Date: 2015-06-22
From: Delaware Water Gap - Pocono Inn

To: Rattlesnake Spring
Miles today: 13.5

Red Panda is in love (again!).New Jersey is amazing! So pretty and not terrible! I feel like I have only ever heard bad things about New Jersey (except from Chris, who apparently loves the state. I don't know if I have heard anything about the trail in New Jersey, though.Even in the blazing sun and heat today, the hike was beautiful. I can finally understand why it's called the Garden State. I actually felt, at times, like I was walking through a garden.I admit, I had no idea that I was in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area until we were close to town yesterday and saw all the signs. Yup, I am that clueless.I always wish that I knew more about the places the trail crosses through. Whose land am I on? Where am I?! I wish I had all of the topo maps for the trail, but to carry all of them would be crazy and impractical.Anyway, it is gorgeous. And every single day, the trail feels more like home. Today I heard a Phoebe!I collected my mail drop and package from Alexa this morning. Ranger Alexa and Ranger Kate both sent me gifts! Awesome protein (powdered peanut butter! I am so excited for protein... what is my life becoming?) and delicious chocolate from Alexa, and $20 and a bandana from Kate. And it GLOWS IN THE DARK. My inner child was jumping up and down when I saw the sticker telling me so.Mom sent me my new running shoes and I had to decide whether to try them out or keep the Merrells. I decided to stick with them since they have been treating me fairly well so far. So the running shoes were sent back.After collecting boxes, I headed back to the Stephen King-esque motel and sorted my stuff. I also, since I had gotten a disposable razor with my mail drop, shaved my legs, stripling from the waist down in the tub. Yup, I still shave my legs. I plan on continuing to do so. I can't do hairy legs. Plus I feel like it's harder for ticks to grab on if there's no hair. That is probably a ridiculous idea, but whatever. It makes me feel better! Plus nicely shaven legs will feel so wonderful against my new fleece liner. Who needs silk sheets?!The only bad thing is that I realized, as I was bathing in a culvert tonight with some frogs and a dead caterpillar, that I forgot to shave my pits. My pits are sooo hairy now. It has been so long since I took a razor to them. I feel lopsided now. Oops. Oh well!As we were leaving Shiningland, Redback was making her way back from the gas station with two quarts of chocolate milk. It seems like the Aussie Legs are always drinking chocolate milk. I really wanted some, but compromised with my inner "healthy" self and bought a yogurt instead. Also, I didn't think I should try to drink a quart of chocolate milk. Bad idea. Especially after I had just sampled so many of the snacks from my mail drop.We considered hanging around town to see Scott Jurek (who is running the trail, trying to break the record and make it from Springer to Katahdin in 42 days) pass through, but I wasn't really that concerned with it. Chris, Coco, and Magnus were more interested than I was but we didn't stick around to wait. I think it would have been cool to see him, but I don't think that I missed out.Then, the hike! We crossed the I-80 bridge over the Delaware River, and bid goodbye to Pennsylvania. One more state down! Chris was happy to say goodbye. I think Pennsylvania was his least favorite state. It didn't bother me that much. The rocks sucked, but were also really amazing. I feel sad to say goodbye to every state. Every landmark passed (we hit the 1300 mile mark today as well) is exciting, but also brings the realization of how fast time goes by. I will say that I WAS happy to get off that freaking bride though. I felt like my skin was scorching as I waited for Chris to post his border-crossing picture on the internet. It was SO HOT. I felt like dying. I wanted to smack him (and I am usually a very nonviolent person) and drag him into Jersey so I could find some shade and stop dripping from head to toe.So I am now onto state #8. And New Jersey is SO PRETTY. We passed by the backpacker's campground, which was like a mini-meadow. It would have been a great on-trail nero spot. I collected some rather questionable-looking water nearby. It was a bit orange. I drank it anyway, it was like 600 degrees out today, I needed the hydration.We also skirted Sunfish Pond, the sky rolling blue overhead. On top of Kittatinny Mountain, we ran into Renne and her mom. Chris spotted a bear and gestured us over to look enthusiastically. I wasn't quick enough with my phone, but Renne got an excellent picture before he disappeared.The view from the mountain was amazing. There were actually quite a few great views today! Pennsylvania didn't have many good views. Just rocks. ROCKS ROCKS ROCKS. The rocks did not magically vanish as soon as we crossed the border... but there were certainly not as many of them today.I did not fall on the rocks today. I did, however, trip over a branch laying across the trail. It made me extra glad that I made improv alcohol wipes by cutting up my napkins from Sharon and soaking them in my rubbing alcohol from the gas station, because every day I seem to end up bleeding somehow.Although we weren't supposed to (I couldn't resist!), we climbed up the Catfish Lookout Tower. My heart soared just like the turkey vultures on the thermals (aren't I poetic?).We missed Irish's trail magic because he was too far away from the trail to see, and the sign he made wasn't super clear about where we were supposed to go. Firebear did give me two M&M cookies that she took from the magic, though, and later also gave me two chocolate-covered caramels from the Aussie Legs' giant mail drop from a friend. It was a good night for my tummy (though maybe not my butt).The Aussie Legs are my campsite companions tonight! They set up camp much more diligently than I did. I didn't put my rain fly on my tent. I want to see stars! If I can stay awake that long, that is...Muddy Duckling, observing my lack of rain protection, said, "You're playing with fire there!", but it isn't supposed to rain tonight. I didn't even stake my tent down... why waste unnecessary effort?! It's not windy! I am confident that it's not going to go anywhere, especially with me inside of it.Chris came over and sat with us for dinner. We hung our fat bear bags (the Aussies with some difficulty since theirs is HUGE with food for 3 people). I hung my cookset and toiletries tonight as well since we are in bear country.ar saw a bear today, too. The Aussies have never seen a bear before!There are fireflies out tonight, and a whippoorwill singing in the distance (it's far enough away that I actually don't want to strangle it).Since I am eager to get north and close to home, and Chris has to slow down a bit so he can visit his friends this weekend, I will be hiking alone tomorrow. I have lots of thoughts on this to share, and hope to have a good chunk of journal time tomorrow.But for now... sleep!I am thankful for friends near and far and PROTEIN! I am thankful for another beautiful state to enjoy, for Delawarean chocolate gifts (yummm), and for fresh air flowing through my tent. I love my portable little house.