After another sleepless night on our deflated air pad, we woke up more hopeful than most days. Today we were going on a trip to the city. It’s funny how going to the city can change the mood of the last few days. It’s the perfect reboot we needed. We packed up our camp, had our usual breakfast of protein bars, and started down the trail. As we walked into town we noticed that some of the wild berries were starting to ripen. We need some blueberries to pick me up on the way to Port Clinton.
Steep descent towards Port Clinton
The poor Avalanche was struggling this morning. Not only could we not sleep well but his shoes were fallen off. On top of that, a couple of days earlier he cut his toe on a tent stake. The stones weren’t doing him any favors either, it had been a tough couple of days on his feet.
It’s safe to say we walked in silence most of the morning. Just before reaching the town we reached one of the steepest downhill stretches we had encountered. The 0.8 miles to Port Clinton were incredible. I’m just thankful we didn’t have to go up to this side of town because it would have been miserable.
Lunch and transportation
Once we got to Port Clinton we went to the post office to buy some patches for our sleeping mat. We had ordered a new one that my parents would deliver to us in about a week, but we’re hoping these patches will hold us over until then. 
Immediately after our trip to the post office, we went to the Port Clinton Hotel for lunch. We had heard that this was the place to go if you are a hiker, which basically means they have large portions. The rumors were true: we ordered the world’s largest Philly Cheesesteak. We ate our fill and still took home almost three meals.
New shoes for Avalanche
After our party we called the local Cabela’s. We had heard that they offer transportation for hikers from Port Clinton to Hamburg. It wasn’t a very long walk, but the shuttle would help us avoid a walk down the road. They picked us up and took us back to Cabela’s, perfect Avalanche was able to get new shoes. He would have bought flip flops if it meant not having to wear his 600+ mile shoes. But luckily they had the same shoe in their size. I’m always amazed at how lucky the Avalanche is. Once we put him in his new shoes, we prepared for our 20 minute walk to Walmart to resupply. As we were going to grab our backpacks and head out the door, we noticed some people pointing and talking about our backpacks. We told them we were hiking and were going into town to resupply. They said they are PATC volunteers and hiked a large section of the AT. Then they offered to take us to Walmart! Trail magic comes in many different shades and sizes!
Relax at the hotel
After a quick resupply we walked towards the Microtel at the end of the road. We checked in and started all the normal tasks: doing laundry, showering, etc. Avalanche began repairing the air cushion as best it could. Then we relaxed and watched a movie during the afternoon. That night we discovered that one of our friends we met along the way, Orange, was staying at the same hotel. She offered to hang out and give Avalanche a haircut. 
While they chatted about how Avalanche wanted their hair to look, I walked to go to dinner. I was craving Taco Bell and was willing to walk miles to get it; Fortunately it was right next to the hotel. After dinner and a haircut, we sat and watched the Stanley Cup Finals. Our Carolina Hurricanes were playing for their first championship in two decades. We headed to bed after a close game that turned out to be a win for the Canes!
Finally getting views in PA
The next morning we enjoyed all the perks our hotel had to offer. Like running water and free breakfast. We picked up our backpacks and our transportation picked us up around 9:30. 
Just as we had to walk to Port Clinton, we had to climb up to get out. It was another hot day, so we took it slow and steady. We arrived at the Windsor Furnace shelter around 12 for lunch. It was nice to get out of the heat for a while. We continued along the trail until we reached Pulpit Rock Overlook. One thing PA didn’t have many of was views. So far it has been flat and rocky. It was nice to have a good view after what seemed like miles of green tunnel and more rocks than I knew existed.
Eckville Shelter
Following the views we had more green tunnel ahead. The forecast called for some rain this afternoon and into the night, so we had planned to stay at the Eckville Shelter. This is not your normal shelter. It has a shower, running water and a concierge. As we approached the shelter it began to fall on us. We picked up the pace and got there before the rain started to fall. 
At the shelter we met up with some old friends, Hoover and Frogger. They were hiking buddies and we had all been jumping each other for several hundred miles. We prepared dinner together and talked about the plan for the next few days. The shelter had twin bunk beds, so Avalanche and I weren’t going to be able to sleep together. We ended up sleeping in separate bunks on top of our egg crates. I don’t understand how people sleep only on an egg pad, it’s so uncomfortable. All night long we heard the mice running around and the rain falling on the roof. This sounds very familiar to us as we will soon reach our 100th day on the trail.
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