Day 96 - Cabela's Outfitters, Hamburg, PA

This past week I went home to be with my family because my Uncle Alan, my day's older brother, passed away. Thanks to everyone who heard and offered their condolences. It was a sad occasion, of course, but I couldn't help but feel happy being surrounded by so much love from family and friends. Fortunately, when I heard the news on Monday morning, I was very close to Harrisburg, and I was able to get an Amtrak directly to NY by Monday evening. On Friday morning, I decided it was time to get back to the trail.

Since coming back, it's been a little different. There aren't as many people around. The big hiker "bubble" is a few days ahead of me. I did run into a couple who I hadn't seen in a long time who had also had to leave the trail for a few days for family reasons. Mostly I've been on my own, though. Also, the conditions have been awful. The heat is intense. The air feels like bath water. And the flies. As I walk, they hang like a buzzing curtain around me. I think they're attracted to sweat. It's really horrifying. Thank god I have a bug net to wear over my head, or I'd be inhaling them with every breath. Then there's the rocks. Over long stretches, my boots never touch the earth, but instead I'm hobbling over piles of unstable rocks. Which are probably full of aggressive molting rattlesnakes. And even where there is earth, it's crowded on both sides by heavily overgrown thorny brambles and poison ivy. Then there are 10 mile stretches with no water, and when I get to the water, it's gross. Good thing I have a good filter. Basically, PA sucks.

Yesterday I met a guy called Peach Tree, and we were both miserable. We decided that we'd take a break between 6-8pm, sit by a nice creek, cook dinner, then night hike til midnight. It was the best plan possible! I washed in the creek, made cous cous and green tea as the sun got low, and felt refreshed and ready to hike. I even have new batteries in my headlamp, so it was super bright. But I barely needed it! The full moon rose as the sky got dark and the sky cleared. It was electrifying to behold. Miraculously, the path was smooth and flat, and we walked another ten miles by moonlight, then found a wonderful clear campsite just at midnight and slept peacefully in the cool air.

Today we hiked another ten miles into Port Clinton, PA, which is right next to the larger town of Hamburg, PA: Home of Cabela's, the Worlds Foremost Outfitter. It's amazing. It's completely full of taxidermied animals and hunting and fishing gear, with a small section for camping. There's country music pouring out of every speaker. They serve burgers. It's redneck heaven. Which is also heaven for me!!! Words cannot describe. I'll post pictures.

That's all for now...