Date: 2005-12-30
To: Prep Hike # 7
Miles today: 0.0

12/30/05 (5 miles today)   I was up by 7:00 AM packed and ready to go. I had to wait on DeJaVue, who is working in the mornings now.   We did not get on the road until 10:30 AM.   We were heading up to the Delaware Water Gap to stretch our legs, before heading over to the Lehigh Gap.   Stopped off at a Subway Sandwich just before getting to the Water Gap. Would be nice to find several of these along the trail as I hike.   Weather is not too bad, it is sunny and about 30 degrees out as we get to the parking area.   I will be trying out hiking poles on this trip to see how I like them. We decided to hike up the Mt. Tammany trail which is a 2.5 mile trail to the top of Mt. Tammany near Indian Head. As we were hiking up, DeJaVue mentioned about the first time he had the entire family hiking up here, I think I was about 11 then, and how when we saw a deer in the one area, we used the tall grass to stalk it, we would get within 5-10 feet before the deer would take off and the game continued.   Trail to the top is steep in parts and had some snow and ice coverage on the rocks which made more of a challenge. DeJaVue loves the up hills in hiking, and took off, I kept thinking I would see him on the next rise, or the next but as I neared the top, thought I would see him hiking back down. I found DeJaVue at the top talking to a father and young daughter about the trail. The girl was about 10 years of age and sat cross legged, leaning forward to listen as he talked, could this be a future thru hiker now?   I took a picture across the gap at Mt. Minsi, would be hiking over there in three days.We had to be a bit more careful coming down the ice, snow and rocks to the gap.   I took a nap as we drove to the Lehigh Gap. DeJaVue showed me where the trail went up out of the gap North bound. We drove into Palmerton and he showed me where the "Jail House Hostel" was. Being car supported we could not spend the night there, but when I come thru on my thru hike, I plan on making it a stop.   DeJaVue had made arrangements with Abe Fine of Fine Lodging in Slatington to stay there for the night. It is about 2.5 miles from the Lehigh Gap. I was told that this is hiker lodging, it was an older place and the room was small, one bed and a roll away. There was a common bathroom down the hall, but at $33.00 total it was priced right. Abe warned us that it was a Friday night and a bar was across the street, so we may hear some noise. Abe asked us if we needed a shuttle in the morning or if he could assist us in any way. Mr. Fine is hiker friendly.   I did not sleep all that good, and seemed that DeJaVue did not either. 12/31/05   (10.8 miles for the day)    Up and packed at 7:00 AM, walked two doors down to the Slatington Diner for breakfast. Good size portions and good prices too. As we were walking back to our car, it started to snow.   Drove up to Little Gap and arrived to see a group of hunters heading off into the woods along the AT.   With places named Metallica spring and pocono acid bog in the area, I was glad we had brought our own water.    I had a headache and took some Advil, not into the vitamin " I " yet. The hike up out of the gap was not headache friendly, so I took my time. Snow was now covering the trail, so any markings on the rocks were now covered too. Blue Mountain Ski Area is on the left side of the trail as you hike north. Hit a few stretches where the snow was 4-6 inches deep from the blow over of snow making.   I had heard about the rocks of Pennsylvania and if this was not bad enough, now here I was with snow hiding some of them.   Just over 3 miles we came to a side trail to an overlook, all you could see was snow, snow, & clouds. We passed a trail to a spring with a register box, to report on the condition of the spring. This seemed like a good idea. Snow turned to sleet, and back several times.   DeJaVue said that the area before the Leroy Smith Shelter is where Red Rocket saw his first rattlesnake on the trail. I told him that I did not expect to see any snakes today, if so they would be rattling because they were cold. DeJaVue found a live shotgun shell on the trail. He picked it up and put it in his pocket, would not want some youngster to find it and toss into a fire or injure themselves. An hour later we came upon a hunter in all camouflage, he was hunting with a flint lock, but said he had shotguns, so we gave him the shell. At Smith Gap there were several trucks parked there, one was running with hunters sitting inside. We were taking a break here and having snacks when one went to get out of the driver's side and slipped on the ice. He was able to grab the door to prevent falling all the way, and I turned quickly so he would not see me laughing, not nice to laugh at guys with guns, at least where they can see.    We got to the Leroy Smith Shelter at about 2:30 PM and were the only ones at the shelter.   I went down for water at the spring. When I came back, DeJaVue had set up the tent in the shelter. He said that he did not expect to have anyone else out on New Years Eve. Heated up water for dinner, Mountain House Lasagna w/meat & hot chocolate. Had just put the water in and set it down for the waiting time, when a group carrying sleeping bags and packs came hiking up to the shelter. DeJaVue hurried up to take down the tent and we moved our gear to the right side of the shelter. Four of the five were going to be spending the night here. The fifth one was the father of one of the women. He helped gather fire wood for them and start a fire. The two couples who were spending the night were in their late teens-early twenties. They lived down the hill at the base of the trail coming up to this shelter. They had plans to do the Long Trail this summer, so may see them again.   I turned in at about 4:30 PM time to play catch up on some sleep. DeJaVue turned in around 5:00 PM.   One of the other group got a cell phone call around 6:00 PM and they all left to hike the 1/2 mile back down the mountain. The phone had woke up DeJaVue too, and we talked for a bit, then back to happy nappy land. Mother nature called in the middle of the night, and was just leaving the privy, when I saw DeJaVue coming up hill. He was not on the trail to the privy, but said the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, (ok, even if thru the stickers).01/01/06   (13.8 miles for day)    HAPPY NEW YEARS!! Woke up around 6:50 AM as it was just getting light. Laid in sleeping bag and watched as it got lighter, and then the Sun start to peak up over the hills in front of the shelter. The snow accumulation of snow was only about an inch. Heated up water for my breakfast of oatmeal and hot chocolate. Looks like it is going to be a good day for hiking.   As we hiked along, could see a lot of animal tracks in the snow. DeJaVue knew what most of them were and I needed no help in telling what one set of tracks were, not by the shape but the smell left behind, skunk, hope we don't run into him.   We came across our first human tracks at Hahn's Lookout. Guess someone had hiked up to here to watch the sunrise, and then back. Did not look like a bad place to view this. When we got to Wind Gap, and walked up to the Gateway Motel. Stopped at the office and got water for the rest of the days hike.       I had picked up DeJaVue, SONGBIRD & Red Rocket's packs here in 2003, so that they could FREEDOM PACK to the Delaware Water Gap. Picture cards of Thru hikers on Katahdin were on a board in the office, one from September with blue sky and sunshine, one from October 5th, cloudy and snow covered.    Leaving Wind Gap, the trail climbs 500 ft over the next mile, a mile and a half later it comes to a gravel driveway, stopped and had lunch here. Dog tracks could be seen going both up and down the driveway, but not human tracks.   We hiked about two more miles when we came across deer tracks with blood droppings about every four feet. I wondered just how bad the deer was injured and if it even survived. Well the hunter who shot it did not get it, but sure the other animals will help themselves.    We got to Wolf Rocks and the trail disappeared on us. The rocks are an obstacle in themselves, but add to that being snow cover, or should I say ice covered rocks with snow on top, and it becomes a nightmare. I let DeJaVue lead here as he has hiked this area several times before. They say this is the southern most advance of the glacial period and seems the rocks were large and dumped in any order, some flat, some standing on edge, other at 45 degrees.   DeJaVue had just started on the down when he hit a slippery patch of ice covered snow and fell. Must of been a popular spot, because he found a hand held walkie talkie when he did. He said the batteries were dead, and I told him, if they were not, we would be looking for the person(s) in the area. Not sure if the ATC should come up with a winter trail around these rocks like they have at the Lehigh Gap. When we got to Fox Gap, it seemed like an army of hikers had headed north from here. All the snow was off the trail because of all the hikers. Got to the side trail for the Kirkridge Shelter and met two people coming down from the shelter. They did not seem to speak much English, but were able to get out of them that no one else was at the shelter.    The Kirkridge Shelter is in need of some repair work to the floor, it slopes to the left and front as you look at it. The picnic table is chained, but the chain is too sort to allow in to be placed under any of the overhanging roof so it can be use during foul weather.   DeJaVue asked if I wanted to go for water, and I told him it was his turn, I went yesterday. He grabbed his Nalgene bottle, water filter, and the Water Bag, and went off the blue blazed trail. A few minutes later I turned on my cell phone to see what time it was, and the next thing I knew was DeJaVue was calling me. DeJaVue advised that the water was capped, the Retreat closed and that he would be walking out to the road to find water. He said to use what water we had left in the platypus's to make my dinner.   DeJaVue later said that when he got to Rt. 191 that the third vehicle stopped and picked him up. It was an older couple in a Van, and they took him all the way into Foxtown Gap to get water at a restaurant. He asked the girl inside if she could fill up his Nalgene bottle and water bag for him.   When he came out of the restaurant, the couple was still there and asked if he needed a ride back up to the gap? Trail Angels even in the winter. We had enough water left over for me to make my dinner and when I was done, I had enough to put on for DeJaVue's dinner when he got back. Perfect timing, he got back just as the water was boiling.   After dinner and cleanup, we were getting ready to turn in when DeJaVue went to take a drink of water from his Nalgene bottle. It turned out that the woman at the diner had filled it with Lemonade.   He put the Nalgene bottle between our heads so we could get drinks during the night. The shelter is near a flight path for one of the airports, either in NY or Newark as planes could be heard overhead most of the night. At 4:00 AM a trail came thru down below, and the whistle could be heard as it came to road crossings.   DeJaVue heard the pitter patter of little feet, shortly after this, he checked our food bag and nothing in area where it was hanging. A minute later he heard it near his pack, all food had been removed, tooth paste, deodorant, and pockets left unzipped, so he when back to sleep. 01/02/06 (7.6 miles today)      I woke up again just before Sunrise. No foliage on the trees so it was not a bad view. Lots of reds, and one large cloud even appeared to have a column holding it up. The old saying is:"Red in Morning Sailor take warning!" I may be a hiker, but still put my rain gear on top. Just as we were about to leave, I saw a chipmunk come out from the right back corner of the shelter floor, guess it was his foot steps that DeJaVue had heard during the night. Seems that the army of hikers from the day before got off the trail in Totts Gap. Only two set of footprints on the trail after that. The trail follows along top of ridge line on an old forest service road and is very easy hiking. Noticed that one of the other set of tracks was also about a size 14, just my size. We we arrived at the old tower site at the top of Mt. Minsi we found turkey tracks. We were taking a break here when we heard them in the brush, never did see them tho. The trail down was slippery, with the ice, snow and wet leaves. I took a small fall at one point, and the poles went flying. Good thing I was wearing gloves, they protected my hands. I have found out that I do like to hike with the poles. DeJaVue says they will help save my knees on the hike, but then he does not use them? We took a break at Lake Lenape, and DeJaVue went to check out a small Christmas Tree that was decorated near the lake. He said there was a small homemade plaque there in reference to a local youth who had been killed in Iraq, and the Marine Prayer. I said a prayer for him and all those who serve our Country. Walked into the town or village of Delaware Water Gap. Town seems all closed up for the winter season, so we just hiked on.   Walking across the Rt. 80 Bridge and could feel the movement as the big tractor trailers went by. We got to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Visitors Center at 11:15 AM. The center was closed still due to damage from the flood in the spring of 2005.   I changed into some dry clothes as we waited for SONGBIRD to arrive. She was driving up to shuttle us back to Little Gap to get our car. Two women from Norway and their friend who now lives in NYC came up and were taking to us. He was asking DeJaVue about places to hike in the area, and they were asking me all about my planned hike. This helped pass the time away and shortly after noon SONGBIRD and my brother Rich arrived. Was a good few days of hiking.   We asked if they had lunch yet? They had not, and SONGBIRD said she only had coffee for breakfast. We talked about a few places to eat as we were crossing over back into Pennsylvania. As we left the toll booth it started to rain. SONGBIRD remembered when they stayed at the Gateway Motel in Wind Gap, that the manager took them into a place in town that served hiker size meals. Could not remember the name of the place, but did remember that it was across from an indoor climbing place. After a few stops, they found it. the name was "Sal's Pizzeria". SONGBIRD & Rich ordered a small Calzone to split, I ordered a steak stromboli, and DeJaVue ordered the Lasagna.   Only DeJaVue was able to finish his. Rain lasted all the way home and into the night. We got home at about 8:00 PM. Makes for a long day. DeJaVue is already planning our next hike.