Date: 2008-05-20
From: delaware water gap, pa

To: brink road shelter
Miles today: 24.8
Weather: light rain

Packed up and went out to breakfast. We were looking forward to hitting up the bakery, but it was closed so we had to settle for the diner. The bakery was still closed when we walked by it on the way back. We were entertaining ideas of strapping pies to the top of our packs and carrying them to the shelter, but that could not come to pass.Stovie headed off to the bus station. He is leaving to go on a cruise with his wife. And then there were two. Just ToddyBear and I now for a bit.Headed out of town across the Delaware River. This marked the boundary of PA and NJ, so another state down. I whistled Another One Bites the Dust as we passed over land once again.Up from the river of course, and onto another ridge. Still doing the ridge running for a bit. Seems to us NJ is rockier than PA. Maybe we should start that rumor and see if it takes hold.Up on the ridge {it was wide} we came to a 41 acre glacial pond. Apparently one of the official seven natural wonders of NJ. Must not be a whole lot here. It was nice though.About now the rain started. One of those rains that you know is going to last all day long. Enter trudging routine, which we have had much practice with lately.Came to a firetower and had lunch there. Still raining, and we wanted to use it as a shelter of some sort. It was high though so we figured we would climb it on the off chance it was open. It had a no trespassing sign on it, but we pay as much heed to those as someone would to calories at a buffet. The tower was locked, and we lunched up high on the steps right below it.Passed lots of people today. Lots of regular hikers, and as we were getting near the shelter, we started passing large groups of high school kids. We asked one adult where they were from and they said St. Benedict's a high school in Newark. It was apparently required they go on this trip for about 50 miles to graduate. Inner city kids, and it looked like they were having a blast. Saw some creative garbage bag raincoats that were luckily black {think about it}. Large assortment of non backpacking gear. Even saw quite a few tarp-ponchos {inside joke}.We were side slabbing some slick slanted rocks and I ate it, twice within one minute. The second one was minor, but the first one took me completely out. Think I'm alright, I just ate it hard.We got to the shelter in really good time after having passed quite a few people heading to it. To our dismay it was full. Turns out a family hiked in from the nearest road and set up camp there, bringing everything but the kitchen sink. They were right below the "hikers only" sign. This is wrong on a couple different levels - the ATC says the shelters are not for large groups, and they were just camping there. We walked 25 miles in the rain to get there. Pretty rude. 5 hikers showed up after us and were also disappointed. Oh well, some people just don't get it. They also complained about us moving their 5 gallon jug of city water off the table so we could cook, and one of them {in the army} was bragging to his four year old kids how he stole the MRE's they were eating from the army. In other words we didn't like these people.Luckily the rain was letting up so I pitched my tent and TB pitched his tarp and bivy for the first time the entire trip. Can't win them all. Will be a slow start tomorrow.