Mailing Address

We spoke to a Ridge Runner at the backpacker campsite. He mentioned that there was a campsite outside the state park. We made it to the campsite just before 8 pm and camped with Bump & Sassafras.

Adam loaded a second set of pictures taken with our digital camera to this internet address:  http://ato.ms/life/pics/at2/

First thing this morning Ken saw a bear cub bouncing along up the hill from the trail. No sign of momma bear.

The hike today was straight down the Kittatinny Mountain. To our left was a cliff all day. Yes, New Jersey has Pennsylvania rocks. Frequently we had good views into the surrounding valleys. We bumped into Sean O along the way and walked and talked with him. Conversation makes the miles go quickly. Lots of blueberries kept us happy, too. Sean O stopped for the day at the junction to Brink Road Shelter with clouds of mosquitoes.

We knew that a bakery was right on the trail at Culver Gap four miles later so we kept going. Our 20 miles was finished at the gap at 6:15 and the bakery closed at 6! Next door was a Grill so we had dinner. After eating we went up the trail a short way, found a flat spot among the trees and camped. Lion King arrived later and put his tent beside ours, all of us feeling safer as a group with the road so close.

We continue the Kittatinny Mountain almost to New York tomorrow.

We spent the day hiking on difficult rocky footing, climbing to Highpoint State Park, NJ. The day was clear and beautiful and we were hoping for a view of NYC from the observation deck but there was a side trail to a tower. The extra trail and stairs were too much after the rough trail and we still had miles to go.

At a road we met a hiker sitting by 2 packs and introduced ourselves. We had seen Snowberry's name in registers. Her hiking partner was getting water. We asked if they were going to the hidden shelter and she said they weren't sure where it was because they were carrying a different guide that did not include the directions.

We hiked on, saw one small sign that merely said "Well Water". We found the place! The setting was so beautiful with an open area for tenting and blooming trees in the distance. Rocks in the mown grass gave the place a landscaped feel. Thick fireflies in the grass were the finishing touch for a paradise ambience. We cooked on the porch, had a hot shower and slept in our tent. Frequently we were startled by the braying of a pair of donkeys. The well water is the best we have had on this hike. Thank you, Jim, for a wonderful place to spend the night.

Another new state - New York. We are walking down the New Jersey-New York border for most of tomorrow.

One hiker thought that blood transfusions should have been provided at road crossings!

Part of the bog was a wildlife refuge. All the land should have been sold to Uncle Ben so he could grow rice.

We got to a highway with a bakery/fruit store. We couldn't resist. After eating we decided to stay in the Episcopal Church hostel in Vernon. Good thing we did - it is pouring outside!

We climbed up 900' much of it stone steps that just made my best trail list. Steps and trail were beautifully laid out up a steep rocky mountain. Just as we reached the top we met a Ridge Runner we had met at the Secret Shelter. We chatted and she said since we were not in a hurry to check the nearby vista point. It was a great view of NJ and into NY.

We hiked down the hill to Time to Fly's house. No one was home, but a note invited us in. Later we enjoyed a thick steak and fond memories of our PCT experiences.

We provided our own trail magic at a road crossing with a sign that said that a new ice cream store opened .1 mile down the road. Wow! Nothing has ever tasted so good and so refreshing. We went back to the trail with new energy and dashed to a campsite above the falls. Low stone walls surrounded us and we heard that this heavily forested area was cleared and farmed as recently as 75 years ago. A square rock wall looked like the foundation of a building. Fireflies danced for us as we finished eating and slid in our sleeping bags. They are a treat that I will miss off the trail.

NYC was supposed to be visible early this morning, but we could barely see the next mountain. The fog was thick until late morning.

A road that we were supposed to cross led to Tiorati Lake in Harriman State Park. We took the road looking for a Coke machine and ran into a BMW commercial filming crew and lunch pavilion. They said for us to help ourselves! We used restraint and manners and only took a Coke apiece. As we were walking on to buy our 2nd Coke a man said wait here and I'll bring you hotdogs. We did as we were told for our next course! Yum!

After we had another Coke and put another in our pack for supper, we set out to climb a few more hills. The terrain got a little smoother, then we got hit with a thunderstorm. We could hear the thunder coming up the hill. The thunder seemed to roll thru the valleys bouncing the sounds back and forth. The rain stopped as we approached the shelter. We quickly cooked supper and set out our sleeping bags on the shelter floor.

We got up when the rain stopped at 6:30 am. Hiking was wet but nice and we really did not want a rock challenge with wet rocks so the trail led...down to Bear Mtn SP. Great! This was the cradle of the AT and includes an animal park of local wild animals (bear, red & silver fox, coyote, porcupine, bobcat) and plants were labeled. The lowest elevation on the AT at 124' was in front of the bear cage.

My head is spinning from starting the day with a violent storm at a rustic shelter and ending up in a metropolitan area that included bus loads of children out for a day at the park. This contrast is the essence of the AT experience.

We ended the day in a hotel bed. Ahh! Laundry is done; a nice meal that someone else cooked; post office business is done.