Day 110
Start: Hamburg, PA
End: Eckville Shelter
Miles Hiked: 15.4
Miles on AT: 1235.4
Follow my journey on Instagram (@jenbrownhikes) for more updates!
After a restful day in town, it was time to get back on trail. But first, breakfast! You guys know I had to head back to Cracker Barrel for a hearty southern breakfast. After I cleaned my plate, I called a shuttle to get to Port Clinton, where I could get back on the trail.
Port Clinton is a tiny little town, but it does have a mouthwatering attraction: the Peanut Shop. I know some of you are saying, “Peanuts? They’re not that delicious.” But, the Peanut Shop is more of a candy store than a peanut shop. They had almost any and every kind of candy I could imagine. I had to pick up an M&M + chocolate covered pretzel and a few pick n’ mix treats to take with me.
To begin my hike for the day, I had to go under an underpass that was…interesting, to say the least. Amongst the normal graffiti, someone had feverishly written a long and highly detailed manifesto. I didn’t have the time (or desire) to read it all, but the endless yards of text are there if you ever want to take a look.
I had to climb a fair amount to get all the way out of town (what else is new on the AT?) and I passed two other hikers on the way up. I felt energized going up, but when I got to the top, I once again didn’t feel like hiking. I was a bit tired and unmotivated. The terrain wasn’t overly enticing, the day was hot, and the trail was rocky.
But, I kept pushing on, and when I got to Windsor Furnace Shelter, I took a break to eat some food, including the yummy chocolate covered pretzel from the Peanut Shop. Yum! That definitely brightened my day a bit.
After 45 minutes or so, I decided it was time to leave. I could’ve stayed there all day, but I needed to get some miles done. There was a blue blaze that used to be the old AT near the shelter that cut off 4 or so miles compared to the 2024 AT route, but I chose to go the 2024 official way.
And I’m glad I did because I saw a few great views and had a cool conversation. At the first view, Pulpit Rock, I ran into a guy who was out on a group trail run who had just finished his 2024 AT thru hike a couple of weeks before. He had started in February and warned that the trail was going to be hard, but it would be rewarding and beautiful. It was strange to meet someone on the trail who had already finished, but I was grateful for the insight and sneak peak into what was to come.
Next I reached The Pinnacle, which was an extended rock outcropping that had sweeping views of the Pennsylvania valley below me. I initially wasn’t going to go all the way to the viewpoint since it was getting late and I still had miles to make, but I figured I could spare a few minutes with no harm done.
And it was definitely worth it! The farmlands were so peaceful and calming. I love a good pastoral scene that has little to no road noise; I imagine the lives the people might lead and how good it must feel to sit out there in a rocking chair on a large piece of land.
With my final view of the day seen, it was time to get to the shelter. Luckily, the trail seemed to turn into an old forest road and was rock free and easy to walk. I flew down the trail, sure that I could make it to the shelter before sunset.
And I did just that. But this was no ordinary shelter. Eckville Shelter had a caretaker, flush toilet, and a shower. Just what I needed! Now, the shower wasn’t warm, but it was still refreshing and I made it work. The other two hikers I had passed earlier in the day were there as well, so we introduced ourselves over dinner.
The sun was going down quickly, so there wasn’t much time for socializing. We set up our tents on the lawn across the street and I was asleep in no time.
And that’s day 110.
A version of this post originally appeared on TheTrek.co.