Date: 2018-07-21
From: High Point Shelter

To: Wawayanda Shelter 
Miles today: 23.9
Weather: light rain

I got up around 5:30 and was out at 7:30. It took me a while, because I was trying to order new shoes online and figure out where to get them sent to. Then I realized there was actually a shoe store coming up and I can make it there if I booked it.The terrain in the morning was pretty easy, lots of pastures and road walking. I had originally planned on resupplying in Unionvillle, but realized I had enough to keep going. I probably did faster than three miles an hour. Around the Walkill Refuge were a bunch of runners and birdwatchers, but the trail was flat and wide so not an issue.I had a quick lunch atop Pochuck Mountain after a short but tough climb. A few miles later, crossed County Road 517 with about 20 cars parked there. The trail followed the Pochuck boardwalk which I guess is popular because it¢s flat, but not a lot of good views. I didn¢t even think about it being a weekend, but was weird being around so many day hikers. And being on a boardwalk for a mile!At the end was NJ 94 and another big parking lot. But in the lot was Mitch¢s hot dog stand, so I went up. I hear the guy go, ¢Hey, Rabbi!¢ Guess his Jewdar was up. We talked for a bit (him in Yiddish and me having no idea what he was saying), and I ate the food as I crossed the street to Heaven Hill Farms, which has a small market and bakery. So many fruit and vegetables I was overwhelmed! I ended up spending a lot, including buying a pie that was half off. Luckily there was another hiker there who could help me eat it (we couldn¢t finish). I realize the shoe store was actually closer from this road, so try to hitch. After a few minutes, the hot dog stand guy (I¢m assuming Mitch), called me over and asked me if I had a driver¢s license. After I replied in the affirmative, he handed me over his keys!It was weird driving a car again for the first time in months, but made it work. The shoe store was kind of a hole in the wall in a strip mall, and really only sold trail shoes so I¢m surprised can stay in business. I just got the same pair as the other two, why fix it if not broken? But these are blue not green. I still felt a little friction in my ankles, but I¢m assuming that is just because they are still tender from yesterday. They did have a thru hiker discount, which was nice.I saw the shelter was only a few miles away, so figured I had plenty of time before the expected rain. What I didn¢t realize is this section is called ¢stairway to heaven¢ and involves a lot of tough climbing. A lot of day hikers were coming down, which made it complicated because the trail wasn¢t very wide in a lot of sections. I will be glad to be back to less popular sections soon!At the next road crossing, someone had left a cooler full of sodas which was nice. A bit after that, I passed a day hiker who said that there was a bear a bit ahead. I didn¢t think much of it, but did try to keep my eyes open. Sure enough, I passed a large bear on a log probably just 20 feet from the trail. It watched me so I tried not to make eye contact and it didn¢t follow. I think later I heard it was a mama with two cubs. Jersey is supposed to have a lot of bears so it¢s not a surprise, first (and only) I¢ve seen since Shenandoah.I got to the shelter before 7, plenty of time to set up my tent before the rain. And who is there but Bill, who I haven¢t seen since Hamburg, and Mademoiselle who I haven¢t seen since the Shennies! Was great catching up, and was still able to retire to my tent tent just as the rain started!