Penn-Roosevelt State Park➡️Stealth Campsite ll mm 214.4

Good morning everybody!  Not gonna lie, even though I slept on a picnic table last night I’m feeling mighty fantastic this morning! I’m sure it had something to do with the giant hot fire and mushrooms last night. So the only downside to today is that I’m gonna have to blue Blaze a bit. It was a complete downpour/ washout all night until about 2 this morning when it started to let up! So based on what these hills have been like when I hiked them in the rain before, I’m not gonna take the chance and I’m going to blue blaze maintenance roads that parallel the trail. Now this shouldn’t be much different because I still have to go up and down elevation so it’s not like I got an easy route ahead of me. Plus I made an Oopsie last night! 😱 I was totally ignorant of what prolonged heat on leather would do. When I went over to get my socks and boots to put on to get to the bathroom, I realized very quickly the outcome that I ignored the night before. The leather parts of my boots are shriveled and starting to pull away from the rubber soul and dimple! It is my worst nightmare! Especially at this point on the trail! 😭 absolutely, terrified that I ruined my boots! Plus, when I put my socks on, I realize that they had taken embers and burned holes through as well. Who knew embers on wool socks wouldn’t end well…lol
Yeah, I got my boots on and started walking and it felt like they had shriveled by two sizes. My toes started to hurting after 20 feet of walking. It is not looking like the day is shaping up to be in my favor.
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I’d say I’m halfway through today’s journey so far! And the day has taken a beautiful turn! The sun is out now and really warm and there’s a nice gentle breeze blowing through the hills. Still on maintenance roads at this point, but might consider hopping on the trail shortly now that the sun is out drying things quickly! Trying to look for mushrooms for tonight‘s meal, but unfortunately am not finding any that I can recognize from what my friend taught me last night. Hopefully I still have time to find some chicken of the woods, that’s the easiest one to find while walking quick. Definitely enjoying the hike today more than yesterday. Still dry!! 🥳
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Last half of the day was complete success! There even came a point where things were dry enough that I was able to get on trail sooner than expected. I also got to see some really beautiful views on my way up the connecting trail just before the fire tower. I was super bummed though, because when I approached the fire tower, I thought I’d be able to climb it. But it turns out that they took the entire first level of the staircase out so people couldn’t get up. I was really looking forward to climbing it to. 😢 Now I’m at my campsite, tent is up and I got a nice hot fire going! Got to cook up some grub, relax, and listen to my book on tape! One of the best ways for me to unwind at the end of the day before sleep on my hiking trips!😍 There is something about listening to tales of adventure, while you’re out in the middle of the mountains experiencing your own adventure that just hightens the experience!
Alrighty fellas time for this backpacker to log out and chill!

Lionheart
9/27/23
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