CANDOER Retirement Group

5/21 - Tuesday - Day 69 - Hiked 12.6 miles - (Mile Marker 776.4) It was cold last night, but not as cold as it has been. Since I didn't know exactly when Don and Sue would be at the James River, I got out of camp at a good time. It was only 2.1 miles to the river and the Hank Lanum Foot Bridge. This bridge is the longest foot-use-only bridge (600 feet) on the AT and is dedicated in memory of Bill Foot, a 1997 thru-hiker. The trail from the shelter to the river follows a tributary river and if the weather were warmer, it would certainly be tempting to stop and take a swim in the several bath tub like areas at the bottom of the many water falls. It was a pleasant hike to the foot bridge. Don and Sue met me at the parking lot at around 11 a.m. and off we went for lunch. They kindly brought me a much needed gin and tonic which I decided to have after lunch. Once I finished lunch, I decided to order another sandwich which I could take with me to eliminate the need to prepare dinner at the nights shelter. They gave me a beer and a soda which I took with me to the shelter as well. This was a good idea and tasted real good for dinner tonight. It was a 10 mile hike to the shelter and I'm glad I decided to continue on as there was a nice fire going when I finally reached Punchbowl Shelter. The same folks were sheltering tonight as last night. As I left Glasgow, I would go past Johns Hollow Shelter and then to Salt Log Gap at 2,575 feet. In another 1.5 miles, I was at the top of Bluff Mountain. This is the site of the memorial to "Little Ottie". The story is that in 1890, little four year old Ottie went into the woods to gather firewood for his schoolhouse and never returned. His body was found five months later on top of this mountain some three miles from the school house. The custom is to bring a small toy, coin or something as a remembrance to leave at the monument. I left a few coins. The views up on top were awesome. In another 1.6 miles I was arriving at Punchbowl Shelter (2,500). This shelter is located near a pond and the frogs are making their presence known with some very loud singing. As of now, it doesn't seem very cold but who knows what it will be like later this evening.

5/22 - Wednesday - Day 70 - Hiked 14.4 miles - (Mile Marker 790.8) It was cold again last night. When is it ever going to get warmer? I was out of camp at 7:45. The first nine miles were decent, but then it was up, up, up, from an altitude of 1,395 feet to 4,059 feet at Bald Knob before arriving at Cow Camp Gap Shelter (3,160). It was a long tough haul and then when getting to the turn off for the shelter, find that it was another .6 miles of hiking into the shelter. We never like hiking that far to get into the shelter. It only means that you have to hike that far in the morning before you get on the trail and started again. Once again, the same hikers plus one other section hiker are sharing the shelter with me. It is really strange that I have been the only thru hiker in the shelters for the past several nights. We had a bit of trail magic today. Some kind person had left some cokes at the bottom of Bald Knob. As usual, these are always a welcome surprise.

5/23 - Thursday - Day 71 - Hiked 17.1 miles - (Mile Marker 807.9) I was up early and hiked out to the main trail. It was almost an immediate climb up Cold Mountain (4,010). This was very reminiscent of some of the balds in North Carolina and Tennessee. Many of these balds are well taken care of by mowing, etc. to keep the views open. I passed by Spy Rock, a dome shaped rock formation with a great overlook and view. This location was used by the Confederate soldiers to spot activities of the Union troops during the Civil War, thus the name. After a long day, the assent to The Priest Shelter (3,840) was quite difficult. Even though it has been cold at night, the days, including this one, have been great for hiking. There are six other section hikers in the shelter tonight. It doesn't seem nearly as cold tonight so far. Hopefully, our cold weather is going away. I have heard it is supposed to be in the 80's tomorrow. I am in hopes of seeing Barb and Chuck tomorrow.

5/24 - Friday - Day 72 - Hiked 16.6 miles - (Mile Marker 823.5) This turned out to be a difficult day with the weather turning hot, especially on the climbs up the mountains. From The Priest Shelter, I went down to Tye River at 980 feet. I decided since I was ahead of Mark and Ten Thumbs that I would hitch a ride into the store, which was a little over one mile according to my guide book. There were two good ole boys in a van that was coming out a side road and offered me a ride once they cleaned out their van. It was loaded with junk but I was happy for the ride. After I got in and we rode for a while, they asked if I minded if they made a side trip to pick up something from a friend. I said it was OK with me, but I did begin getting a bit worried. I discreetly put most of the money that was in my wallet into my pants pocket in case it would only be a robbery. As it was, they really did need to pick up something from their friend's house and we were soon on our way to the store. They dropped me off at the store and I picked up some bananas, cokes and pies to share with Mark and Ten Thumbs when I met back up with them. I thought I wouldn't see them again until I reached the shelter, but when I hitched back to the trailhead, they were just coming out of the woods. We crossed the new bridge at the Tye River and then back up to Three Ridges at 1,800 feet. Before reaching Three Ridges, we stopped at Harpers Creek Shelter where I gave them their treats. It was a difficult climb and they were both very grateful for the treats I had brought them. Carrying the extra load was well worth it just to see how pleased they were with what I brought them. From Three Ridges, I called Barb and Chuck Heath from here advising that I was about four miles from their location. They said they would meet me at Route 664 and they did, with a Heineken beer. Barbara hiked up the trail to join me on the last part of the hike before reaching the highway. It was so good to get to their place and they treated me royally with a couple gin and tonics, a great meal and lots of good conversation. Although I didn't want them to, they gave up their bed so I would get a good nights' sleep. I didn't get to bed until 11:30 p.m. and wondered how I would manage tomorrow. I would really like to make it to Rockfish gap tomorrow but that would be about 19 miles and I will probably get a late start which will make it impossible to hike that far. I will decide tomorrow.

5/25 - Saturday - Day 73 - Hiked 19.1 miles - (Mile Marker 842.6) After talking with Barb and Chuck, I decided late last evening that I would stay another day and Barb and Chuck offered to drop me off at Route 664 where they picked me up and then pick me up again at Rockfish Gap. This would allow me to do a slack pack and hike the number of miles that I did with much greater ease. I caught up with Captain and Ten Thumbs and hiked into Rockfish Gap with them. This would be their last day and at the end we enjoyed a couple of beers (Yuengling, my first taste of this Pennsylvania beer) at the hotel and talked until Barb and Chuck picked me up. I have certainly enjoyed the past few days hiking with this father and son team. It was hot and muggy for the first part of the day and I appreciated the light weight day pack that I was carrying, especially as I went up over Humpback Mountain. I saw two harmless black snakes today but wasn't able to identify them. This is the end of the Blue Ridge Mountain range and I did enjoy the scenery and they truly are blue. There always seems to be a blue haze over the landscape as you look out over the valleys. After another very enjoyable evening with Barb and Chuck I hit the sack and am ready for another day of hiking tomorrow. Since this was the end of the Blue Ridge, it means it was also the end of Central Virginia. My next stretch will be going through the beautiful Shenandoah National Park (SNP).

5/26 - Sunday - Day 74 - Hiked 20.0 miles - (Mile Marker 862.6) I was up at 6 a.m. and after a great breakfast Barb and Chuck dropped me off at Rockfish Gap. After a few photos, I was off for my first day in the Shenandoah's. All hikers are required to obtain a permit to hike in the SNP. There is no fee, but the self-registration at the kiosks at the entrance to the park is mandatory. If you don't have this permit visible at all times, you could be fined. I have never heard of anyone actually being fined, but the regulation is there for all to see. A copy of the permit is left at the kiosk. I believe this is used in case of a lost hiker or the unlikely need to get in touch with a hiker while on the trail. This is also one of the uses that the journals in each of the shelters serve as well. Emergencies at home have occurred which required the hiker to be located and sometimes taken off the trail. I have heard over and over that the terrain in the Shenandoah's is quite easy and you can really make up miles. I beg to differ. While the trail is well maintained, I found the ups and downs quite exhausting. It was hard on the feet and the 20 miles I did today was proof that my feet are still not ready for these long hikes. Today I started looking forward to getting home to give my body a rest. My shin is still bothering me and I doubt if my little toe will ever be the same again. I was so glad to reach the Blackrock Hut (2,645). There are several people in the shelter tonight that I haven't seen in quite some time. Cooperstown Kid, Stud and Dr. Bug, and Santiago are just a few. There are several section hikers and some new thru hikers that I hadn't met before. It was hot today and the water supplies are beginning to dwindle. We are all concerned about the water supplies that we will or will not be able to find as we proceed further north. We aren't meeting many south bounders yet so aren't able to get any feedback on upcoming shelters with their water supplies.

5/27 Monday - Day 75 - Hiked 13.2 miles - (Mile Marker 875.8) Memorial Day - After the long day yesterday, today's hike was a pleasure. There are still lots of ups and downs, but the distance was right. I stopped at the Loft Mountain Campground. I believe everyone stops at this site as there is a camp store where you can buy ice cream and other goodies that you might crave for. I purchased some ice cream and chips and one nights meal. While sitting under the tree (it is hot) eating my ice cream, I saw a mama bear and two little cubs walking across the field close to where we all were sitting. What a sight it was. They didn't look as though they had a care in the world. Of course bear are protected in the park and they seem to know this. I was advised by the ranger that there are between 250-300 bear in the park. I did get rained on today and I doubt my clothes will dry for tomorrow which means I get up and put wet clothes on to hike in. I was surprised to see the Carnival girls at the Pinefield Hut (2,430) where I would be staying tonight. The shelters are called huts in this part of Virginia. I have found the shelters/huts much nicer in Virginia than any other location. The shelters are nicer as well as the privies are nicer and cleaner. There are a few deer hanging around the huts tonight. When I arrived at the hut, there were some trail angels waiting for us when we got in. They were 1996 thru hikers (The Honeymooners) and they had beer, sodas, apples, bananas, cookies, etc. Needless to say, I went for the beer. I can't express the feeling you get when something nice like this is done for you. It doesn't take very much to make a thru hiker happy.

5/28 - Tuesday - Day 76 - Hiked 20.6 miles - (Mile Marker 896.4) It was a long day today, but I felt good except for my sore feet (toe). Although we continue to hike up and down, it seems that we reach altitudes of about 3,000 feet most of the time and then down again. I stopped at the South River Picnic grounds for lunch. It was a great day of hiking with several other hikers. Some of the hikers had bear sightings today. I didn't, but I did see several deer. After another five miles of hiking, I stopped at the Lewis Mountain Campground for a rest and snack which included a couple of beers. The trail goes right by the grounds with just a short side trip to get to the actual camp ground. This was the second 20 mile day I have done this week. It isn't because the trail is easy, but the uphills aren't as drastic so you don't tend to get as tired out. I arrived at the Blackrock Hut (2,645) and will be sharing the hut with several other hikers tonight. I am on the same schedule as Santiago, "T" and Doc. They are fun to be with.

5/29 - Wednesday - Day 77 - Hiked 16.1 miles - (Mile Marker 912.5) Today was a long, but fun day. I am still hiking with Santiago, Doc and "T". We stopped at Big Meadows camp site (3,500) for showers, laundry and lunch. We ended up having difficulty finding the beginning of the AT when leaving this camp site. Consequently, we ended up hiking along the Skyline Drive for about a mile. The Skyline Drive used to be the AT until the AT got their own land for the trail to follow. A purist would never agree that we could do this. However, I know we didn't take any short-cuts and hiked just as many miles as we would have had we taken the AT. There have been some great views today with quite a lot of flat walking along the trail. One of the Carnival girls came upon a bear that was tearing up some young folks' tent today. She reported it to the Ranger. The young folks were just standing by watching the bear tear into their tent and destroying their equipment. This is a rarity but obviously does happen. We arrived at Skyland around 5 p.m. After checking into a cabin which I will share with Santiago, Doc and "T", we all went to dinner as a group at the Skyland Lodge. It was great having dinner with everyone and sharing experiences with the other hikers. It seems several bear and bear cubs have been sighted. One hiker even saw a baby deer being born. There seems to be quite a lot of wild life in the Shenandoah's in comparison to what we have seen previously. It was a tough hike today but the scenery has been worth it. I continue to think Virginia hiking is difficult with all the elevation changes. The weather has been quite nice for the past few days and we are all hoping that it continues. It occurred to me that I had gone several days without taking a shower but today I actually had two of them. I also passed the 900 mile marker today.

5/30 - Thursday - Day 78 - Hiked 18.9 miles - (Mile Marker 931.4) I was up early and out of the cabin and on the trail by 7 a.m. The group I have been traveling with for the past few days was together again today. It seemed like we hiked closer together today, stopping for breaks at the same time, etc. We arrived at Elkwallow Gap (2,460) at 4:15 and decided to have dinner at the Wayside where they had a grill. That and a couple beers would be our supper. We are all camping out tonight, hoping the bears stay away and that it doesn't rain. "T" saw a bear today. We hiked over Mary's Rock at 3,514 feet. The view was awesome. This rock is noted to be one billion years old. Sounds good to me. We did see some great views today. We will be leaving the Shenandoah's at the end of the day tomorrow. Now that we are getting close to the end, it doesn't seem to have been that bad. Everyone in our group has been surprised that there were so many hills to climb. However, the hills have been much more gradual and there were many more flat stretches. Things are looking up as I get closer to the time when I will be taking a few days off.

5/31 - Friday - Day 79 - Hiked 15.4 miles - (Mile Marker 946.8) After a restless night, I was up early and ready to begin hiking and was out of camp at 6:30. There were deer in the area and they were sniffing around my tent during the night. I didn't know that they were deer until the following morning. I was sure that it was a bear sniffing around. Of course, once I wake up, it isn't long before I just have to go to the bathroom. I laid there for as long as I could before actually creeping out of my tent. When I did get out, I didn't see a thing, but of course I didn't venture far from my tent either. I was told the following morning that there were deer in the area. Since I was the first one out this morning, I saw two bear; one a large one and the other smaller. Also saw several deer. We are now out of the Shenandoah National Park and you could tell the difference immediately. I couldn't help thinking today about going home in a couple days. This incentive kept me going most of the day. I am stopping at the Tom Floyd Wayside shelter (1,900) and will be sharing with Santiago and a friend of hers, Doc, "T", Mariachi and the Carnival Girls.

6/1 - Saturday - Day 80 - Hiked 11.1 miles - (Mile Marker 957.9) After one major climb today I will be heading into Linden where I will be picked up by Grace and Sally. After several days of hiking with Doc, he is considering leaving the trail in Front Royal. He is having some leg problems and is afraid that this might disrupt his bike trip which he is to take with his children once he leaves the trail. As I crossed over US 522, I immediately came to the National Zoological Park which parallels the trail for quite a distance. This was once a military reservation that covers thousands of acres. I passed by the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter which is one of the nicer shelters. It has a shower and nice porch with seating as well as a picnic pavilion. I didn't stop long here as I was now anxious to reach my destination of the day. Although it was only one mile from the trail to the post office in Linden where Grace was picking me up, I decided to hitch a ride if possible. I got a ride in the back of a pick up truck that had just come back from the dump. I shared the back with several empty trash cans. It didn't smell all that good, but then, neither did I. I was happy to see Grace and Sally waiting for me when I arrived. It is hot, hot, hot.

Linden to Harpers Ferry - I will not be hiking this portion again (45.2 miles) as I had already hiked this portion in January. I have decided to take a few days off to hopefully give my toe and body a rest.

6/2 - 6/6 - Sunday - Thursday - Zero Days (Mile Marker 1003.4)

6/7 - Friday - Day 86 - Hiked 18.4 miles - (Mile marker 1,021.5) After a few days off, which I needed desperately, I am back on the trail again. I swapped out my boots and got another pair, which is the reason I am doing a slack pack today. I wanted to try them out to see how my little toe would react. It was through the efforts of Jay Peters who works at REI that I was able to swap in my boots. REI was very good about taking back the boots that I had hiked 500 miles in and replacing them with new boots. They seem to fit quite well and hopefully these will hold me to the end of my hike. REI replaced these boots without charge. Grace dropped me off at Turners Gap (1,010) by the Old South Mountain Inn. This is an upscale fine dining Inn which is located right off the trail. I am now in Maryland. From here I started back south on the trail toward Harpers Ferry. As I hiked back toward Harpers Ferry, I passed by the Rocky Run Shelter and then another five miles and I would pass by Crampton Gap Shelter, both of which I stopped at for short rests. This was one of the easiest hikes, but then again, I was slack packing with only a day pack on my back. This really makes a huge difference in the distance you hike and your attitude at the end of the day. As I got about three miles from Harpers Ferry, I picked up the C&O Canal Towpath which follows the AT until you come to the 600-foot-long Goodloe E. Byron Memorial Pedestrian Walkway which restored the original route of the AT across the Potomac. I went to the Appalachian Trail Headquarters building and registered as a thru hiker. I had my photo taken for their records and was given a number. Although I am not sure, and intend to visit the Headquarters again, I believe I was given the number of 250. I finished my hike at 4 p.m. and Grace came to Harpers Ferry and picked me up. I will spend one more night at home before being dropped off at Turners Gap again tomorrow to continue my hike.

6/8 - Saturday - Day 87 - Hiked 13.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1035.1) This was my first day back on the trail with full pack and I must admit it was rather tough. It was a nice day and the terrain wasn't all that difficult. I passed by the Washington Monument, the first monument ever constructed to honor George Washington and built by the citizens of Boonsboro. On the path leading to the monument there are signs depicting important events in Washington's life. Another three miles and I would cross I-70 on a footbridge where cars and trucks often honk and wave while you are on the footpath. I will be leaving Maryland tomorrow. Tonight I will be staying at Ensign Cowall Shelter (1,430).

6/9 - Sunday - Day 88 - Hiked 16.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,051.6) I completed the Maryland portion of the trail today and am now in Pennsylvania. Everyone without exception has mentioned the rocks in Pennsylvania as well as the rattle snakes. I must say, I am not really looking forward to the next several miles through this state. It was a good day of hiking. I took a side trip to High Rock which offered a great view of the valley. Continuing on, I arrived at Pen Mar County Park. I got a hamburger and French fries and really took lots of time to rest. It was such a relaxing atmosphere, with a live band playing for several seniors who actually got up and danced to the music. I had some nice conversations with some of the folks at the park who were interested in my travels and they had all kinds of questions. It was a nice break and I ended up staying there for over two hours. I left at 2:30 and decided to head to Antietam Shelter (890). This shelter is not much to speak of, but there is a nice creek running by the shelter which makes it rather soothing to listen to. I am looking forward to tomorrow when I will meet up with Mark and family for a picnic before Jason and I head out together. I am so excited about hiking with Jason and hope he likes it.

6/10 - Monday - Day 89 - Hiked 13.4 miles - (Mile Marker 1,065) I got up and headed out at 7:20. I was anxious to get to the Caledonia State Park, so I didn't dally very long at any of the shelters along the way. I did get a good introduction to the Pennsylvania rocks that everyone had talked about. I arrived at the park at 1 p.m. and Mark and family were there soon after. I was pretty concerned with the pack that Jay was bringing, but he insisted that everything was required by him. I figured he could start out and if it got too much he could get rid of some of things as we continued on. He wouldn't have been the first person to start out with a heavy pack. We had our picnic before starting out and Mark and Sheila even went swimming. Not sure what time we actually got started on our way, but when we did, we had difficulty in finding the correct path out of the park. We must have hiked an additional three miles back and forth, looking for the continuation of the AT. Although we would only be hiking about three miles to the Quarry Gap Shelter where we would be spending the night, it was quite a climb from 890 feet to 1,455 feet. This was a good orientation for Jay on his first day out. Although his pack looked pretty heavy, he didn't complain and still insisted that he needed everything that he brought. The shelters in Pennsylvania are double shelters which are small, but quite new and nice. The shelters tonight are full and over flowing. Jason has no problem associating with those other hikers sharing the shelter.

6/11 - Tuesday - Day 90 - Hiked 17.4 miles - (Mile Marker 1,082.4) I had planned to hike only about 14 miles, but the lure of a shower a real bed convinced Jay and I to continue on for another three plus miles. We both agreed that it was worth the extra effort. Jay was very good about getting his bag packed and we were on our way by 7 a.m. This was a good trail to do 17 miles on and Jay did real well with it, especially for his first full day on the trail. I had also planned to camp out but would have had to walk quite a ways to the camp site, so we decided to stay at Ironmasters Mansion Hostel in Pine Grove Furnace State Park. There is a camp store that sells a few supplies. This is also the place where you can join the traditional "half-gallon club". To belong, you must eat a half-gallon of ice cream to mark the halfway point of your thru-hike. Jay and I elected not to join this club. There is nothing to be gained except the thought of an upset stomach and a small commemorative wooden spoon as a prize. Big deal. Remains of the furnace that produced firearms during the Revolutionary War are still visible from the trail. The hostel has a bunk room and a kitchen where you can prepare your meals. After a great shower and getting our laundry done, we prepared our supper and then it was soon off to bed. There are several other thru hikers in the hostel tonight. After the long day today, it may be wise making tomorrow a short day. I will let Jay make that decision.

6/12 - Wednesday - Day 91 - Hiked 9.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,092) We had another short day today. After only about one mile, we came to the official half way marker. The actual half way mark changes each year as the trail changes, but they made this the official marker. It is now Maine or bust for me. I am trying to arrange our schedule so that we can arrive in Duncannon on Saturday where Grace will meet us and then proceed to the Hubler's who have invited us to stay overnight with them. We will be spending the night in our tent as we are in between shelters. We will probably be doing the same tomorrow night. We are camping very close to Mount Holly Springs tonight. Jay is still holding up well and seems to be enjoying himself. I believe a short day today was good for him and I know it was for me. It tried to rain and did a little, but didn't seem to cool it off very much. I haven't been indicating the altitudes recently because we are down at the 900 foot level where we will remain for a while.

6/13 - Thursday - Day 92 - Hiked 9.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,101.5) We got a late start this morning but since we were doing a short day, it really didn't matter. We had a few altitude changes, but all in all, it was an easy day. It is really fun hiking with Jay. He has been very helpful and responsible. He doesn't complain about the hills any more than I do. We went over some pretty tough rocks which he thought were fun. I just thought they were hard. We arrived in Boiling Springs (510) early and hung out at the ATC Headquarters building. It started raining right after we got there so we stayed around until about 3:30 and then went to Anile's Pizza and had the biggest Sicilian pizza you could imagine. Even Jay couldn't finish it. We were sorry we didn't take the remainder of the pizza with us as we got hungry again before it was time for bed. It stopped raining for a while during our meal so after finishing we immediately got our packs and headed off to the Backpacker Campsite. We got our water at the headquarters building but didn't need much as we were not preparing dinner tonight. Boiling Springs is noted for its springs which produce 22 million gallons of bubbling water each day. To me, it seemed that everything was geared for the fishermen and not the hiker. Even the outfitter had only fishing supplies. While resting at the ATC headquarters, they were organizing a fishing tournament for the kids in the river directly in front of the headquarters building. They had different age groups as well as different areas where they dumped the fish. After setting up our tent, Jay wanted to go back to town to make a couple phone calls. It is still raining but that didn't deter his determination in going back into town. The mountain laurel along the trail was in full bloom and very pretty. We are camping about 25 yards from the railroad tracks and two trains have passed by already. It seems they are on a curve and they do a lot of squeaking as well as blowing their whistle. With all the rain and the noise the trains make, doesn't make for a very good sleeping night.

6/14 - Friday - Day 93 - Hiked 14.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,116.1) Well, I was correct. It wasn't a great night for sleeping. The trains ran all night long and it rained all night as well. The tent got a little wet inside, but not too bad. It stopped just long enough for us to get packed up this morning and we were off at 8 a.m. Very easy day hiking through the farm fields and some woods, but mostly flat except for the last mile. The last mile we went from 455 feet to 1,170 feet arriving at Darlington Shelter. The honey suckle really smells good along the trail. We crossed the PA Turnpike and at Route 11 we got off and hiked .3 miles to a diner where we enjoyed lunch. Even after taking the hour for lunch, we were at the shelter today by 3 p.m. Jay continues to do well and is a real pleasure to hike with. I am looking forward to many more miles of great hiking with him. We are planning on getting up early in the morning to head on into Duncannon for another night with a real bed, showers and good meals.

6/15 - Saturday - Day 94 - Hiked 11.4 miles - (Mile Marker 1,127.5) We were reluctant in getting up this morning as it rained most of the night again. However, we finally got out of the shelter and on our way at 7:30. The trail today was relatively flat, hiking along the crest of the mountains at about 1,000 feet. Not a whole lot of rocks today and our guide book tells us not to be spooked out by all the horror stories we are told about the Pennsylvania portion of the AT. This remains to be seen. We arrived in Duncannon at 1 p.m. where we got picked up by Grace. We then went off to Alice and John Hubler's home where we were treated to some great hospitality. They washed our cloths, we showered and then we had dinner. What a great spread they gave us. We spent the night catching up on news of the past several years. It was a great night and we ended up going to bed real late.

6/16 - Sunday - Day 95 - Hiked 4.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,132.0) Fathers Day - The Hubler's had some friends over for lunch and after a great lunch and good conversation we had to depart and get back on the trail. We did finally depart at 2 p.m. However, since the day was so nice, we put our tent and other wet equipment out for drying in the sun during the morning while everyone else went off to church. Alice gave Jay and I each a present of some chocolates which we gave to Grace to hold for us. Grace dropped us off at Duncannon and we were once again on the trail by 3 p.m. It seemed like a long walk before we finally crossed over the Susquehanna River, and then it was the long hike up the mountain to reach Clarks Ferry Shelter at 1,260 feet. We got a good taste of the rocks today and wonder if this is the way it will be from here on into Pennsylvania. There are two other thru hikers sharing the shelter tonight. All in all, it was a beautiful Father's Day shared with friends and wife Grace.

6/17 - Monday - Day 96 - Hiked 15.0 miles - (Mile Marker 1,147.0) What a glorious day it has been for hiking. It hasn't been too hot and there was a slight breeze most of the day. Once reaching the ridge, we stayed on it most of the day and finally came down to 325 feet before starting right back up again to the Shikellamy Overlook at 1,320 feet. We continued on to Peters Mountain Shelter but it was too early to quit hiking for the day so we continued on. We decided to go as far as we could and decided to camp out tonight. Jay started a fire which was quite nice and it looks as though it is going to be a nice night weatherwise. Jay is still doing well and is still enjoying himself. I have been so pleasantly pleased how responsible he has been with everything. He helps out setting up and taking down the camp each day. Although we don't always hike together, he usually goes ahead and will find a place (usually a large rock in the sun) where we can have our lunch. He hasn't failed me yet. I have started looking forward to lunch time, just so we can get together for a while before I start out again. I usually start out first because he hikes much faster than I do and usually catches up to me in no time flat. It doesn't quite seem fair to me that he can go way ahead and when I catch up I find him resting. It must be nice to be young and in shape as he obviously is. We saw our first south bounder today. He started two months ago and obviously is making good time.

6/18 - Tuesday - Day 97 - Hiked 22.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,169.6) We had a beautiful night for camping and a good nights sleep for a change. In fact it was so good that we both overslept until 6:15. Consequently, we didn't get out of camp until about 7:15. It was a slight one mile uphill until we reached Rausch Gap Shelter where we stopped for lunch and a rest and then on our way again for the next 13 miles. Jay didn't want to camp in the rain, so we ended up doing my longest day of my entire hike so far. It rained the last three hours of our hike. We finally reached the William Penn Shelter, wet and very tired. I doubt our clothes will dry out tonight so we will end up hiking with wet clothes tomorrow. It is supposed to be nice for the next few days and we are in hopes of reaching Port Clinton by Thursday if we hold to our present schedule.

6/19 - Wednesday - Day 98 - Hiked 13.1 miles - (Mile Marker 1,182.7) After the tough day yesterday, we sort of slacked off today. The trail wasn't overly difficult but we did begin experiencing more Pennsylvania rocks. We saw our first rattle snakes today nestled in the rocks. There were two that we saw, and didn't hang around to see if there were more. I have no doubt there were. We stopped at the 501 Shelter for a rest. There was a sign saying knock on the door if we wanted some refreshments from the main house, but beware of dogs. There wasn't any answer at first, at the front door and the dogs were barking inside. Finally, someone came from around the back and we were able to get a soft drink as well as a Klondike ice cream bar for a fee. I actually ended up having two cokes during the rest stop. We took a look inside the hostel and saw several pizza boxes in the trash. It seems that those who stayed there last night, had pizza for supper. I guess our timing was off once again. We are camping out tonight at the Fort Dietrich Snyder Marker and will be up for a long day tomorrow in order to get into Port Clinton to pick up our mail drop. We will have some tough hiking to do to get to the Delaware Water Gap before next weekend. We met Jeff and Chipper today. They seem to be a nice couple who are thru hikers. Hope we get to hike with them more.

6/20 - Thursday - Day 99 - Hiked 14.7 miles - (Mile Marker 1,197.4) I just realized that I have less than 1,000 miles to go before reaching Katahdin. Jay and I got up early to start our trek into Port Clinton. It was an unusually easy walk, but there was a one mile steep descent into Port Clinton. Where are all the rocks we heard about? It was pretty hot today and we were happy to arrive at our destination. We arrived in Port Clinton at about 1:30 and picked up our mail drop at the post office. We could have stayed at the pavilion, but elected to stay at the Port Clinton Hotel. The room wasn't all that great and it only had one bed. That meant sharing the bed which neither of us cared to do. I guess if we can share a tent and the closeness of the shelter, we shouldn't have a problem sharing a bed. However, we had no choice this time. It also was not air conditioned and our room was facing the road which had quite a bit of traffic on it. We took our showers and washed clothes before resting a bit. Since the bar was downstairs, I had a couple beers before dinner. This is a unique town. They don't have an ATM, they don't accept credit cards and there is no public telephone, and of course the cell phone didn't work here. Probably didn't work because we are at the 410 foot level. If you really needed money, you could go to post office and buy a stamp and write a check for a limited amount. My cash was OK at this point so it really didn't give me a problem. We had a nice dinner in the hotel and I ordered a large gin and tonic which I took to our room. I added one of the small miniature bottles to it and it really tasted good. Jay watched TV until 10 tonight. I believe it was a mistake, which he may suffer for tomorrow.

6/21 - Friday - Day 100 - Hiked 15.2 miles - (Mile Marker 1,212.6) It was a rough night in the hotel last night. Jay is difficult to sleep with as he bounced and rolled most of the night. We were up at 6 and out of the hotel, looking for a restaurant where we could have breakfast. The 3C's Restaurant was on the outskirts of town. Unfortunately it was on the opposite side of town which we would be leaving from. However, we trekked out to the restaurant and had a great breakfast. After the initial climb out of Port Clinton, the hike wasn't that bad. Today is the first day of summer. On this day it is traditionally known as hike naked day. Some hikers actually took this literally. The men usually used a neckerchief to cover up the essentials and the women wore very skimpy outfits. Jay and I had heard about this before, but had forgotten all about it until we saw the first hikers who had got on the trail further north and started hiking a slack pack back south. This may have been the first time Jay met Santiago. What a way to meet! There were a lot of families on the trail today. I think they were a little taken back seeing hikers dressed like they were on this special day. We stopped at Pulpit Rock (1,582) where the overlook offers a spectacular view of the valley below. Another couple miles along the trail we came to The Pinnacle, (1,635) which gives another great view overlooking the Pennsylvania farmland below. It was a beautiful hiking day and the views were fantastic. We made it to Eckville Shelter. This is actually more like a hostel than a shelter. It is fully enclosed with bunk beds inside. They had a refrigerator on the outside which was stocked with sodas and ice cream for a donation. There was a solar shower and a flush toilet. The bunk house was full and three people are camping.

6/22 - Saturday - Day 101 - Hiked 13.3 miles - (Mile Marker 1,225.9) The Pennsylvania rocks are now present even though a lot of the trail is like a rough road. We have decided to break today and tomorrow into shortened days as we will be stopping overnight in Palmerton to stay with the sister of my friend Al Kleinsmith, the Schweinbine's. We stopped off at the Blue Mountain B&B which is listed as upscale lodging. I can tell you the meal was upscale also and cost much more than I wanted to pay. However, once we were there, we had our lunch and costly or not, it was good. I did learn a lesson, however, and that is to not go to a place that is advertised as upscale. Another hiker was there and joined us for lunch. We stopped at the New Tripoli Campsite (1,220) which is 0.3 miles downhill off the trail. This is not the greatest campsite I have ever camped at, but it was flat and there was a stream running by. It seemed like a long .3 miles and it was pretty steep. Someone had left some soft drinks in the stream, so all was not lost. Jay tried very hard to start a fire, but things were pretty damp in the area so our fire never got going. Hiking wasn't all that bad today, but it was pretty hot most of the day.

6/23 - Sunday - Day 102 - Hiked 11.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,237.5) Although this was a short mileage day, we did have some rough going over the rocks at the cliffs as well as Bear Rocks and Bake Oven Knob, all of which were tough and treacherous. It would be so easy to lose your balance and fall. I asked Jay to stay close by until I got through them, just in case of a fall. He doesn't have any problem with these rocks and in fact likes the challenge they give him. Eventually, we got through the rocks and headed down the mountain toward Palmerton. At the trailhead, I called Mr. Blase on my cell phone and he met us and took us back to his house where we met his wife, Vangy. Once again, we were treated royally starting with the lunch Vangy prepared for us. We washed our clothes, showered and relaxed on the back porch, talking with Mr. & Mrs. Schweibine. After a great dinner, we were off to bed once again, thinking about our next days hike.

6/24 - Monday - Day 103 - Hiked 12.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,250.0) After a nice breakfast, Blase took us to the store for supplies and then dropped us off at the trailhead to begin our ascent up the rocky climb out of Palmerton. He offered to drop us off at another location which would have eliminated the hike up Blue Mountain. It was tempting, but we decided to continue on where we left off. This mountainside is unbelievable. It is total rocks, having been devastated by the former zinc-smelting plant by the river during previous years. The EPA has closed this plant and re vegetation efforts are underway and the mountain is supposedly slowly coming back to life. However, I must admit, as I got to the top, I didn't find much greenery and it looks very similar to the desert without vegetation of any kind except the blueberry patches that we passed by. Since these were the first blueberries I had seen, I stopped and picked for a while. Jay said he didn't like blueberries, but after trying them, decided they weren't that bad after all. On the trail you find that you like anything that indicates food. The rocky assent was an experience. If we thought the rocks were bad before, they were worse today. They were difficult to get over and you literally had to get on your hands and knees to traverse some of the rocks. I found it a bit intimidating, wondering how I would actually get over some of them. We passed by three older women (ages 73, 65 and 45) who were really having a difficult time. It was scary for me and I can imagine what they were experiencing. There was no water to be had along this portion of the trail so when we came to Smith Gap road, we decided to go down the road about one mile to Blue Mountain Dome which was advertised in our handbook. It indicated that there was an outside spigot at the house with a free cold shower outside with overnight stays welcome with permission. When we arrived after what seemed like an endless one mile, we found no one at home. We filled our water bottles and continued to hang around hoping that someone would come home soon. We really didn't want to move on today and decided to wait as long as we could. Fortunately, the owner, John Stempa came home and invited us to stay for dinner and we could sleep in his two car garage and he would drop us off at the trailhead in the morning. I was happy to hear this as I really didn't want to walk back up the road the following day. It seems that the owner and his significant other purchase lots of hamburgers and hot dogs at the beginning of the hiking season and when hikers come along, they offer them a meal. You can have as much as you want, by just telling them how many of each that you want. We had macaroni with the hot dogs and hamburgers as well as soda and I had a beer. They have a little boy and after Jay finished his meal, he noticed that the little boy did not finish his hamburger and they were about to give it to the dog. Jay asked if he could have what was left and the poor dog had to go without. The sad thing is that the dog was watching patiently for the boy to finish his meal as he knew there would be something left. Not this time. It was a nice treat since we thought we would be camping out tonight. One other thru hiker showed up to share the garage with us.

6/25 - Tuesday - Day 104 - Hiked 8.1 miles - (Mile Marker 1,258.1) Right on schedule we were dropped off at the trailhead and on our way by 7 a.m. Lots of rocks today, but other than that it was an ordinary hike with few ups and downs. We arrived at the Gateway Motel where we were to meet my brother Don. He was there, but was waiting by the trailhead around the corner so he missed us when we came off the trail. While he was waiting, he met some of our fellow hikers and finally realized that we were probably waiting up the road at the motel. Once we finally connected we immediately took off for the Ramada Inn at the Delaware Water Gap. After showering and settling in, we got ready for dinner. Don took us to East Stroudsburg for dinner at the Danbury Station. I had a wonderful meal of pasta. It turned out to be a very hot day today so I was glad that tomorrow was going to be a zero day.

6/26 - Wednesday - Day 105 - Zero Day - (Mile Marker 1,258.1) What a great day to have off. It is hot, hot, hot outside. We went in to East Stroudsburg to do laundry, and resupply at the Wall-mart store. Three other hikers came along with us to do their laundry. I bought a daypack so we could slack a portion of the trail tomorrow. We also picked up some more supplies. The remainder of the day is for resting. Don took Jason and I to the library so we could check our e-mail. I did my report but since I went over my time limit, I lost everything and decided I wasn't going to redo the report again. I would do it later. We ate dinner at the Water Gap Diner tonight, came back and packed our backpack. We also prepared our day pack for slack packing tomorrow. We will leave our packs at the hotel and pick them up tomorrow after we return from our slack pack and bring them to the Presbyterian Church where we will be staying tomorrow night. There was a bit of rain late today, but it looks good for tomorrows hike.

6/27 - Thursday - Day 106 - Hiked 15.6 miles - (Mile Marker 1,273.7) After a very restful day off, it was back on the trail again today. Since we got off the trail at Wind Gap, that is where Don dropped us back off at 7:50 and then we hiked back into the Delaware Water Gap where we are staying at the Presbyterian Church of the Mountain. They provide a place to sleep in the bottom of the church, but we decided to camp out. This was a slack pack so it was a nice hike. The weather was not too warm and we were back by 2:30. We set up our tent, showered and got a box prepared to send home with film and things no longer needed. It has been thundering and it did start raining during the church dinner that we had the good fortune to share with the congregation. I believe they have this church dinner every Thursday during the summer. They set up tables and chairs outside and it gave the congregation an opportunity to meet the hikers that they are supporting in their church. After a short time chatting with the folks, it started raining and sort of cut the dinner short. There are several other hikers staying at the shelter tonight. I hope things stay dry and that it doesn't rain too much tonight.

6/28 - Friday - Day 107 - Hiked 10.5 miles - (Mile Marker 1,284.2) Well, it did rain most of the night and our tent leaked a little bit, but not bad. We planned a short day today so we could stay at the Mohican Outdoor Center about 10 miles up the trail. We had been warned that just because we were leaving Pennsylvania, we would not be leaving the rocks and the warning was absolutely correct. While the trail today was fairly easy, it did include lots of rocks to walk over. Almost immediately after leaving our campsite, we crossed the Delaware River Bridge and are now in New Jersey. From an altitude of 340 feet at the bridge, we headed back up until we came to the ridge where we remained most of the day. We followed along Sunfish Pond (1,380) for quite some time. The weather was quite nice today but did rain briefly and the skies were threatening a good part of the day. We are staying at the Mohican Outdoor Center which has a bunkhouse, and a large gathering room with kitchen. We dried our tent and clothing. The manager of the place just came by to alert that a bear was in the area. Not sure what we can do about it, but I guess he had to tell us. It seems that New Jersey is loaded with bear. It would be nice to see one.

6/29 - Saturday - Day 108 - Hiked 21.0 miles - (Mile Marker 1,305.2) We were up and out early. We are finally seeing some scenery, but the rocks are still with us. The hike today wasn't that strenuous, but it was much too long. It doesn't seem to bother Jay, but it is much too much for me. We hiked up over Rattlesnake Mountain (1,492) and finally down to culvers Gap at US 206 where we stopped off at Culvers Gap at the Worthington Baker which is a place all hikers manage to stop on their way through the area. We arrived at the Gren Anderson Shelter at 6:10, quite late and had to set up and get water and dinner prepared before getting into bed. After the long day today, I am not sure what distance we will cover tomorrow. I'm not able to do too many long days in a row. I passed the 1,300 mile mark today.

6/30 - Sunday - Day 109 - Hiked 13.0 miles - (Mile Marker 1,318.2) When we started out this morning, we had every intention of hiking some 18 miles. However, I couldn't go any further than the 13 that we logged. After yesterday, I was just too tired. Now, we know it will be a long day tomorrow to enable us to get to Vernon as we would like to do. We continue to have lots of rocks along the trail. Jay saw a bear today. We passed by the path that would have lead us to the High Point Monument, but we both missed the trail. This monument marks the highest point (1,506) on the New Jersey portion of the AT. We could see the monument, but couldn't get too it. After we set up our tent, Jay hiked back up the hill to the monument in hopes of getting in to see it. However, there was a function going on and it wasn't open to the public. Too bad, as it was quite a hike back up the hill for him. We are tenting at the High Point Shelter. Four others are tenting and three are in the shelter. The reason for the tenting versus the shelters tonight are the mosquitoes that are out. Although it is a great night for tenting, it is very hot out and could be hard for sleeping.

7/1 - Monday - Day 110 - Hiked 19.7 miles - (Mile Marker 1,337.9) This was a tough, tough day in the heat. We were up and out of our tent by 6:30 so that we could make it to Vernon to pick up our mail drop. Because it was a long day, we didn't actually get into the hostel until 5 p.m. so didn't get to pick up our mail drop today. We will have to do that tomorrow. I have already planned a shortened day tomorrow so will probably get up later and do our errands before heading out in the afternoon. We are starting to try and figure out what we have to hike between now and the time Jay gets off the trail in order for him to reach his 400 mile marker. We figured if we hike 12 miles a day, we should be able to make it. I got him to agree that after today, we will plan on doing shorter miles. As we got off the trail, Jay and I got our ice cream and drink and then were fortunate to get a hitch into Vernon which was 2.4 miles from the trailhead. We are staying at a hostel run by the St. Thomas Episcopal Church. They put us in the basement where we sleep on the floor. There were facilities to wash our clothes, take showers and kitchen privileges if needed with a microwave and refrigerator and all for a $5.00 donation. Chipper and Jay were there as well as Sunshine and a couple other hikers. Fortunately, we have places to eat and stores for shopping fairly close by. Shopping will be done tomorrow.

7/2 - Tuesday - Day 111 - Hiked 5.4 miles - (Mile Marker 1,343.3) We didn't get up until 7 o'clock as we knew it would be a short day. We had breakfast and then went to the post office and did our shopping at the A&P located across the street from the post office. It is extremely hot today with heat warnings being issued. Jay and I ended up leaving the hostel about 12:15 and hitching a ride back to the trailhead. This wasn't bad since we had to do our shopping, pick up our drop box and I even got a haircut and beard trim which made me feel so much better. All that hair on my head was getting warmer and warmer as the weather was getting hotter each day. I had heard from some previous hikers that PUR, the maker of my water filter was giving free filters to thru hikers. I called them on the 800 number and they said they would send it to Cornwall Bridge which was the next place I thought it would catch up to me. Once being dropped off at the trailhead, (410) we had an extremely difficult climb to get to Wawayanda Shelter (1,200) which is located at the Wawayanda State Park. We waited for Sunshine to arrive before we headed off to get water since it was a little ways from the shelter at the park headquarters building. It is always nice when you don't have to filter your water. Tonight is going to be another hot night but it will be an early night for me anyway.

7/3 - Wednesday - Day 112 - Hiked 12.0 miles - (Mile Marker 1,355.3) It was very hot last night and consequently, I didn't get a lot of sleep. It is very hot again today and we had some very tough rocks to hike over. We came to Prospect Rock (1,433) early in the day. This is the highest point on the AT in New York. We had an excellent view from here. The day was difficult and this was the first time I had serious thoughts of taking some time off or giving up all together. I have had these thoughts more and more over the past several days but am getting more serious about it now. It has been so difficult hiking in the heat and it hasn't helped doing those extra mile days that we put in and not always getting a good nights sleep. We are doing more camping out now because of the insects at night. We will be doing so again tonight at the Wildcat Shelter. (1,180) Chipper and Jeff and Cowboy and Tiger Lili were at the shelter tonight. Today we went from New Jersey into New York.

7/4 - Thursday - Day 113 - Hiked 15.4 miles - Mile marker 1,370.7) 4th of July - I saw my first New York bear today. This ended up being another long hard day, but I am feeling much better than I did yesterday. After leaving our shelter, we went down to Fitzgerald Falls, a 25-foot cascaded falls and then back up to Mombasha High Point (1,280). From here, some are able to see the New York City skyline. I couldn't see it. Continuing on, we crossed the New York Thruway, and immediately entered Harriman State Park. This is the second largest park in New York. We have been hearing much about the Lemon Squeezer which we would be going through today. This is a narrow crevice between rocks which takes a bit of thought and fortitude to get through. As you are squeezing through the rocks, with or without your pack, you must go up and over a rock which is directly in the middle of the two rocks. We had initially thought we would stop at Fingerboard Shelter, but since we were so close to Lake Tiorati Circle and the thought of a possible shower or a swim, we would continue on for another mile, maybe not such a good decision. In our group was Sunshine, Jeff and Chipper and Jay and myself. When we got to the park, it was almost closing time so no showers. The bathrooms were not usable as they were all clogged and backed up. I suppose this was caused by the huge number of people coming to the park from the city. We ended up getting a soft drink before they closed the gates and then went to the picnic area and cooked our dinner. We hung out as long as we could before heading off to look for a campsite for the night. It was after dark as we got back on the trail and difficult looking for a flat place to put up our tents. We finally found a place and in the dark we put up our tents. It was a little rough and we put ours up next to two trees that rubbed together all night long. It sounded like a zipper being zipped and unzipped all night long. Jason was sure we were going to be attacked by wild animals or something. We did have great trail magic today. Restless, another thru hiker left fruit and candy and another hiker left water and soft drinks. Happy 4th of July. I have spent better ones, but this one I shall always remember. While at the park, Chipper and Jeff called ahead to Fort Montgomery to make reservations at a hotel. I elected to wait until we got their and would make them then.

7/5 - Friday - Day 114 - Hiked 13.2 miles - (Mile Marker 1,383.9) After a rather restless night we were on our way. The day started off good. It was breezy and never got too hot. We met Smudge on the trail. He had gotten off the trail and had to go back to England for a while before coming back to get back on the trail. I had met him earlier in the hike and couldn't believe that he had gone back to England and was still ahead of me after all that time off. I guess I hike a lot slower than he does. We were fortunate in meeting him as he had friends that were meeting him at Seven Lakes Drive. This was about four miles from our destination for the day. Since we were running behind schedule, and the girl that met Smudge was meeting others who hadn't arrived yet, she offered to drive me into town to pick up my drop box since we would arrive too late to pick it up later in the day. She ended up keeping the drop box as well as taking our back packs so we didn't have to hike with them for the last four miles up over Bear Mountain and into Fort Montgomery. Bear Mountain is a very touristy area. The long-protected summit is now topped by a stone observation tower, restrooms, water fountain, etc. When we got to the top of the mountain, it seems that a car had driven over the side of the parking lot and ended up into a tree. No one was hurt but the drivers' day was ruined. We continued on down the mountain and ended up at the Palisades Interstate Park, a recreation area with a zoo, swimming, volley ball, etc., etc. with lots of folks picnicking. We hung out there for just a short time while taking a bathroom break and then headed on into town. I am so sorry that we didn't make reservations back when Chipper and Jeff did. It seems that everything was full except for one place that was partially under construction called The Old Oak Inn. It was old all right. Once we finally got to talk to the manager, he showed us where we would be staying. It was a suite (if you want to call it that). It had two rooms with broken down beds, no air conditioning, a band that played until midnight and the complaints go on, and all this for a very nominal fee of $35.00 each. I couldn't believe they would charge us that much. After we finally got checked in, we had to go to find our back packs and drop box. We ended up walking from one end of town to what seemed like the other end. After a long day of hiking, this was the last thing I needed. I called this a night from hell and a night I shall not forget in a long time.

7/6 - Saturday - Day 115 - Hiked 6.4 miles - (Mile Marker 1,390.3) Today was a treat after last night. We hitched a ride to the trail head which was at the entrance to the zoo. The zoo was interesting and the at the bear cage you find yourself at the lowest point on the AT at 124 feet. After leaving the zoo, we passed over the Bear Mountain Bridge and then start climbing toward Anthony's Nose, an outcropping of rocks which gives you an excellent view of the Hudson Valley. We continued on until we finally reached the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center (formerly a Monastery). It is now the home of the Franciscan Friers. It is used to house some of the Friers as well as a place for seminars. After we got our tent set up, showers taken and hand washed a few cloths I decided to rest for a while. Since this was the site of the Friers ball park, there was a game with some of the Friers and some ex-convicts that stay at the Center and wait on tables and do chores around the Center. Jason joined the group in playing ball and later found out who he was playing with. After a while, it was time to walk up the hill to the main building for dinner. We were seated at a long table and served a great family style meal served by the ex-convicts. Thru-hikers have been welcomed to stay overnight here for more than 20 years. The first 14 hikers to check in at the ball field are treated to dinner. Of course if you have dinner, you are expected to leave a generous donation although no set amount is required. Our table was full and it was great talking with everyone. There were some hikers who arrived later but were not able to get dinner as the limit was reached long before they arrived. After dinner, we walked around the grounds of the center and Jason looked around the center by himself. He walked in on some folks who were meeting and they talked to him about his hike and then gave him some crackers, etc. The weather tonight is great for camping. Our luck with the weather is holding out. We met some new hikers today. This is the first time we have met Slow and Easy, a married couple who are hiking the trail.