Port Clinton Vultures
The hazy, hot and humid of mid-Atlantic summers gives rise to terrifc thermals coming up the ridgeline face from the fields and towns below - vulture delight. What do you call a bunch of vultures together? A flock? Must have been 50 or more circling overhead while we made dark humor jokes, musing on which hiker they had spotted from up above.
J: The rest of the day was warm, humid and rocky. Memphis, Sourball and I came down a mean, steep descent into Port Clinton. My maildrop had not arrived. What is going on in the 'burg? Called and left a message for Allen. I need these maildrops or I'll go broke out here.
Visited Helen Carbaugh at the Port Clinton Hotel here. Sweet 79 yr old owner took really good care of us at the bar. The town has a covered picnic pavilion not far away where hikers can camp overnight. Nice. There's no grocery store, but Helen said Hamburg wasn't far away, so after my beverage, something called Yengling on tap, I hitched into Hamburg for the supermarket.
Shopping was fun - the locals staring at the grungy hiker, his pack in the cart, going up and down the aisles reading the nutrition labels. After paying, I restocked the foodsack, stripping off all of the unnecessary packaging and weight. Drank the V8 on the spot - no point in hauling liquids.
The walk back was going to be hot, so I tried to hitch. Had the pack leaning against the road guardrail. Nearly let a pickup truck pass me by. As I grabbed the pack, felt a tug. Oh no, the earbuds had wrapped around the edge of the rail post - I had just sheared them off, with the buds left dangling by their severed bits of cord. I guess I'm in radio silence for a while - no more lyrics.
Back at the Port Clinton Pavalion with Model T, Memphis and Sourball. D.C. and Magoo in a tent. It's grown dark. Tomorrow's climb with a full foodsack will be a dog - and a long haul to the Hawk Center. Would like to get up early for it.
(Late in the night, some kids came up to the pavilion, peeked into the tent, surprised by us and left disappointed. I slept poorly.)