When Rochambeau plays in PA…Rock ALWAYS wins

Week 3: Carlisle to Port Clinton/Hamburg, PA. 89 miles, 196 in total.

The thing about rocks is that you always have to watch where you step…always. They are almost always there, sometimes jutting upwards, like teeth, tearing at the sides of the shoes until the rubber falls off. He is sometimes unstable, trying to place his feet where they aren’t, resulting in steps at odd, uncomfortable angles that cause muscles to tighten and ligaments to bend. You hope the next twist isn’t a sprain.

Then you pause, stop at some points to straighten your posture, turn your head to check your position on the ridge. You take breaks when the gaps between the trees reveal the beauty of Pennsylvania, to remember why you are here.

And you savor the parts of the trail where the rocks give way. Maybe a stream that became swampy because of a beaver dam.

Or just a small section where the ice age yielded fewer rocks.

But mostly, you walk, amazed that the 22,000 steps you took that day got you to a shelter or tent without a sprained ankle, a swollen knee, or a bloody leg.

And remember that Rocksylvania will probably be one of the most difficult sections of the hike and you’re almost over it.

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