Date: 2018-06-01
From: Backpacker campsite mile 1298.9

To: Mohican outdoor center camp rd
Miles today: 5.5

It was maybe the worst night of sleep last night. Both River and I had trouble falling asleep and I don't know why. Maybe because we hiked so late? I finally got out of my tent and peed and a while later River did too...but she put on her headlamp. She gazed in the direction of the Bear box and saw eyes. Not what you want to see at 1 am. She began clapping and whistling and talking and was genuinely fearful. The eyes went away and she was able to settle down and fall asleep. Until the porcupine started. If you've never heard the mating of porcupine Google it. It's quite loud and not what you might expect. After that we fell asleep again until 4:15 when the whippoorwill started. Good grief! We got up and packed up wet tents in the thick fog. I made some Mountain House scrambled eggs with bacon and had all I could do to eat them all but didn't want to pack them out so I managed. I needed to stop at Mohican Outdoor Center for my resupply box about 5.5 miles away but at this time was thinking I would hike on after that. River was going to stay on trail and have her friend Jodi pick her up in a couple of days for a zero. And then things changed. The humidity was evil and we sweat out everything we had as we hiked over 5.5 miles of rocks. The rocks obviously don't know we're in NJ now. And the PA rocks continue. I called it at about mile 4 and said I'm going to stay at Mohican and take a Nero. A text message shortly after from River said she was calling Jodi, she was done hiking. At the end of the trail intersecting with Camp Rd we found Fresh Ground and his Leap Frog Cafe, Thumper and another hiker. He'd had a busy day but he hooked River up with 3 hot dogs and me with chicken breasts and fresh cucumber with dressing. Delicious! Thumper spent 3 hours there resting so she could hike more. Fresh Ground gave me a ride to the Mohican so I could get a bunk and pick up my package....but of course it's never that easy. The center was closed for a private wedding. Misty looked for my package but it wasn't there. She drove down to the mailbox and found the delivery ticket. The post office doesn't leave them out there anymore because the bears eat them. So Misty got me a ride from her friend Don who came and picked me up and drove me to the post office. The clerk gave me all the hiker packages that were there for pickup and helped me carry them out. Back at the center Don helped me carry them in and he wouldn't take any money for gas or time. I enjoyed our conversation on the ride and found him interesting and very kind. River was waiting at the center for me and Major Tom was there relaxing. I charged my phone and took a free shower. Jodi invited me to her house for the night and she arrived shortly after my shower and we were off. We stopped at a deli for ice cream and beer distribution center for beer... priorities! And then Jodi cooked up some quinoa pasta and meatballs for dinner while we were entertained by Elliot her adorable dog. I dried my tent and shoes on the deck. At 8:30 I brushed and crawled into a nice waterbed while thunderstorms crashed outside. Exhausted!