It's a trap!

I failed to realize how close we were to a highway before going to bed last night. I also forgot about the train tracks a couple blocks away. Needless to say, it was not a slumberous night. When I went to bed there were only two other people in the pavilion, but they multiplied while I hid in my tent. When I got up at 9am, there were no fewer than 10 lazy hikers strewn about the place. Some in tents, some in hammocks, and some just laying on the wood floor. Apparently the firehouse kept them in high spirits, the smell of alcohol emanating off of each fallen hikers. I quietly packed up, and snuck out. After walking a block I tried calling Cabela's for a shuttle (a big outdoor equipment store that shuttles hikers for free), but they didn't have anyone on staff to drive the van. That meant I had nowhere to get breakfast without hitching, so I walked back to the Port Clinton Hotel to wait for them to open. They didn't open the doors until 11am.

I ate a large breakfast/lunch while watching the Olympics. Not being able to get to the shopping center also meant that I couldn't resupply my food, so I bought a turkey sub for the road.

It was an insanely steep climb back up into the mountains, but as always in this area, it was a short climb. It was 15 miles of staccato ups and downs on the way to an enclosed shelter with outdoor solar shower next to a house. I tried to keep my pace fast, but for parts of the hike the rocks slowed me down, and for its entirety the bugs did the same. Today has been, by far, the worst day for bugs. I'm used to them swarming around my eyes and ears, sometimes my whole head. Today they swarmed my entire body. If you can imagine Pigpen from the Peanuts in the flesh, you have a pretty good idea of how I looked, in a haze of dancing black specks. Even now I'm being attacked from every angle, and I'm indoors(ish)!

Finding the road that meandered to the shelter was particularly satisfying today. Of course I was of the belief that I could escape these insects at that time. Regardless, there are 4 walls on this bunkhouse, a water spigot right outside, and I'm quite comfy. I'll also be joined by a SoBo this evening. I'm just starting to cross this years SoBo crew, and I'm glad that I got to see that. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for NoBo/SoBo conflicts in the log books.

At this pace I should arrive in NJ on Sunday afternoon. My mom, and possibly Chris, plan to join me there at the Delaware Water Gap. That's good, because it gives me something to look forward to in the near future. I need to be having a bit more fun out here if I'm going to make it for the long haul.

Ok now it's time to hide from the bugs, so if you'll excuse me I'll be diving into my liner and cinching it closed around my head. I'll look just like the hiker trash that I am.

The Rocky Road to Katahdin

I got back on the trail at 2:30pm yesterday. Joyce brought me back, but had a lot of appointments, so I waited for her in the Hampton Inn lobby. My options were to either hitch in the sun, or wait inside with A/C and power outlets. My choice was predictable.
I was confident that I could pump out 15.5 miles without much trouble, but as I was immediately greeted by a trail blanketed in all manner of stone, my confidence wavered. I was fighting the clock, racing to get to shelter before it got dark. Rocks don't help with speed.. or anything else, save trail erosion.
I was upbeat for the first 5 miles. It was challenging, but interesting as well. I passed a few section hiking families, most already settled into their campsites. It was at the end of this 5 mile stretch that I found a water source to refill at. I did so slovenly, not realizing that this would be the last source of water before Port Clinton. Besides the sweating and bugs, the heat also provides an additional hurdle: dry springs. That would be a 20 mile stretch with noting to whet my whistle, but thankfully it was cool enough that I didn't have a big problem on my hands.
The second 5 mile stretch was mostly uneventful, but lead directly into the sun setting. I didn't have time to relax, so I kept going into my final 5 mile stretch for the day. The sun was just going down, and depending on the shape of the ridge line beside me, I was walking where the sun was continually rising and setting for about an hour. It made for an interesting view, but it was fully set by my last couple miles. I was also worn out by then. The terrain had nerfed my pace, but it increased my exhaustion. Balancing from sharp rock to sharp rock for hours at a fast clip can really take it out of you.
There was still enough light to see by when I arrived at the shelter at 8:00pm. I was met by a NoBo section hiker. He plans to do the whole trail in stages over an 8 year period, and he's going up to Maine after he finishes PA. More power to him. He passed out early, as I quickly unpacked my bedroll, and stuffed down a quick dinner. It was a nice shelter to bunk down in, and the cicadas sang me to sleep.
This morning I slept in, lazily going about my morning rituals before leaving at 11am. It was 10 miles to Port Clinton, and I had only a half liter of water remaining. Today's hike was a little mundane, as my interest in the challenging terrain waned. I entertained myself with a podcast of This American Life, and then some music. I kept that up until the last mile before town, which was a dangerously steep descent down loose rocks. At times I had to sit down on my ass to drop to the step below. This exertion drained the last of my water, but I was close enough to town to taste soda, so kept moving.
Once in Port Clinton, the trail dumps you at a rail station and you just have to find your way out. A few blazes may have helped my aimless meanderings. After looking lost for a while, I remembered that we live in a technological age and pulled out my phone. This lead me to the Port Clinton Hotel, where I stopped for a prolonged lunch and soda at the bar (my kind isn't welcome in the dining room). After lunch I continued off the trail to find the town pavilion. They allow hikers to sleep in the pavilion for free, and after the rocky mess I just descended I decided that was the way to go. The place is very large, and sits next to a small privy and river. It seems that all the heavy drinking hikers are making this their home for the evening. That's fine by me, so long as they don't keep me up. One of them has a bit of a reputation for being loud and obnoxious when drunk. That's what Tapeworn and Shenanigans informed Mr. Fantastic and me back in the day, but we'll see what tonight holds. Just in case, I set my tent up in the pavilion, so I can be out of sight and out of mind. Though that's also because I want to sleep sans pants. I have some weepy wounds on my hips from pack friction that I'd like to dry out. Yes, if you were wondering, I am going to end today's blog on that note.

Rest, rain, and reality

I'm doing a bit of catch-up blogging today, but there wasn't much to write home about. I spent all of Friday at the Days Inn, resting and eating. A day off the trail has a feeling of hibernation, or even being in a cocoon. I thoroughly enjoyed a day of no plans though, and soaked up the comforts.
Saturday I started hiking out, walking from Lickdale back to where I left the trail. In my head I thought that I had a 4 mile hike to the next shelter, where I planned to lunch. I accidentally packed my map, so had no way to confirm my mileage without taking my pack apart. After an hour and a half I came across another hiker as the clouds were gathering. He told me I had another 3 miles before the shelter, and that's when I realized how badly I'd misremembered the mileage. This wouldn't bother me if I didn't hear an earth-trembling, thunderous, roar slowly catching up to me with each boom. I ignored the drizzle that fell for about 30 minutes, but then it picked up and I had no other option than to don my rain gear. I'd love to be able to say I was just in time, but in reality I was already soaked through.
I jumped under the cover of shelter the moment I arrived, mud caking my calves, shoes squishing water with each step. Two others were already there, avoiding the insanity that existed just outside the shelter. Soon we were joined by the guy eating lunch that I had passed earlier.
While I wasn't tired, and there was enough day left to make it to the next shelter, I decided to call it. I was rained out. Wet clothes are one thing, but wet shoes lead to bad things when hiking. Plus the trail was 4 inches of dark water, with sharp angled rocks hiding just under the murky surface. No good place to put your feet on the trail. At least it was a nice shelter, with a massive second story to stay warm and dry.
I awoke alone on Sunday morning, to wet gear and a shining sun. I decided that comfort was important enough to me that I'd really like to dry my clothes at the next town. Thanks to the generosity of my old hotelier buddy, Brad, I was able to relax for one more night at the Hampton Inn in Pine Grove, PA. Speaking of thanks, I'd like to say a couple more thank you's to Vince and Bill for the donations. It's crazy how expensive it is to be homeless! Or more aptly, a NoBo hobo.
I called a shuttle service from the bulletin board at the road, and Joyce picked me up with a cup of ice water to greet me. She told me all about the little town of Pine Grove, and we commiserated about people who deface trail shelters. She dropped me off at the Hampton, and I commenced relaxation.
I did my laundry, took a shower, and walked across the street to get some Subway. As I finished paying I looked outside to see another insane rain storm. Sheets of rain fell so thick that I couldn't see my hotel 100 feet away. I'm not sure how many curses I uttered as I walked that short distance, but it had to be some kind of record for obscenity density. I was having flashbacks to the beginning of this trip, where it always rained immediately after I dried my clothes, and I lived in a state of perpetual prune. Thankfully my clothes dried overnight.
Now it's Monday and I'm waiting for my shuttle back to the trail. I ate a wonderful Hampton breakfast, watched an episode of Newsroom, and then had lunch across the street at the DQ. All that's left for today is to see if I can fit 15 miles in after 2pm. Hopefully I'll find myself feeling strong, and maintain some motivation. If I can keep that pace up I'll be back to hiking NJ in a just a week. While the rocks haven't been nearly as bad as I was anticipating (though I do have 100 miles to go yet), I'm still looking forward to finishing up with PA. Jersey should be beautiful, so everyone tells me. I'm mostly looking forward to revisiting the bit I hiked before, so I can compare it to my experience there as a section hiker. I remember how much it kicked my ass when I was out of shape, so it'll be pretty amazing to hike it while relaxedly breathing through my nose. It's great being aerobically fit!

Treat Yourself

A few animals wandered through camp last night, with the sole purpose of keeping me awake. I eventually fell back to sleep, and when I truly woke Jukebox and Slim Shady had already hiked on. I started moving at my usual time, with a range of possible locations to end my hike.
I pressed steadily onward, until I came to the road into Lickdale. This was the first of two towns I could hike to today. It was cheaper to stay here, and it turned out to be the right choice. When I arrived in town, after an uncomfortably sunny walk, I found the Days Inn was adjacent to Wendy's, Subway, McDonalds, DQ, Sbarro's, and a gas station grocery store. That's all I needed to know.
I checked in and got a room in the basement, which I found interesting. The lack of windows gave it the feeling of a low-level cruise ship cabin, where they stash all the smelly hiker folk. Works for me.
I stocked up on food for the night, and bumped into Jukebox and Slim Shady just a few doors down. We exchanged pleasantries, however once I was back in my room I knew I was in for the night. My plan was to hibernate a bit. Do nothing but eat and rest for a night, possibly even a second.
So my day ended early, at around 11 miles, but that gained me some much needed comfort. I caught up in some podcasts, read some comics, and surfed the web, all while I ignored a bit of television. I've adjusted my pack, and plan to just rest my back. It's kinda great when these things become chronic enough to be important, because then you can take a moment to treat yourself.