June 28, 2004

I've hiked 1140.2 miles to date.  Today, I hiked into Duncannon, PA covering 13.4 miles.  Pennsylvania is known for its rocky terrain and today I got a taste of what's ahead for the next two weeks.  The rocks hurt my feet!  The rocks hurt everybody's feet so at least I know it's normal.  "No pain, no rain, no Maine."  This quote must have been created in PA!

I hiked into town to shower and re-supply.  The woman helping me at the post office smiled as she weighed my bounce box.  "This has got to be THE HEAVIEST bounce box that I have ever shipped," she said.  It weighed 36 pounds.  Bear laughed and suggested perhaps it was time to go through my bounce box and ship some items home. 

The Doyle Hotel hosts thru-hikers at a rate of $15.00 a night.  The Doyle is nearly 100 years old and is one of the original Anheuser-Busch hotels. So...tonight I will sleep here, on a real mattress, and plan to hike out of Duncannon in the morning rested and ready to go.