Date: 2007-07-19
From: 17A

To: Warwick Tpk
Miles today: 0.0

Thursday, July 19, 200717A to Warwick Tpk, 9.5 miles. None of these count for me. I¢ve already hiked this section the second time around with Mountain Goat. But it¢s a nice section, one I really like. Fun to hike it again.ATC hike 1911 (we hike this on our own)Goodbyes to Zig Zag and Lady Di. Heal fast, Zig Zag. Thanks for rehabbing my trekking poles, Lady Di. I have 4 poles, none of them in good working order. Lady Di rehabs 2 and buys me parts to fix the other 2. I¢ll need working poles in the Whites. Thank you, Lady Di.Purple Rose and I are signed up for different hikes today. Mine is a short one (4.9 miles) from Rte 17 to West Mombasha Rd. Purple Roses¢s is a longer one (9.5 miles) from 17A to Warwick Tpk. Rose¢s got the same hike leader we would have had yesterday.Weather forecast is grim. Major storm expected before the hike is due out. Like yesterday, Rose¢s hike leader wants only the strongest and fastest hikers. She¢s changed the hike category from moderate to fast, so the hike will be over before the storm hits.Purple Rose and I decide we¢ll hike her hike and we¢ll hike it like yesterday, on our own. I¢ll tack the hike I was slotted for today (1911) onto tomorrow¢s (2010), total of only 10.4 miles.Today we follow the group as they set the cars. Much easier than trying to figure out how to set the cars ourselves. No long detours into Wanaque.Start at 9:15AM. It¢s a lot cooler than yesterday, but it¢s still misty and foggy. Trail is damp. Hello to NOBO Philmont. Started April 1st.Hello to NOBO¢s Pearls and Starvin Marvin. Yup, she¢s wearing a strand of luminous large pearls.Hello again to NOBO Spock. I met you before, Spock, on April 17 in TN!On Prospect Rock, hello to Waterfall, section-hiking the AT in 2 years.Hello to NOBO Birdlegs, outrunning the coming storm. I want to be off the ridge before the storm hits, she says, as she races past us.NY/NJ line. Seems like a lot longer than 0.4 from Prospect Rock. Sign register.WOW!!! Hello to Snack Break and Splendora!!! Snack Break, AKA Snack Attack, AKA Tasty Treat! Tasty Treat???Snack Break and I met at Bears Den first when she was hiking through and second we she returned to volunteer. Great to see you again, Snack Break. I¢ll follow your journal. Get in touch with me before you return to New Zealand, she says. I want to go.She¢s trying to catch Sherlock and Circuit Rider, but those two are in top shape and hard to catch. She¢s 2 days behind them. She¢s enjoying the trail, taking it slow today, hoping to get out to the ice cream place. Somehow Purple Rose and I missed that place back on 17A. Both of us ice cream lovers, how could we have missed it?Hello to NOBO¢s Iceman and Buffalo Bobby. Being chivalrous, Iceman steps aside to let us pass. Into an anthill. The ants are running up his legs. I¢m going to need a shot of brandy after this, he says to Bobby.Rain starts before we get out, but not until we¢re safely off the ridge. Out at 3:20. Great hike!Back to CampGaw. I need a shower. Now. Not at 8PM when the showers at Bradley Center open up. I go to the scalding CampGaw shower and lather up. I collect the scalding water that¢s spraying from the showerhead in a towel. I wave it to cool the water, then squeeze the towel over my head to wash off the suds.If it rains before I get a real shower, I¢ll be the person oozing soapsuds.Goodbye to CatMan, Mrs CatMan, Sandra from Virginia Beach, Timberdoodle, hike mates.