What a day

Day 59

Hiked today: 21.5
Hiked total: 1268.1
To katahdin: 910.2

So we left our shelter about 20 minutes earlier than usual. It was already warm out, so we were both in shorts - we knew it was going to be a hot day. About a mile past the shelter was lehigh gap where we cross the lehigh river, and begin a very big climb. That area used to be a zinc mining town, so this rock face was created by all the zinc smelting. We climbed about 1000 feet in a quarter mile. Needless to say we were climbing with our hands and had to put our poles away.

After that climb, the rest of the day was fairly smooth, but HOT. We were later told that thermometers read up to 84 in the sun, and we were under it all day with little shade. We both finished our water at the same time which was bad because we still had 5 miles left, and there were no water sources along the way. So we went as quickly as possible before we got too badly dehydrated. Right before Wind Gap, we met a bunch of maintainers. Talked to them for the last 5 minutes on the trail, and the walked briskly to the gas station near by where we each downed a Gatorade, and split a half gallon of lemonade.

We then went to eat some Chinese (thankfully not a buffet) and resupply our food. We were exhausted. We never even thought of being tired because of the heat and sun, its always been about the cold with us. So, we say down in the frozen food isle pawing through magazines to rest.

A few minutes go by, and we aren't budging. Then, a guy walks by with a basket full of food and asks if we are staying in the motel. We say we are just camping out back somewhere and that we do it often, but then he offers us his house. He says he's having some friends over and we can hang out with them, have some food and beer, and crash there. So, we jump to our feet and head out. Jordan brought us to his place he moved into recently with his girlfriend Sandy. Its a really cool old house on a farm where they have horses and goats. They let us do our laundry, shower, and introduced us to their friends. They had a huge bonfire going which was cool too, and at 1 or so, after Andy had been playing the guitar for a while, we were beat, and went to bed.

We will be done with PA today! And thanks to Jordan and Sandy for everything!

via BB

Ian Mangiardi1 Comment