July 2nd-Monday

16 miles and we can say goodbye Pennsylvania - we will take some good memories but will not miss the rocks and snakes.
We departed from the bunker (hostel) at 6 am sharp hitching a ride to the trail head from a church member where we attended yesterday. On the trail 6:15 trying to beat the heat. It was a perfect morning with clear cool skies and a climb that required all fours at times-Gravity, Comanche and myself liked the climbing while Spirit and Y's Guy were not as enthusiastic-after 45 minutes we were at the top over looking Palmerton the lovely town we spent the day before at. Zinc mining was very big here and not sure if they still are but some of the factories we were overlooking sounded like something was going on way down below.
We ran into a ranger kind of guy and he said they are trying to get some growth back on the mountains from the mining-it made for some wide open views that helped to keep our minds off the rocks. The ranger also told us they had planted 150 6th generation chestnut seeds as part of the program. The seeds were planted with gps coordinates so they can track the progress- I hope they can get a few to take being that the cost of the 150 seeds alone was $27,000. Thinking about going into the seed business when I return.
Julie kicked up another rattle snake but he darted into the long grass as he played his rattles for us both to hear.
We made it to LeRoy shelter by 3:00 and took a break to discuss if we wanted to push on- because it was so early we pushed on another few miles to give us a 19+ mile day but before we left spirit came hobbling in with a large bandage on her knee and one across the bridge of her nose. She had spilled 2 times while coming to camp.
With Y's Guy and Comanche there for Spirit we went on our way and are now resting in our tent and the sun starring to fall out of the sky.
Our plan for tomorrow is 16 miles into Deleware Water Gap and stay at a church hostel which should put us right on the NJ border. NJ is about 75 miles of trail and then to NY which is around 100 miles so we could/should be in CT in about 2 weeks.
Missing our family and friends.
EZ