TRAIL DAY 131

Thu, June 30, 2016 Return day.  I packed up as John Paul was doing the same south of Quarryville, Pennsylvania where he has lived with his family in a log cabin in the woods.  Not too shabby though, with its barn, 3-bay garage, office, swimming pool and forests for firewood.  An awesome place his dad and mom have improved over the years.

John Paul would drive me back to the trail, hike a couple of days with me and then get a shuttle back to his car and drive home as I moved on.

Loaded with the vitamins and supplements my wife lovingly purchased for me and after receiving her thorough instructions intended to thwart my stubbornness, JP, Theo and I were off.  Our goal, after a late start and a drive, would be the Windsor Furnace Shelter about 5.7 miles north of Port Clinton.  Our start would be a long and steep climb, the reciprocal of my descent several days before.

We hiked and climbed and rested and climbed some more.  Somewhere we stopped to admire the teamwork (?) of a couple of dung beetles and then we just kept on keeping on until it really was time to stop.  Neither of us ever saw a sign for the shelter.  I don’t know if our noses were too fixed on the ground ahead or the sign was missing.  However, we had been on rocks for some time and the trail ahead and terrain on both sides was not promising.  As a last resort and for the first time, I pitched the tent smack in the center of the trail confident whoever needed to could make their way around us.

We ate and turned in.

Day #131  Port Clinton (home) > AT trail (Mile 1124.3) 7.1 miles