Pennsylvania

Southern PA was very flat and easy. It got rocky only in the last couple days, and it was a full variety of large boulders, rocks, and fist size angular cobble. All making it really hard to maintain a steady pace and not stress ankles/feet.

May 20 stayed at Peters Mtn. Shelter. There was a large black snake on the porch all evening. After dark it started crawling inside the shelter to try to get to a bird nest. I knew it wouldn't harm me, but it made me uneasy. LOTS of chipmunks on the trail--shrieking as the run away from you. I've also seen 3 rattlesnakes, all in the middle of the trail...they rattled when they saw me and refused to move, so I had to go off trail to get around them. One rocky ridgeline was COVERED in poison ivy. I tried to use my poles to keep the plants away as I hiked, but I'm sure I hit some. We'll see if I'm immune or not. It was impossible to avoid it.

May 22, Rather than staying at 501 shelter (right next to a busy road, full of boy scouts and thru hikers), I hiked an extra 6 miles to camp by a stream (near some more boyscouts). They saw me go by, and later came down to my site and said, "This may seem weird, but we have too much food, and we thought that since you're a long distance hiker you might want some extra fresh food. Here's a fresh, cooked trout". !! It was DELICIOUS!!! Gotta love trail magic!

"Rocksylvania" lived up to its reputation the last couple days in the state. It helped to pretend I was just walking along the rocky Maine coast, since there were few views from the ridges. There was a really nice climb out of Lehigh Gap (supposedly the hardest climb until New Hampshire...I guess it's going to stay fairly easy until then!). It was steep boulders and ledges...but a pretty short section. Then you get up onto a ridge-line that has been decimated by zinc mining (very little vegetation). The tics are out in full force, as are midges. I've given up staying in shelters because they kept me up a couple nights.

May 27, hiked into Delaware Water Gap with Mouse and Wazi. We got poured on right before town. Decided to split a motel room rather than stay in the crowded hostel (a good thing, because some drunken craziness occurred that night we heard). Showered, then went to Stroudsburg to see a movie (Robin Hood) for a break. Hung around in town until 2pm with Mouse, Yukon, and Litterbox. Good bye to Pennsylvania!!!