Detour from Duncannon (Day 87)

As I walked toward Duncannon this morning, there was more farmland and my first real experience with Pennsylvania rocks. They must attract snakes, because this week I encountered my second rattlesnake. I was trying to sunbathe on a rock, even though there was no sunlight. I felt a little bad for him, curled up and looking for warmth. He didn’t even raise a bell to scare us.

Destination Duncannon

The trail runs through town and I arrived early in the afternoon. My first stop was the gas station to get some much needed caffeine. Then a friend and I headed to a Duncannon church to wait for our transportation. Some hikers I made friends with the first night on the trail (and have spent a lot of time with since) are from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and they were hosting a “mid-trail potluck” the next day.

Headed to Carlisle, Pennsylvania!

They picked us up and we headed to his family’s house. We plan to stay two nights, reset tomorrow, and get back on the trail the next day. There were also a few other hikers in attendance, who I had also spent time with early on but mostly hadn’t seen since Trail Days. It was great to be together, even if it was only for a short time.

The host family provided us with showers, laundry, beds and much more for hikers. I can’t imagine inviting so many dirty, smelly people to your house, and them being so kind and generous. We played Catch Phrase by the fireplace and caught up on everything we’d missed since we last saw each other. It was a great night.

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