The best hike ever !!!
by
, 06-24-2013 at 17:13 (2829 Views)
Our Pen Mar to Pine Grove Forest SP section was the best hiking experience we've had so far, thanks mostly to the advice, efforts and hospitality of PATC Ridgerunner, '98 Thru-hiker and overall indefatiguable AT enthusiast Bob "Junker" Freeman!
Our original plan of hiking the 38 miles in 8 low-mileage, pack-laden days was converted to a 5-day, pack-free, lively slack-packin' stroll through the ridges and rocks with our evenings at a lovely pool and our nights in the cozy comfort of Junker's Bunker.
By far this section of PA trail was the most pleasant, with easy sandy or pine-needled paths or just-challenging-enough-to-be-fun rock climbs. None of the ascents or descents were too steep, and all the shelters were clean and inviting. And there was a pool....did I mention the pool?
But what made this trip the most fun of all (aside from the aforementioned pool) was the wealth of hikers to be met, greeted, chatted with, and given Trail Magic bags. We made so many friends on this trip, many of whom we encountered repeatedly throughout our 5 days.
Then, the piece de resistance, the true highlight of the adventure and the only thing that could possibly compete with that wonderful pool.......ice cream, and lots of it! The smile on the face of our young man as he undertook his Half-Gallon Challenge was a sight to rival the view from Chimney Rocks! Did he succeed? Seriously, with a trailname like "Snacktime", what do you think?
Oh, and did I mention that when the "challenge" was done, so was the school year? Happy boy.
Half Gallon Challenge...............and a pool