Date: 2016-06-12
From: mile marker 1202.4

To: 1231.9 Hawk Mountain Road
Miles today: 29.5

Today is day 80, Sunday. I am currently at mile marker 1231.9, Hawk Mountain Road. Today Spongebob and I covered 29.5 miles. We were slack packing. There is no other way to say this.... But, the AT in this section of PA is horrible. The rocks are unbelievable and my feet are killing me. The good news is... Since we did big miles we are taking a zero tomorrow. Just to let our feet recover. I can't say enough about the hostel... Rock N Sole!! It is by far my favorite. And the owners are such awesome people. Funny story... So, yesterday, Jodie cut my hair and about an hour later we were standing outside chatting and she said.... Hummmm I think we should add a little more spike to your hair. So, she cut my hair .... Twice in two hours. Then she suggested that I put a while blaze in my hair. For those of you who don't know... The AT markers are white blazes on trees. Of course the hiker crowd would understand what the blaze in my hair meant but I think the non hiker crowd would think my hair resembled the skunk look. So, I passed on the white blaze... Even though Keri R called me a party pooper for not doing it!! Another story: Thru Hiker, Soup is carrying a Toyota hub cap on his pack. The story goes like this: the hub cap was found last year by a PCT thru hiker who carried it all the way to Canada... Then he somehow got the hubcap, which has a name.. TOTO ... To the beginning of the AT this year and hikers have been carrying it ... Hopefully all the way to Maine. I have pictures... And again, I'll upload pics when I have wifi...so, it might be a few days. On Tuesday, Spongebobs niece, Anna will join us for our hike. She plans on hiking for about a month. Also, tomorrow Trotter will be spending the night at the same hostel. It will be nice to see her again. Two of the hikers here tonight, Black Bear and Nemo are going home tomorrow. Black Bear has a bad infection and the doc said it will take about 10 days to heal ... So he is going home to heal and hopes to be back on the trail soon. Nemo is mad at the rocks in PA... And I think he has done this section before... So he is heading north... To be home and then pick up the trail ---- away from PA. Can't say that I blame him My knee feels much better... But, I'll keep the brace just in case it acts up again. My mind... It changes about 5 times throughout the day. Seriously. I go from seeing myself in Maine to wondering where I could call Chrissy and have her pick me up... To thinking I'm just going to stay at the hostel for a few days and play with Sugar... The dog. And to be honest... I'm ok with all those conversations going on in my head... At least it helps the miles go by !! I would say... Tomorrow I'm hiking but... Im not going to hike as I am taking that zero I mentioned earlier. But, I do know I am hiking on Tuesday... And looking forward to it. Well... I'm looking forward to getting closer to the PA/NJ border. Sorry but PA is really a pain in my.... Feet!!My feet are actually swollen from walking on the rocks. Oh... Good news for the day... I did NOT seen any rattle snakes. Yesterday, Nemo saw 4 and one struck at his pole. OMG ... I would have run across the rocks if that happened to me.