Half Gallon Challenge - Pine Grove PA

[JimHalpert]

from the 1989 philosopher's guide:

"not fair letting the ice cream melt, then drinking it."

i still have my little dolly madison wood spoon as a souvenir.

[Leviathanapsu]

I actually recall him using a spoon for some of it, though not sure why he did considering... and my stomach did just fine actually. I made sure not to eat breakfast that morning other than a granola bar to get me from the shelter down to the shop (a short trip indeed). My ice cream had softened a bit by the time I got to eat it, having waited for several of us to sit together and help time one another, so it wasn't rock hard or freezing cold (I am sure that helped). I actually felt good afterward. Not really full, but not particularly hungry. I also, surprisingly enough, didn't crash on the hike uphill to the shelter later that day. (plan a short day, there is a beach area right near the store that is a great place to spend part of your day)

[stonemark]

I have seen the article link you shared, that's interesting~ and I love both hiking & eating ice-cream~ LOL

[7Sisters]

Stonemark - On a warm day, there's nothing better then a LOT of ice cream. Especially when you've been on the trail for a while.

Peace

[LIhikers]

My wife finished a day of a short section hike at Pine Grove Furnace State Park where the 1/2 gallon challenge takes place. We decided to stay at the Iron Master's hostel since it was our wedding anniversary. But we were a little early and the hostel wasn't open yet so we wandered over to the store to kill time and see if there were any other hikers around. There was no one sitting outside the store so we dropped our packs and went in. We looked around at the food and found ourselves in front of the ice cream case staring at the 1/2 gallons. Kathy looked at me and I looked at her, we were asking the question "Should we give the 1/2 gallon challenge a try?" without saying a word. As we broke our gaze at each other we wandered toward the door and picked out a couple of fresh tomatoes. We paid for them and went outside to have a snack. There we admitted to each other that eating a 1/2 gallon of ice cream at one sitting just didn't sound like it was something either of us wanted to try. Of course, I can understand how doing a thru hike, or even a long section hike might change that. Even if there had been some other hikers there to play it up with maybe things would have been different.

[john gault]

Well it's the thought that counts I wouldn't even consider doing the 1/2 gallon challenge w/o a raging thru-hiker appetite. It you had given it even a half-hearted effort it would have been a miserable night