New Pennsylvania Postal Code

Happy Days are here again as we say bubbye to Pennsylvania! I understand the 50 States have only 2 letter postal abbreviations but think we shud change PA to PIA as it pulled no punches to kick my butt. One hiker called it the gauntlet.

The new boots purchased in Maryland already need repair tx to the boot wreckers. The start of "knife edge".

Hiking along around 7pm I came across Fern Gully. As I reach into my pouch to grab the GoPro camera (given by friends at the go away party in April) I suddenly spot the crown of a black bear on the trail heading my way:

I saw him first. As I grab my phone for a quick pic he looks up and we make eye contact. It's fascinating how much "eye contact" means and transmits. Anyway, we look at each other long enough to know and to acknowledge. The bear literally sits down right on the trail. He sat so hard and with such attitude that he jiggled from his butt to his head essentially saying "my home, my trail my homie!" As I'm trying to mess with cameras from video to pic he stands up:

I yelled "HELLOOOOO YOU'RE BARE!"

He drops and runs in shame. I'd much rather come across another bear vs a rattler or copperhead.

Obviously one of the AT trailblazers had a warped sense of humor to include this climb out of Lehigh Valley:

Along the way I noticed I wasn't the only one praying:

Sure enough, the last hiking night in PIA it's about 730 and I'm moving to find a tent site which are sparce. Then fall #10 happens. This was one of those half hour falls where it feels like although you're falling at 32ft per second squared you have time to read a short thriller. It was a backward fall which I've noticed is the big difference in the time space continuum of falling science. The backward fall is the vortex fall. When falling forward your eyes are actively communicating with your brain sending out appropriate alerts and responses. In a backward (blind) fall it's all about memory, speed and hope. The teeter backward starts with "uh oh is this gonna happen?" "Was there a backstep avail?" "I don't know I wasnt planning on a back step!" "We're going down, it's a definite" "can we turn?" "No, can't see, no footing!" "Okay drop the poles, stick out the hands and butt(or lack thereof)"....BAM/SNAP!!!

Snap? What snapped? Was it the last line of patience with this State? No that snapped last week.

Two almost immediate and universal reactions to falling. 1. Look around to see who saw, no one all day so don't bother. 2 Try to get up, this can be dangerous if done before a good self assessment of damage. Nevertheless that's how we do, rolling around like a turtle on its back, kinda flailing trying to gain a purchase among the boulders.....SNAP!! Snap? What the heck snapped now?

Snap #1 was one of two new trek poles purchased after Harpers Ferry before PIA. Snap #2 one of two crocs. Nice, real nice.

So you get the idea about PA, except the ending, what a wonderful last 24 hours, absolutely wonderful. On Sat night I tented behind a church in Delaware Water Gap PA one door down from The Deer Head Inn. I had heard of this place and its reputation for attracting big name classical Jazz acts. Oh man Tony C, a totally tight quartet brought back fondest memories. Then before hitting the trail on Sunday, a very talented classic guitarist at brunch:

Then across the street for desert, a real milk shake with the steel cup and all. Can u see the little kiddies table in front of the fireplace? Puleeeez!

U.S. Know what this river is?

It's the Delaware! 

Whoda thunk NJ could be this pretty?

And look what we have here:

A glacial lake in the hills! Reminded me of another beautiful glacial lake (technically both are ponds) in Huntington!

And sure enough, as I'm hiking around it, listening to my Sunday playlist comes one of my all time favs and a fav of Marettas as well:

Enjoy: