Day 100-A Day at the Circus

June 26-11.9 miles-campsite to Pine Grove, PA-AT mile 1194.1

Day 100? It doesn’t seem like it’s been 100 days! That’s more days than my nearly 4000 mile bike tour from Minneapolis to Bar Harbor and back! Sheesh, walking sure takes a long time!

Today was a go-to-town day, so we were up at the “Dusty Hour” of 5:00. We had 11.9 miles to our pick up to go into Pine Grove. At first the trail went through a field, getting our feet wet. 

Swish swish through the grass (that’s Dusty ahead).

Then, we came through a State Park, and had to cross a creek on a precarious tightrope of a log. 

There goes Dusty, skipping across like it’s nothing. 

Here’s me. Yes, it looks like I’m about to complete a circus move. I was stuck in this position for a very long time (I could hear the drumroll in my head...I would have been able to hear the gasping of the audience, except Dusty was laughing so much). Finally, I was able to move my back foot to the next step down (it was far trickier than it looks). 

We had more easy trail, even crossing a nice bridge after leaving the State Park. 

No circus moves required here!

We wandered down a gravel road, then back up onto the trail that went under the freeway. 

It’s a little noisy. 

Not long after getting away from the freeway, the rocks returned to the trail. When I’m walking through the rocks, I feel like a baby deer taking it’s first steps (careening back and forth on my four legs-yes, my trekking poles are like legs). However, I sound like a elephant. Actually, an elephant would probably be quieter. 

The photo doesn’t do just to the rocks. While big flat rocks are scarier, these rocks make your feet want to cry. 

Fortunately, they didn’t last forever. We were able pick up speed, and get ourselves down the trail. At the turn to the William Penn Shelter, we got water, and ate some lunch. Our pickup time was 1:00, and we were going directly to the grocery for resupply, then to the hotel. When we are hungry, we buy too much food. We still made it by 12:20. Carlin’s AT Shuttle Service picked us up, and took us to a grocery in Pine Grove. He waited for us, then took us to the Comfort Inn. He’ll pick us up, and return us to the trail tomorrow, all for the low price of $40 ($13.33 each). And...Dusty’s mom wanted to pay for a hotel room for Dusty’s birthday! Thank you Janet! You are the best! Here’s a photo of Dusty putting on deodorant that she just bought at the Dollar General. Aren’t you so proud!