Out of the bunkhouse before others were even stirring to begin the climb to the top of the ridge. Once there the story of the rocks continued, my feet swollen, red and tender. It was mind-numbing, foot-throbbing, rock-hopping along the Knife Edge, a narrow tightrope on broken, weathered granite slabs. At Bake Oven Knob, I was witness to the amorous display of two black snakes that have made this small, old rickety shelter there home. After crawling out of the shelter's cracks and hollow logs they slithered down onto a sunny spot on the forest floor for a round of love-making. Sssss...en...ssss...ational! Not sure I'd want to overnight here, especially on a cold night. Afraid they'd want to cozy up for a little body warmth. Hey, what just crawled into my sleeping bag?! The upside is that there are certainly no shelter mice, having long since become a squeaky snack for the reptilian inhabitants.
There was a big family gathering at George W. Outerbridge Shelter. Relatives enjoying a few days in the woods, taking in small sections of the trail and using this as a base camp. I took a break here and, while having a bite to eat, was regaled with tales of Lyme Disease. Despite being tick-free, strong and healthy, a vague feeling of unease and queasiness began to wash over me. Whoah, enough with the horror stories already. I promise, I'm taking adequate precautions.
The mountains around Palmerton have been declared an ecologigical disaster area as they try to recover from decades of pollutants spewing forth from the smelters. The plant life and trees are different from those you find on other sections of trail in Pennsylvania, which in my opinion made for a nice change of pace because the place is not without its own sense of beauty. The recovery is going well because, judging from pictures taken ten years ago, there has been marked improvement.
A sharp descent to Lehigh Gap followed by a couple of miles walking on the highway shoulder saw me entering Palmerton. A few locals helped direct me to the town police headquarters, where I registered for my stay in the basement of the Borough Hall. When I arrived, Croft, the only hiker currently staying there, gave me the guided tour and some cherries to munch on while we talked. Twelve beds/six bunks, flush toilets, hot showers, towels, a picnic table, info brochures about Palmerton's various amenities, plenty of magazines, a basketball court, a side room with ping-pong table, an area for drying out gear and a huge fan for circulating the air and keeping things cool. That's it! After 45 days on trail, I've decided to take my first zero day.
Spent the rest of my time puttering around town, visiting the laundromat and Family Dollar, calling my sister from the pay phone. When I returned to the basement with an assortment of snacks and a huge container of Gatorade, I found that Cologne and the Three Amigos had arrived. Took them a trifle longer, but they had also covered the miles from Eckville Shelter. Now, one big happy family in Palmerton.
The Knife Edge
Inhabitants Of Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Snake Love
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