[at-l] a head smashing, shelter burning trip report...

[hike-usa@msn.com (richard mann)]

Just got back from an overnight hike - PA309 to Hawk Mountain Road.  As I
was rock hopping today, I just about knocked myself out on a low limb.
Didn't know immediately what happened, just that I stopped abruptly, and
that my head hurt.  After the fog cleared, I put two and two together, and
sat for a while.  Unfortunately, I was hiking with Pat Burns (a stinking
AT-L lurker), so there was a witness (damn!)...

Pat Burns is a neat guy.  He drove in from (near) Youngstown OH to do this
two day hike.  We had lots of fun.  Pat is retiring in June, and starting a
SOBO on July 1st.  Hopefully he will unlurk and post a gear list.  His pack
weight is where it should be, but his pack (external Kelty) is a bit heavy.
And, he was not happy with his shoes...

The hike location was actually set by Pokey (Hal Wright).  He is a high
school Physics teacher, and this was an outing for his high school hiking
club.  There were 11 or 12 people (kids and adults) in his group.  They
hiked in from Hawk Mountain Road.  We all met at Allentown Shelter, which is
where we spent the night.  The kids were very polite and considerate.  We
all had a great time.  Pokey tried to burn down the shelter, but was only
partially successful (better luck next time).  And, the hanging of food bags
was meant to be a lesson in Physics, with ropes and pulleys (and dogs and
beans).  Generally it is accepted in science that "what goes up must come
down", but this experiment really tested the laws of physics.  It all did
come down eventually...

pittsburgh

p.s. - Pokey, yeah those were my gaiters hanging in the sapling.  Hopefully
you saw them and packed them out.  I'll get them from you on the Memorial
weekend hike...