Ah, but sometimes, unexpected fun comes your way. The formation in PA known as the Knife’s Edge was one of those unexpected funs! It was rocky, it was dangerous, it was challenging every second, and I loved every single second. At the start, I collapsed my poles and lashed them to the pack. They would have only hindered me. This section required hand climbing and hand holds, plus knowing exactly where your feet were every step. I wanted to go back and do it again!
The climb over the Knife’s Edge was preceded by a few boulder fields, which followed six miles of easy hiking. I did ten miles total today… Another fall, and I bent my hiking pole slightly in the process – actually, the pole slipping into a deep hole caused the fall and the bending. The pole still functions well; I just can’t collapse the bottom section anymore. My left knee is stiff, as if I twisted it, so I took some Advil and am resting; if it doesn’t feel better soon, I may have to take a zero day even though I don’t want to. Only 6.7 miles tomorrow. I’m hoping the terrain is reasonable. Tomorrow will find me by the town of Palmerton, PA.
I was prepared for the Knife Edge, but not for the freehand bouldering behind Bake Oven Knob. That was brutal because I could not collapse one pole, I wasn’t mentally prepared for it, and it was late in the day, being in the last mile. I was tired and uncoordinated, but made it unscathed.
This shelter I am at now has no privy, which is blasted inconvenient! I gathered enough wood for a nice little campfire, we all enjoyed that. This is a very old, very small shelter, dating from the 1930’s, so most of us are tenting.
The past three days have been brutally rocky and have drawn blood twice. If I find a low cost place to take a zero, I will probably do it – or hold out for Delaware Water Gap in 4-5 days. My knee and feet may decide. Survivor and Morning Song are still behind me. 😦 Hiking with Towtruck, and husband and wife Lois and Clark at the moment.
I hike on. (I think.)
TRAILS, TRIALS, AND TRAVAILS 