Date: 2016-05-15
From: Carlisle, PA

To: Cove Mountain Shelter, Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 13.6

Day 2513.6 miles in 8 hours Carlisle, PA (1129.3) to Cove Mountain Shelter (1142.9), 4 miles south of Duncannon, PAWeather: Sunny, mid 60s¢extremely pleasantDinner: Chicken rice curryWildlife: Possible juvenile eagle sighting (large raptor, but didn't seem raven or vulture-like), Canadian geese, signs of a porcupine, many squirrels and other typical woodland creaturesHikers: Thru-hikers Pigeon Toe, Loony and Slug (also from Wisconsin) and Dark Water, 2011 2000-milers Nimble and Starbuck out for a short section hike, one quiet birder, a woman with a huge pack and five children with smaller packs and a handful of day hikers.Today was the perfect day to be out hiking¢as the three day hikers who had taken off work affirmed. Clear skies, comfortable temps, no bugs, easy and varied terrain, but I sure took my time leaving the Days Inn in spite of being awake by 6 a.m. I had breakfast at 6:30, was packed and ready by 7, but oh yeah, I forgot to combine my two hand sanitizer bottles. And I really should tape my pinky toes up as they do feel a bit warm from yesterday's hike. And don¢t forget to put on the sunscreen. Finally was on the road by 7:45, and by road I mean facing the oncoming morning commuter traffic barreling down Hwy 11. It wasn't particularly dangerous, just an assault to the senses. I slipped back into the woods, passing a lone tent, stealth camping only yards away from the rushing vehicles. Within minutes, bird songs replaced churning tires as the forest absorbed me. I broke through transparent spider webs, the fine phantom filaments tickling my face and clinging to my hat and hair. The first few miles passed between and along more fields. Some landowners mow along the trail, others¢not so much. Along the mowed paths, only my shoes got wet from the morning dew. In the early morning unmoved sections, the knee high grasses soaked the edge of my skirt and legs. I passed under another crackling power line and the trail followed a few roads today for short distances. It reminded me of portaging. Instead of leaving the water to avoid plunging over a dangerous waterfall when canoeing, you instead leave the woods in order to avoid crossing busy highways by walking over the overpasses. I merrily waved at the drivers from the bridge above I-81.The trail followed Conodoguinet Creek (I'd call it more of a river) for a nice distance, at times following a boardwalk and where I saw the Canadian geese and goslings. I met Pigeon Toe in this section heading south. Like me, he is scheduled to leave the trail for a few weeks to attend to family¢in his case his daughter¢s wedding. Unlike me, he started in Georgia as a NOBO. He was jumping ahead and flipflopping south in order to put more miles on before he has to leave, but be in a better position to catch the train out of Harper's Ferry. My goal today was either going to be the Cove Mountain Shelter at 13.6 miles or Duncannon another four miles after that. Even though the day was fine and the trail easy, I was concerned about making my second day back on the trail my longest one yet. AWOL¢s guidebook pointed out that the trail begins to get rocky about 2.5 miles south of the Cove Mountain Shelter. Pennsylvania is also known as ¢Rocksylvannia.¢ There are rocky stretches to be feared. I thought It best to wait to see how bad the trail turned before deciding. Remember Maryland? There were no warnings about those rocks. But this stretch? Pbbbttt. I¢d describe this section as being exactly like Boundary Water portages, except that it went on for miles, not rods. Sure there are rocks, but there are also roots and the duff of the forest floor. I know there are more and different rocks ahead, but this section didn't warrant a special callout in my mind, whereas Maryland most certainly did. I took a long lunch break by a streamside campsite, cooled my feet in the water and finished reading The Point of Vanishing by Howard Axelrod. At 1:30, I only had 3.7 miles left to go before hitting the shelter. I had heard from Nimble and Starbuck that the couple just ahead of me was also from Wisconsin and heading to the same shelter. I also had carried that chicken rice curry dinner in my food bag and if I reached Duncannon tonight, I had another food drop awaiting me. And you don't want food to start accumulating in your pack. Plus, I¢m still not certain I want to stay at the notorious hotel. So even though it was only 3:30 and the rocks weren't so bad, I headed to the shelter.The shelter is spacious and nice, but has a critter alert. Porcupines have found it tasty. When I was growing up, my family bought an old A-frame deer hunting cabin. Dad fixed it up and put cedar siding on the front. Boy did the porcupines love that. We¢d wake up in the middle of the night to resounding gnawing. The shelter had the same fix as we made to the cabin¢three foot high sheet metal all around it. While the shelter floor and bunks showed signs of chewing, nothing was recent. The forecast is for rain tomorrow, so I¢m taking my chances staying under a roof. And on a top bunk.Loony and Slug tented out behind the shelter. They retired to Wisconsin seven years ago and are walking the trail to raise money for a children¢s museum in their community. Dark Water showed up around dusk, and he will be the first line of defense with against any marauding quill pigs in the shelter tonight. He is sleeping on the floor. Musings: My puritanical self-consciousness almost prevented me from waving at the I-81 traffic today. I could just as easily have kept my head down, trudging over the bridge in search of the next white blaze. Instead I strolled across, head held high exhibiting my best queen mum parade wave. I¢m sure a few curmudgeons only saw some wild-haired weirdo acting way too happy way too early in the morning, but waving made me feel good.