Date: 2016-06-08
From: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter

To: Palmerston PA (Bert Steakhouse Garage)
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

6/8/16No rain last night and the plan is to get to the next shelter before the rain hits today. The temperatures are only supposed to be in the low 60s so it will be a cool rain. Got on the trail at 7:30, Secret Agent and Stitch are not far behind. Those two are constantly together and constantly talking. They move extremely fast for as much as they talk. Yesterday I passed them today they passed me. We are finally hitting some of those rocks that Pennsylvania is so famous for. They are not crazy bad but you have to be careful or you will be on your butt real quick. The rain comes a little sooner than expected and thunder is in the distance. I have to pass an area called knifes edge. It is just a pile of rocks you have to climb on, over, between while looking for the next blaze to move forward. Rocks are fun...wet rocks are real fun. I make it through and the rain starts coming down harder and lightening is getting close. I have another rock pile(Bear Rocks) about a half mile ahead and the shelter is a couple of miles ahead. As the weather conditions deteriorate I notice an area to the side where people have camped. I decide to go there and set up the tent and wait out the storm. Hopefully the ground will allow me to put my tent stakes in. Usually I put a ground cloth down and then the tent but no time to mess with that. I get my tent up but the area is kinda small so I have to do some adjusting to get it to work. I get my gear and myself in and life is better. I never eat in my tent but I make the exception and dig out my big bag of trail mix. I'm laying on a couple of big rocks but get my sleeping pad laid out and its no biggie. The wind is blowing in the foot end of my tent but I push my backpack against it and it works fine. I dig out my rain jacket to help me keep warm. I don't wear my rain gear when I hike because it just makes you sweat. After about 30 minutes I'm getting cold. So I dig through my bag get a long sleeve shirt. I take my wet clothes off and put the long sleeve shirt and rain gear back on. The rain slows down but the wind is howling pretty good. I wait for the rain to stop and go check things out. Its still windy but the storm is gone. So a little after an hour in the tent....I pack up and get back to hiking. The Bears Rocks are about as challenging as the Knifes Edge but the wind has helped to dry them off. I get through them and on to the shelter before 2:00. I eat a quick lunch and back on the trail. I an to get to town(Palmerton). I am due for a shower and clean clothes. On my way I see a big black snake out sunning himself. I try to get a pic but by the time I get my camera out of the plastic bag....he is moving off trail. I get to town. One of the restaurant owners let's hikers stay in a garage behind his busines. So I stay there and he has a shower and the laundromat is right next door. I get my shower, and eat dinner while I'm waiting on my laundry. Later I go get a couple cold beers and on the way back to the garage I stop by the grocery for a box of backery cookies. I'm worn out and it was a great day on the trail