Date: 2009-08-05
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Wild camp south of Blue Mountain Lakes Road
Miles today: 16.9

I had a bit of a dodgy moment last when, half asleep and forgetting I was on the top bunk, I woke and rolled over ¢¦ rolled over towards the drop!! Something in my half aware head sounded the alarm and, with heart pounding away, I gingerly retreated from the edge. I don¢t know what the chances of actually rolling off were, but I have heard of it happening (whether true of not is another matter). It certainly might be one of the sillier ways to cut short a thru hike. Not wanting to take any chances I spent the rest of a fitful night ensuring that when I rolled over it was anti-clockwise, to my left and towards the wall!The day started with a long road walk through town, across the big toll bridge into New Jersey, under the interstate and then onto some minor roads before finally cutting off and heading into the woods. I wandered up to Sunfish Pond, according to my guidebook the southern most glacial pond on the AT. I didn¢t care about that though. It was just a cool place and wouldn¢t have been any less cool had it been any more northerly or, for that matter, any less glacial.I found myself a nice (if small) flat rock, took off my shoes, scribbled some journals and watched some of the small fish. It was thankfully mosquito free, something that could not be said of the openish ridge to follow. There were some views but nothing spectacular, so I was happy to keep up a fairly steady tempo that helped to keep the flying blood sucking hoards at bay (well most of them).Lunch was at the Mohican Outdoor Centre, just a short side trip from the Trail but a handy diversion for a soda (or two, as in my case) and to get some water. While I was there I also read an information board about rattlesnakes. It was very interesting and informative and helped me get a better understanding of their behaviour. There was also a great photo if one particularly inquisitive snake making for the front door of the centre and an article about an idiot who was bitten while handling one. Judging from his quotes he seemed quite pleased with himself. Judging from everyone else¢s quotes they though he was an idiot.It wasn¢t long after lunch though, one I made it up on the next ridge, that the nerve jangling roll of thunder once more accompanied my exertions. Would it turn out to be harmless background music, as it had been yesterday, or might it signal an unwanted early bath for yours truly? I feared the worst but couldn¢t be certain but I did know that this near constant threat of afternoon storms was becoming a bit of a bummer. It¢s hard to free the spirit and let your heart soar when you are preoccupied by how much of a drenching you might get and what, if anything, you can do to avoid it. Oh well, the burdens we bear.In the end I did get dumped on from 1.55pm until 2.15pm. The down side of which was that I got soaked. The silver lining on which being that the hot clears stuff that followed, more or less, dried me out again. Unfortunately though shoes and socks never recover that fast, a fact that undoubtedly mean a day or so of tender tootsies for me. Oh well, the burdens we bear.Not too much wildlife today but in the afternoon I did spot a frog that grasped my attention. And at this point I must sing the praises of the ¢Appalachian Trail Wildlife¢ card by Wildlife Press that I carry. It is excellent. Overtime, which you have plenty of on a thru hike, it certainly helps to deepen both your knowledge and your awareness of what surrounds you out here.   Initially it was useful for some birds and snakes. As time goes on you start to learn what to look for. You compare what you saw with the card; it was one of two but which one? Next time you know what to look for. And so it is with frogs and toads. To start with you are just pleased to say ¢oh look, there¢s a frog or a toad¢; then now and again, you spot something distinctive and can compare it (sometimes inconclusively) to what is on the card. Suddenly all frogs are not alike and today I was mildly chuffed to be able to categorically state that I had just seen a green frog. However, I was a little disappointed that it did not, on this occasion, deliver its banjo-like twang ¢ mind you in Georgia that might have been a bit worrying.