Sun., May 5, 2019. Day 27/83. James Fry Shelter. 40.0630N77.2063W. 17.1 miles. 6 hrs, 40 mins. 2.6 mph. 1,111.4 / 1,080.6 to go.

A very significant day:

I passed the official half way point. See the picture. This is a very important accomplishment to me. It almost seems impossible to me that I have hiked 1,111.4, half the distance.

Second, I passed 300 miles since I started this year.

NOTE, NOTE:  Note that the miles to hike is less than the miles hiked. Am I excited. YES.😀😊🙃😊☺️😁🤩🤪💩

It rained all day. I was soaking wet when I got to the shelter. I fortunately was able to change to dry clothes and be in a shelter. I got an upper bed bunk and didn’t have to sleep on the floor. I feel wonderful as it still pours hard outside the shelter.

Walking in the rain is terrible. You get wet. Even with a poncho you get wet. I wonder if I get wetter with a poncho, or with out one. I think I sweat more than being in the rain. At least the sweat stays warmer. My very expensive water proof boots felt damp, but I think it was my sweat, and not water getting in. The rain is suppose to stop tonight, at about 8 pm. So far, at 5:45 pm it doesn’t look like it is going to every stop. It has been a consistently moderate rain.

About noon time the trail went through Pine Grove Furnace State Park. There was a small resupplies store and cafe. There were several hikers there. They raved about the hamburger. They had a hikers burger. So I had it. It was good. It was worth the stop.

I got ahead of the group from the last shelter. Five I passed while hiking. A couple I saw at the store and left before they left. I was the fourth person at the shelter and got one of the four beds. Five others came. They slept on the floor that was meant for four people. It was raining so no one was going to tell someone else they had to set up a tent.

It was a good group in the shelter. Two older, including me, three mid age that were together, and four younger. We played the heads up game. I was the expert how to play it because I have played it with my grandchildren. I didn’t do very good on my turn. As usual we went to slept by 8 pm.

It was a wonderful morning to wake to no rain, and none in the forecast.

Pictures:

1. Halfway point marker for the entire Appalachian Trail. Ypee!!!! Note mileage on sign. Exact.
2. Me - Wet and hiking. At the shelter when I arrived.