.April 20, 2006
Snoopy is going with me today. Yeah! I decided to go south to give him a break. There would be no big climbs today and the last 5 miles would be mostly downhill. After a brief climb we reached Catfish Firetower. I would have left Snoopy at the bottom but I know he would have howled and whined. He was determined to go up with me. We had no trouble going up. Although we couldn't quite get to the top, because it was locked. We had to settle for 1 section down. I could here voices above us but with the wind blowing hard, I could not make out whether people were in there or a radio was broadcasting the weather or giving some other type of information. The views were terrific. This was no place to be if you are afraid of heights. Snoopy and I made our way down. This was more challenging. I really kept my eye on him, it would have been quite easy for him to fit between the stairs and hand rail. I got ahead of him, turned around, put my arms by his sides (to make sure he didn't take the quick way down), and coached him to the bottom while I came down backwards. I got to the bottom and realized I left my hiking pole at the top so I got to climb it an extra time. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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~ ~ We continued on and passed Camp Road, the only road we would pass today (until I-80 right at the end). Later I had more great views. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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~ ~ After this there was nothing between here and Sunfish Pond to measure our progress. I looked out and saw some rectangular man-made ponds. I located them on the map as well. For the next few miles, I was able to approximate my mileage by the position of the ponds to my left. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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Then I a came across beautiful Sunfish Pond. This body of water was a good size. I think it should be called a lake not a pond. I have seen other bodies of water on the A.T. that are as small as 50' in diamater and called lakes. I don't get it. Anyway the lake/pond was beautiful. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ The trail follows the pond for about 1/2 of a mile. Along the lake I found a section that was full of creative cairns. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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The trail today wasn't too, too rocky, but the section around the pond sure was. In PA, there were a few sections of rocky trail where it looked like an effort was made to remove the rocks. I think whoever removed the PA rocks brought them up and dumped them off at Sunfish Pond. They sure looked like PA rocks and I have seen enough of them. Snoopy loved the pond but was starting to get tired. I found a grassy spot which was difficult to do on this section of trail and let him take a quick nap. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ We reached the south end of the lake and Snoopy got to say hello to a black lab and a yellow lab while I talked to the owner.
He noticed the back of my legs and said , "You have quite a sunburn."
"Yeah I know, but at least I have a new hat that covers my ears and neck." referring to the hat that Lynn had bought me the day before.
"That's the right hat for today," the man said.
After this, Snoopy and I made the long 5 mile descent down to the entrance of Worthington State Forest (We came in the back way). The last couple of miles were wearing on him. I gave him lots of rest breaks and water. I think about 10 miles is about his limit right now so I don't think I will be taking him on any more hikes this week. He'll have to settle for hiking in with Lynn to meet me. Just before I reached the parking lot, I saw Lynn coming from the other direction. I left Snoopy with her to give him a break. I had a few more minutes of trail to complete. I walked out to the street, down and under I-80 and up the other side to where Lynn had parked the car at the Kittatinny Visitor Center. We had parked here the other day before I started my hike across the NJ/PA bridge and into Pennsylvania. I then drove back under I-80 to pick up Lynn and Snoopy.
On the way to the motel the brakes started making a grinding noise. Lynn had run over a branch in the road earlier and I thought something might be lodged in the wheels somewhere, so we stopped at a Shell station and had it checked out.
"There is nothing lodged under there," the mechanic said, "but it looks like you need brake work. The car is OK to drive though."
I thought, "I know it is ok to drive, I am more concerned that I can get it to stop."
Looks like I may lose a day trying to get the car fixed. Bummer.
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