Kevin's AT Thru Hike

Day 86, Friday, 6/10 – It was a nice day of hiking, even though the trail condition is starting to get rocky. Pennsylvania is notoriously rocky, and has earned the nickname Rocksylvania among thru hikers. Supposedly, it only gets worse in Northern Pennsylvania.

Towards the end of the hike, I entered Cumberland Valley. I’ll start my day tomorrow with 14 miles of walking through fields like these.

I got into Boiling Springs at about 4:00pm, and was greeted by Twin Oak. Twin Oak had trail magic setup, and treated me to a couple hot dogs. I hung out and chatted for a while before leaving to meet up with Half Time and Birthday Sandwich.

I walked along Childrens Lake in Boiling Springs which was really neat. There were benches all along the water, and all sorts of waterfowl. Lots of families enjoying the views, it seemed very relaxed.

Half Time went to the gas station and got fishing line and some lures. A rod would be far too heavy to carry, so he crafted a hand held rod from an empty bottle of tea. We also figured that if we were using a plastic bottle to fish, we would be more likely to get a pass if the warden caught us without a license. We found a bridge with some trout, but didn’t have any luck catching fish this time.

I set up camp in the Boiling Springs campground (19 miles total to mile 1124). I really don’t like my camp spot, I’m surrounded by poison ivy. Unfortunately, it was the only spot available. I tried to avoid the poison ivy as best I could, so I hope I don’t get a rash. Some people aren’t allergic, and I can’t say that I’ve ever had a reaction to poison ivy. However, an allergic reaction to poison ivy is a function of exposure. The more times a person comes into contact with the plant, the more likely the person is to have a reaction.

I’m starting to realize that my gear is starting to smell real funky. I need to find the time to wash out my quilt and other neglected gear. It’s a hassle to wash down gear, so I’m not looking forward to that task.