Appalachian Trail (day 49) - Thru It All to Rocky Ridge / mile 1116 [Half Way Point]

"When you write a book come back here and we'll add it to our library" Lady at the Appalachian Trail Museum

The trail finally ticked over the halfway point today.

After a quick breakfast and a coffee I've hiked out of Thru It All Ministries along the road and arrived at the AT around 6:30 AM Weather got finally better and the path was relatively easy which resulted in many day hikers along the way. At 11 AM I stumbled upon a trail magic, first in Pennsylvania run by Food Mama and Bonus an older couple living nearby, they've been doing it for 11 years! They even hosted people I've hiked with on PCT like Field Trip family in 2021. Bonus had an amazing memory for names and dates despite being a senior guy. His trail name origin was also quite interesting. He didn't know who his father was until he was 61, but by this time his father was already dead. One of his cousins revealed to him that he also has six brothers and sisters which he got to meet after all those years, they accepted him and called him a bonus brother. Bonus had many stories to tell, some about cooking, some about being stationed in many different countries as a military technician, he was also telling highly inappropriate jokes about Germans which I personally enjoyed.

Few miles later there was first (of two) halfway points of the Appalachian Trail, this one was the actual one - trails length would change quite often as the sections got added and removed so it had different length almost every year. The second halfway point was more decorative, it was currently 4 miles off the actual half way point, which wasn't that far all things considered.

Another few miles down the road was the village of Pine Grove Furnace where Appalachian Trail Museum was located, they also had a General Store serving hot food - I've had here a burger and a huge portion of french fries which I somehow managed to finish. The store was also running a half gallon ice cream challenge for hikers, I've skipped it as there was another one of them (and apparently better) in state of New York.

After a short visit to the small AT museum, I've carried on hiking for the rest of the day along fairly easy path and managed to cover the most miles in one day so far! It set me well for tomorrows 14 miles "no camping zone" area which everyone had to hike straight through or stay at one of the hostels along the way.

I've had 8 miles left to reach the town of Boiling Springs followed by "no camping zone", it should make for a good day of walking tomorrow.

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