June 9 - Good-bye Again

Post date: Jun 17, 2012 8:27:30 AM

After a good night sleep and a bit of pack organization, it was off to do a quick load of laundry and during that process to Cracker Barrel for one last caloric juggernaut before "Five Pair" was back to the AT and trail rations.

Following Chicken–N-Dumplins and of course, desert, "Five Pair" was transported back to Shippensburg Road and the spot she came off the trail with "Triple T" after he had logged 72 more AT miles. Hugs good-bye were followed by "Triple T" and Ground Control watching "Five Pair" hike away.

Given the late start for the day, it was a short hike of a bit over 8 miles for "Five Pair" to the stopping point of the day, Pine Grove, home of the hiker half gallon challenge and one of the AT hostel icons, Ironmasters Mansion Hostel.

A little past four miles into her hike, "Five Pair" past the 1,092.2 mile mark and midpoint of the Appalachian Trail. A photo of the marker and “Five Pair” reveals to keen eyes a posted distance aberration.

Onward the hike progressed to the home of the hiker half gallon challenge. The name describes the challenge and it is open to all AT hikers willing to attempt to ingest in one sitting an entire half gallon of ice cream. While "Five Pair" enjoys desert as much as anyone (actually she enjoys them more than anyone), inhaling a half gallon was not to her liking although a smaller portion was.

Just past the site of the Half Gallon Challenge is Ironmaster’s Mansion Hostel, a historic site house converted to the resting place for hikers and "Five Pair" checks in and finds here way to the dining room for dinner. Dinner revealed known hikers were there, including "Pedestrian" and "Stingray".

After dinner, the day was done.

1,095.7 miles complete/1,088.7 miles to go