Date: 2008-05-18
From: Gren Anderson Shelter (1320')

To: Just past NJ94
Miles today: 31.9

It was very nice out this morning and shortly into my walk I came across some bird watchers. Apparently a lot are migrating right now. They pointed out an Indigo Bunting to me, which was a beautiful blue color and they also said they had seen some Scarlet Tanagers in the area. Bird watching seems like something I could get into seeing as how a lot of what slows me down on the trail isn't so much the terrain as it is birds. Right after talking with the bird watchers I was walking under a tree and heard a bird chirping loudly and held still for a little while and I got a real good close look. It flew a little bit away into a tree and I got a picture of it chirping. Seeing the Indigo Bunting and the Scarlet Tanager really made my day and I kind of know what to listen for now with the Scarlet Tanager. Next, I got close to the NJ high point which has a huge obelisk on it that looks like the washington monument. The AT doesn't go up to it so I walked through the woods to it. There was supposed to be a side trail from the AT but I never saw it. Coming back to the AT from the high point monument I decided to cut through the woods a different way. I walked through a lot of brush, steep rocks, and a swamp filled with thorns. That was fun and probably not a good idea. It took me a while to get back to the AT and I started to get worried but when I reached the trail I felt very victorious like I had outsmarted something. It started raining after that and I started to rethink my plans for the night. There was a shelter that had no water and another one that isn't an official one and is just on some guys property. I decided to tough out the rain and eventually (after a couple of hours) it cleared. I passed a small wildlife preserve that was basically a large pond. There were a bunch of water birds (geese, swans, ducks, heron) and I also saw a beaver swimming alongside the trail. There were a ton of these little birds just swarming a few inches above the water. The rain completely stopped and the sun was out when I went across this large wetland with a long wooden walkway. There were a lot of noisy red-winged blackbirds flying around. I decided to go to the NJ94 road and camp near there because there was a farm that sells ice cream and you can get water at. I set my tent up first and got settled in case it started raining. I cooked dinner as well figuring the ice cream would go good afterwards. After I finished cooking, but before eating it started drizzling so I got everything under my tent and then it started pouring. I feel really good when I'm dry under my tent with pouring rain outside. By the time it stopped raining and I was done with my meal I was ready for the ice cream and was out of water. I walked down to the place but it was a little late I guess because the place closed for the night and I couldn't find a water spigot. The next water on the trail is 2 mi uphill and I'm all out tonight. I have my pot, measuring cup, and water bottle outside to collect any rain water but I think the rain is done. I should be fine though. Also I have some scabs on my scalp so I guess my head was bleeding yesterday. The weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow and I also need to resupply (I hope it's not a bad hitch). Today I got some bird watching, got the NJ high point, rain, sun, 30+ miles, and star gazing tonight. Not bad.