Day 85 June 30 to Leroy Smith shelter

From the campsite just past Bake Oven Knob shelter again the terrain was very difficult that was it. There's a very big boulder field just passed the high River gap. It was more rock scrambling than hiking.

One of the problems with the section of Pennsylvania was a very few water sources. So I had to pick up a third liter of water. 

Total distance 1269.4 miles

Day 84 June 29 to campsite at 1248

The trail to Allentown Shelter was the most sustained rocky ad boulders. 

Some of the most difficult hiking that I encountered up to this date. 

They continued all the way past bake oven knob shelter where I camped. 

Total distance.  1248 miles

Day 83 June 28 to Eckville Shelter

Four miles from where I camped was a town of Portland. In Port Clinton was a very nice little restaurant calledr three C's so I had second breakfast.

True to Pennsylvania's reputation there were some rocky spots today. 

Today I passed the 1200 mile mark.

The next shelter was able to take a  shower. 

Distance  21.5 miles

Total distance. 1228.5 miles

Day 82 June 27 to Camp at mile 1206.8

After a reasonably good breakfast at the Comfort Inn,  I was shuttled to the trail at PA 645.  With my pack heavy with food. ( but still only about 30 lbs total, I set out.

I stopped right away at the 501 Shelter. With was fully enclosed complete with skylight and shower (albeit out door type). But it was close enough to town that one could orde or pizza and have it delivered.  My fellow hiker were crowing about that possibility before I left them for my zero. 

There we're some nice views of the Pennsylvania countryside. 

True to predictions the trail was intermittently rocky all day. 

Today I passed the 1200 miles mark. 

I had originally planned to stay at Eagles Nest Shelter. But I decided to push another 1.8 miles.  But when I got where the campsite was supposed to be there was nothing. So I pushed on another .5 miles and found one. 

On my way there I saw a medium sized bear.  When he saw me he ran off. So after supper I hung my food from a tree.

Distance:  19.1

Total distance :  1206.8

Total remaining distance : 978.5

Day 81 June 26 Zero Day Pinegrove Pennsylvania

Today I'm resupplying, resting and getting refreshed in Pinegrove Pennsylvania. When I got to the motel I happily found that my bounce box and my new boots for waiting for me. My first pair of boots have gone well over 1200 miles and need to be replaced.   My feet have spread out as predicted and my toes are getting pinched in in my boots. So I ordered boots I half a size bigger. Let's hope that helps my pinched toes  and my left sore heal.

In the morning I also got my new hiking pole which the Leki kindly sent to me for free to replace the one that has been damaged by the thousand miles of use.

The Motel  doesn't have a coin laundry so I walked a quarter-mile to the truck stop across I 81 and used theirs.

Tomorrow I start the most difficult part of Pennsylvania.  It the stuff of trail legend. 

Date 80 June 25 to PA 645 and Pinegrove

This would be another 20 mile day so I got up early and set off at 6:30 AM.

There were intermittent rocky spots but nothing sustained that it's cause me to lose time.

The trail pass to the site of an old coal mining town which is now completely disappeared.

At the bridge and innovative Doctor had figured out a way to turn the acidic run off into the stream and neutralizing it so that fish can live in.

The trail crossed between two mountains and there was  field and to cross.

After the field and after a stream there was some trail magic waiting.  Dirty Ernie a sixty something guy who hiked the trail in 2010 was  giving drinks, hotdogs and hamburgers.

After more rocky patches finally came to  PA 645 but not after getting doused by a thunderstorm.

I called the Carlin shuttle service and Joyce came out to pick me up and took me to the comfort inn for my Saturday.

Distance 20.1 miles

Total distance 1087.6 miles

Day 79 June 24 to Campsite at Yellow spring trail

I got up and again started off early at 6:30. This would be a 20 mile day and I didn't want to get into late. There were intermittent rugged stretches but over all that didn't slow me down. 

Saw the Susquehanna river from an overlook. 

That afternoon lunch I had a nice nap after talking to Becky via FaceTime.

I saw my first wild roses.

I camped just past Yellow Springs trail. 

Distance. 20.1 

Total distance. 1167.5

Day 78 June 23 to Clark's Ferry shelter

After a restful night at the Darlington shelter I set out at 6:30 am  to get to Duncannon by lunchtime. Duncannon was a place where there is a well-known hiker hostile, The Doyle. The Doyle is an old hotel run by a couple that is very friendly to hikers. and also tell somebody the key and her partner. 

The trail was rugged from the shelter down the steep hill to Duncannon. It took an hour longer than I expected. 

Hawk Rock view of Duncannon

After a good lunch at the Doyle I continued on the next 5 miles to the shelter.  I Camped by the shelter. 

Distance 15.2

Total distance :  1147.4

Day 76 June 21 to Alex Kennedy Shelter

After spending the night at then Iron Masters Mansion Hostel at Pine Furnace

I went to the Appalachian Trail Museum

It was really worth the visit!  Lots of trail history. 

I also saw the old iron furnace used to smelt the local ore in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

It had been raining that morning. By 10 it stopped raining so I set out. By 11 it started raining again so I walked in the. rain. 

I had lunch at the next shelter.  Fortunately it stopped raining so I dried off a bit. 

The trail took me over some rocks. 

It seems like the trail masters love to show you their rocks. 

I stayed at the shelter Kennedy Shelter with Tennesee and two others. 

Distance 15.5

Total distance 1113.5 miles

Day 77 June 22 to Darlington shelter

It was the coolest night in quite a number of days. It was is 55°. I had to pull my quilt tight around my neck  to stay warm.  But the quilt works fine and I was very nice and cozy. 

Got up at 5:45 packed  and set out  at 6:30 AM.

After a steep climb out of the valley where the shelter was located I ended up on walking through farm country. 

By 8:30 AM I was in Boiling Springs. It is a very nice little town with many pretty homes. The regional office for the Appalachian Trail conference Is there.

 There's also a great little café there so I had second breakfast of eggs Benedict and coffee.

Rest the day was through wooded hedge rows between farm fields. They were many mulberry trees and  I ate handfuls of sweet mulberries.

I can't wait until the Black Berries raspberries strawberries are ripe. 

The trees have changed noticeably from Virginia.  The ash, rhododendrons. Mountain laurels,  azaleas have been replaced by Mulberry, Hackberry black cherry choke cherry, black walnut, Elm and sassafras.  There are still Chestnut oak,  white oak red oak, hickory ash, and White Pine.  There are no more Virginia Pines.  But shorter leafed pine showed up today.

The trail was the easiest to date.  

Only a little climbing and some well spaced rocks on the trail 

I crossed both the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 81. 

I arrived at Darlington shelter at 6:45 p.m.  I had a supper of Mountainhouse chicken breasts and mashed potatoes thanks to the Ballews.  

I pitched my tent a litttle way from the shelter.  I went down to the spring about .2 away for water.  On the way back I passed the share and I signed the shelte log book and went back to my tent for the night. 

Distance: 18 miles

Total distance:  1131.6 miles 

Day 75 June 20 to Ironmaster Hostel

The morning was cool and clear.  Almost needed my vest.   But I warmed up after about 15 minutes because the trail climbed right away.  There we're a number if beautiful streams.  

The trail was surrounded by lush green forest. 

At times it was like a carpet. 

I passed one of the nicest shelters I've yet seen. 

Today I  crossed the 1092.55 Mark. That is the official half point for the Appalachian Trail.

Later I passed the old half way marker which is out of date

I arrived at Pine Furnace State park and stayed at the Ironmasters Mansion Hostel. Before checking in I did an A.T. Tradition and went to the General Store and ate a half gallon of ice cream. ( but they really only half quart and a half containers). Butter pecan and 2070

Calories in 35 minutes.  

Distance. 19.5 miles

Total distance. 1097.9 miles

Day 74 June 19 zero day Fayetteville Pennsylvania

I arrived in Fayetteville last night and ordered out  from a nice Italian restaurant. Got to get those calories.

Today was a busy day. I had a number of repairs to do. I had repair my hiking pole which had a cracked ferrell on one of the joints.  I used a hose clamp to reinforce the joint covered it over with duct tape.

I called Leki the maker of my hiking poles and explained the problem. They will send me a brand-new pole in a week.

I walked half a mile to the laundromat to do my laundry and that's where I found an auto supply store where I bought the hose clamp to prepare my pole. At the Riteaide drugstore across the street I bought some antifriction stick because to put on my left heel. I've been having some little blisters on it so I see if this will help.

I resupplied at Walmart. I found a collapsible water bag for the future. Water is not easy to find in the coming days.  So I want to be able to carry three liters. I also bought a small pump spray of potent insect repellent. The mosquitoes are starting to get bad here.

The string on my cross that I hang around my neck was becoming very frayed so I went to Hobby lobby and found some new cord repair it.

After all these errands I got back to the hotel and one of my toenails finally came off.  It's been black virtually since the first week and a new nail had grown underneath the old one.

Later tonight I'm going to see up the pocket where the mouse chewed through to get the candy wrappers I forgot to take out one night.

Across from Hobby lobby was a good Chinese restaurant I ordered take out.  

Tomorrow morning I'll have breakfast at 5:30 across the street at the local family restaurant. I'll  have bacon next to start the day. 

Notice that a lot of my activity on my zero days is eating in order to try  to keep getting the calories and stop losing weight.

Day 73 June 18 to U.S. 30

I woke at 5:30 and was out of my tent and on the trail by 6:35 but had to get water first. That took me 20 minutes because of the trail was half a mile down and half-mile up. I didn't start walking on the trail until  6:45.

Trail was mostly downhill to Penmar county park. It was very rocky and already the temperature is eight was in the morning was 80°.

Soon after Penmar county park 

I crossed from Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Later in the day it was a very rocky path over the top of a lot of rock formations.

Saw some new wildflowers

Distance 22.7

Total distance 1078.4

Day 72 June 17 to Ravenrock's shelter

Today was another very hot and humid day.  The trail varied from being very muddy because of the century with water to being very rocky and steep.

But there are a number of Civil War and Revolutionary war monuments along the way.

Here's the first Washington Monument.

There are many more signs of civilization since being in Maryland. Here is a Bridgecrossing across I 70.

As I said the trail at times is very rocky and difficult.  Add the hot weather and I'm I was wet and dripping all day.

I camped near Ravenrock shelter. There was a whole group of Boy Scouts. I pitch my tent ate my dinner went to sleep by 730.

Distance.  21.2

Total distance. 1055.9