entertainment. I went to my room to settle in and took a cold bath in a huge five foot claw legged bath tub. It was so nice to just lay there and relax. That evening at the bar downstairs, I bought supper. The cook gave me a huge bowl of spaghetti with meat balls, a true hiker sized meal. The evening had just begun when a young lady sitting at the bar next to me, who was well endowed, was asked by another patron if her breasts were real (not surgically enhanced). She said they were and if someone were to buy her a drink she would show them to that person. I pulled a five dollar bill out of my pocket and slapped it on the bar faster then I ever drew a pistol. I am here to tell you she was carrying all original material, nothing added to what the good Lord blessed her with (35DDD). I really loved that town if I failed to mention it earlier.   Only 17.6 miles that day and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to make it to the Delaware Water Gap as planned. I had under 150 miles to go and only six days to get there. I figured I would give it a shot however, it wasn't necessary to make it to the Gap at any particular time frame. I could always walk to a road and hitch so I was not worried about it.    There in Duncannon I was introduced to two young female hikers, O'Connor and Thumper. They were strong hikers and I found out later that they really could push the miles. We hiked together for a few days and I pushed it too hard in my quest for the Gap. Unfortunately for me it was not my strength, my desire or my mental capability that threatened to slow me down, it was my stone bruised feet that did me in.