Today was a long but good day. Started off from tumbling run shelter which again is a very nice shelter with excellent water. There is a 1000 foot ascent out of tumbling run shelters which was very challenging for me. My target was South Mountain Pennsylvania where I picked up Kathryn, Seth and John Robert.

John, so far is doing great. He likes to see everything in the woods and play with rocks. I think it’s good that he’s getting this kind of exposure to nature this early. He sleeps a lot while his mother carries him. We don’t have to worry much about food for him because his mother is his food, plus he eats whatever we happen to be eating as well.

The only challenging part about the day was the hike into South Mountain along Pennsylvania Highway 233. It’s about a mile and a half very hot with the heat from the road coming up. Hiking along road is not very nice. But I was able to make it to the post office, resupply with food, drop some other food that I didn’t need and gear off and mail it back home to Allyson. Then we had to hike back up from the post office to get to the trail which was about another 1.5. That added 3 miles for the day, which, for me, was already starting to turn into a long day.

We were able to get those chores done, and make it to the trail, which was an ascent, but not a very challenging one up to the ridge another 2 miles to the shelter. According to the notebook, the shelter has “the best smelling privy since Georgia.“ I don’t know if that’s true, but it is nice. I’ll talk about privies another day.

Overall an excellent day. I’m glad to be with my kids and to hear about everything that’s going on at home. Having them here is a joy and blessing.  

Today’s mileage: 8.6

Total trail miles 56.5

My good friend Wally gave me a little booklet detailing trip notes from Wally. In it, he quotes Arnold Bennett, “ The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance. The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying, ready for you, as perfect, as unspoiled, as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life. You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose. “ Thanks, Wally. I needed that.

Today marks the end of the first section of my hike. I have finished the Maryland section and begin the Pennsylvania section today. So, it really is the end of one phase in the beginning of the next. Your prayers and thoughts that you wrote me before I left, all of you, have greatly moved me. I appreciate what you’ve done. You give me the strength to continue.

Today was a perfect hiking day. For starters, it was the first day that I haven’t felt like I’ve been dragging my backside. I decided to take a little bit longer step for ups and downs, this is made all the difference. I think also, my body is getting used the exercise and routine. The trail north of PenMar is beautiful. The trees have changed to pine trees mixed with hardwoods whereas in Maryland it’s all hardwood. Although there are some rocks, certainly not what I was expecting. I think mentally I was prepared for Rock Hell, but the reality of the situation was much gentler.

Relatively short day today. I stopped at tumbling run shelters, which are beautiful. There is a crystal, clear, spring, piped, running out of the rock. This is the kind of water that you want on the AT. Two nicely built shelters, one for snorers,but I set up my hammock anyway, because it’s more comfortable than sleeping on a pad. I met a father and daughter who were hiking in for the day. They were from upstate Pennsylvania, and were delightful, they’re hiking out tomorrow

Kathryn, Seth and John Robert will meet me tomorrow during the day and we will hike up to a shelter. It’s another short day so that Kathryn can get used to carrying the baby. I’m so looking forward to seeing them.

Today’s mileage: 9.5

Total trail miles 49.9