Date: 2016-06-30
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: few clouds

Woke up to a couple of people chatting it up right outside my hammock. I didn't want to be social first thing in the morning, so I just snuggled down until they left. Once up I got packed up pretty quick then spent a little while hanging with Shaggy and Wanderer. Left the shelter at about 9:30 and headed right into a climb. It was about 800 ft, steep in some places, and pretty darn rocky. But, I was rewarded with views from John's Pulpit right at the top of the climb. Caught up with Thin Mint and Pyro here, along with a few of their friends day hiking with them. Also found Tree (Nameless from yesterday's post) and Skibo who had camped there last night. Must have been beautiful! After hanging there soaking in the view for a while I pressed on. A couple miles up the (ugh, rocky) trail I reached the Pinnacle. Supposed to be the best view in PA, and I believe it! Nice 270(ish) degree view. Hung out there and enjoyed a lunch of lemon pepper salmon and ritz. Was not looking forward to another five miles of rocky trail!It was nice to find that not far past the Pinnacle the trail coincided with a nice, mostly flat, relatively rockless, shaded roadbed. I kept holding my breath, trying to enjoy it while it lasted. Guys! This went on for almost four and a half miles! It was a great break from all of the rocks. There were still some small rocks, still had to pay attention to my foot placement, but it was a nice change. Though, different terrain, eventually my feet weren't necessarily loving it. Had it been much longer I might have been at risk for some blisters. It was also a little more boring than most of the trail. And I was constantly worried that the trail would split off from the roadbed and I wouldn't notice! I ended up back in the woods for the last .7 miles.Just as I got to the road crossing that would take me to the shelter, there were two women setting up camp and preparing to do trail magic. Apparently Miss Janet is ill and they were there on her behalf. I chugged a root beer while kicking it with Skibo who was pressing on further down the trail and took a coke to go for dinner. Thin Mint and Pyro's friends were picking them up at the shelter and taking them to Chipotle and I was going to pass my order along with them to be brought back to the shelter!This is a pretty nice shelter. Tricks, who I had seen in Duncannon and who saw me though we never spoke, was here when I arrived. He sent me out to the cooler at his truck for yet another coke. I got set up in the 6 person bunkhouse then hit the solar shower! Cold (solar, ha!) but refreshing! It was nice to get a little of the stink out. I then learned that Chipotle had fallen through, and we were contemplating sweet talking Tricks into a pizza run. About that time a car pulled up, and FOB, another thru hiker, and his wife got out carrying a pizza, breadsticks, a 2 liter, and a bunch of cookies. Amazing! Us nonvegitarians each got two pieces of pizza while the herbavoirs split the breadsticks. It was perfect! Several people went to set up their tents in the nice little camping area across the street while I hung around the shelter chatting with Tricks and Crow (who I camped next to but didn't meet last night). We told stories and jokes back and forth. The caretaker came out with Popsicles for all of the hikers, and I scored a donut and a few chips from Tricks. I'm settled into the bunkhouse now with Sunshine and Crow. Thin Mint, Pyro, Tree, and Wanderer are camping across the street.I have been a little apprehensive about tomorrow's rocky hike over Knife's Edge in the rain, but turns out Knife's Edge is 14 miles up, so I will hit it on Saturday, which should be nice and sunny. The next shelter is about 7 miles up, so I should really push past that. We will see what the terrain is like and how I'm feeling.