Trail Dynamics

You gotta love the trail dynamics. People hook up—often platonically, sometimes, not—people break up. There are fights, there are reunions. And you usually find this all out in the shelter registers or by third or fourth hand word of mouth. We had encountered a couple (guy and girl) hiking together some time ago. So, late last week, we learned that they were not a couple (he has a wife at home), and that their hiking partnership was rather one-sided, in her direction. Then we discovered her tendency to overshare, about things like her lady business. Which apparently aggravated her hiking partner to the point of break-up.

So we arrive at the Pine Grove Furnace Store, where everyone is on the porch eating ice cream, and fall right into their personal issues. He moves to one end of the porch, she follows. He says nothing, but gets up and moves to the other side. Oy. Then she latches onto us, which we belatedly realized was because no one else was talking to her. Hated junior high then, don't like it anymore now.

The AT Museum at Pine Grove Furnace SP, a former iron smelting site in PA.

General Store, Pine Grove Furnace SP, home of the Half-gallon Challenge

And the prize for completing the challenge? A little wooden ice cream spoon
labelled in ink that disappears when wet or sweaty. 

Green Mountain Store, PA. Very tasty meatball subs. A little slice of heaven
for hungry hikers, with very friendly folks.