Date: 2017-07-18
From: Delaware Water Gap/Church of the Mountain Hiker Center 

To: Camp Road/Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.8

7/18Delaware Water Gap/Church of the Mountain Hiker Center to Camp Road/Mohican Outdoor Center10.8 milesTotal miles:  1304.4There was no way to resupply last night, so before going out to eat last night I talked to Kenny (aka Ole Dawg), a member of the church who is indispensable to hikers as a shuttler. He said he could be at the church at 7:30 in the morning to take us to Wal-Mart. I got up early realizing I would need to take getting my laundry done literally into my own hands.  The hostel supplied two buckets, detergent, and a hose, and I got to work.  I was able to get my hiking clothes washed and hung on a drying rack and have the rest of my equipment packed before Kenny showed up right on time.  He dropped us off and went to have a tire checked.  Gravity and I resupplied and were ordering breakfast at Burger King when he got back and then returned us to the hostel. Thanks, Ole Dawg, for being such a friendly, helpful man.  We planned on a ten mile day today, so we took out time sorting food and finishing packing. My clothes were pretty much dry when I changed into them.  We started out of town, but I realized no visit to Delaware Water Gap could be considered complete without a trip to Zoe's Ice Cream Emporium. Proudly displaying a large, wire squirrel eating an ice cream cone, Zoe's is an old fashioned ice cream parlor that not only captures the atmosphere perfectly, but also serves great food and unbelievably good ice cream.  I had the "Ever Popular" Dreamsicle Milkshake, and, believe me, there is a reason it is ever popular.  After enjoying our frozen treats, it was finally time to leave town.  Crossing the Delaware River on the I-80 Bridge was very exciting. Halfway across the bridge, painted on the sidewalk, is a sign denoting the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  We paused for photographs and I set a bit of Beau free above the river, as cars and trucks roared by a few feet away.  After crossing into New Jersey, I made a brief stop at the Kittatinny Visitor Center before heading back into the woods.  I had a five mile hike along pretty rocky trail to Sunfish Lake, one of the seven natural wonders of New Jersey. This forty-one acre lake was carved out by the same glacier that deposited the millions of rocks I have been traveling through when it melted all those thousands of years ago.  It is a beautiful gem of a lake, high up the mountain.  I paused at a comfortable looking rock pile for lunch and a nap.  Working my way along the shore of Sunfish Lake consisted of scrambling over boulders and walking through rock fields.  In fact, most of the rest of the day's hike, five miles to the Mohican Outdoor Center, was what I had been warned that Pennsylvania would be like.  Dr. Jekyll stayed home in PA, but Mr. Hyde caught the train to New Jersey.  There was no let up in the rocky trail, but I made okay time and got to the center about 7:30.  Along the way, I hiked over the summit of Kittatinny Mountain and was rewarded with quite a view. Simple and Uncle Heather arrived at the summit at the same time, and we took photos for each other.  I met Uncle Heather at the hostel last night.  One of her reasons for hiking the trail is to raise awareness for the need for more diversity both on and off the trail. She said hiking has been a great confidence builder and plans on hiking the other two major trails to complete the Triple Crown.  We had a wonderful talk about the challenges of hiking the trail, as well as the extra challenges she faces. I plan on keeping track of her journey as she completes the Triple Crown. As for me, I continue to love hiking the AT, but it will be a one and done for me.  I called Sandy this morning to wish her a happy birthday, and I have no plans to be separated from her for any more long periods of time.  Happy Birthday, Sandy!  I got to the Center after it closed, but was able to chat with a group of young people from a youth adventure camp before heading to the tent area to make camp. Gravity soon arrived and we had an uneventful few minutes before darkness and bedtime set in. We will probably be in the trail before the Center opens in the morning. My understanding is there are about twenty-five more miles of rocks to go.  Crater Lake is on the agenda for tomorrow, so I'll be able to observe a lake caused by a different force of nature. Time to go back to sleep now so I'll be ready to rock on in New Jersey tomorrow.