July 20 to 24: Another 100 Miles

July 20 to 24:  Duncannon and Pine Grove, PA

Mile 1189

Guest Poster – the Mom

 

Adam has logged another 100 miles through PA, and is starting to experience on the AT the notorious rocks the state is known for.  The weather has also been hot and humid – and all combined, the hike has been draining.  He said that he also knows the worst rocks are ahead of him, but he’s hanging in there at mile 1189.

The first two days beyond the halfway point took him to Boiling Springs and then to Duncannon, where he spent the night at the Riverfront Campground.   He has not been alone at shelters at all.   There are usually six thru-hikers or so in each shelter, but he has been hiking such long miles each day that he’s ending up outpacing other hikers he meets.   That means he’s staying in shelters with different people almost every night.

Leaving Duncannon, he was caught in a tremendous downpour, soaking his pack, his sleeping bag, tent, and worst of all, his shoes and socks.   Two days later, in the humid weather, his shoes and socks were still wet, and his feet were wrinkled and starting to blister.   After sleeping at the 501 Shelter, still waiting for everything to dry out, he decided he had to take a zero day, a dry out day and a foot recovery day!

He called ahead to a Comfort Inn in Pine Grove, PA (different from the halfway point at Pine Grove Furnace State Park!), and asked if they had a thru-hiker rate.  They had a GREAT discount for thru-hikers (and they had showers, a pool, a breakfast and food close by), so he headed the four miles to the hotel.

While he was walking along the road, a car pulled up beside him, and an older man asked, “Can I give you a ride?”

Adam gratefully said, “Yes!”, and hopped in.  

They talked along the way about hiking, and the man said he had met a lot of hikers, and he just couldn’t understand why people wanted to thru-hike the AT.   He told Adam, “I think people are just crazy to want to do that!”  

And when Adam recounted this to me tonight, he said, “Sometimes, I think the same thing, and I wonder why I’m doing this.”  He added, “But I only have 900 miles to go, and I’m going to finish it!” 

As the man dropped Adam off at the hotel, he gave him his phone number and said, “If you need a ride back to the trail in the morning, just call me and I’ll come pick you up and take you back.”   More trail magic in PA!

Adam spent the day “chilling,” resupplying, doing laundry, taking a nap, watching television, and drying out those shoes and socks.  He’ll have a giant breakfast in the morning, call his friendly driver and head back to the trail.

With luck, the PA/NJ state line is only 100 miles and five days away!