Date: 2007-07-14
From: Bear Rocks, Pa

To: Palmerton Borough Building, Pa
Miles today: 12.0

I camped on a big rock, right next to the trail and all kinds of people came by as it was Saturday. I did wake up around 10:30am; I guess. Then "BlueDog" came by with his Aunt that lives locally. We talked a bit and they left. He told me later that she would not quit tallking about where I camped. She thought it was just the greatest thing ever. I had a moment where I really appreciated living this dream and sleeping out in the open every day. I did not eat a real big breakfeast as I did not know how much water there laid ahead. With places with names like THe Bake Oven and notes on my map that says, "unmaintained, open, and very rocky"; I was a little spooked. I decided to just go as fast as I could till I got to water. I left Bear Rocks with 16 oz of water. I did pretty well and the trail was really not all that bad. I got to The Bake Oven Shelter and read that there was no water here. I then got moving in the heat of the day. Now, when I got about 2 miles from the Outerbridge Shelter the terrain turned into a rocky, grass covered, scrub treed, bald kind of area. It was kind of pretty actually. The trail from here to 5 miles the other side of Lehigh Gap was tore up for Zinc Smelting. The EPA eventually shut down the operation in 1982 and made the area a superfund area and laid down "Ecofoam". As I was zipping thru this area, I saw three young ladies camping. I was so thirsty, all I could do was introduce myself, take their picture, and then move on. As I was hiking to the shelter; all I could think was that I must be really thirsty. The old Maslow's Hierarchy of needs: I guess water comes before women? I did get to the shelter and was so thirsty that I just through my pack down and drank water from the ice cold piped spring w/o treating it. I then read in the shelter that the water had been tested: .05 microns of Zinc and Barium; .005 microns of silver; and a trace of arsenic. Now, that will keep me regular. I then went running down the hill and stopped when a Pennsylvania Dutch women with her family asked if there were any bears? She had to say it about 5 times before I understood what she said. I told her there were not and got going again. As I was about .1 from the Lehigh Gap: I went airborne. My poles flew through the air and I was heading for a terribly painful fall. It is very steep here. From falling many times before; I instinctually twisted, almost doing a sumersault and landed on my pack. I laid there for a moment and said a quick prayer of thanksgiving. As I laid there "turtled": I realized that I could not move, not from injury. It was just that all my weight was wedged in this rock hole. I eventually got up with having to take my pack off. I usually can get up with a full squat press with my pack on(even thru hikers marvel at this. I have been doing this since Springer); but not from here. I did get down to the gap and did not want to hitch into town for some reason. I took a 1.0 mile trail into Palmerton that was a cleared area that was very warm and buggy because it runs by The Lehigh River in which there were tubbers and fisherman. As I Got close to town the blue blazed trail "petered out" and I wondered into the county dump(I think?). It was closed; but, I was inside behind a mammoth locked gate with barbed wire all around it. How was I going to get out of this one? There was a "port-o-potty" here; so, I took advantage of it and thought about my situation. Ok, so I had to wonde around until I found a way to skirt a fence by a creek and then followed a road into town. Palmerton, Pa is a great town. The local Borough Building(that's a town hall down south) is where they allow hikers to stay at no charge and a shower and an indoor basketball court. I took a shower and washed my clothes and then took advantage of it being Saturday Night and went to the Palmerton Hotel Bar. I had a good time. I befriended a few locals. One of which, I kept a fight from happening by putting a bar stool between 2 would be combatents. I also met about 6 women out on a girl's night out: 2 sisters, a cousin, and 3 friends. I really like Pa women. They are the best that I have seen since Georgia. The German/Dutch mix does them well. One young lady named Vanessa was 6 foot 2 inches and "easy on the eyes". I told her that she would fit right in in Dallas. I explained that she would have some peers that she could look in the eye. Anyway, they all left and I went back to the Borough Hall. I heard there was a curfew; but, I was able to get in....thanks Palmerton! "Palmerized": what is that?