Date: 2015-06-28
From: Branchville, NJ

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 23.1

Slowly began waking just after 7:30am though hiking wouldn't begin for another few hours. With rain continuing off and on and check-out not being until noon, we utilized the morning by relaxing and enjoying bagels and coffee from a bakery across the street. We found out that Doc had also stayed at the motel last night and she offered to take us back to the trail in her friend's rental car. Back at the trail at 12:15pm I slowly began hobbling back into the woods with plans to get as far as my battered foot would take me.The first couple of hours seemed to drag, but I realized after 2 hours in I was maintaining a pace fairly similar to one on a good day. Despite another day of feeling every step of my torn up foot, I sucked it up and pressed on with the help of music. I actually passed the only few NoBo hikers I'd see all day early in the afternoon so the remainder of the day would be another solo affair. Light rain came in fits throughout the day, continuing the streak of not seeing a sunny day in New Jersey aside from the sunset as I entered a couple days ago.Passing Culver Fire Tower and Sunrise Mountain, no views were to be had over a couple hundred feet due to the fog. I was able to focus on just hiking again - the one positive that can be taken from a day of crumby weather. I entered High Point State Park and would spend the afternoon meandering throughout its length, passing a few weekend hikers and a troop of young boy scouts heading south in the process. Because the day was relatively cool and terrain fairly easy, I'd only stop twice during the day to drink water. I did, however, stop for many pee breaks due to the coffee I had this morning.I eventually topped a summit with a ~20ft wooden tower, offering a decent view just above treeline, but mainly of the 220ft oblisque standing on the next summit to the north. I was in a clearing following a wave of light rain, and I grabbed a picture of the stone monument towering in the low fog. I then climbed down, continued a quarter mile down the trail, and took a side trail uphill to the monument. Though it was already closed for the day and I wasn't able to climb up the 220ft for a sweet view (which was probably a blessing in my current condition) I took a break on a bench at the bottom. A couple tourists lingered a bit before heading off in their vehicles and disappearing into the fog. I had been carrying 3 PBR's from last night for whatever reason and I took the break as an opportunity to quickly smash one. I also enjoyed a Nutty Bar, grabbed a quick picture before another round of fog rolled in, and headed back to the trail.Not much longer after I reached High Point Shelter which was Whisper, Drugstore, and Safari's tentative ending point for the day, ~15 miles in. With it being 7:00pm, I decided to utilize the next hour + to get in a few more miles. A few hikers were talking about a cabin on the Murray property ~5.5 miles away so I decided to shoot for it, but pull up short if it got dark. On my way out I met Hot Sauce and gave him my 2 remaining PBR's. It's nice to provide a little trail magic from time to time as well. The next ~5.5 miles would pass quickly has the terrain leveled out, passing through pastures, ponds, and crossing over several series of boardwalks spanning swampy areas. With ~1.5 miles to go and it being after 8:00pm I decided to slowly jog in order to try and beat the fast-approaching darkness. Before I knew it I had jogged ~2 miles, passing the road to the Murray property. Instead of backtracking I checked my guide and noticed a small town ~3 miles ahead promising a tavern that is open late each night, as well as free camping in the town park. I committed to the new plan, strapped on my headlamp, and pushed the final ~3 miles in darkness as another wave of light rain rolled through. I finally reached the road I was looking for and limped half a mile into town to where I saw the lights of the Wit's End Tavern beckoning me like a lighthouse. I also saw that the town I was in, Unionville, is actually in New York for I will crisscross the border a few times before officially entering.As I walked up the stairs to enter the tavern, I recognized 2 of the 4 the voices coming from inside - Moosehead and Burnsides - who had been there for a few hours already. Though it was too late to order food, I did quickly order a Rolling Rock (cheapest option) and a Coke. Over the next hour I'd have several more Coke's as I watched Moosehead and Burnsides banter and giggle due to their alcohol intake. We made our way out at ~11:00pm and into the city park a quarter mile away. Though we're pretty sure we're supposed to tent in the grassy area towards the rear of the park, we decided to camp in the small rocks of the playground equipment area. Tents are set, bodies are horizontal, Burnsides is face-timing with his girlfriend, and Moosehead occasionally chimes in between periods of silence. The evening is calm and I think tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day. It'd be nice to see this state under the light of sun before I complete it.Here's to morning bagels and coffee, a PBR on top of Jersey, and a lonely tavern with endless Coke on tap.