Date: 2006-06-12
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Backpacker Campsite
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: overcast clouds

A pretty productive day¢¦had a good breakfast¢¦got to relax a little¢¦moved the SUV 140 miles up the Trail¢¦found a safe parking place near the Trail¢¦hitched back to DWG and hiked in five miles.I really did just take things as they came today. I woke up early and had a nice breakfast at the Water Gap Diner. Took my time getting around at the motel while watching Imus¢¦I didn¢t get out until after ten.I drove northeast to where the Trail crosses NY52. A half mile up the road there¢s a small plaza where hikers frequent. The owner of the pizza place said there weren¢t enough parking spaces there and same with the large business across from them. I then drove up the road 3 miles to where NY52 intersects I84. The owner of a business let me park in his lot. He said he normally would not do this but he had a brother backpack the AT recently. He asked me not to ¢announce it¢ to everyone else so I can¢t thank him personally here.It took four hitches and several hours to go over I81 and down PA209 back to DWG. It was sunny and hot out there with my thumb out. The first ride came quickly from a young couple, Jacqueline and Auriel. They took me several exits down the road. They seemed to get a kick out of hearing about my doings and said they would look up my journal. Thanks guys and sign my guest book so I¢ll know you found this.Next was Mike who is a volunteer supervisor of one of the AT sections in NY. He too, took me several exits west. Thanks Mike!Duane, in an old beat up S-10, again took me several more exits west¢¦he isn¢t on the internet but I will still say, ¢Thanks Duane.¢My last ride was from Brian in an old beat up Dodge Neon. I believe he was just getting off work at an ¢alloy plant¢ (where he couldn¢t remember the last time he got a raise) and was going to PA to buy cigarettes (where they are cheaper.)   This is the kind of guy that makes you appreciate what you have. My guess is Brian dropped out of school at a very young age. He made long distance backpackers look pretty with what looked like a year¢s worth of hair and week¢s worth of beard¢¦and maybe three good teeth. He told me about a dispute he was having with his landlord who won¢t fix anything¢¦so he¢s currently withholding the $700/m rent. When I told him what I was doing he said he would like to live in a tent Brian¢s wife works but is presently unemployed. They both smoke heavily¢¦he¢d like to quit but his wife won¢t even consider it. Most of the time he drove with both hands on the wheel and I could see and feel the car vibrating.When I offered him $20 to take me on down to DWG he hesitated saying he didn¢t know if he could find his way back.   But the money was too good and I explained it was only one route to follow (actually two¢¦one short drive to the first exit on the freeway outside DWG) he seemed happy to do it. I kind of felt for the guy. I looked over and saw the gas gauge was below a quarter, so we stopped and I filled up his tank. I just hope he made it back alright.The hike part was perfect for the situation. I got five miles and a thousand foot climb out of the way up to big place called Backpacker Campsite. There were dozens of campsites with bear boxes and poles and a privy. Someone else was tented out on a viewpoint but I didn¢t see any activity so I didn¢t see or talk to anyone. I just ate my sub sandwich that I packed out and got in the tent as soon I could to get away from the black flies that were biting.(Personal note¢¦Hey Bull¢¦how are you and your brother doing?¢¦still looking at the PCT next year?¢¦and don¢t you just worry about my panties being in a twist. I¢m just pissed cause I voted for him¢¦you have to admit he appears to have a tough time handling the press.)