Date: 2011-06-16
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Ft. Montgomery, N.Y.
Miles today: 109.7

Left Delaware Water Gap, Pa. and entered New Jersey on 6/11. I hiked to Sunfish Pond, the Mohican Outdoor Center, where I got soda and ice cream, Catfish Fire Tower, and Rattlesnake Mtn., before getting to the Brink Rd Shelter, where I stayed the night. There was a lot of mosquitoes out today. Sniffer found his wallet before leaving the church hostel at the Delaware Water Gap. The A.T. is considered very safe for hikers, although there have been a few incidents. In the register at the shelter I saw Bear's name. He is a hiker I met in Ga. He was really moving fast on the A.T. I never tried to keep up with him. This is something that can put a hiker off of the trail. It is better to hike your own hike. Trail registers are how the trail community can keep up with one another. Registers can be found in shelters, hostels, libraries, and other places on the trail. The next day I hiked to the High Point Shelter. It was very humid today. High Point Monument, a side trail off the A.T., marks the highest point in New Jersey. The next day I hiked to Wawayanda Shelter (24 miles). I stopped at the Jim Murray Property and took a shower, then hiked to the Wallkill River, Pochick Mtn., and Wawayanda Mtn. At the Wawayanda Shelter is Silver Fox and Him. I found trail magic in the Bear Box. It had a lot of food and soda. Silver Fox, Him, and I had a real feast that night. The next day I left New Jersey and entered into New York. I saw two bears in New Jersey. New Jersey has a lot of bears. I have only seen bears in Georgia and New Jersey, so for. I passed Prospect Rock,Cat Rock, Buchanan Mtn., and hitched into Harriman, N.Y. with Silver Fox because of a thunderstorm. We got a hotel room. We shared the cost. It costed me $35. He has been hiking with me cause his water filter went bad. I have been letting him use my bleach. Two drops of bleach to a liter of water is what I have been using on the trail. Then you need to wait 30 minutes before using. So far I have not gotten sick from a water borne disease. I also carry a water filter as back up. At Harriman I called Sheila, took a shower, ate at Quino's, and bought a few food items. The next day we left Harriman to the West Mtn Shelter. Went through Harriman State Park, passed I-81, the Lemon Squeezer, and the Palisades Interstate Pkwy. Silver Fox dropped his camera, so I went to the West Mtn Shelter to give him his camera. He was so excited that I found his camera. You can see the New York Skyline from the shelter. The next day I hiked up Bear Mtn. and arrived at the zoo on the A.T. On Bear Mtn. at 1,305 feet you have views of the Hudson River Valley and the New York City skyline. The Bear Mtn Zoo/Museum is the lowest elevation point on the A.T. at 124 ft. I didn't re-supply at Ft. Montgomery but waited till I got to U.S. 9 N.Y. 403 where I bought at the Appalachian Trail Market. It is on the trail. I am doing fine and still excited about the trail. Take care and know that God is walking with me. A journey always starts with the first step. Thanks to all the people on the trail whose have helped me so much with trail magic. DreamWalker