“Bring a compass. It’s awkward when you have to eat your friends”
~Unknown
June 2, 2022
AT miles: 18.0
Ascent: 1873’
Descent: 1986’
Weather: hot and sticky with a huge downpour in the afternoon
High Point: arriving at the dry shelter!
I woke up at 5:30 and was on the trail at 6:30.
“Rocksylvania” is Pennsylvania’s unofficial nickname among hikers because of the abundance of rocks and the difficulty of the trail. I was originally told that all of Pennsylvania was hard; then I was told that the section north of Duncannon was hard. Today there was one nasty 100’ stretch, but otherwise the hiking was straightforward. Even the 1000’ climb was fairly gentle.
I loved the ferns that grew everywhere.
One easy ascent was a model of a nice upward climb on trail — complete with steps!
I must be entering coal county, since I passed what used to be an old coal mining community.
During the last hour of my hike it deluged. It rained so hard that you could barely see! I was so happy to get to the shelter!
Bimble arrived, and shortly afterwards the crowd of young Amish men arrived. Bimble managed to persuade them that they would not all fit in the shelter, so eventually they left. Hurrah!
The Amish men don’t speak English particularly well. Amongst themselves they talk something that sounds sort of half English and half German. Bimble was concerned that they didn’t have any sort of navigation equipment or even a guidebook. They said that they had a barometer! One of them seemed fascinated at the AT guidebook Bimble showed them.
It’s been a quiet evening, and I’m exhausted.
Today is a great day for a long walk in the woods!