What a glorious night of sleep. There is something amazingly comforting when you sleep in a bed with clean sheets and three pillows! Oh, how well I slept. Thank you Lord because I sure needed it.

Braveheart and I took showers in the morning because we could. We won’t be bathing ourselves for another week so you want to take full advantage of running warm water and plush towels. We packed up and Eddie and Couch picked us up at 9am. We headed down the road for breakfast at the Daily Bean. Great little cafe.

By 11am we were back on the trail. Well not before Braveheart saw her first bear. She decided to go alone in the woods to pee, and just before finding her perfect squating position, she heard it. She looked around and he was on all fours, looking just as scared as Braveheart. She yelled “Bear” and went running back to the car. Couch went to investigate but the big bad bear had fled the scene. Braveheart was shaking like a leaf!

After regrouping, we all hit the trail, with packs on and Braveheart had her Bear Spray at the ready! She is the life of the party, that girl of ours. She took the lead and within a mile or so, she screamed once again. But this time it was a big black rat snake. She ran behind Couch and there she stayed. No more leading, no more up front, she was content staying in the back of the pack.

Today when I checked the profile, it appeared to be fairly flat and manageable. We were so glad we had climbed Wawayanda Mountain the day before. All was good in our world. Or so we thought. We crossed over the NJ/NY State line and our trail took a turn.

We were back to bouldering before we could say New York. Mooch caught up with us and asked if he could join us. Heck yeah, as he really arrived as a guardian Angel. We got to a huge Rock Pile/Boulder Area and Braveheart went first. I attempted a foothold and before I could get my second foot up, I was falling backwards. Couch tried to stop me but momentum had taken over and Mooch leaped across the rock to catch me. I tumbled onto my back, which was protected by my backpack, and there I stopped. Thank the Lord I hadn’t climbed up a few more feet. I was shaking as badly as Braveheart, when she saw her bear.

I took an inventory of myself, not a scratch on me and no blood. I stood up and tried again. This time, I made it up without any crazy falls and took ahold of the metal ladder rungs, and up I went. That was the beginning of the Bouldering. And there was another two miles of that. Oh my goodness. Welcome to New York GG.

Mooch led the rest of the way through the maze of rocks and minimal trail. Needless to say, it was a long and arduous day. As we neared our destination, we started to see some day-hikers. Bellvale Creamery was in our sights and with only 2.7 miles to go, we were focused. It took us a bit over an hour to get there, which seemed like the longest hour ever. We arrived to find half of NY there. This place is utopia. I guess people come from near and far to have ice cream. It’s definitely not just a hiker destination as we were the only hikers and the other 100 people drove there. It’s a thing!

We all ordered some kind of ice cream sundae, shake or banana split. Oh my, it was well worth the wait. I had a two scoop hot fudge sundae with honey walnuts on top of Coffee and Coconut Ice Cream. It was incredibly good tasting. We all indulged and loved our ice cream dinner. What a treat!

After ice cream, we still needed to find a place to pitch our tents. Mooch went ahead and about a mile down the trail, he found a fine place to pitch for the night. Within ten minutes, we were able to stake down our temporary homes and fell inside. I decided ice cream was dinner. Enough said and tomorrow maybe I’ll have dinner for breakfast. I’m exhausted so off to bed I go.

There was no doubt that the sweet Lord had me in his grasp. He surrounded me with capable and wonderful friends, and he caught my fall. He kept me from harm and it appears he still has plans for me. Thank you Jesus for watching over me, for giving me strength and for surrounding me with earthly angels!

Why can’t I sleep? Oh my goodness. I was in my tent at 730pm, wrote my blog and then tossed and turned until after midnight. It wouldn’t be such a big deal but come 5am, my brain is awake. My body revolts but the rest of me is rearing to go. I laid in the tent till 530am, and then woke up Braveheart. She sleeps like a log! No budging, no rolling from side to side. She sleeps like a baby. Oh what I would give to get a restful night of slumber!

We headed over to the Shelter and sat with C2T. She also has been struggling with shuteye too. We had our breakfast and thank goodness I have my coffee. It would’ve been a lackluster performance on my part without caffeine. We were packed up and hitting the trail by 7am. Not super early, but not the last to leave either.

C2T and I talked last night about how far we wanted to hike today. Eddie, Coach’s husband, was picking us up today. We decided to push a bit further so we could get a couple of extra miles in. We decided to stop at Barrett Road which meant we would climb “Stairway to Heaven.” It’s gonna be a good push for the last few miles.

We started with a few ups and downs with many rocks. New Jersey is known as the Garden State. I’m not sure what it’s a garden of? It’s still out for debate, but today I’m thinking it’s the garden of big boulders and granite steps. We made it through the first five plus miles and made it to “The Boardwalk.”

The Pochuck Boardwalk is close to a mile long. It stretches above wetlands that provide habitate for countless birds, ducks, eagles and other animals. It was quite an amazing feat to construct. This magnificent structure allows handicap and disabled persons, along with many hikers, a Birds Eye of the area. We saw tons of locals and tourists who came out to enjoy this beautiful morning. It was quite spectacular.

There was a bit of a forest walk that led to another section of boards that proceeded to a field. We crossed the railroad tracks and headed north towards the Staircase. I could see the mountain ahead and prepared myself for the final push. Just prior to the climb, we met Anthony. He was selling beautiful walking sticks that he whittles, then burns, making pieces of art out of ordinary wooden sticks.

Just before heading up Wawayanda Mountain, we truly had a climb today, Anthony warned us of a bear up ahead. I think Braveheart would appreciate seeing a bear as long as she’s not in front, and he’s not charging down the trail. No Bear was seen but we did see a large pile of bear scat.

Stairway to Heaven is a 1000’ climb in a little over a mile. The rocks are made into stairs in parts but most of it is a Boulder Field. I shouldn’t be so surprised with these little climbs but when I just restocked my food for five days. I was seriously considering tossing the food bag into the wind, like Nick Nolte did in “A Walk In The Woods!” If you haven’t seen the movie or read the book, I highly recommend it. It put the Appalachian Trail on the map like “Wild” did for the Pacific Crest Trail. There were a few things that helped todays’ hike and that was, the temperature was pleasant and the trees provided much shade. But those rocks and boulders! I’m really hoping that we can be done with them, anytime now.

A side trail leads north 150 yards from the AT to Pinwheels Vista on Wawayanda Mountain. The vista provides spectacular views to the west, all the way to New Jersey High Point, twenty miles distant by the AT. Closer than High Point, there are also fine views of Pochuck Mountain, and the Pochuck Creek wetlands. To the north, the Shawangunk Ridge is also visible. There was a drone flying overhead, and a soaring raven catching the wind currents.

We had a couple of miles more to go to meet Eddie, so the view was short lived. We headed over the top and started our descent. We crossed a creek which would’ve been one of the few that I’ve seen that had soaking tubs. But we had places to go and food to eat, so we continued onward. Just shortly after noon, we heard the Highway and knew we had arrived.

Eddie was waiting, and we were glad to see him. He took a picture of us stinky hikers with Whistles before us girls, climbed in his very clean car. I felt terrible as Eddie smelled nice and we we stunk to high heaven! He was gracious and never complained at all. First stop was lunch at an authentic Mexican Restaurant. The food was scrumptious and we licked our plates clean. Hiker hungry has definitely kicked in!

Eddie drove us to our rooms for the night at Rolling Hills Motel in Sussex, NJ. Braveheart jumped into the shower as I was sorting through our dirty laundry. Eddie and C2T went upstairs to their room, and within moments we all fell asleep. This hiking takes a toll on the body and food and rest is all we are concerned with. Just for the record, I did take a shower and then, promptly fell asleep. Oh how nice it is to have a bed, clean sheets and three pillows.

I have learned that Braveheart has not been introduced to the American Classics. As we were hiking a few days ago, I started singing “Follow the Yellow Brick Road.” She had no idea what I was saying. You’ve never seen the “Wizard of Oz?” She has a blank stare on her face and I’m like, who hasn’t seen that movie? After our nap and the motel owner finished our laundry, we indulged in American Cinema.

There are so many metaphors for the trail that come out in this movie. And many similarities between life at home and on the AT. Auntie Em is our C2T. She is always mothering us, making sure we have all our needs fulfilled. I am without a doubt, the Tin Man, with all my aches and pains, especially in the afternoon. Braveheart, oh she is the Cowardly Lion, overcoming her fears. While we were watching it, many of our sayings come from this movie. There’s no place like home, you ain’t in Kansas anymore, don’t worry about what’s behind the curtain, click your heels three times,… It’s priceless watching this with fresh eyes and an open heart. We have a list of movies to watch. One at every town stop.

We laughed and cried a bit, and then we went for pizza. Eddie and Couch drove us to Frank’s Pizzaria. It’s interesting here. Most places don’t serve alcohol. Luckily, there’s a Beer & Wine Store next to the restaurant. I grab my one beer and partake with my pizza and salad. There’s no corkage fee and no one minds that I bring my own drink. It’s the oddest thing in these parts.

Today was a special day. Braveheart made it to 100km. We did a happy dance for her, celebrating her accomplishment. She is a great addition to our Tramily- Trail Family. God has blessed me with lovely friends along the way, healed my knee completely, and kept the rest of this body firmly planted and upright on the trail. My ankles are good which for all who know me, your prayers are being heard. With over three weeks on the trail, I am feeling stronger everyday. I can’t say I have my trail legs yet, but that will come. I am so grateful I have C2T and Braveheart to share this magnificent experience with. What a wonderful and beautiful family I have indeed!

I don’t like sleeping in Shelters. Even though we were the only ones in the shelter, I just couldn’t get to sleep. At midnight, C2T gets up and both me and Braveheart sit up. We all were awake, tossing and turning but nobody wanted to say anything. Once we realized we were all awake, I offered up my Lavender Essential Oil. My friend Blue turned me onto these wonderfully magical oils that help with all things last year, when she hiked with me. Right now, we all needed sleep. I rub it under my nose and on my temples and Braveheart said to place it on my wrists too. We all doused ourselves with Lavender and within minutes, we were sound asleep.

With only five hours of sleep, we were all moving pretty slow this morning. The best part of Shelters is there’s always a picnic table and a privy. Sitting on a proper table heating your water, drinking coffee or tea and eating oats, is pretty darn special. The second and only other good thing about shelters is there’s a privy. A place to do your business. I guess the one and last thing is there typically is a bear box so you can store your food properly. So Shelters can provide some sort of comfort but I do not like sleeping in shelters.

Our hiking today, after lack of sleep, was hands down, the “best day ever” on the trail. (I’m stealing this quote from my grandson Quin.) The terrain was perfect, the scenery was gorgeous, and the AQ was great. We walked through these wide open grassy fields that went on forever. There were a few ponds along the way with turtles and bullfrogs, cattails and lily pads. It was idyllic. Definitely the best part of my hike to this point.

By 11am, we had made our way into Unionville, NJ. Both Braveheart and myself had resupply boxes waiting for us. We made it to the USPO before they went to lunch. Hours at the PO really can dictate your day. We carried our boxes over to the General Store where C2T was waiting for us. We found some nice chairs to sit on, plugs to charge our electronics and we entered the store to order Deli Sandwiches. It was all around a perfect spot to eat and hang out.

We talked to the Store Manager as she was hanging up flags and getting ready for Fourth of July. She asked where we were from and then I asked her. She lives a couple of miles out of town. So you’re a local, I said. Nope, she told me unless you have bones in the graveyard, or you have family in the cemetery, you are not a local. That’s the way it is up here. The people that live here, were born and raised in these parts, and they have grave markers to prove it. I guess that’s what it takes to be from around here. Bones in the graveyard.

After a couple of hours, we packed our packs with five days of food, grabbed a scoop of ice cream and returned to the trail. It followed the creek in the woods for a bit of time and then took us onto the country roads. We passed a house that had a sign, Trail Magic and had to indulge. We grabbed some drinks and sat for a bit, then continued on.

We walked along Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge for about two miles, making a large circuit around the marshes and ponds within. The refuge was created in 1990, and is a habitat for migratory birds.with Cranes, Egrets and Hawks. It was flat as ever, no hills, no rocks, just smooth grass and a perfectly groomed trail underfoot. A gal who lives in the neighborhood started walking with us asking all sorts of questions. Where you going, where did you start, where do you live, where are you sleeping tonight? The typical questions that most people want to know. She was planning to run a 10K in NYC tomorrow. She walked with us for a few miles then headed back to her car.

Our last bit of business was filling ip on water and yes, climbing one rather steep hill to get to the shelter tonight. The water was a spigot attached to an abandoned house that the ATC has acquired. It’s the only water near the shelter and was nice to turn on a tap, without filtering. The simple pleasures that we take for granite.

Once we arrived at the shelter, I found a somewhat level spot to pitch my home for the night. Braveheart joined me as C2T was committed to sleeping in the shelter. We all met for dinner, shared stories and laughed quite a bit. I guess there is one other thing I like about shelters and that’s the community of people, the hikers you meet along the way. It was a fun evening of sharing.

Today was an extra special day. C2T passed 1,000 miles on the trail today. Couch to Trail (C2T as I call her) started in February and was determined to finish this endeavor. There were a few nay-sayers who didn’t believe she could do it. She’s in her late 50’s, never been athletic, didn’t train before coming out here, and literally came off the couch to the trail. She has lost close to twenty pounds, and this girl can climb a hill like no one’s business. She is a force on the trail, and nothing is going to stop her. I’m so glad that we have met and I plan to finish this trail with her by my side. C2T, we are climbing Mt. Katahdin!

We slept at the Fire Tower last night. We decided to sleep all in a tight circle so we could keep a watchful eye out for any intruders. Nothing came but the Whipper Will. That bird was up at 4am singing like he was practicing for the Super Bowl Half-time Show. He had some other bird as a backup singer that went on cue. Whenever he stopped his twiddle-dee-dumb, and other birdie did his do-do dingle-dangle song. It was cute the first time around but after countless chords, I was ready to take them both out. Oh my gosh, how does one get sleep around here?

Needless to say, I was slow moving this morning. Around 7am, we finally left the confides of our Watch Tower. I took the lead, and we had a pretty easy morning. We still had tons of rocks, but it was an easy downhill. We hit the water source within a mile, filled up for the day and carried on. Whistles is a solo-hiker that we kept seeing the past couple of days. He wasn’t his jovial self, so after talking him off the ledge, we had him join us for the next few miles to the shelter.

We came around a bend, and there she stood. As still as can be. Ears twitching back and forth, and her fawn standing behind. Deers are so funny. They are super curios, yet always on guard. She looked at the four of us, and finally decided we were foe. She turned around with that big white tail of her’s standing straight up with the fawn right behind her. Gosh, I wish I could run like that, so graceful and beautiful.

We made it to Sunrise Mountain Pavillon which has tremendous views to Mount Pocono Ski Area and the surrounding mountains. The smoke is dissipating, and the AQ has improved 100%. Yesterday it was 260’s and today we could see blue skies with clouds. The AQ was down in the 140’s so things are looking up.

After a quick stop, we meandered down and up and down and up to Mashipakong Shelter. I know, crazy name but nice picnic table. The four of us stayed for an hour or so. I had a lovely lunch of tuna, seeded crackers and fruit roll-up. Braveheart heated up some soup, and C2T ate cheese sticks and bars. While Whistles had a jar of peanut butter he smeared on his burrito shell. Hiker food is not the healthiest but it is what it is. Calories, pure and simple.

After our lunch, we set our sights on the High Point State Park. It had water, flush toilets and a place to hang. The elevation profile didn’t look like much, but these ups are no joke. There’s no messing around, and prepare to head straight up the trail. No switchbacks and no mercy! It was rock climbing again but at least, it was short lived. I just would love one day of a nice smooth path. Is that really too much to ask for?

As we made it to High Point SP, Robin and Jim were closing shop. They had been feeding hungry hikers trail magic since 730am. But as soon as we came around the corner, they unpacked their car, and pulled all their provisions out. Braveheart learned about all the finest trail food like Moon Pies, Teddy Grahams, Kit-Kat Bars and so much more. What incredibly sweet people. Jim told C2T that he saves up all year so they can bless hikers with all these snacks, drinks, and food. It’s just incredible what kindness and generosity we receive on this trail.

After stuffing ourselves with more High Fructose Corn Syrup one person should ever consume, we headed out for our final laps. We climbed to the Highest Point in NJ, 1804’. That’s it. No 14,000’ passes here on the AT, just small mounds that take your breath away. There was an Observation Platform that provides an unobstructed view of the 220 foot tall obelisk. It was built in 1930 as a war memorial and observation tower.

We arrived at High Point Shelter late afternoon. There were several campers sleeping in their tents but the Shelter was wide open. We decided we’d sleep in there for the night, just the three of us. How nice. No pitching our tents and a guaranteed flat place to lay our heads for the night. Hallelujah, what a perfect ending to a great day.

It was cold last night. For the first time since I’ve been on the AT this year, I wore my puffy jacket to bed. The biggest concern other than cold is the fires in the north. Being I am without mis-information or news, I depend on trail talk and what I’m observing. Right now it’s smoke, haze and ash filled skies. Not pretty.

Me and the girl gang were on trail close to 7am, which I was quite happy about. We moved out and hiked relatively quickly. Before long we made it to Beaver Pond. It was perfectly named for the amazing work these big rodents do. I can understand building dams with sticks and stems and maybe some smaller trees. But these beavers are on steroids! The size of the trees they fell is remarkable. I’m just wondering at what point did they realize that they are gonna be hard pressed to move that hunk of lumber?

Braveheart took the lead. Me and C2T met Braveheart at Delaware Water Gap yesterday. She’s 22yo from Switzerland and has been going to school in Upper State New York. We were talking at the Bakery when she asked if she could hike with us? Heck yes, she’s adorable. She tells us it’s like hiking with two Moms. I’ll accept that. She has a bear canister, bear spray, and wears leather boots. She had read all sorts of stories about snakes and bears and knew there was no way that she could hike solo.

As we are getting to know her better, the name Braveheart came to C2T because she is attacking her fears. We were walking the trail after the beaver pond, and she’s leading the way. She screams! What is it? A Black Rat Snake slithered across the trail in front of her and you’d think it attacked her. We all stop and both me and C2T are taking pictures and videotaping this behemoth of a snake. Braveheart doesn’t even want to look at it. We explain to her it’s not poisonous, and it really is a fine snake. She’s not buying it. At this point, she’s not leading anymore.

We head up the hill and meet these two locals. They have something in a plastic bag. I asked them what it was? They found the shedded skin of a rattlesnake. I think Braveheart is going to lose it! The guy takes the skin out of the bag and they stretch it across. It’s close to 3-4 feet long. That is a healthy sized snake skin. Hey Braveheart, you want to touch it? She’s not too keen on the idea but reluctantly agrees and gives it a quick pet. We are going to get Braveheart over her many fears before this hike it done.

Ends up there’s Mountain House Bar & Grill not too far away. We decide that we are going to have lunch and dinner there and beat feet. What a great idea. Real food, French fries for all and cold sodas. I admit I had a local IPA. It was pretty darn tasty. We stayed for a couple of hours but needed to head to camp.

In New Jersey they are pretty restrictive as to where you can and cannot camp. The closest place was two miles up the hill. We crept up the trail and arrived at Culvert Fire Tower. We were the only ones there and pitched our tents quickly. Tonight is going to be another cold night. We all got comfortable in our snug little tents, laughed about the day and were asleep by Hiker Midnight. That’s 9pm…

Today was a busy day. First I had to drop off the rental car at Hertz. Not Today picked me up around 0830 with Couch to Trail and Right Way. Everyone needed resupplies of some sort. I picked up fuel, while the others bought food. By 0930 we were at the Delaware Water Gap Bakery, eating all the calories we could consume. We didn’t head out of town till 1030.

The exciting part of today is leaving Pennsylvania for New Jersey. I have it in my mind that NJ has a rock abatement program and the trail will be cleared of any pointed, rollie rocks. This couldn’t been further from the truth. There is no rock removal or demolition team. I was so disappointed. But what I do have is two new hiking partners to share the misery with. Couch to Trail or C2T along with a new hiker Braveheart, are now my buddies. This is a wonderful thing.

We crossed over into Jersey with hoots and hollers, and much fanfare. Seven States down and only seven to go. What a thrill. We walked across the Delaware Bridge, which sways from side to side and up and down, every time a Big Rig flies by. It was something to experience. Once over the bridge, we did a brief road walk and made our way back up the mountain.

We climbed for quite a bit and finally made it to the knoll which is appropriately named Backpacker CS. We sat and talked with one of the hikers and he asked us if we saw the four baby cubs that were in the tree? Nope didn’t see nothing as all I was looking at was the ground and all the rocks. He showed us a pic and sure enough there were baby bears in the tree.

We continued and walked along the shoreline of Sunfish Pond. It is one of the few glacial ponds in the area and is considered one of the Natural Wonders of NJ. Due to his high acidity, there’s only a few fish that survive in these waters. The Pumkinseed Sunfish and the Yellow Perch. They recommend not swimming or drinking from this pond. We saw many snakes as we bouldered over the shoreline. No Sandy beaches, just rocks and boulders. Big surprise!

We have a few vistas along the way but there’s many fires in the area and north of us. C2T had to get off trail yesterday due to a fire near Wind Gap. There’s another huge fire in Nova Scott’s that’s bringing a ton of smoke south to us. So even the East Coast has its fire dangers.

We stayed on the Ridgeline and stopped for a few pictures, but mostly hiked. We were trying to get our fifteen miles in but being we started late, it was more like a Foresthill March. I told the girls tonight at camp that we won’t be doing that tomorrow. More relaxing time and less marching time. We all agreed.

We got to camp at 7pm. That’s a bit later than I like but it happens from time to time. We didn’t get any rain, which was predicted, and could use to help dissipate the smoke. I made my house and laid down for a few minutes. I checked myself for ticks and grateful not to have found any. I headed out of my cozy home, and made dinner with the girls. Tonight was Chicken Rice Curry. I needed the extra calories so I ate both servings. It was scrumptious

It was 830pm before I got to my cozy little tent. Ouch, I hurt. Mainly from the fast miles, and my pack. However, the water is a bit closer and my food supply is less. From what Not Today said, we’ll have plenty of Delis along the trail so good should be plentiful. That’ll be a nice change. Real food to eat and bring to camp. I’m looking forward to this state of New Jersey.

Today was a planned Zero. I need to give a little back story. My sister Kari has been doing a lot of research on Ancestry and trying to find long lost relatives. She enticed me to play along and so I spit in a tube and started getting all this information back. I’m definitely Scottish, with some Irish, English and Norwegian. That’s seems reasonable as that was what we have been told most of our lives.

The interesting part is when Ancestry.com starts linking you with possible relatives. I received a message that I may be related to Chase Richardson. Being that is my maiden name, I bit. I contact Chase. Long story short, Chase is in fact my long-lost cousin, grandson to my Uncle Jim and Aunt Norma. Oh my goodness, he is my biological fathers brother.

Jim and Norma live in New Jersey and so I rented a car and visited them today. I haven’t seen either since I was 5 yo, which I surely do not remember. We all went camping in Sequoia National Park, one of my mothers favorite places to take us as kids. Jim and Norma moved out of their home and are now living in a Assisted Care Facility called Brooksdale in Florence. It’s a nice place with lots to do.

Uncle Jim and I caught up on the past 50 plus years and have much to talk about. Aunt Norma played Bingo and we all meet up in the afternoon. She won a stuffed monkey, which I now have possession of. It’ll be hiking with me to Maine. It weighs next to nothing and I could use it as a pillow. What a gas it was to talk with them both. They’ve been married for 70 years, have 3 children, 6 grandchildren and lots of great-grandchildren. I have tons of cousins after all.

Needless to say, I’ll be back to visit. I thank God that I had this opportunity to spend time with them both. Jim is going to be 90 this year, and besides his typical aches and pains, he’s doing quite well. I was amazed that he bent over to pick up some ice cubes that dropped on the floor. Had no problem touching the ground, and I didn’t hear any grunting. No one has heard from Willy, his brother, my biological father for quite sometime. He may have passed on.

I did talk to Jim about his faith. I needed to know. He believes there is a higher power, and definitely a Creator. I told him how much peace and joy I have knowing that my Mother knew the Lord, and we will see each other again. I’d like to be confident that I’ll see him when we pass. Jim said you’re absolutely right. I do believe that we will be in heaven together, and with that, we said goodbye. But this time, it won’t be 50 years!

Today I get to slackpack. What a joy, and what a difference 25 pounds makes. If you ever watched the Biggest Loser, they would lose so much weight and half way through their journey, they had to put it back on. What? They would have these arm and leg weights, belly and chest plates and then they’d have to climb hills. Each plateau that they reached, they would shed part of their old self. 10 pounds here, 20 pounds there until they were back down to the weight they were currently at. Well, today I felt like I lost 25 pounds! What a difference it makes on your feet, your legs and knees, my shoulders and every single joint in my body. I was moving up and down the trail that a spring chicken. And yes, I even passed up other hikers. That felt amazing too!

The day was pleasant. The temperature was perfect, a breeze was blowing and the sky was clear. If only everyday could be like today. But then, I’m sure of it, I wouldn’t appreciate a day like today. I was in total bliss.

Yet there is always one more pile of rocks to conquer. I saw a sign that said “Alternate Trail-Meets back to AT in One Mile”. That’s odd, why would you want to take an alternate route? Well, after about ten minutes, I found out why. There were slabs of rock that had white blazes painted on top of them. Here I go again. Climbing up Wolf Rocks was much different since I didn’t have, but 1-2 pounds on my back. I can’t say I was flying up the rocks, but I was definitely faster than my typical snail pace. When I reached the top, there was this Turkey Vulture strutting his stuff. He was facing the sun, showing his magnificent wing span to the world to see, and rotating from side to side. He was quite impressive. As I got a bit closer, he took flight and sailed through the air, so graceful and proud. What a beautiful sight he was.

I ever-so-slowly stepped down off the skyscraper of boulders. There were moments of smooth sailing, clear footpath and then, the evil rocks would return. Some hiker from a couple of days ago told me that once I was north of Wind Gap, the rocks were much less frequent. He outright lied to me. I’m still waiting for a day without rocks.

As I made my way to the first road crossing, Highway 191, I saw Not Today parking. Hey, it’s me! He was just setting up Trail Magic for hikers. He brought his grill for burgers and dogs, chips, soda and beer. I stopped and sat in a chair, had some yogurt and strawberries, drank a soda and scurried off down the trail. I still had another six miles to hike to finish off this section, so off I went.

Not Today had about 6-8 hikers that stopped by, ate lunch and thanked him for the unexpected trail side lunch. What a good man Not Today is. He runs his Hostel purely on donations. Like a Donativo, donation based Albergue that you find along the Camino in Spain. He truly feels this is something that gives him purpose. As I was talking with God today, I asked him what He wanted me to share with Not Today?

I moved along, stopped at Kirkridge Shelter, looked around and found no one. I signed the logbook and packed up my tiny little sack, and headed north. There were a few more smaller boulders to climb over and a lot more rocks.

I found a few outlooks that were splendid. In fact one was particularly pleasant as you could see New Jersey. It was such a clear day that everything was bold in color. At Mt. Minis, there was a great view of the Delaware River and Mount Tammany. It’s due north and is quite a hill indeed.

The trail dropped pretty drastically into Delaware Water Gap. Another vista overlooking the lazy Delaware River with kayaks and Sandy beaches. Looks like a great place to take a Zero. Walked passed Lake Lenape, which has lily pads, ducks and lots of green headed-frogs. Then was the final walk into town.

Delaware Water Gap is rich in history with much of the French and Indian War played out here. There is a huge Dutch influence and is surrounded by the most densely populated areas in the US. Hence the reason this place is a hub for tourists. Yet, it still has the charm of a small town with lots of shops, bakery’s and the longest running Jazz Club in America. I hit the bakery, and bought a 10-Berry Pie, huge Heirloom Tomato and a Georgia Peach. All I needed.

Not Today and his friend took me back to the Hostel. I took a shower again! Two days in a row, that’s magical. We all sat around the fire, as Not Today BBQ’d. He’s quite the host. I cut up that big ole tomato and grilled some onions. The Burgers were stupendous.

Not Today shared more about the house. His Aunt worked at the Retreat Center behind the property. It hosted Korean Presbyterian groups and was a spiritual center. He would come and help his Aunt with Hospitality, cleaning and bedding. When she moved to Orange County, he was able to acquire this 5 acres homestead and started hosting hikers. It’s a work in progress but he is right where he needs to be. We talked about his spirituality. I told him that when I was talking with the Jesus today, that he said you were honoring the Lords path for your life. That you are right where you need to be and God sees him and loves his heart!

As we mature, it’s always a blessing to know you are helping others, doings God’s will and being appreciated. Not Today is on his spiritual journey, right here, right now. What a blessing he is to so many.

I had a little visitor last night. As I was laying in my tent, not sleeping, I heard this munching going on outside. After sometime went by, I finally had enough. What is that chewing the cud outside my tent? I got up, as I also needed to pee, and without a headlamp, I exited my tent. As I was looking into the trees about 20’ or so, I saw this black figure. It’s not a deer, because they’re so skittish, it would be running for it’s life. Is that a bear? I squat and take care of business, get back up and that silly bear, is still chewing away. I look at him a bit more intense, rub my eyes, and look again. Yep, that’s a bear! He has no care that I’m here peeing in the woods. All he wants to do is eat ferns and fronds, the sweet tips that curl atop the luscious greens. I head back to my tent, knowing now I can get some sleep. I’ve seen my bear.

At 5am, I was awake. This seems to be my normal routine these days. Slowly, I packed up, made my witches brew, deflated my mattress, and prepared for the upcoming day. It was thundering most the night, so I’m thinking the typical weather pattern has returned. A little past six, and I’m off. Soot is just waking up, so I bid him farewell, but know he will catch up before lunch.

The morning is uneventful except for all the spiders webs, deer frolicking and frogs hoping about. Before long, Plunger catches me. I’ve never seen him before. He’s from Utah and hiking with a gal from New Zealand. Before long, Soot catches me and we all plan to meet at the upcoming spring. An hour later, I make it. Skippy, from NZ is sitting, making vegetable roll ups, while Plunger is getting water. The beauty of having a trail friend is sharing the workload.

Skippy and I talked quite a bit. She also hiked the PCT and we shared the many differences between the two trails. I have come to the conclusion that if I had hiked the AT first, I may not have continued this quest for long-distant hiking. It’s really not fair to say as I haven’t seen the beauty of the Whites and the wilderness of Maine. But these rocks of Pennsylvania are not my favorite. Funny thing, Skippy feels the same way. Okay, so it’s not just me.

We share our thoughts of different trails, and land on the Colorado Trail CT. Just as Plunger returns with the double load of water, Skippy invites him to hike the CT when they get to Maine. These two are easily hiking 20-25 miles a day, if not more, with all these rocks. Once again, I will never see them again. We exchange info and who knows, Skippy may return for a Continental Divide bid. We just may see each other again. I hope so. Plunger gives me enough water to make my way to Wind Gap. I too, leave the comfort of my pad on the ground, and wander down the trail.

The mid-morning is nice, a few more rocks to conquer, a couple of lookouts to explore and a lot of trees. I made my way down to Wind Gap and head over to the Gateway Motel. Sangi, the owner, is very friendly to hikers. I walk a few bonus clicks, and run into Soot. He is clean and getting his laundry done. Sangi greets me and offers me a free soda. “Anyone of your age hiking the trail deserves a free drink”. This age thing is coming in handy. When I was bunking at Bert’s Place, Popeye and Recon gave me the bottom bunk. Age over beauty has its benefits!

I debated if I was going to hike any further when it started raining. Hmm, that was a definite no. I called Not Today, who has a Hostel nearby. He said he would drive to the trail, pick me up and give me a warm bed to sleep in. Can’t beat that offer.

What a nice guy. He hiked the AT in 2021 and said it changed his life. He has been a much better person because of it and wanted to keep that spirit alive. His Aunt had a Bunk-House near Mount Pocono and he bought it from her last year. He picks up hikers from Wind Gap to Delaware Water Gap, feeds them, offers them slackpacking options and a cozy and clean place to rest. I’m all in. I could use a short day, and I just might take him up on slackpacking tomorrow. That’d be a nice way indeed, to finish up Rocksylvania.

Just to clarify, this is where the AT shines. The entire time I hiked the PCt, I stayed in only one hostel. The community that surrounds the Appalachian is bound with love and support. There is always someone buying a home, near the trail, so they can be part of this eclectic group of hikers. It reminds me of the church. Comes as you are, be who you are, and we will love you just as you are. It is quite beautiful! I’m so grateful for the incredible warmth and amazing love I have been showered with. I must say, the AT rocks after all.

Bert’s Place is a gem. It’s a family-owned and operated restaurant with rooms for hikers in the back. You have to check with the owner as they only have five beds. You get a shower, laundry and breakfast for $35. That’s the best deal on the trail. And if Tracey is available, she will shuttle you to and from the trail.

I wanted to leave early this morning because summer has hit the East Coast and it’s getting hot fast. S’Willy planned a quick exit, so we were up by 5 and out the door before 6am. The walk back to trail was roughly two bonus miles, walking through town, then a cement plant and back up a steep side trail that met up with the AT. I was tired just getting to the trail.

Then the climbing commenced. It was fairly steep as there was a vertical 700-800 in less than a mile. To add insult to injury, my pack was loaded with four liters of water, which weighs close to eight pounds. That’s in addition to my 25 pounds of gear and food, that I’m already heaving up the trail. I can do this. Well that’s what I thought.

So this little section is called Lehigh Gap. it is renowned as the steepest section of the AT. I probably should’ve known that before I signed up. I am deathly afraid of heights and this ain’t hiking. This is find a handhold and grab tight for your life. I could not take any photos because I was shaking like a leaf. Instead of playing Pickleball for the past six months, I should’ve been at the rock climbing gym. This is, not at all, what I expected. Hey Ravens, you never told me about this section of the AT!

After hoisting myself up and over countless boulders and letting go of my death grip on the rocks, I made it to just a plain old rocky path. Now all of a sudden, rocks are welcome. I can walk over rocks, I can almost skip across rocks, but I would rather just be hanging out in my tent. There’s still work to do and my plan is to get in some miles before it gets blistering hot.

I made it to a road crossing and saw a sign for Blue Mountain Resort. I like Blue Mountains and I love Resorts so I figured I better check it out. Again, more bonus miles but this sounds like it’ll be worth my while. A white cargo van is driving up the hill so I flag him down and bum a ride. He takes me to the top of the resort where they serve food and drinks. Hallelujah, this sounds like the perfect stop.

The gal ushers me in and puts me a table away from all the other customers. I can’t blame her. I look like a homeless person and smell like I haven’t taken a bath in days, which is somewhat true. I mind no matter as long as I can get a burger, salad and water, I’m as happy as a clam on the beach. My food arrives and I think it was the best burger I have ever had. Seriously, it was amazing and the wedge salad was out of this world. I was one happy camper.

After about an hour of relaxing at this fine resort, I hit the trail. There was a sneaky shortcut I found on my app. I had to take the service road to the top of the ski area. There was an obscure path cut in the trees and within a few minutes, I was back on the trail. Well fed and walking slowly. I made my way to a hunters camp and stop for a siesta. I know, this is much harder than it sounds.

I talked to a couple of hikers and then Soot came by. I met Soot on the train from DC to Harpers Ferry. We started the same day and keep bumping into each other. He finally got his Trail Name when he camped at this place that had soot all over the ground. By the time he was packed up and ready to go, he looked like a Chimney Cleaner. So Soot or Sooty is his name now. He’s from Santa Cruz, CA so we are neighbors kind of. He wanted to hike the PCT this year but with all the snow, he came over to the AT instead. Good call.

We both were pretty tired from the days bouldering exercise so camp was coming early. We found a spot that accommodates many tents but it appears we are the only ones who are staying. We’ve actually had a few thunderstorms and a bit of rain. We sure need it so no complaints here. We cooked dinner and then I watched Soot hang his food bag. This is always the entertainment of the evening. Throwing rock bags, trying to aim them where you want them to go, and not getting hurt. This is serious business as many a hiker have been smacked by their rock bag. Not tonight. Food is secure and the bears will go hungry.

I think I’m gonna head into a hotel tomorrow. I can pitch my tent on the lawn, which I prefer, but I need a shower and my clothes are in terrible need of washing. I’ve heard good things about this place and it’s close to the trail. Only a few bonus tenths. I can handle that.

Today was a day I won’t forget for a very long time, if ever. I was without words, and all I could think of was my next perfectly placed handhold and foothold. It was about as intense of an exercise that I choose to never participate in again. I was asking Jesus, why are we doing this? And all I could hear was “trust me”. So I did my part and He did his. There was not a single time that I slipped and felt off balance even with my pack full with four liters of water. I have such respect for climbers who do this for fun. I did it only because I had to. This was never ever fun! But it was a lesson that I will remember and hold onto. There are things that are out of our control, but knowing the Lord, makes it easier to do what needs to be done. I do my part and He does the rest. Thank you Jesus for being a great partner and Belay Person (Climbing Lingo).