July 6 - 501 Shelter (Day 109 – milepoint 1165.5)

Lunch with everyone then Ma and Pa dropped me off at the airport in Pittsburgh, where I felt very out of place with my backpack and bushy beard, but I enjoyed the many strange looks. Thank God my clothes were clean! Well, they SMELLED clean anyway.

I slept through the 45 minute flight to Harrisburg and took a taxi North on I-81. The driver seemed somewhat nervous when I asked him to drop me off on the side of the highway, but I was obliged when he did. With my pack on my back, I hopped a fence and bushwacked about 20 yards up a sharp hill to where the Trail begins its climb away from the interstate and out of Swatara Gap.

That was probably around 5:00 and I arrived at the 501 Shelter here, 12 miles later, about an hour after dark. Honeysuckle, Boy Wonder, and Frodo are here. Had a good few of days rest but I’m ready to start covering some miles.

Aquaholic