07.21.07

Day 20 July 4 Wed

Posted in Hike '07 at 11:05 pm by segue

14.3mi to Fingerboard Shelter

Day 19 July 3 Tue

Posted in Hike '07 at 11:03 pm by segue

12mi to Wildcat Shelter
I woke again this morning tired and unmotivated. Ate breakfast with Floyd everyone else had already broken camp and headed out early. Floyd was explaining how there was one sonic snorer in the shelter (there always is and they seem to be the only ones to get any sleep). I told him he could-da come knocked on my tent flap and crawled in with me. LOL As he was already packed and ready he left with me dragging I left about an hour after him figuring I would catch up at one of his frequent rest naps.

In stead I ran into and finally met Dances with Sloths. Cool guy I had been reading his journal entries and cracking up. He asked if I could take his picture laying half in NJ and half in NY. There is actually a white line painted on the rock denoting this. So spread eagle I took his picture. Umm he was spread eagle not me. As we hiked together for a while he was going on and on about the creamery at the next road just .1 off the trail. It seems that Sloth always has the lowdown on every ice cream and food stop and goes to every one of them. And for having a name like Sloth he hikes really fast. I stopped to camel up and he went on without me. Knowing I would see him again eating Ice Cream.

The terrane changed very quickly between flat NJ and Up and down bedrock NY. Seems like it was making up for slacking. I made the road and found the creamery. Both Sloth and Floyd were there and had already had two rounds. I had some catching up to do! I got a Mint chocolate chip milkshake and for my second course a rootbeer float with cherry vanilla ice cream.

Luckily the shelter was only 2mi further. We were actually debating sleeping at the creamery just so we could be there when they opened the next day. Then debated how we could get ice cream 2mi to the shelter. With sloth out front we headed out at break neck speed. He really does hike very fast. and made the shelter in what seemed like 30min. Just as we were finishing our dinner who should come walking up but Terrapin Flyer and Granite. Sight for sore eyes. They had also got stuck at the creamery for several hours.

As they were preparing ther dinners Granite pulled out a copy of Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass” and preceded to read aloud from the Jabberwocky.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
-L Carroll

Of which he promised a full pubilc reading within the next few nights and I have yet still to hear!

Day 18 July 2 Mon

Posted in Hike '07 at 11:00 pm by segue

18.9mi to Wawayanda Shelter
I almost took a zero day it was very diffucult after Terrapin Flyer and Granite left to motivate myself to leave. After taking a great shower I climed back in the rack for a nap. Only to be awakened by a group of teens looking around the property and hanging out. So with the challenge of meeting B.Floyd in the back of my mind I broke camp and headed out about noon.

This was one of the first days i really started to notice being fatuged and tired and loosing my motivation. Which I just atributed to hitting the wall trail wise. But that will come more into play later.

I was a long day but easy, through the last reaches of NJ. Looking forward to being officially in NY. The trail in this part snakes out of NJ into NY and back into NJ. It was a good day once I got started. I made the shelter just as it was starting to get dark. Got my tent set up and food out to eat a quick dinner. B. Floyd was there just getting back from the water source. Surprise! He didnt think I would catch up. But with him leaving the trail in a couple days I wasnt going to let him get away that easy. So we ate dinner quietly as most of the others had already hit the rack. Caught up on what each other had been doing since DWG and racked out ourselves.

Day 17 July 1 Sun

Posted in Hike '07 at 10:58 pm by segue

4mi to High Point State Park + 7mi to secret shelter
once again I was the last out of camp, I don’t know what it is I’m just NOT a morning person. That being said I only had to walk 4mi to meet my family and I wasnt really in a hurry. after I ate and packed I tried calling several times but only spotty signal this deep in the woods I ended up climbing up onto the roof of the shelter just to have a signal. It would be several hours before anyone left to come and then its about a two hour drive up. The miles went by quickly, it looked like rain so I took shelter in the Park headquarters and waited. Michelle came up alone got there about 3ish and we went out to grab a bite of real food.

After restocking headed back out about 5 to walk the last two miles to High Point Shelter. When I got there B. Floyd had already been there and gone. Left me a challenge to meet him tomorrow at the Wawayanda Shelter. Well I wasn’t going to take that sitting down. I cowboyed up put my pack back on and hiked 5.4mi to the secret shelter on the Murry property. Jim Murry who is a thru-hiker has some property and lets thru-hikers come stay. With running water, shower and electricity who could resist. those miles flew by made it in about 2 hours and who should already be there but Terripin Flyer and Granite, along with a charming lady headed south bound trail name of Slow & Steady. Was greeted even before I made it to the property by the sounds of donkeys.

The cabin was a small 200sq’ with running water inside and a shower around back. Since the sleeping platform was full I set up my tent and then joined everyone on the front porch. It was a pleasure to feel at home and have good conversation. Rather then just eating and crawing into the rack as usual.

Not a cloud in the sky that night the moon was so bright you could have danced in the pale moon light all night long. I stood out in the field for a long time watching it craw across the sky.

All night we listened to the sweet sounds of frustrated donkey love. Finally about dawn they stopped and wandered back into their stable. Every time they would start up it sounded like a animal attacking I would wake up thinking we were being invaded. Then the EeeeeAwwww would start up.

Day 16 June 30 Sat

Posted in Hike '07 at 10:41 pm by segue

15.3mi to Rutherford Shelter
When I woke up everyone else was already gone except a group out behind the shelter. the privy was one of NJs finest 360ยบ. which means no walls just a box with a toilet seat. I took my time around camp give myself time to eat good breakfast and mentally prepare for walking again. It was a beautiful day cool breeze but sunny. Once I was getting close to the shelter started running into lots of weekenders. This shelter was .5 off the trail and very steep downhill off the ridge no wonder not many people use it. Made it into the shelter by 6p. I met Walrus, asked him if was because of a mustache or the beatles. He said he got his trail name years ago from the tent he use to carry.

Terripin Flyer and Granite were already there and eating dinner. It put a smile on my face to see friends and set up my tent next to theirs. Now Im all for playing kissy face and snugglebunnies when its me doing it, but when you have to listen to others its not as much fun. and waking up to it well… its disgusting. LOL Im just kidding guys.

Looks like I made up my miles. The big jump yesterday and then another good day today puts me just before High Point State Park. Tomorrow I have a short 4mi into the park where Im meeting my family for a restock.

07.16.07

Day 15 Jun 29 Fri

Posted in Hike '07 at 9:59 pm by segue

24.8mi to Brink Road Shelter
Set my alarm and woke up early, Had packed the night before. B. Floyd woke too so we went to the DWG Diner and both had a good breakfast. Went back to room Strapped on the pack and headed out across the bridge to NJ. The first 10mi were very nice and easy steady climb up to Sunfish Pond. Stopped by the camp road with a spring and ate met Terrapin Flyer and Granite slack packing. The middle 4mi were very hard found myself just strolling along. It was 5p and I had only come 14mi and had 10 left to go before dark. Something about the late afternoons, its cooler and I can do more miles. I put my head down and picked up the pace.

I made it to Rattlesnake Mtn which has three humps. Saw black bear on each of them in the blueberry patches, so I started singing to let them know I was coming through. I sat on the third hump and watched the sun sink below the horizon. It was the best part of the day. Beautiful, little fluffy clouds of Purple and red and yellow, on fire you don’t still see that… You might still see that in the desert.

Got into the shelter after dark, set up my tent, put my food in the bear box and went to bed. Slept straight through the night.

day 14 June 28 Thur

Posted in Hike '07 at 9:46 pm by segue

7mi to DWG
The terrain changed just that quickly. walking on bedrock, trees are different, Mt Laurel. beautiful stream on the way down almost got naked and jumped in to cool off. In stead just splashed it all over me and wiped off. put a little pep into my step. Stayed over night in DWG. Stayed at the motel with B. Floyd, showered washed my hair and felt human again.

Floyd was telling me about this girl he met working at the outfitters in town and wanted to go back to take a look. He was going on and on about how beautiful she was. All I have to say is two things. Trail Eyes! LMAO! We walk back to the outfitters as I was looking for a cheap pair of town shorts to wear while I did laundry. It was not a cheap trail store. When we walk in look around and the only person there is a guy employee. Hmm sexy girl to guy, now we have been on the trail a while but not that long.

Disapointed I didnt find shorts or a girl we went to eat pizza. Who should walk in but Carpenter who had just got back from the hospital and found out he had Lyme disease. Paloma and Ghetto showed up at the pizza place along with Crazy Bear. After filling the belly Floyd and I headed out to find a laundry and wash clothes.

day 13 June 27 Wed

Posted in Hike '07 at 9:38 pm by segue

17.9mi to Kirkridge Shelter
Hiked with B. Floyed all day, talking about going into Delaware Water Gap tomorrow and getting a room for the night. Get a shower, hot meal and do laundry. Felt rain in my heal all day just as we were going down into Wind gap it started to blow in. Dark clouds and rain as we headed up out of the gap. We crossed over wolf rocks the southern point of the glaciers. just as it started to rain again. Got to the full shelter just in time. Put up my tent and made dinner under cover of the shelter. About 8:30p it really started to open up and pour. Strong thunder storm and heavy rain all night long.

Day 12 Jun 26 Tue

Posted in Hike '07 at 1:14 pm by segue

12.7mi to Campsite
Super trail magic before leaving the George W shelter Ice water cracker jacks and gaterade. Didnt get out of camp till about 11ish. Way to late. Walked down to Lehigh Gap and ran into B. FLoyd, Carpenter, crazy bear, met mechanical man section hiking.

Went up over bald, so hot got heat exhaustion had to find shade of a tiny little pine to squat down into and pour water over my head and sip. Finally got over the bald and walking along ridge. Everything dead looked like the surface of the moon. All the trees were layed out flat and everything was dusty greay from zink processing for years killing everything. Didn’t make it into shelter stayed in camp site about 4mi short after walking .6mi down hill off the trail to water source and .6 back up it was after 8:30p stayed in site with B floyd.

Day 11 Jun 25 Mon

Posted in Hike '07 at 11:19 am by segue

16.8mi to George W. Outerbridge
Over Bake oven knob. Stoped at Bake oven knob shelter for lunch. Built in 1937. Lots of rocks Last 3 mi were great medow top. got to camp still light and water close to camp washed up cooked good dinner. After dark Paloma and Ghetto came into the shelter after a 24mi day. Then about 10p we heard quite a racket from coming down the trail and who should show up but the boston High Life. Met Paloma, Crazy Bear, Carpenter, Ghetto, (Gang of 4P).

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