Day 101
Start: Raven Rock Shelter
End: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles Hiked: 14.2
Miles on AT: 1075.9
Follow my journey on Instagram (@jenbrownhikes) for more updates!
Today was another day of milestones. I crossed the Mason-Dixon line! But first, I had to start hiking.
The morning started off pretty casually. My goal for the day was to head into Rouzerville to resupply, do laundry, and eat some food before getting back on trail the same day. I wanted to get in and get out.
It was going to be another warm day! Luckily, the morning hike wasn’t strenuous. I hit the High Rock Ledges in no time and wasn’t quite prepared for what I saw on the blue blaze. The rocks (and a few trees) were absolutely covered in graffiti. The view was amazing, but it was a bit tarnished by the trashiness of the place. Nonetheless, it was an interesting sight.
Once I got back on trail, the rocks started up again. I was so frustrated by how slowly I had to go so I could carefully place my feet in places where I wouldn’t break an ankle. If this was a preview of Pennsylvania, I didn’t want to go there.
Eventually I made it to Pen Mar Park, which was a bit of a thru-hiker’s paradise. There were outlets, clean flush toilets, water fountains, and covered picnic tables. It was so nice!
I headed to an intersection so I could hitch the 32 miles in Rouzerville and quickly got a ride from a woman who didn’t live too far away. I was grateful for the ride to the laundromat and thanked her for her generosity.
I always find it a bit awkward to hitch. I feel the obligation to be an entertaining guest in someone’s car, to tell my story with as much enthusiasm as possible. I guess it stems from me not liking to accept help or feeling like I must give something in return for help. But, as a thru-hiker, I recognize that there are so many times in life where we need help and we don’t have anything to offer but our gratitude. And that can be enough. We don’t have to give in order to receive.
I got my laundry done by 11 and headed a couple of blocks over to have a burger and a 7 Up at the local brewery (which was excellent by the way), then walked to the Walmart.
Aside from resupplying, I also wanted to make a wardrobe change. My pants were getting pretty uncomfortable in the heat, so I wanted something that would still cover my legs but provide more airflow. Inspired by the Amish family I had spotted in the hiker photo book in Harper’s Ferry, I bought a long skirt plus shorts to experiment with. Maybe this could work.
I hitched back to Pen Mar Park and the place had come alive in the time I was gone. A live band was playing, an ice cream truck had arrived, and people were all over the place. I got back on trail after a chocolate marshmallow ice cream cone and switching into my new hiking outfit.
Getting back on trail, I definitely got a few stares from day hikers. My skirt was a bright red, so it was very easy to spot. My favorite reaction was a big smile from a young camper girl passing by.
Eventually I hit the Mason-Dixon line and was officially in the north and in Pennsylvania! Yay!! Another state down!
The rest of the trail passed by pretty uneventfully. About a mile before my stopping point for the day, I ran into Mosey again. She was planning to stay at the same shelter as me, so I knew I would see at least one familiar face there.
When I got there, a group of section hikers were getting set up. This shelter was really nice. Instead of one building, there were two, and there was a separate place with real tent pads a little further down. There was a bear box, the spring was less than 0.1 miles away, and there was even a rose on the picnic table. Nice!
As the evening wore on, more hikers trickled in and the tent pads filled up. Mosey and I had a great chat over dinner that lasted until after dark. But, once the sun set, we got tired pretty quickly and retired to our tents. I’d say my introduction to Pennsylvania wasn’t too bad at all.
And that’s day 101.
A version of this post originally appeared on TheTrek.co.