Date: 2005-08-26
From: Delaware Water Gap, PA

To: South of Wind Gap, PA
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: overcast clouds

16.3 miles todayLookout RocksSouth of Wind Gap, Pa. I was up late last night, so I didn't wake up until 7am. I was planning on getting my full use of the motel room since I don't get one very often. I had the air conditioning cranked on high and I was cold, but it felt good. I walked down to the continental breakfast the Ramada offered. It wasn't that good, so I walked up to the diner and had a Greek omelette, with homefries and toast. The food was good, but the coffee was lousy. I think I've got that upper class taste for Starbucks now that I make it every morning on the trail. :-))) I endured, because that's what hikers do. I'm strong...I will survive to have good coffee another day. Ha!!! While I was eating breakfast, hikers started coming in...7 in all and they were all sobos!! I can't remember ever seeing that many sobos together at one time. I finished my breakfast and grabbed a chair and went over and sat down and talked to them. There's another sobo at the hostel that is not a morning person. Nine of us sobos all together in one town...wow!!! I don't remember all their names, but I do remember Peanut Butter, Midnight, Hawkeye, Spud, Ottie and Tug Butt. It was great seeing them, but I don't think I'll see most of them again because they are doing low mileage right now. Three of them are actually 25 miles south of here on the trail, so I may catch them again. They slacked back to town yesterday. I went back to my room and took another shower and repacked my stuff. I called Honey Boy to see about going to his house in a few days. I met him and Carolina Scout in Maine a few years ago when they were finishing their section hike of the A.T. He seemed happy to hear from me and we made arrangements to meet in a few days. He helped Hippie and I out last year by driving us into Pine Grove so we could resupply and he waited on us and took us back to 501 Shelter. He wanted us to stay at his house then, but it just didn't work out for us. I'm looking forward to it this year though. I called Chief next and he squirmed and wiggled, but said he'd check with the BOSS and see if he can go to The Gathering in October. Hey Chief, if she lets you go, leave your pink tights at home this time. ;-))) I finally checked out at 11am and went to the bakery and had 2 hotdogs and 2 pieces of apple pie. Next I walked to the post office and mailed home the NY/NJ maps that I'm done with, then I stopped by the hostel to see if anyone was still around. They were all still there. One of them is getting college credits and had me fill out a question sheet about the trail. They were bad questions because they lumped too many things together. I said goodbye to everyone and hiked out at 11:50am. I actually had over a 1000 foot climb. It felt real good to work out the legs a little on a hill. I got to the top of Mt Minsi. It's another beautiful day with a nice, lite breeze and not too warm. I talked to a couple from a local college who was waiting on their friends. They told me about a Chinese restaurant in Wind Gap. That was mean...now I'll be thinking about that all day. I hiked on and there was a little mud on the ridge with some nice bear prints in it. I stopped at the Kirkridge Shelter and signed the register and got some water. I only took a short break because I was thinking about Chinese food. I walked down into Fox Gap, then back up to Wolf Rocks. On the way up I saw 2 doe running away from me and about 5 minutes later I saw a doe and a fawn watching me walk by. It's hard to see the wildlife in Pa because of all the little Pennsylvania foot messagers they call rocks. Every time I look up I trip. If I wasn't using my hiking poles, my 2 front teeth would probably be gone by now. I don't mind the rocks, but you do have to keep an eye out where your foot goes with each step...and I DO mean each step!! I got to Wind Gap at 5:15 and thought I might hitch in and have some Chinese food tonight. :-))) I stood there for 15 minutes and no one picked me up. I decided to walk and hope someone would feel sorry for me and give me a ride. That didn't work. :-(( I walked about 1 1/2 miles to where the Chinese place was and went in and ordered dinner. When I left I had to walk by a Burger King. Their hamburgers always smell good, so I stopped in and got a Whopper to go. I started hitching again and no one was stopping. :-((( I started walking and finished my burger when a lady and her mother stopped and gave me a ride. She said her husband is a hiker and that she's supposed to stop whenever she sees a hiker and give them a ride. Thanks...it was getting dark and I still had to get out of town. I climbed up to Lookout Rocks and found a pretty nice stealth spot to set up my tent. The trick here in Pa is to find an area between the rocks that's just big enough to fit my body when I'm laying down...that's a nice stealth spot here. The rest of the tent can go over rocks, roots or what ever is there. This was a nice easy day. I enjoyed the walk and I'm looking forward to Lehigh Gap tomorrow...and Starbucks coffee in the morning. ;-)))