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).

I had a toss and turn kind of night. Not sure why? I was clean and smelling pretty. But sometimes after sleeping outside, when you are confined indoors in a bunkhouse, quality sleep is hard to fine. But it was much better than sleeping in my tent outside, next to the Highway.

Up and out by 6:30am and back on the trail before 7am. I had a few bonus miles today, including the road walk back to the AT. Once I arrived, it was “game on.” Today was Knifes Edge. I’m glad I didn’t know about it till last night because I would’ve been fretting for the past few days. Maybe that’s why I didn’t sleep so good.

There were a couple of warm-up Boulder fields. If I was planning to slackpack, this would’ve been the day to do it. I started with a couple of low end climbs. Look at me talking like I’m some expert climber. Far from it. But I was getting across the rocks pretty well. The kid that was at the Hostel with me, Morning Glory caught up. We talked for a minute and then he took off. I’ll probably never see him again!

Then I saw her, Knife’s Edge. She is an enormous Boulder Field that look glaciated. The Appalachian Mountains, back in the day, were thought to be taller than Mt. Everest. Think about the Khumba Icefalls but instead of ice, it’s boulders as far as the eye can see. Yep, that’s what I had the pleasure to tackle today.

I decided it was best to take it in sections. With or without poles was my dilemma?! There are places that I needed to pull myself up and then there were times where I needed to balance on these slices of jagged rocks. All I could think of was I needed some holy intervention as this is not my expertise. And this darn backpack of mine was so cumbersome. Slackpacking is the only way to conquer this problem. Too late for that, so I just took a few scenic breaks and carried on.

Finally I made it through the maze of boulders and white blazes. Once back on solid ground, I kissed the first patch of dirt I found, and thanked the Lord for escorting me through. Honestly, my friends who know me should be scratching their head, and saying who are you? This is something more than this girl can do! Only with the Director of Heavens & Earth did this girl from NorCal do the impossible today!

There were other Boulder fields to conquer, other rocks to manage but there was nothing that was going to stop me from getting to Maine. I found a fairly level little trail to walk on and thought, I made the wrong turn. But sure enough the white blaze appeared. There are many times where I’m looking around for that stripe of white paint to make sure I’m still where I need to be. Sometimes all I have to do is turn around, and I’ll see a blaze painted on a tree for the Sobo’s (South-Bounders). That’s always reassuring.

I made it to Oven-Baked Shelter. It’s a proper name because it faces the sun and if you dare sit in it, you bake! I stopped for lunch and Recon showed up. He’s a Flip-Flopper I met back at Boiling Springs. He has a friend that he is waiting for, Popeye. We talk for a second and Popeye shows up. I recognize her right away, from last year when I hiked the AT with Sid. She doesn’t remember me until I recite the evening we spent together at a Shelter before Audie Murphy’s Memorial. I remind her that she was hiking with two other guys. Yep, Recon who is sitting next to her and Paper Clip. What a crazy small world we are on the AT.

They stay for lunch and make plans to hook up in town at Palmerton. I still have another eight miles and I have no idea how many boulders and rocks to deal with. When I check my FarOut App, it shows the terrain as a ridge walk but it doesn’t include the countless rocks and obstacles you need to clear to get down the trail. Maybe that’s on purpose as if it told me all that I was going to deal with from one mile to the next, I might reconsider this journey. Well, probably not, but it would make me rethink my strategy. This way I can go into it Willy Nilly and be surprised every single day!

The terrain at the end of the day was so much different than anything I’ve seen in the past couple of weeks. I came out atop the Ridgeline and there were no trees to speak of. The weather is getting really hot. It’s suppose to be in the 90’s this weekend and it definitely felt like it this afternoon. Finally, I started heading down back into the trees, and Recon and Popeye caught up. We all headed to the one and only water source for the next 20 miles. Oh boy, this is gonna be a thing as I head north.

We all cameled up, a term used to store water in your belly. Drink now and save for later. I drank a liter and brought a liter for later. Being we are headed into town, we will load up with water at the Hostel and plan our attack for tomorrow. I will have to look at the lackluster app and make a decision. But for now, I’m looking for Antipasto, Soup and Garlic Bread. It’s funny the foods you crave while you’re out here.

I heard something rustling around last night, but never saw it. The only thing I did see was the big bright moon. No one bothered me and I slept as good as humanly possible. I drank my “Death by Coffee” mixture which is the best darn coffee I’ve had on trail. There’s no other place that comes close to the brew I concoct in my tent. It’s rich and creamy, and you only need one cup!

My first few miles were piles of rocks. Not your typical rock pile, but a two-story pile of boulders. I took a picture but you just can’t get the scale of what I have to do to get to Maine. I equate it to Cross-Fit meets Ninja Warrior while carrying a 25 pound pack! It’s truly a sight to see. I’m not sure I trained properly for this portion of the trail, but it is fun, kind of.

After covering a whopping four miles in 3 hours, yep, you read that right, I stopped at AllenTown Shelter for a much needed break. The shelter was nice and clean, equipped with a broom if you felt so inclined to do some household chores. What I was impressed with, was the Privy. I believe it is the nicest one I’ve seen this side of Harpers Ferry. It had proper steps leading up to it, of course a rock to keep the door closed when not in use, a mirror inside just in case you want to check out your grimy self, and a toilet seat that was placed over the deep dark abyss, that I don’t need to explain. It had a plaque on the outside stating the $1000 it cost to construct it, the 200 man hours to build it and all the volunteers who took the time to complete it. It reminded me of our Ski Club “Vorlage.” The sense of pride and the volunteerism of a job well done. Very impressive indeed! However our club has indoor plumbing and not an outhouse. (Just for clarification purposes.)

After my deed was completed, I packed up and headed down the trail in search of the most important element of the day, water! It has been dry as a bone here, no rain or deluge that the East Coast typically boasts about. So water is getting scarce. There has been mention of a Spring but it’s barely producing, maybe a trickle. However, there was mention that another yellow blaze marked a better flowing stream, a bit further down. After a few bonus steps, I made it to a clean fresh supply of water. Needless to say, this is not the Mojave Desert, but it is starting to resemble certain aspects of it. Lack of water, thorny plants and too many snakes!

After getting my precious drinking water, I headed back up, yes up to the trail. My pack was sitting right where I left it. That is one thing you don’t have to worry about while you are out here. Everyone has their own burdens to carry and no one wants yours, or your backpack! The following four miles were the nicest and groomest (not really a word, but sounds right) I have seen in a long, long time. It was an old forest service road that was a bit overgrown, but it sure was lovely to walk on. I was able to pick up some speed and actually look around at the scenery. I don’t dare do that on the last few sections. I am constantly looking at the ground, and not much more.

So today I heard something I’ve never heard before. While I was sitting on the trail tying my shoe, a large female white-tailed deer stopped a few hundred feet ahead of me. She couldn’t really make out who or what I was, but once she did, she had this high-pitched scream of sorts and started bolting. Her two little baby’s came running to her and off they went. I guess that’s Mama’s way of saying “stranger danger” cuz those deer knew exactly what to do and where to go. Right behind Mama’s tail.

As I was getting closer to civilization, I saw these two sweet dogs. One was a cross between a tan husky and a terrier and the other was an older sheep dog. They came running over to me and I was thrilled to get some dog time. The husky took off but the older dog wanted more scratching. I have no idea who they belong to because there was no owner in sight. The older dog reluctantly went down the trail trying to catch up with his friend and then they vanished back into the woods. I hope they have a warm home to go to, where they get fed, loved and possibly bathed. They were looking a bit dirty, but who am I to talk!

I made it to the Highway and it is a speedway. Four lanes, undivided but thank goodness, there is a guard rail I can walk behind. I made it to Lookout Hostel run by a fellow AT Hiker named Yardsale. It’s a beautiful location that looks over the sprawling valley and Blue Ridge Mountains. I planned to hang out here for the afternoon and evening, then get back at it in the morning. The next few days will be low milage as it will be nothing but wonderful, beautiful, climbing rocks till New Jersey! I can’t wait 😛

One last bit of information. I know it’s hard to believe but I busted my very important hiking pole today. Ends up that Cabela’s has my exact pole in stock. After talking with the nice lady on the phone, she would hold the last pair for me, and credit my busted poles. Now that’s service!

Now all I needed was a driver. That’s where Bryan comes to the rescue. He is a YouTuber and writes Regular Car Reviews. He also loves driving fast, so bringing me gear, is right up his alley. He went to Cabela’s, picked up my poles and delivered them to me at Lookout Hostel, in one hot minute! We talked for quite a bit. His real job, besides driving fast cars, is raising awareness for PTSD in Law Enforcement Officers. It’s so important to recognize that our Police Officers are battling stress and trauma daily. He orchestrates fundraisers and auctions super cool cars, like the one he’s driving today. This, in turn, allows their non-profit to get Officers the support they really need. Way to go Bryan and thanks for your help today. Now I can relax, hang out in the nice hammock, drink a cold soda and enjoy all the hard-work I did. My day is done.

Sometimes it is “bust your butt” kind of half-day! Today was some super tough miles, with lots of rocks and elevation. Both up and down. I’m not sure how I got here, maybe a wing and a prayer, but it was definitely my hardest day yet. If my knee was flexing better, it may not have been as tough. No, it still would’ve been hard, anyway you slice it.

The morning started with a whammy. The USPO doesn’t open till 1230. Seriously, I’ve heard of banker hours but this is the job everyone would want. Sleep in, hit the trails for a morning hike or run up the rocks, come home, shower, shave-if you’re a guy, and after lunch, mosey on in to work. Perfect! Thank goodness the gal Angie who is the only one working at this fine establishment, shows up early. Being there was a three day weekend, Angie was anticipating a few extra pieces of mail to sort. I was waiting at noon and she did open a bit early, but surprise, surprise, surprise, my box was not there. I did receive a couple of cards from my Prayer Warrior Mary, which was exactly what I needed, before I went Postal. Angie said she’ll keep looking and if anything shows up, she’ll bounce it to Delaware Water Gap. The next town up the trail. So the saga continues.

I was running late so I hit Walmart first. Luckily it was right down the road and Shuttle Steve was there at my rescue. Once restocked, I headed straight up the hill. It’s gonna be one of those days. Not all days are unicorns and butterflies. Some days are dungeons and dragons, Fire-breathing dragons! I wasn’t in the mood to talk with anyone, let alone be the kinder and gentler person. I had work to do and that took more energy than I even knew I had. Lord willing, I was going to find some joy on this trail. Sure enough, once I got into my slower than usual pace, I forgot about my worries of missed boxes and days without green juices.

Have I told you about the rocks in Pennsylvania? Geese, this next hundred miles is what everyone talks about. It is a true mine field for over a hundred miles. You totally have to be “in the game” because this could end your long-distant career in a heartbeat. It’s game on, all day long. I should be a pro at jumping, well rather stepping, from one unsteady rock to another by the time I exit this fine state. It’s truly a mind game and if you don’t mind, it won’t drive you insane. I have decided that I love rocks, all kinds of rocks, big ones, little ones, ones that rock and roll, all shapes and sizes! You have to accept what you can’t change and there ain’t changing these rocks. It is what it is and I am not turning back! So there rocks, I’m gonna love you like no one else has ever loved you.

I’ve gone mad, truly crazy and looney. Lock me up and throw away the key. Well maybe not that fast. I started talking again to the nice and not-so-nice people of the trail. Honestly everyone, for the most part, are pretty darn nice people. I met another flip-flopper who started the same week as me. She doesn’t have a Trail Name yet, and for the life of me I can’t remember her real name. That’s the thing. Trail Names are easy to remember. There’s a story that goes with it. Okay, it Hallie or Holly, something like that. She’s stopping at the Eckville Shelter for a Shower in a Shed. It’s amazing what ingenious ideas Trail Angels come up with to pamper their guests.

I visited a few vistas along the way, just to have a break from the wonderful world of rocks. The temperature was warm and they are guessing, weather people are not all that accurate, that this weekend we will be hitting 90’s. Oh my, that’s a bit warm for my likings and add a little bit of humidity to that mix, watch out. It’s gonna be a thing.

I arrived at a pristine vista, Dan’s Pulpit. It overlooks the farmlands below and has a great place to sit and ponder. I was done for the day so I found a relatively flattish spot to pitch my tent for the night. It boggles my mind why everyone wants to camp in a shelter when you have beautiful places like this to rest your weary body. I’ll be relaxing and enjoying the sunset.