Date: 2004-08-04
From: Delaware Water Gap PA

To: Arden NY Hwy 17
Miles today: 90.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Gather (Adam) Called in this morning from Arden NY Hwy 17 @ 09:30 amI left Delaware Water Gap PA on 7-31-04 @ 11 am, arrived here at Arden NY @ 09:30 am.Rocks and still more rocks. Crossed over the Delaware river into NJ, another state behind me. States I have been through so far, GA , TN , NC , VA , WV , MD , PA, and now NJ. NJ is not a big mile state only 43.6 miles to hike through it. Only catch the corner of it.Whoever said it was easy hiking through here needs their head examined. I'm going to quit listening to anyone, can't believe anything I hear. Only one's I will listen to from now on is Kurt and the Under Dog at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports.Rock's (....) these rocks ! Elevation is running 1200 ft to 1400 ft through here, that's a lot higher than the Uwharries at home, but these are 1400 ft rock piles ! And that's easy walking ? People down the trail said it was easy through here, I will make some big time miles ! HA !Took a nasty spill in the rocks yesterday. Fell on my knee, it's all swollen up and purple, I have blisters on my heel, run out of moleskin and duct tape. Sometimes I just feel like giving up.And the tropical storm coming in. If it hits here I'm done for a while. Will have to hole up somewhere. The rocks are a nightmare, I will not go through them anymore in the rain. It's just too dangerous . I can tell you if the rains do come, there will be serious injuries if any hikers try to come through this mess.Since I left Delaware Water Gap to here at Arden NY I have knocked down 90.3 miles in 3.5 days. That's my best ever but I have paid dearly for those miles.Stayed at the Brink road shelter on 7-31-04. Got up the next morning and made it to High Point Shelter. Paparazzi, Flint, Mr. T ( Girl), Chase, Baloo and the Reverand Yukon Jack along with a bunch of noisy boy scouts.Made it across the NY State line, another State behind me. I'm going to try to make it to Montgomery NY. That's about 18 miles up the trail and see if I can find some medical help for this knee, maybe it will be better by the time I get there. I'm not sure I can make it that far on this knee.Been running into south-bounders. Saw three of them, two were very nice, one was a complete (.......).Called home talked to mom. freckles is ok for now. Mom said she chased a cat today. Mom told me I had some very bad weather coming my way. That will do me in for a while. I simply cannot go through these rocks in the rain. They get so slick you cannot stand up. Will have to hole up somewhere, If I can get to that somewhere.Weather is good right now. Bugs are terrible ! I have quit using the deet, it has no affect on these northern bugs. I sprayed my arm until deet was dripping off it, they still came, seemed to like it. These northern bug's are bad news.I asked Mom if she had heard from Jorma (Slimer) ? Said he called from Culvers Gap yesterday morning @ 09:55 am, which is 62.1 miles back down the trail. My guess is he made 25 miles yesterday which will put him about 37 miles behind me. I hope Slimer is ok.I want to make this clear, I am not in a race with the Slimer. I have my own pace, schedule and time table I keep to. I know I pick at the Slimer leaving him messages in the registers. I am not in a race. My goal is to finish this trip in one piece. Here lately I'm beginning to wonder if I'm going to make it at all because of the injuries.I'm sick and tired of people telling me the trail up ahead is easy going and I run into 1400 ft mountains of rock ! From this point on I will take it as it comes good or bad.There is no water through here at all. have found some people have left on the trail for us ( thank you, who ever you are) to get water you have to get off the trail and try to find it best way you can.Paparazzi and Wipeout are behind me, hope they are having better luck than I am.I'd like to say hello to all my friends in Denton NC,Gotta go, heading north putting one foot in front of the other (slowly)