Today's miles 18. AT miles 1253.9
Another warm day with sunny spells. We had a slightly later start this morning than we have been having recently, 8:15am. The trail was pretty level for most of the day and not too rocky for the first five miles or so. Eventually though the rock fields started, we were expecting them. The trail also took us over Knife Edge, a fantastic ridge with huge boulders and rocks, it was more fun climbing over the ridge and large boulders than the smaller rock fields. There were great views from the ridge top. We could see lots of Turkey Vultures riding on the thermals below.
After Knife Edge we had more big boulders by Bear Rocks and then again on Bake Oven Knob. We passed quite a few people out doing trail maintenance along the trail from Bake Oven Knob. The trail stayed fairly rocky from there until we reached Lehigh Furnace Gap where we got some trail magic. A couple doing trail maintenance drove past and stopped for a chat and gave us some fresh fruit, pear, nectarine and cherries.
From Lehigh Furnace Gap the trail improved again and it seemed to take no time to walk the last five miles. The rocky sections slow our pace down a lot. We go steady over the rocks though, there's no point rushing them, we'd hate to have an accident or fall on them this far down the trail. We got a second dose of trail magic about a mile before we finished. A local couple camping next to the trail stopped us and gave us a 24 hour ration pack of food which contained a meal and a few snacks.
Out of the woods we crossed the Lehigh river bridge and hit a large road junction. We walked up the road a little way to where it was safer to stand and hitch a ride into Palmerton about a mile and a half away where we were heading for the night. We used our 'Hiker to town' sign and we were very lucky, the first car drivng past stopped. Donald a lovely retired guy kindly picked us up and dropped us at Palmerton Police Station. We are staying in the Jail House Hostel. After hours or at weekends check in for the hostel is at the police station. Never a jail but the basement of the borough hall with free bunk beds and showers for hikers. It was a large basement area which is also used for a local theatrical groups stage sets by the number of props around the place.
After showering we wandered across the street to Bert's Steakhouse where we had a very nice meal. We'll be back there for breakfast tomorrow before heading out. Just one other hiker is staying in the hostel with us, Happy Feet, when we met her she said 'you must be the English couple'. She's not the first hiker to say that to us, our fame proceeds us! Actually it's our German friends who have been a day ahead of us for a few days telling people about us, nice things we're assured.
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