Day 90, miles today- 24.1, total- 1,213.4

June 17, 2013

501 Shelter to Port Clinton, PA.

I got up this morning at 6:00 and was on trail at 7:00. It looked like it was going to be a clear and sunny day.

I hoped to do over 24 miles today. If the weather turned bad there was a shelter about 15 miles out.

Within 15 minutes of starting, I found a Honey Bun in the middle of the trail. Obviously someone had dropped it. No one would intentionally leave a Honey Bun behind. I put it in my pocket to have as a snack later. It was unintentional trail magic.

There was one section at the start that had very heavy rocks. It was slow going through there. After 1-1/2 hours the amount of rocks lessened. From then on I made really good time.

I got to the shelter turnoff, 15 miles out, at 1:00 pm. The weather still looked pretty good. I passed a dayhiker who said that rain was moving in, sometime late afternoon. I knew I could get to town soon after 4:00. So I continued on.

Thirty minutes after leaving the shelter I was walking through an area that had a lot of ferns growing along side the trail. The top part of the plants were hanging over the trail. Suddenly I heard a rattling noise. I looked down and saw a rattlesnake on the trail coiled up under the ferns. My left foot was at most two feet away from the snake. I quickly pulled my foot away from him. I took a few pictures of him. Each time I got within four to five feet from him his tail would start rattling. He wasn't in a good position to get a very good picture. But, I wasn't about to try to move him, so it had to do. He had very pretty skin.

Rattlesnake

Red eft

Mountain laurel

I took a picture of a baby bird that was standing in the middle of the trail. I'm glad I didn't step on him. He stood still while I took his picture. When I started to take a second one he turned and ran away. The mother bird then swooped in to save the day. I went on my way.

There was a monument marking the location of a lookout post used during the French and Indian War in 1775.

There was a super steep hill coming down into town. It wasn't fun. My knees weren't happy at all. Just as I got to the bottom it started to rain. But, it stopped after a short while. I went to the one restaurant close by to eat dinner.

I'm staying at a pavilion in Port Clinton that the town has across from an open field. They allow backpackers to stay here .There are 10-12 thru hikers here. I took a picture of Fatty as she was setting up her tent. I stayed at one shelter that she was at and I've seen her on trail a few times.

Fatty

I'll go to Walmart and Cabelas in the morning to resupply, and hopefully get back on trail by mid day. I hope my knees and feet feel okay after the miles and rocks they endured today. The rocks are supposed to be much worse north of here.