06.19.07
Day 1 Saturday June 9
Pine Grove Furnace State Park to James Fry Shelter
Dad and I drove to Boiling Springs PA. to meet Mike and drop off his car. Then headed south to Pine Grove Furnace State Park to begin this journey. Let me just say forty pounds doesn’t sound like a lot of weight, till you have to walk with it hoisted on your back for 8+ miles a day.
Mike and I walked south the one mile to this years official mid-point 1087mi point with full pack just to make things interesting and official. Then headed N picking up dad at the Furnace going for James Fry Shelter about 8. mi. We got pictures at the official half way marker placed in 1987 the 50th anniversary of the AT.
Up we went, lunch and a good break came quick. Dad stayed with up for about three miles to the top of then headed back to the Furnace. Mike and I had about 5 miles to the Shelter. We made shelter about 5p not bad for a first day. Explain this to me though why after hiking all day, do they put the shelter .3 off the trail AND uphill??? just to make sure you really want to stay there and to finnish you off for the day?
As I was hiking along I was going over everything in my pack trying to figure out what I could already get rid of to lighten my load. Generaly easy walk thought PA doesn’t have much elevation to it. I was glad to drop pack, get my boots off, make camp and dinner. We were both in our tents by 8p sound asleep.
-segue’07