Be a part of something great

Before you balk at the somewhat significant distance I walked today, listen to my reasoning. By walking a marathon today, I have only 11.5 miles to walk into town tomorrow. If there was ever terrain that favored a hiking marathon, today was it.

However, there were a whole lot of rocks between the shelter and just south of Boiling Springs, PA. There were times when the trail was weaving around, between, and over house size boulders. There was one point where as the trail was going between these boulders you come across an arrow pointing in the NOBO direction and written above it was "ME" for Maine. It kept me humored for a while.

Roughly two miles south of Boiling Springs you enter Cumberland Valley. This is a 13-14 mile stretch where the trail takes you through the farmlands of Pennsylvania.

The trail goes right through Boiling Springs, although there's not much there. The ATC has a mid-Atlantic regional office here. I hit the post office while in town, they were kind enough to give me my package even though I did not have my ID. I am pleased that I now have nine inch stakes.

The walk through the valley was flat and muddy. It was a nice change of place weaving in and out of farm fields. Did I mention it was muddy? It was almost like ice skating, except over mud and without ice skate. There were other times when I sloshed through one-foot deep mud water.

I had to complete a one mile death march to reach my home for tonight. I took off my socks to discover, for the umpteenth time, pruned feet. That's starting to become old, I can't remember the last time I ended my day without pruned feet.

Tomorrow I shall march to Duncannon, where I shall stay at The Doyle Hotel, courtesy of the Appalachian Pages. This is another town the trail goes right through, so no hitch will be required.

Obama '08. Be a part of something great. it's time for the Democratic party to unite for the fall.

No more politics.

Good night, and good luck.

Kirby

Ga>ME 2008.