Waffle house is great way to start the day, especially when you have already had Krispy Kreme doughnuts and then order the biggest meal on the menu. Yum! Did I mention coffee? I am not carrying coffee on the trail, but I absolutely love it in town!

Then there is the feeling of saying goodbye to Heather, putting the wonderful weekend behind me and walking out into the rain. Yuck, yuck, yuck! This is hard. It really makes me question how much I want to hike this trail. Heather’s loving and supportive but it is tough anyway. It’s 62 degrees in the rain and there’s no more Heather for 3 weeks, yuck!

One thing I should have learned by now is to use the bathroom when it is available. I am clearly a slow learner. The two mile hike out of Duncannon was tough with a full bladder. The AT route leaves Main Street and loops up through a residential neighborhood. I didn’t have to go quite badly enough to knock on someone’s door, but I thought about it! Then the trail heads down to the Juanita River but it’s a sidewalk on a car bridge—can’t go there! The following long bridge over the Susquehanna was just downright painful. I almost passed out from the pain by the time I made it across and into the woods. Think I learned my lesson this time?

My mood did not improve during the climb out of Duncannon. It was ugly rocks and miles of poison ivy invading the trail and reaching for me. Rain, mist, wet foliage and weeds, yuck!

When I reached Peters Mtn. Shelter, though, I found Hoplite’s here! And Wings and Feather! Kinloch, Packrat, and Mad German! Chris, Anna, & Beau! I met Optimus and Crazy Horse too. What a great way to end the day! I am back on track…