A fail on the Half Gallon Challenge. Slackpacking is the best

Sno, Coconut, Hollywood, and Jordan slack packed 22 miles into Pine Grove Furnace State Park 1093.4 NoBo yesterday. Above is the general location they are at on the map.
A little info from the Wiki: Pine Grove Furnace State Park is a protected Pennsylvania area that includes Laurel and Fuller lakes in Cooke Township. The park provides various outdoor recreation activities, has the remains of the Pine Grove Iron Works, and was the site of the 1830 Laurel Forge, 1880s Pine Grove Park, and an 1892 brick plant.

 They took on the Half Gallon Challenge at the Pine Grove Furnace Store and failed miserably. As if walking 2,175 miles, mostly over rugged mountain terrain, is not challenging enough, through hikers on the Appalachian Trail face another daunting test when they reach Pine Grove Furnace State Park.

The unofficial halfway point of the Georgia-to-Maine trek is the front porch of the park's general store. There, hikers traditionally celebrate by consuming a half-gallon of ice cream, a feat known as the "half-gallon challenge." Our heros were not up to the task. Their spirits were into the idea, but bellies were full way too fast and none were able to eat the entire half gallon of ice cream.

The half way point is officially behind them. They went through it at 1090.5 NoBo. There are often hiker created temporary monuments celebrating it. But since every year the mid-way point changes a little as trails open and close and section mileages are adjusted accordingly, the true half-way point is an ever moving target. They are using Sno's place as a base camp to allow them these past few days of slackpacking. Coconut is at a hotel with her bo and the entire troop will take a zero tomorrow. Sno and Hollywood will keep the pool at the hotel safe from ruffians by diligently sitting by the pool sitting in deck chairs and soaking in the awesomeness of a day off the trail. 

They slacked another 20 miles today and will get back on the trail at Boiling Springs, Pa 1113.0 NoBo.

Jordan gets a nice mobile home to hang out in. While they are slackpacking, getting to and from Jordan gets the back of Sno's truck to hang out in. Check him here living the good life on his rolling doggy bed. 







After their zero tomorrow it will be back to the grind for all of them, full packs and all. Pennsylvania and New York to go, and they will touch their feet on New England soil.

Melissa has discovered that it isn't the shoes, socks, or even the mileage that is killing her feet. It is the weight of her backpack. While they have been slackpacking, she has had almost no feet issues despite putting on a 23 and a 20 back to back. Her end of day has gone from agony to mild irritation. Be that as it may, the 40 pound life sustaining bundle is on her back again Tuesday. This next week or so should be pretty smooth on them as far as elevation goes. But the Pa. stretch is called 'Where Boots go to Die and the maintenance crew sharpens the rocks.' What it lacks in elevation it makes up for in the ruggedness of the trails.