Date: 2016-07-19
From: PA Rocks

To: MOC in NJ
Miles today: 200.0

Okay... Back to the blog. First an update. I crossed over in New Jersey today. I felt great to do so as many of you know New Jersey is where I was born and raised until I was 16. Physically I am feeling best up hard. It's been very hot and humid and I have been contending with what felt like a pinched nerve in my left leg. As of yesterday the condition seems to have approved, but it has forced me to slow down a bit.Equipment wise the Pennsylvania rocks have eaten my boots. My soles are gone. I am going to order a new pair of Vasque boots from REI tonight and have them shipped up the trail. My boots are the original ones I scored at Neels Gap when I swapped out the smaller Vasques after the first 40 miles. I have no complaint about these boots...they have taken me 1,30O miles. The rocks in PA lived up to their reputation and I noticed it seemed to take a mental toll on hikers and caused some to want to go it alone versus carry on in groups. From my perspective it seems that this phase of the hike there is a greater need to really practice hiking your own hike.So let's see where I last left off....we just stayed with Doc in Lickdale. The next day we hiked out. That's when I noticed the call for a greater need for independence. We all seemed to do our own pace and I walked alone most of the day.The next day it was more of the same, but it started with Feather stopping in front of me for the first rattlesnake of the day. Later that day Alastair was 20 yards ahead of me and literally stepped over a coiled rattler without noticing it.The end of that day brought us all to the town of Port Clinton. The descent into this trail town was extreme. The good news was there was a private club located inside the fire station. Club is an understatement... It was a full blown bar. Hot and thirsty I knocked on the door (you had to have permission by "a member" to drink there). Already there was Mogley, Blossom and Alastair taking advantage of the 1.25 draft Yeungling Lagers. I joined them and soon Feather.After several beers we rolled down to the Port Clinton Hotel and ate chicken wings. Feather ate a few of mine... Little did we know that would be the last thing Feather would eat for days.After dinner we went back to the fire station club for one more beer. I met Brother Blood who blogs on here and heard Storm was in town. There were many hikers in town. Some I knew and done I did not. Game of Thrones rolled in while we were eating at the hotel.The next day I woke up and went to the Port Clinton barber shop to get my beard cleaned up. Feather went with me. The place was very old school and Frank (the barber) welcomed hikers. Frank was a cool dude and seemed to be passionate about two things; classic rock and Jimi Hendrix.After Feather had his turn in the barber chair, Schmegal showed up. She is a French hiker who I first met in Harper's Ferry when she took Kelly and my picture for us. Feather and Schmegal caught a ride into Hamburg for resupply while I sat in the barber chair. Later Feather texted me and said he got s room and was not feeling good. I would find out days later he had Guardia and was terribly sick for days. He just started hiking again TODAY!!!After my beard- cut I hiked out of town and stealth camp about 7 miles or so from Port Clinton. The climb out was not fun and I turned a zero day into a nero (minimal miles).The next day I put in an honest day and ended it at a road crossing called Blue Mountain where there was a restaurant! What a great way to end a day! I met fellow hikers Brew, Danger and Red Dragon at the bar. I had not met these hikers prior. The bonus came when I discovered the restaurant allowed tenting in their backyard so I stayed until 10 o'clock (closing time) and enjoyed cover music by a two man band that was actually very good. The next day I was scheduled to resupply in Palmerton and hike back out. When I finally hitched into Palmerton my left leg was killing me. It felt like a pinched nerve... Regardless, I could hardly walk. So I did what any wise hiker would do and called the Sunny Rest Resort (a clothing optional kind of place) and caught a shuttle up there. Yup, they had a hot tub and yup it felt good to soak in it. And yes I took off my clothes and it felt good not to have sweaty, dirty shorts on for awhile. I left the next day. The day was insanely hot and I carried a ton of water with me. Or at least it felt like a ton, it was probabally more like 6 pounds. I hiked behind a hiker called Crocamole. He earned his trail name by carrying avacados in his Croc camp shoes and letting the avacados get smashed.I was glad he was out that day as my leg acted up towards the end of the day when we were trying to do 5 more miles into the town of Wind Gap. The pain in my leg was pretty severe and I appreciate Crocamole hiking behind me until we reached the road.Once we arrived into Wind Gap we descended into town and landed at the Stein Room or House. Whatever it was called they served a great French Dip and Coleslaw and of course a few Yeungling lagers. I am Liquor showed up as he was waiting until Monday to get a box from the post office. Liquor commented that I looked like I lost weight. I said the same thing about him! It seems the long miles are taking a toll on our bodies. After eating Crocamole and I split a room and I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. In the morning I felt tired, but my left leg was feeling better. The motel where we crashed was a few miles from the trail so I suggested to Crocamole we eat at McDonalds, generate a conversation withheld retired guys and pull a ride out of the deal. The plan worked like a charm. The goal for the day was Delaware Water Gap, PA... The gateway to NJ. The rocks of PA started to show signs of a moderate decline in intensity, but the thunderstorm brewing did not. I must be living right as I hiked into the kirk ridge shelter one minute before the skies let loose! I sat there for an hour and watched it rain and then continued my hike as soon as the storm passed.I stayed at a church hostel in Delaware Water Gap last night. Or sort of. The bunk room was full of hikers who elected to zero because of the rain. Lucky there was a shelter in the back and only one hiker, a girl named Big Red, had set up shop in there. I set my "camp" up and again the skies opened up. The shelter had a metal roof so the sleep was good despite the air being humid.Still thinking I needed rest I rolled out of the shelter at 8:30 with no immediate plan to hike into NJ. I knew I was not going to zero, but the day would start when it started. As I was getting out of the shelter and laying my wet clothes on the hot pavement to dry I saw a couple with a car and I recognized the dude's voice. It turns out it was Seven (or 7).7 is the infamous "hiker trash" video guy that puts YouTube videos up of hikers doing... Well stupid shit. We visited for a while and he offered me a ride to Walmart for "gas money". I appreciated it as the food bag was low. After resupply 7 dropped me back at the church hostel where Big Red and another couple were leaving. I needed someone to hike with so I could get a picture at the PA/NJ line. As it turns out I hiked out with Crocamole.