Bath, PA (USA)

It took all night and part of this morning to feel like myself again - I really overdid it yesterday... Got breakfast at McDonalds next door (0755). I followed PA-512 from Wind Gap until I located Smith Gap Road - it turned into a gravel road on the way up Blue Mountain. I did find the trail-head (recognized it from my trip to this location - on foot - back in June). I hiked SOBO again, towards Little Gap. The trail was much flatter than yesterday (except for the rocks at the end - but I'll take it). Found a memorial for a plane crash along the trail - hadn't expected that. Saw almost no one in the morning (just white tailed deer running into the woods) but met a family on a nature hike up to the Ski Lodge as I was resting near my turnaround (at Little Gap Road). I also encountered a German man who didn't speak to me on the way outbound but was more chatty when I saw him on the way back. Saw many more solo SOBOs and couples out for a weekend overnight trip. I'm sometimes a little jealous of the one-way section hikers (no backtracking required)... Then again, it started to rain about half way back to my car and then I considered how nice it was going be to get out of the elements! I was much dryer and prepared than I was on Thursday - but it still wasn't funny to get drenched. Wanted to get through the nearly 15 miles quickly but the slippery rocks and mud made that difficult. I was entertained a bit when I saw a man sitting in the middle of the trail, trying to use a tarp to collect rainwater to replenish his reservoir. Fortunately, I never had his problem. Cleaned up at my car and then scouted my last AT big section in Pennsylvania (about 10 miles near Palmerton) - will have to visit that on another weekend (weather too unpredictable for Lehigh Gap right now, I think). It continued to pour... Got lunch in Schnecksville at China Wok (1530). Drove back to Shartlesville to reposition for the morning - stayed at Dutch Inn (1710) - watched TV and kept working on my phone. AT Today = 7.30 miles / Grand Total = 520.35 miles