You do not break in new shoes—they break you. The good news is my replacement shoes were waiting for me. The bad news is my feet are sore all over and I have 20 miles planned for tomorrow. Alas

Boiling Springs is the prettiest town I have seen yet on the AT. There’s a beautiful park with a trout stream & a pond for the ducks and geese, a great cafe (coffee!) and nice people. The trail before and after the town is easy walking through flat fields. Good stuff!

I’m still in a big group of hikers, camping with Hoplite, Condor, Einstein, Wings, Feather, Lucky Dog, Skyline & Sundance, Packrat, Mad German, Stealth and a selection of weekend hikers.

It is a tent city out here. There are 9 thru-hiker tents and tarps within 50 yards of me. So perhaps not solitude, but definitely company and fun conversation!

I’m looking forward to walking into Duncannon,PA tomorrow. Perhaps I’ll have time to get lunch if I am running ahead of schedule, since I’m planning to meet Heather around 4pm after 20 miles.

We’ve started to get some pretty reliable cell phone signal out here, so I am occasionally making calls when I am alone in the evening. Again, perhaps not true wilderness, but it makes me happy.

Saw one of the coolest things yet this evening. A pair of hawks, perhaps red-tails, were circling and calling overhead for 15 minutes. They kept approaching each other close enough to touch and then swirling around each other in the air, then separating. I think it’s a mating ritual but I’m not sure. Any help? Anyone know about this?