10-6-12

AT miles hiked today: 10.2
Total AT miles hiked: 1559.4
Miles to complete my thruhike: 624.8

I hiked into Port Clinton today and I did get to see a view from The Pinnacle and the Pulpit even though it was hazy. I walked along the ridge and saw Astronomical Park and enjoyed seeing some pretty pink grasses along the trail. I guess they have turned pink with the autumn. I saw shiny, glasslike rocks in the trail that Eagle Eye says is flint. Then later I saw blue and green flint! Eagle Eye hiked ahead and left a full snake skin on a rock for me to see. I thought about keeping it, but didn't know how to protect it while hiking.

Black walnuts have fallen all over the road in their green husks or shells. Eagle Eye showed me how to roll them under my shoe on the asphalt to remove the outer layer and get to the nut. The wet, black coating left on the walnuts will stain your hands and anything else that it touches.

We hiked under the overpass which had Pennsylvania and AT art painted on the walls, and then followed the white blazes into town. We had met Ken and Kathy on the trail and then when they finished their hike they were trail angels and drove us to the Walmart in Hamburg, where we resupplied. From there, another nice couple drove us to Cabellas for the $8.99 dinner buffet. We got there with 20 minutes to eat the yummy meat loaf and sausage. It is so cold outside that I had multiple cups of hot chocolate.

Cabellas had a shuttle available for hikers that goes to the pavilion back in Port Clinton, where hikers can sleep for free. The guy drive us even though it was nearly 9pm and he was grouchy about it. At the pavilion, it was dark and freezing cold. A few other hikers were in sleeping bags and a hammock. We met City Slicker, Stonewall and others and then learned Nomad was in town! He got back to the pavilion around 11pm. It took me a bit to get set up, hang some wet clothes and climb into my sleeping bag. It's so cold!