I've finished Pennsylvania and am about 30 miles into NJ now. NJ has about 76 miles of the AT.
Pennsylvania was hell on rocks, after the Delaware Water Gap and crossing into NJ the terrain changed dramatically and got much easier.
June 1
At the filbert bed and breakfast I had breakfast with a couple. They were putting butter and salt in their coffee. They said they were on a high protein diet. They also told me that the wife woke up one night and her husband's heart was stopped. They had no idea how long it had been stopped but she did CPR on him for 15 to 20 minutes until the EMTs arrived. He was with her and seemed to normal and they were going backpacking for 4 days.
I guess they have good health in general and their family. They said if the husband hadn't been an athlete, he looked like a bicyclist, that he probably wouldn't have lived. They said that his mother was preparing for a backpacking trip with them and she was 72 years old.
June 2
Met several other hikers
Rock cat
Northstar
Gingersnap
When Pat was visiting my steps - 2 gallons of water at a road crossing. When I got to that road crossing there were three section hikers there and I offer to share my water with them but since they were being picked up they offered to take my trash instead. 3 thru hikers came by and stay with us for a while too they were being picked up to get a ride into town. The next day I heard that they had gone into town to a small restaurant that has no liquor license. However they were served free beer since it's legal to give away beer but not sell it without a license. So that you got a great dinner and three beers each.
Later that day when I got to Wind Gap hiker was just finishing a short walk and offered to give me a ride to the hotel that was really nice of him. Later that evening I had a great dinner at a newly opened restaurant. I had shrimp linguine in alfredo sauce.
June 3
Easier hiking today.
Met some thru hikers during the day
Met 2 FlipFloppers at diner in wind gap in the morning and later found it they camping in the shelter where I stayed.
Caught up to some of the hikers that I met during the day at shelter at end of the day.
Nice evening talking
There were Cell towers just behind my tent. A long cable was banging in the wind from the tower. I called the emergency number on the building and the guy says yup the manufacturer says it will do that.
Later could hear fireworks too
Banging stopped later.
June 4
Met a man last night from Texas. Has to drive 30 minutes to a sports stadium to train for the Appalachian Trail cuz there's no Hills near his house
Met another guy from Nebraska closest thing he has to a Mountain is a 300-foot hill near his home. He decided that walk up and down it 6 times with his full pack on. Believe it or not the neighbors came out with lawn chairs and popcorn and watched him walk up and down the hill
For the sci-fi fans following me I just met a guy who's grandson's name is Ender. Yes his parents named him after that Ender
I walked into Delaware Water Gap and
Stopped by the church of the mountain hiker hostel I took a shower. one of the other through hikers showed me around
Then I went to dinner and walked to the hotel which was the Pocono Inn
The worst hotel I've ever been in
Filthy, bad, broken, wrong, beware yea fate all that enter here.
Attractions at the Inn (I was in 3 rooms)
- The pool has been filled in with dirt and now is growing a lawn.
- none of the room AC units work
- many of the rooms are being used as apartments
- shower had no shower head, water just ran out like a hose.
- all sinks have no stoppers
- the surface of the tubs have worn off and holes have been patched with putty
- furnature covered wi furnature covered with food bits, chips, crumbs etc.
- carpet filthy, coming up and wrinkled
- sheets are either dirty or so old they are grey or both
- everything looks like it was bought in the 1970s and never replaced
At dinner the server and the waitress where are young couple that I actually lived in that filthy Pocono inn
June 5
Took the day off to celebrate finishing Pennsylvania
Move to the Hampton Inn in Stroudsburg Saw 2 movies the good guys and the new X-Men movie I like both of them then I caught a cab back to the Hampton Inn went out to dinner did laundry went to bed. The power went out during one of the movies and I later learned that there was a huge thunderstorm with tornado strength wind I was so lucky to be in the movie theater when that truck and not on the trail.
A local guy was walking his dog when I was walking back from dinner and it was dark and late so I introduced myself and we walk together turns out he hikes and had hiked to Sunfish Pond where I'll be tomorrow and he said that he swims there all the time so I may do that also
The cab driver that brought me from the movie theater to the hotel accidentally brought me to the wrong Hotel when we discovered it he drove me back to where I started at the movie theater reset the meter and then drove me to the correct Hotel what a great guy
June 6
Starting New Jersey today
Met tom in parking lot, nice guy out paced me easily but we're both staying at the mohican outdoor center tonight
Swam at sunfish pond, had lake to myself.
Met 5 day hikers, one that looked and sounded like the guy from fast and furous movie, had a great time talking.
Views fantastic
Arrived exausted
Group cabin. Showers soap towels included. Tom and two other hikers were there, had the best time this evening.
Best day of the trip so far.
Heard about cayotes howling at the local fire department siren
June 7
Got water at beaver pond
Swam at crater lake while watching Hispanic family picnic
Hiked and swam in my boxers only
Saw a porcupine
Met "top knot" at end of day, said I had put the hardest state yet behind me...PA
Met some thru hikers during the day
Met 2 FlipFloppers at diner in wind gap in the morning and later found it they camping in the shelter where I stayed.
Caught up to some of the hikers that I met during the day at shelter at end of the day.
Nice evening talking
There were Cell towers just behind my tent. A long cable was banging in the wind from the tower. I called the emergency number on the building and the guy says yup the manufacturer says it will do that.
Later could hear fireworks too
Banging stopped later.
June 4
Met a man last night from Texas. Has to drive 30 minutes to a sports stadium to train for the Appalachian Trail cuz there's no Hills near his house
Met another guy from Nebraska closest thing he has to a Mountain is a 300-foot hill near his home. He decided that walk up and down it 6 times with his full pack on. Believe it or not the neighbors came out with lawn chairs and popcorn and watched him walk up and down the hill
For the sci-fi fans following me I just met a guy who's grandson's name is Ender. Yes his parents named him after that Ender
I walked into Delaware Water Gap and
Stopped by the church of the mountain hiker hostel I took a shower. one of the other through hikers showed me around
Then I went to dinner and walked to the hotel which was the Pocono Inn
The worst hotel I've ever been in
Filthy, bad, broken, wrong, beware yea fate all that enter here.
Attractions at the Inn (I was in 3 rooms)
- The pool has been filled in with dirt and now is growing a lawn.
- none of the room AC units work
- many of the rooms are being used as apartments
- shower had no shower head, water just ran out like a hose.
- all sinks have no stoppers
- the surface of the tubs have worn off and holes have been patched with putty
- furnature covered wi furnature covered with food bits, chips, crumbs etc.
- carpet filthy, coming up and wrinkled
- sheets are either dirty or so old they are grey or both
- everything looks like it was bought in the 1970s and never replaced
At dinner the server and the waitress where are young couple that I actually lived in that filthy Pocono inn
June 5
Took the day off to celebrate finishing Pennsylvania
Move to the Hampton Inn in Stroudsburg Saw 2 movies the good guys and the new X-Men movie I like both of them then I caught a cab back to the Hampton Inn went out to dinner did laundry went to bed. The power went out during one of the movies and I later learned that there was a huge thunderstorm with tornado strength wind I was so lucky to be in the movie theater when that truck and not on the trail.
A local guy was walking his dog when I was walking back from dinner and it was dark and late so I introduced myself and we walk together turns out he hikes and had hiked to Sunfish Pond where I'll be tomorrow and he said that he swims there all the time so I may do that also
The cab driver that brought me from the movie theater to the hotel accidentally brought me to the wrong Hotel when we discovered it he drove me back to where I started at the movie theater reset the meter and then drove me to the correct Hotel what a great guy
June 6
Starting New Jersey today
Met tom in parking lot, nice guy out paced me easily but we're both staying at the mohican outdoor center tonight
Swam at sunfish pond, had lake to myself.
Met 5 day hikers, one that looked and sounded like the guy from fast and furous movie, had a great time talking.
Views fantastic
Arrived exausted
Group cabin. Showers soap towels included. Tom and two other hikers were there, had the best time this evening.
Best day of the trip so far.
Heard about cayotes howling at the local fire department siren
June 7
Got water at beaver pond
Swam at crater lake while watching Hispanic family picnic
Hiked and swam in my boxers only
Saw a porcupine
Met "top knot" at end of day, said I had put the hardest state yet behind me...PA
June 8
Ran into top knot at summit of rattlesnake mountain.
It was a slow cold day started out cold and it finally started raining at about 11 o'clock. Just before it started raining I made it to a shelter and thought I'd have the place to myself but little by little other hikers trickled in to wait out the rain. There were two flip floppers and two thru-hikers. The rain finally stopped at 1 and I begin hiking again. I was really cold by that time. I had to stop and wolf down some food to help fight off the cold. After reading that it was going to be 42 degrees tonight I decided to get to a hotel. When I arrived at the next Road intersection I walked a few hundred yards over to a small bar called Gyp's. I had a great burger while I waited for the hotel shuttle service to pick me up.
It was a slow cold day started out cold and it finally started raining at about 11 o'clock. Just before it started raining I made it to a shelter and thought I'd have the place to myself but little by little other hikers trickled in to wait out the rain. There were two flip floppers and two thru-hikers. The rain finally stopped at 1 and I begin hiking again. I was really cold by that time. I had to stop and wolf down some food to help fight off the cold. After reading that it was going to be 42 degrees tonight I decided to get to a hotel. When I arrived at the next Road intersection I walked a few hundred yards over to a small bar called Gyp's. I had a great burger while I waited for the hotel shuttle service to pick me up.
Hey Dave! I'm a few days late reading this, but I really enjoyed it. It is fascinating to hear about the people and places that you see, and I love the pictures. All of the scenery makes me want to hike the trail. The caterpillars are crazy!
ReplyDeleteDave, you're doing great! I love the stories- that grungy hotel, yuck! I look forward to reading more about your big adventure.
ReplyDelete