Date: 2004-07-28
From: Lehigh Gap, PA

To: A Hill of Boulders
Miles today: 15.8

When I awoke, my feet felt awful. It looked as though I would be grounded for the day. Someone had left some Epsom salts at the hostel. I soaked my feet in hot water and added the salts. After this treatment, the pain subsided to some degree, so I decided to push on.I walked out of town with Wipeout. A motorist pulled over and gave us a ride to the trail. The ascent from Lehigh Gap required us to climb a steep hill covered with boulders and rocks. There were few trees on the hill, thus exposing the rocks to the sun. At some tricky spots on the ascent, we had to use our hands to climb. The combination of a steep incline, the heat of the sun, and the weight of our backpacks, caused us to sweat profusely. But the climb was worthwhile because it provided us with great viewpoints.After reaching the top of the gap, the trail led us along a wide ridge where thousands of dead tree trunks lay upon the ground. The trunks were bleached from exposure to the sun. It was a dramatic scene. I was told the trees were killed from the effects of acid rain, specifically zinc, coming from an industrial facility in the region.The dead zone ended but the trail continued to follow what seemed to be a wooded ridgeline. The terrain was level but the rocks continued to hinder my progress. They were not as bad as yesterday. There were no boulder fields. I was able to find more flat spots¢actual ground¢upon which I could place my feet. Still, the rocks were a constant nuisance and my feet remained sore.I hiked with Wipeout for a while then slowed down. She surged ahead, planning to reach a road crossing sixteen miles away by day¢s end. There she would be meeting up with her boyfriend and taking some time off. My intention was to hike fewer miles and give my sore feet a break.Lately, obtaining drinking water has been difficult. It has been necessary to descend the slope of the ridge via spur trails in order to find springs. Today, someone had placed gallon sized jugs of water on the trail for hikers to use. It was yet another example of the generosity I have encountered on this journey.Late in the day, I followed a spur trail to a shelter where a hiker named Carp, a middle aged Australian man, was staying. The water source for the shelter was 1/3 of a mile down slope from the shelter. Uggh! I had to hike roundtrip over half of a mile just to get water.I ate supper with Carp. He has visited 78 countries and is an interesting person with whom to converse.Gather showed up and handed me one of my bandanas which I had dropped on the trail yesterday. After supper I shouldered my backpack, said goodbye to Carp and Gather, and walked up the spur trail to a spot in the forest where I intended to string up my hammock. Almost as soon as I arrived, a thunderstorm struck. I hurriedly set up my tarp and sat down beneath it. At my side was my backpack. The rain pounded on my tarp but I remained dry. But the situation soon changed. Water flooded the ground around the tarp. The water soon flowed under the tarp and into my formerly dry haven, threatening to soak my hiking shoes and backpack.I rushed outside, grabbed some rocks, and placed them on the ground under the tarp. On one rock, I placed the base of my backpack, propping it up with the shaft of my umbrella. I placed my feet on a couple of other rocks. For the next few minutes, I stood in a bent over position under the fabric of the tarp. The water flooded the ground beneath me. I could have entered the hammock (which was rolled up) but did not want to dirty up the interior with my filthy hiking clothes.The storm passed quickly and the ground absorbed the flood of water. After that, I went about the process of making camp. Tomorrow, I will hike twenty miles to the town of Delaware Water Gap, PA. I hope the nasty rocks will abate.