So.  Saturday night after the Pig Roast (where I only ate sweet stuff for some weird reason) I camped here at the Cabin Craft Campground.  My plan was to hike from here the 6 or 7 miles to Green Lane Park, spend the night there, and hike back. The plan change dramatically.  I’ll get to that.

Just me and Big Agnes.  No one else on this rainy evening.  There was a Chili Cook Off about 100 yards to the left. Really nice people raising money for an ill friend. I was happy to contribute.

The Perkiomen Creek was rolling past, a little high with the rain.  The sound of the rapids put me to sleep. Really nice spot.

Here’s wher bthe plan changed.  I parked my car across the street from the campground and decided to hike south on the trail, turn around and hike back to the car and drive up to Green Lane. I had a bunch of pillow and ground pad options in my car and wanted them up there with me.

I started south on the Perkiomen Trail with no real plan ahow far to go.  I got to 3 miles and felt really good even though it meant the 3 back would be a 6 mile hike with my pack.  Haven’t done that yet. I got to 4 miles.  My brain said wow, I only have to go a mile more and I get 2 more miles on my hike,  Cool! At 5, I figured I was getting in uncharted territory but 6 seemed reasonable. Reasonable.  More on that later.

I passed this shed.  The sign on the right says, “Hippies use side door!” Love a show of humor like that! I wonder whio there Hippie friend are?

THIS is a tamping machine.  A roller actually but the company “Wacker”  makes a power tamper with a handle like a lawn mower. It realy wacks.  An old friend of mine once rented one and it got out of control.  He couldn’t find the kill switch! He tamped all kids of stuff.  Hysterical it was, the story, especially when he told it.  Steve Whitten.

And I want to meet the guy who started the company.  Think his name was John Wacker?

Graterford State Prison on the other side of that fence.  I woyld trust the bears more.

Some of the trail was paved, some gravel.  Easy going for bikers, too.

I got back to my car with 12 miles done. Cooked lunch.  My legs were killing me.  My feet were killing me. My spirit said, “2 more miles and you’ll have 14! Go for it!

I put the pack back on, changed into my Teva Sandals and shoved off. Well more like shuffled off.  Ever been at the grocery store midday when an old guy comes out with his cart and you let him cross infron to you? You know that shuffle.  A few years past the guy who tries to go faster for you but only his arms go faster.  His feet are not cooperating. That was me.  Thank heaven for my poles.  They were taking 40% of my body weight, I bet.

That mile took forever.  I wold pull out my phone and check the GPS to make sure it was not paused or something….it said .54 miles. I was sure I was .9, had to be more than ,54!  Nope it was .54.  I finally made to to the mile and my phone told me I was at a mile and my average speed was 26 minutes per mile.  That is my speed when I take pictures and pee along the way!

Well, I made it.  14.2 total.  More than twice the distance I had done before with my pack.

I drove up to Green Lane Park.  Couldn’t get out of my car! I had to grab my pants and lift my legs out. Lactic Acid not injury and my spirit was still ok.

Notice there are no pictures…the shutter was too hard to push.

I got a great night sleep. Let some air out of my mattress and used a bigger pillow. I think I can do this. Maybe I just need to be exhausted.

I got up in the morning with no plan.  Maybe I would just stretch my legs a little.  I had already gone farther the first day than I was going to in both days! So I started out.  Spotted myself in the mirror and snapped.

I cam around the corner and this appeared. I haven’t seen too many stone silos.  Magnificent!  I wonder what the rest of the property looked like 200 years ago maybe…

I decided to hike north to the end of the trail, the town of Green Lane.  Well, in my confusion, I mixed up Green Lane with Red Hill.  I was passed Green Lane before I knew it!  It was maybe 2 miles away.  I thought it was much more.

Now I’m thinking the same way again; walk a mile and it will total 2 miles. 3 miles out, 6 miles done.  Somehow I discount the effort it will take to get back. I was on the Red Trail which connects the Perkiomen Trail to the Park. The Red Trail then connected to the Blue Trail which circles the lake.  I wasn’t sure how far that wouyld be but my left calf muscle told me not to go;  for once I listened.  I was at 3.5 miles and I turned around, figured that 7 miles was more than I had expected to go anyway.

My legs, my whole body was hurting but it was managable. I think if I kept doing this, eventually I could get used to it. It is not fun. It is an accomplishment. Maybe a Spiritual accomplishment. I was hurting but not suffering.  Interesting.  I am happy inside and the pain is not attached to that happiness.  The pain can not dim my spirit. Cool.  This is such a small sample of what a long Thu-Hike on a major trail would be like.  THAT would maybe will test my spirit.  We’ll see.

Oh yeah, the above photo is the Orange Trail. I was back on the Perk Trail about a mile from my car. 6 miles done. I looked upand saw the Orange Trail.  What the heck, I need some rougher trail, up I went.  It was aloop I had done in the winter.  I was pretty sure it wasn’t real long.

It added just over a mile to my day.

Finished with 8.17.  So yesterday: 12.11 and 2.13.  Total?  I’m too tired. 22 something.

I’ll finish with this:

Hmmm. That was supposed to be a joke!  Everytime I tried to upload this photo it was upside down! Magic I guess.

Green Lane Park campsites are great. And a hot shower.

Oh my.  I look like my dad.