Date: 2022-05-13
From: Delaware Water Gap 

To: Campsite at MM 1317.8
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: scattered clouds

May 13 - Delaware Water Gap to Campsite at MM 1317.8 - 20.9 miles (169.3 trip miles) - 45031 steps Big day today. The Deer Head Inn worked out fine. I was up early as usual and ate some breakfast bars then packed up. I just needed to leave the key in the door and walk away. It was 715 and I was walking down to the I-80 bridge over the Delaware River. Luckily, it has a pedestrian sidewalk with barricades. It was loud with mostly semis speeding by. I got the obligatory picture of the state line. It then curves down to a local road and eventually under I-80 and into the Dunnfield Creek trailhead. This creek is heavily protected as it is very clean and a key spawning area for brook trout. My plan was to meet Lost Man later as I am faster and would catch him. I guess he left early because I never caught him. The trail climbed gradually but continually for 6 miles. Right away I noticed less rocks and those that were there were not ankle killers. Next I went by Sunfish Pond. This is a National Natural Landmark. I didn¢t know there was such a thing. The pond is one of the most southerly glacially created ponds in the east. The trail around the pond was very rocky and slow going. The trail sort of meandered along the ridge next with some views to the valley below. NW NJ is very sparsely populated. I got a text from the Appalachian Trail Conference last night about an overly aggressive bear on my path today  when I went by there was a bear trap set up and caution tape to keep people out.  I hope it didn¢t wander 10 miles NE.I next got to the Mohican Outdoor Center. This is an event and gathering place in the backwoods. I suspect folks from the city have gatherings here to get away from the hustle and bustle. They have a grill but I needed to lighten my food bag. I got a couple of sodas and ate lunch. They also had a hiker box (stuff hikers and others get rid of. Oddly, there was a 6-pack of Glide Floss in there. That¢s expensive. Why would someone even bring 6 packs of floss to an outdoor center?) I was able to find a roll of some kind of tape to try on my blisters. It was a good start and I think helped. I¢ll try again tomorrow. Next it was 6 miles to my intended campsite where I was to meet Lost Man. After some rocks it was a couple of miles of smooth crushed gravel path. The area of this campsite was intended to be developed for housing but the National Park Service bought it first. I got a text that Lost Man was going on to the next shelter. That was too far for me. I did decide to go on to a campsite 4 miles later. The first mile continued on that smooth path. Then it got very rocky for about a mile. Next I had to climb about a 50 foot rock wall. Needed to use my hands to get to the top. The last mile and a half were smooth crushed gravel. I made it to the campsite before 6. There is a couple here I have seen for a few days now. I got set up and ate my freeze dried dinner further lightening my pack. The rocks were far easier to navigate in NJ so far. They tend to be rounder or flatter. Maybe softer is the right word. There are some sharp ones but that seems to be the exception. It¢s very odd that the ¢style¢ of rocks can change so quickly and dramatically. It¢s only across the river and it changed. Also, I saw far more wildlife today than in 10 days in PA. Tons of squirrels and chipmunks, a rabbit, a woodpecker and a very large turkey. In PA I saw 1 deer and 1 small green snake. Finally, regarding PA, I am near certain I will never hike on the AT there again. Rewarding views and good terrain are just too few and far between. I have no plan for tomorrow. There is a shelter at 16.5 and 19.1. The elevation looks easy so both are options. There may be some showers over the next few days but overall the weather is good. Until tomorrow.