Date: 2014-06-07
From: Pochuck Mountain Shelter

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

What a treat to hang out with Ranger again. Great to hear his stories and he mine. Plus got to hear about hikers I passed or hiked with who are still out there just at a different pace. Got up insanely early. That northern sun - 5:50 and it was as bright as noon. Today is day three of the deli challenge. It's six miles away so again if I leave too soon they might not even be serving. I hung out a little but it's just too boring so I set out right after Ranger. Got to see something today I've been looking forward to - this awesome and impressive really long boardwalk over an immense wetland. It goes on for almost a mile. The echoey sound of walking on wood instead of dirt was a nice break. But the sound of all those toads and frogs and birds was so peaceful. I had to stop at every bench just to soak it all in. Nice way to kill some time for sure. Not far after the boardwalk I ran into a trail volunteer named Shamrock. Nice guy out with his dog trimming back shrubs and limbs. Some parts of the trail, like this one, are really well cared for. Others not so much, but it's all part of the experience and I assume this part is so nice partly because the density of people creating more volunteers willing to do it. Short while later - at 10:30 I'm at the deli. There's Ranger having an ice cream cone. If there's one thing I've learned to crave more out here it's ice cream. And milkshakes. I think I'll make it a point to have more at home. But as usual, Ranger informs me there's no deli! Again??! It's a farm so they do have some good produce and lots baked goods. I'm okay with that! Shopped around and got a lemon poppy seed muffin, a peach (another one of those things I've never much liked but for some reason craved), two donuts, a Sprite, and blueberry ice cream cone. All hit the spot but I had to go back for another donut. This was also a garden center and it was tough walking around knowing all the great gardening I'm missing out on at home. Especially when I hear it's been a wet spring for once. They let us fill up our water bottles then set out to climb Wawayanda mountain and on to the shelter. Only five more miles. The climb was rocky and very steep but nothing I haven't seen before. Being Saturday though it was mobbed with people. I got all the typical questions again. Once I passed the summit the crowd was gone and back to the peace of the trail. Caught up to Ranger at a rushing creek coming down off the mountain. It's hot here, even by Austin standards, and we considered getting in but both of us have taped up feet and don't want to deal with the hassle of that again so we settle for wipe downs and I decide to take a nap. It's only noon and I've got all of three more miles to go - about an hour. Twenty minutes in and I decide to just go to the shelter. Really simple hike and I'm here. 1:30. What am I going up do? I consider just moving on and finding a campsite a little closer but that's really only about an hour more. But I look around the shelter and BINGO there's a book. And not half of one. A complete not wet book. And it's the Andromeda Strain. I bet I can get through this quick. I decide to quickly type up today's journal while it's fresh and now I'm about to set my phone down and start reading. By the time I go to bed I'm three quarters of the way through!