[at-l] Half serious question about the Pennsylvania rocks...

[Phil.Heffington@oc.edu (Phil Heffington)]

I'm about half serious in asking, "Where did Pennsylvania get it's reputati=
on for having abundant sharp rocks?"

I just finished the trail in Penn this year and I would ten times rather hi=
ke over the rocks in Penn than those in NY.  I anticipated the rocks in Pen=
n for four years and was disappointed when I got to New Jersey and had foun=
d only short stretches of them out of certain hiking days through Penn.  On=
 the other hand, the trail maintainers in NY are just plain masochists, IMH=
O.  They seem to keep the trail built over the worst rocks instead of conve=
nient trail locations right beside them.  Granted, they are not usually sha=
rp rocks, but are sometimes even more dangerous to hike over.

Anyway, one explanation I have for the Penn rocks reputation is that by the=
 time you have finished half the trail you have probably just worn out your=
 first set of boots and are no longer equipped for hiking over any rocks at=
 all.  Thus, the rocks you encounter in Penn are just perceived as bad beca=
use you need a new pair of boots.  Any other explanations, or is my memory =
of the rest of the trail just bad?