Date: 2016-05-12
From: Wind Gap

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

Stepping outside this morning, you could just feel how nice it was going to be today. The window of the taxi was down a bit as I was driven to the AT trail. The wind felt great and it reminded me of this simple pleasure that I haven't had in years because I'm so spoiled and use air conditioning without considering being cooled by the window. I was feeling great. Today's hike had a destination just over 15 miles away so it would be a relatively easy day. Rambo and I had exchanged messages and I learned that he's now hiking 25 miles a day with Scrappy, a strong hiker from Texas that we'd met a couple weeks ago. Rambo's plan to finish in June is possible if he continues to hike those miles each day. I was happy for him. Subman and I exchanged messages too. Subman and Suds are headed to Damascus for Trail Days, a multi-day event held annually that celebrates the AT with thousands of hikers attending. It's a great time to visit with people you met on the trail and to get gear give-aways from numerous gear vendors. But I was feeling so good because of the news that arrived last night right after yesterday's journal was posted. Anne & Pat are engaged! Pat had called to ask for our blessing a couple days earlier so I thought he might propose on Anne's birthday and he did. My call with Anne was brief but the excitement in her voice was unmistakable. Such joy. Pat is a good guy and he makes Anne so happy. Pat and his Dad did a day hike involving Massachusetts' Mt Greylock last year. I remember Pat asking about 1.5 hours into the hike if we were half-way done. I never learned where the confusion came in but remember us laughing as he learned that our hike had just started and that we'd be hiking many hours more. And then I missed a turn and we ended up hiking an extra couple miles. No complaints were heard and we've enjoyed getting to know him many times since. Great news that I smiled about all day long. Today's hike began with a reasonably steep climb out of Wind Gap. The rock scramble was of the fun variety with a somewhat easy boulder path. Then it was typical Pennsylvania trail with plenty of rocks continuing to challenge and deny an easy cadence. The day got even better as Captain Kirk and Swamp Angel came my way so that I could hear about their Lehigh Gap descent hiked yesterday. I've thoroughly enjoyed these trail chats that have become something like a mid-morning break. Then Waterfall arrived hiking south. She began in New York and spoke of the upcoming good trail in New Jersey and New York. That was good news because earlier in the day I read a nice message from RC Slowpoke alerting me that those states had rocks too. Great people out here on the trail. Wolf Rocks was fun and consisted of navigating large boulders. The trail became very easy after that. There's a long walk on a road that hasn't been used in so many years that it now is primarily grass. The walk goes all the way up to Mt Minsi that arrives as the road ends. Future hikers of this section don't need to pay attention to finding the white blazes and can just enjoy this trail. Just make sure you look for the unmarked side trail that provides a great first look at the Delaware River. Bubbles gave me a big smile as I approached her and we descended into Delaware Water Gap together. It was great to spend time getting to know her. She was one of the fun group of hikers that I met a couple days ago at Mechanical Man's home. A elderly hiker quickly came out of a covered turn just before I met up with Bubbles. His enthusiasm was contagious. "What a beautiful day. Enjoy!" were his words as we quickly passed. I did.