Date: 2015-09-10
From: On Kittatinny Ridge. 

To: US. 206, Culvers Gap. 
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: light rain

The light rain came several times during the night, stopping well before dawn, (which doesn't come as early as it used to); so I had to pack up my wet tent, but not in the rain. It's a bit cooler today, but scarcely less humidity, especially with the cloud on the mountain. On Kittatinny Ridge, there isn't much New-York-style open forest; so the "long green tunnel" effect really closes in. you can't see much off the trail because of the shrubbery, and when you do get a "vista" which is just cloud, you still feel closed in. Following the ridge means that views in both directions are possible. When I could see something to the West, it was all trees across the Delaware River. I'm sure the Poconos are more inhabited than they appear from here. Looking to the East, I saw a few ponds early on and later some open land with farms & various kinds of resort development. The trail continued to be pretty rocky for a while, then got less rough: some rock ledges and then even some soft trail at the end. At Mashipacong Shelter, I met NOBO Papa & a section hiker who had built a large fire the night before but had also left the shelter register out in the rain. It was totally soaked, and I couldn't write on it at all or even turn the pages to read anything. He took off barefoot while I was having a snack, and I passed him a little while down the trail. I didn't see any other hikers on the trail all day. Such a contrast to New York last weekend with the holiday!I had to stop by Gren Anderson Shelter, partly because of the name, partly because I skipped it last time thinking it was some distance off the trail. There I found out that Wayfarer had made it to Mashipacong last night and was now well ahead of me. I went by the rock ledge where I cowboy-camped 2 years ago and then the nearby fire tower, which is being refitted for various kinds of communication equipment. Soon after that, it started to sprinkle rain, which continued off & on the rest of the afternoon. As often as I got the poncho on, it had to be taken off again. In a couple of visits to Culver's Gap, I have always missed the 4 o'clock closing time at the coffee/ice cream/sandwich shop. This time I thought I had it made ¢ 3:45! The door was locked. As I peered in the window the proprietor came out and said he had not had a customer since 1 o'clock so he closed early. I don't know why that would prevent serving ice cream, but he didn't see that as an option. He has a bench along the side of the building for backPackers to sit and rest their packs. I set mine down and started off to check on some of the other establishments in the area. He came right after me to tell me he is not responsible for anything that was left there. Definitely not as hiker friendly as expected! So I took my pack in the light rain & went on to the sports shop to refresh my memory that they don't really have much for backpackers there. I came back past Gyp's tavern, a place that shuffles all hikers out to the back (not so hiker-friendly in my view). There I saw one of the Princeton orientation groups standing in the rain at the end of their backpacking trip. By that time, it was just about opening time for Stout's Steakhouse. I had a very good reception there again ¢ as a backpacker ¢ and a good meal too. My plan had been to camp somewhere nearby & hitch a ride to Port Jervis, where I could catch a train to Penn Station, subway to Port Authority Bus Terminal, & then a bus to Albany to meet Susan. Every time I looked out the window, the rain was heavier than before, making parts of my plan less appealing. Suddenly, in burst SOBO Yoseki Skywalker, clad only in rain jacket & underwear, asking to use the rest room to change clothes. He's from California & started several weeks after I did. As he ate, we concluded that it was best to go to the Forest Motel 2 miles up the road if they come pick us up, which they did after 112 hours or so. Restaurant wasn't full, & we had no place else to go. The motel is 1950s-style, but remarkably well kept up for its age. While looking for ways to get to Poet Jervis, I discovered another bus company that goes directly to Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC, solving any transfer problem. I negotiated with the motel owner to give me a ride in the morning to where I could catch a bus. His price was the same as the taxi company's, but I wanted to give him the business.