6/14/06 Wednesday: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter to PA 873 Lehigh Gap, Slatington, PA (18mi)

PICTURES:
1. The Allentown Hiking Club shelter early morning as were all getting ready to go...
2. Lots of this today...
3. Some nice vistas throughtout the day...
4. Whats this guy doing up on the mountain??
5. Mountain Laurel blossoms set in an opening...Beautiful...

2.

This was a newer shelter, built with care in 1997... They did a wonderful job... We all had a very restfull nights sleep and were all up and out by 0630... The first 8 miles were unremarkable but then came some climbing on boulders, slow going but worth it for the views they produced... We all crossed a road together at Blue Mtn, and noticed a hotel/restaurant and all thought about burgers for lunch till we noticed the restaurant was openned for dinner Thrusday through Saturday... Oh well... I stopped at a shelter 10 miles away for some water aptly called the Bake Oven Knob Shelter, a 1940's era shelter that could use some TLC... the water was located down a steep path about 250yds... The climb back up was not pleasant... but necessary for lunch... The other 4 hikers soon joined me for a rest and snack before we all moved on to Lehigh Gap... I was anxious to get to Lehigh Gap and hitch into Slatington, PA for a stay at Fine Lodging... The others were equally anxious to get there, they were all headed for a home on the New Jersey shoreline for a week off the trail while one of them recovers from a nasty persistant cough which was sounding alot like pneumonia... They offered me a ride into town but I secured my own transportation within 5 minutes of sticking my thumb out... Pretty good even for me... :)... I arrived at the residence at about 1530, which was nice located in the middle of Slatington surrounded with pubs, restaurants, and convenience stores... I wasnt able to get a room for a few hours but got a shower, using one of my clean shirts as a towel, then went to get my laundry done a block from the place, picked up a nice sub for a late afternoon snack, and after getting into my room about 1930, went for dinner. Ira let me use his computer for a couple of blog entries before I finally retired for the night at 2300...