Date: 2003-06-09
From: Mohican Outdoor Ctr 

To: Unmarked Campsite 
Miles today: 11.6

Aloha! What a super day today has been. I practiced the art of meandering all day long. That's probably obvious by the low mileage. It's just been a gorgeous day and I couldn't find a single reason to rush to another shelter. (No hostel or bunkhouse for quite some time to come.)   I just happily meandered along doing something like hiking for an hour and breaking for a half-hour. Sure worked well for me. Must have for ChuckLuck too because he's camped here with me tonight.   Yes, you heard that right... camped. I've actually set up my tent next to a lovely babbling brook. No shelter, no privy, no picnic table in sight. Just the ground, some rocks and my tent. It feels so good to be back in my tent! Wuhuuu!   Back to today. There really isn't all that much to tell. ChuckLuck and I were both up and out long before anyone else had gotten out of bed. We didn't rush out the door either. A couple cups of coffee, a bit of breakfast, and some reading and we were gone.   It had rained during the night so our departure was through the dew heavy clouds.   Our first stop was the Catfish Fire Tower. A mere 2.5 miles from our start with no view to be seen for miles in any direction due to the fog and clouds, it still warranted a good long break. You could just tell it was going to be a good hiking day.   The rest of the day was spent exactly the same way - hike a while, rest a while, hike a while, lunch a while, hike a while, sun a while, hike.... You get the picture. Through tree tunnels, across wide ridgelines, over feet grinding rocks, and over boulder rocks we meandered. Views of the valleys below began peeking through around 10a and stayed with us the rest of the day.   The temperatures hit the low 70s at the hottest part of the day and water was plentiful. It was a super hiking day.   At one rest stop I did attempt to find an archeological site dated c.3000 BC but never found anything looking even remotely looking like a dig. I did search but admittedly I won't go far off the trail for many things. I have a personal .5-mile limit. Already putting enough miles on these feet, don't need the extra.   Along the way we met up with the ridge runner Jenna. Nice gal. We chatted for a few minutes and she updated us on the upcoming shelters. Our original destination had been the next shelter but had heard from Bob that it wasn't recommended. Old, run down and near a road.   He had suggested the Rattlesnake Mountain (gulp). Jenna agreed with all he had said about the shelter and added more saying that the camping sites were washed out due to all the rain. Knowing that there were quite a few folks heading to that shelter we chose to camp high up on Rattlesnake Mountain.   That was until Jenna informed us that it was all rocks. She recommended the place we're now camped - a wonderful waterside retreat. I'm quite glad we ran into her.   As we were setting up camp, all our friends from the bunkhouse and campsites along with several others from Delaware Water Gap passed by on their way to one of the next two shelters. If I figured it right, that would either make a 16, 21 or 32 mile day depending on where you started.   Those crazy kids! Yep, all were under 30.   We were joined by one of those crazy kids though --Chunky Monkey. A 29 year old from Austria, Chunky Monkey has entertained us with a European's version of hiking the AT. He's been such fun! And the accent is great too. He was hiking from Delaware (23 miles at this point), got to chatting with us and called it quits for the day.   I'm so glad he did. We've laughed the evening away while fixing dinner.    What he also did is offer up the last of his Jack Daniels to share around the tent sites (none of us make fires). With only a sip for me I left the remaining to Chunky and ChuckLuck. It was definitely tasty and warming going down but I'd still rather have a Bloody Mary. Wouldn't you?   So that was my day. With my Chili Mac eaten and my Oreo Chocolate cookie dessert gone, it's time for bed. It's been a hard day's hike and I'm just exhausted. You know how that can be. Work will do it to you every time!   But before I go I thought I'd tell you the best joke I know. Ready? Once upon a time, two years ago, there was this gal hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Along the way she broke her leg taking her off her beloved trail for good.   Or so the mountains thought. Two years later day she found herself happily hiking along, boulder climbing and back doing what she loves to do -- hike. In short, two years ago today I was headed to the Roanoke emergency room. Now I'm back.   The joke is on the mountain this time. (Tee hee!)   Now it's book reading time. Oh dang it! I've set up my tent! Whatever will I do for a pillow?BSandTs: a bit of sweat but otherwise too nice a day for anything else.AandPs: lower back - results of Bono's shiatsu massage!MandGs: I'm about to replace the batteries in my camera for the third time in four days. Something is not working correctly. Can't think it's all four batteries. Grrr.....and waah!Critter count: 1x red eft, 1x tiny frog, 2x chipmunks, 1x squirrel, 1x turkey, 1x possible owl, 1x possible Golden eagle. No bear -- thankfully?