.October 14, 2005
I left the parking lot with Snoopy and headed north back into the Michaux State Forest. I am writing this entry 7 months after I hiked it. As a result, I don't remember much so I'll pretty much just be showing a few pictures.
Snoopy and I passed the Toms Run Shelter.
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We passed some old ruins that were hiding in the trees.
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After entering Pine Grove State Park, we went by the Ironmasters Mansion Hostel, a popular place for those who have been on the trail a while.
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Pine Grove Furnace State Park is the halfway point along the Appalachian Trail. The tradition for thru hikers is to stop at the general store and try to eat an entire half gallon of ice cream. Some even try to break the speed record while eating it. I don't know when this tradition started but I bet the person selling the ice cream started it. I heard the ice cream in the store is about $5 for a half gallon. Lynn met me at the store but being so late in the year the store had switched to limited hours and was closed. Lynn took my picture by the ice cream cone just the same.
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Lynn and I walked through the park, reading the displays, and getting a brief lesson on the old iron furnaces.
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I wanted a picture by the halfway marker that I had gone past a few days earlier so Lynn and I walked out of the park and up to the marker accounting for some of today's bonus miles. The other couple bonus miles came when on the way back to the motel, I took Lynn up to Rocky Ridge.
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