Today was one of those days where you wake up thinking it'd be a lot more fun to stay in bed even if it's a hiker tight shelter (a shelter meant to hold 12 had 17). It's grey outside, it's wet, it's cold, and you have 11 miles to hike. Funny, eleven does not even sound that bad especially when the end promises beer, food, beer and a bed / shower. Never mind that some annoying Southbounder told you the place is a total shithole, it has BEER, and for $25 ($7.50 each additional person) what hiker is gonna complain?
Not me. I'd rather cry about the hike in. We should have known things were not gonna go well when Sus slipped early on in the hike. Luckily it was not bad and we could move on. It was a few miles later when I would break my pole on a rock going up hill that would seal my fate. It bent first, then snapped. I tossed the broken one into the woods out of frustration. Good thing Sus was there to keep me in check, we did not litter. Trekking poles are super useful. I knew this but it would be reinforced 30 minutes later when I stepped on a rock that was not stable. Ah, the fall sucked. Hit both my knees on rocks and then could not "walk it off", I could only "maneuver around a bunch of rocks it off". Just not the same. My first honest thought was "fuck this" and I told Sus to keep goin, I'd catch up, just had to be alone for a few. Put myself back together and started hiking. Knees definitely hurt, especially goin down but not gonna let one annoyingly shitty day stop the hike.
So, now we are at the Doyle in Duncannon, PA. The hotel is old, rundown and a total pile, but we are here with everyone we shared the shelter with last night. They have 22 oz beers for 3 bucks, the food is decent and if the roof does not leak we're golden. All-in-all not bad and the whiskey is helpin the knees. At least that's what I tell myself.