Date: 2004-11-19
From: Rt 94 trailhead, Vernon, NJ

To: Secret Shelter, NJ....shhhhhh!!
Miles today: 13.6

13.6 miles todayShelterSecret Shelter, NJ....shhhhhh!! I went into Vernon, NJ this morning and had a sit-down breakfast with lots of coffee. I checked my email before heading back out to the trailhead at Rt 94. It was 8:20am by the time I had everything ready and started walking. It was a very mild night and still mild this morning. I think it was only down to about 50 degrees...much too warm for this time of year. I started out with a walk through a cow pasture and then headed into the woods. It always feels so good when you get back in the woods, even if it was only yesterday since I came out of them. I had forgotten that this was the area with the one mile boardwalk over a swampy area. It's just about as easy as walking gets. I took my time and remembered back to the other times I've crossed it. Last year there was a high school cross country team running on it and I wanted to join them, but they were too fast for me. The year before it was a beautiful summer day and I remember passing Spiz who was sitting on the boardwalk smoking a cigar. I think that was the only time I ever saw him smoke. He was sitting back with his legs up and acting like he owned the world. I hiked on and when I crossed the road, I started climbing. My map called it Pochuck Mtn, but with only a 500 foot climb, I think I'll rename it Pochuck Bump. It was my only real climb today and it was almost over before I even started. I hiked on to Pochuck Shelter and took about a 20 minute break. I signed the register and just sat there for a while. I'm in no hurry today, because I'm meeting Rainbow Slick in Unionville, NY at 4pm and then we are only walking another two miles to the Secret Shelter...shhhhh!!! I hiked on down the bump and came to the second area that I'm renaming today...Walkill National Wildlife Preserve. I'm renaming it to Walkill National Mosquito Breeding Grounds even though there were no mosquitos out now. When I walked through there last year, it looked like a black cloud following me...all mosquitos. I've never seen them that thick before and that was in the middle of the day!! I found a nice little stream and sat down for about 15 minutes enjoying the day. I hiked on in to Unionville, NY and went to the payphone and made arrangements for Hippie to pick Rainbow Slick and me up on Sunday morning at Culver's Gap. I came over to Horler's Grocery and bought a hoagie and found a picnic table and had a late lunch. It's still overcast and starting to cool down a little. I had to put on warmer clothes since there was a lite wind blowing through the area I was sitting in. I walked into town at about 1:15pm and Rainbow Slick showed up right on schedule at 4pm. I was inside buying donuts for breakfast tomorrow. I have to make my own breakfast and coffee in the morning. I sure hope I remember how to boil water!! It's been a couple of weeks since I had to fend for myself in the wild. We parked Rainbow Slicks car at the trailhead and walked the two miles to the Secret Shelter...shhhhhh!!! We got there just as it was getting dark. I've never been here before. I had always heard about it and how nice it was, but it was always in the middle of the day when I hiked through this area and I was never real sure just where the shelter was anyway...it was a secret. I can't believe how nice this is. It even has a shower with hot water!! I didn't waste any time, I took a shower before I ate and it felt great. Rainbow Slick is having a hard time. He keeps asking me what time it is. He can't believe that it was only 6:20pm when he asked me the first time. He's still on civilized time and is having a hard time figuring out what to do. I'm on hiker time and as soon as I get this entry done, I'm going to sleep. He even asked me if there was someplace close to the trail where we could get pizza at tomorrow...how would I know about food along the trail??Another great day on the A.T.