Date: 2011-06-23
From: Wind Gap, PA

To: Bear Mountain Rec. Area/Ft. Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 125.1
Weather: moderate rain

06/17: Hiked to Mochican Outdoor Center, 26.3 miles, plus two bonus miles to leave Wind Gap. Up early for pancakes at the diner, then out of the motel at 0530, and back to the trail at 0610. Guide says this is distance of 2.6 miles, but must be less, as I can't walk 2.6 in forty minutes. Overcast, fog, drizzle, SOS. One bouldering experience around Wolf Rocks. Into Delaware Water Gap at 1315, just as line of thunderstorms hit. Sat out the rain at Farmers Bakery, which is one of the best food stops. Hot dog and slice of pie for $2.95. Also had one scoop ice cream cone, where one scoop seemed to = one pint. I had tripped and fallen on my side earlier in the day, now while stopped I checked my camera (which I landed on) and found out that it was broken. Sh#@!t, second one. After rain blew through, back on trail at 1430. Looked threatening, thunder, but no more rain for rest of day. Rocky around Sunfish Pond, missed a turn and wasted 30 minutes. Stopped at Mohican Outdoor Center at 1845, thru's tent free here, nice spot, has soda and snacks. 6/18: Hiked to 'Roadbed' at 1319.9, bit less than 24 miles. Well now that I'm out of PA and in NJ, can actually see stuff from trail, and camera is busted. Sh@#!t. Still rocky tread, but not bouldering, rather now it's tilted rock slabs, not as life-threatening, but still dangerous when wet. Couldn't resist, at road crossing near Branchville, down to Blue Ribbon restaurant. Half pound burger/fries/slaw/pickle for $8.00 is great deal, but rides extremely heavy if you are going back to the trail, oof. Stopped 1815 at 'roadbed', because tough to find decent tent sites.06/19: Noises at 0430 woke me up. Loud thump, thump, thump, even louder snorting noises just outside the tent. Best guess is that I p/o'ed a deer by camping in its area and it was expressing displeasure. Too dark to verify. Discovered I could pushed to next shelter, great tent sites out front, guide said it didn't have any. Grabbed water and bandana bath in restroom at High Point State Park HQ. Into Unionville at 1300 for resupply. Horler's Store not so cheap, but turned out to be good choice as Greenwood Lake sucks for resupply. Left town at 1530 after nice break. Skeeters bad at several points today, swamp visits plus Walkill Preserve. Only have one physical complaint now, but it is a problem - my shoulders are killing me, can't get the pack to carry in a way that doesn't pull on them. Long-time problem with Mariposa Plus, but I stick with it. Better the devil you know, I guess. Now, steep bouldery climb up Pochuck Mountain. Saw first bear after clearing top, just 20 yards away. NJ good for wildlife sightings. Stopped sooner than intended because I lost track of road crossings, near county road 565, 24.7 miles for the day.06/20: Lots of short, sharp ups and down today. After crossing NJ/NY border, much rock slab walking, some which would worry me a lot if it was wet. One spot required walking sideways across tilted slab to get down, not possible with wet shoes on a rainy day. WTF? Slab walking goes on and on it seems, my shoulders really killing me, just want to get to town. Caught one thru who got turned around to SOBO by mistake, who kept asking me if I might be going the wrong way. $#!@, no mood to debate who's going the right way. Took the Village Vista trail down to Greenwood Lake, hit town around 1530. Feeling blitzed, I think I might have under-electrolyted today, as I am totally out of breath, which is what happens then. Walked into Country Market, tried to find Gatorade in their many coolers, took a while, very disorganized place and not a good choice for significant resupply. Snacks, then over to library to check website for Anton's at the Lake, called and found I could get what I wanted, not as close to main drag, but a nice setting. Matt (son of owners who are away) is extremely helpful, free laundry saves $$. Overhear that Matt is slackpacking a couple of non-thru's, I'm worried about hiking stretch to Bear Mountain given forecast, maybe I will do this? But have to think it over, really want a rest day.06/21: Hiked from NY17A to Arden Valley Road, 17.6 miles. (skipped the two miles between 17A and VV trail. Giving myself offsetting credits for those bonus miles walked into and out of towns on multiple occasions.) Got up early to find Matt before he took off, turns out the other two were going south from where I wanted to do same, good deal. Ten minutes to get ready, OK will slackpack for first time, today. Driven to start point a bit before 0800, starts drizzling shortly thereafter, but quit after an hour, no more rest of day. Short/sharp up/downs continue, plus slab walking, but not nearly as taxing with a day pack, this is addictive. Finished at 1530, Bellvale Farms ice cream place is good place to wait to get picked up. For dinner, walked over to Val's Deli for chef salad, good prices. Ordered breakfast for tomorrow early, they say they will deliver before I slack for the second day. Matt has agreed to take me to Bear Mountain area (mile 1395) and then pick me up when I get back to yesterday's start point.06/22: Val's never delivered my morning meal - later I got a message that the proprietor was in the hospital all night with asthma attack. OK. Hiking south from BM rec. Area at 0830. Heavy rain is forecast for today. It hit after I cleared Bear Mountain. Came down in buckets but was complete in about an hour. Turned trail into a river. Finished the slack at 1430. So now I am done with the 'deceptively difficult' stretch. And from here north? Probably just as difficult, just not deceptive, lol. BTW Val's offered free sandwich plus refund on morning phone message, so I asked for another chef salad instead, they reneged on offer and then didn't deliver in the evening as promised, Matt had to go get it. Haven't yet heard the excuse for this episode (relative died?).06/23: Zero day so I can update my journal :-0. It is late afternoon now. It poured down cats and dogs for several hours earlier. I have no town food. Need to hit the PO to send home my second broken camera. Also need to replenish trail food, since I'm eating it while stuck in motel. Rain finally let up about 1300 so I can get out and about. More heavy rain possible tomorrow but I will start north from Bear Mountain with full pack tomorrow.