Date: 2006-06-21
From: Mohican Outdoor Center (mile 1290.0)

To: Brink Road Shelter, NJ
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: 0

Cell none.Today is the first day of summer, I've hiked in three seasons now. It was winter when I started on March 15th, then turned to spring on March 21st, and now it is summer. I intend to be done by fall. I'm thinking I should finish sometime between the third week of August and Labor Day.I saw another bear today while walking. I saw it moving just off the trail in some berry bushes. I stopped and banged my hiking poles together. It turned to listen for the noise, so I banged them a second time. It then ran away and I proceeded on. If it didn't run, I would have gone back where I came from and waited. I've found they don't want anything to do with us as much as we don't want to mess with them.I came upon a turkey with some chicks, too. The mother scrambled away from the chicks while making a big racket. I didn't see the chicks at first, and started walking toward them. The mother started towards me to chase me away from her chicks. I was probably in more danger from the turkey than I was from the bear.I mentioned the mosquitos yesterday, they are in force today, too. I don't know if it is because we are in Jersey or because it's summer. I suspect it is more the weather than anything. I guess we'll contend with them for the next two months. I wished for summer to come, and now it's here. Be careful what you wish for, you might get it [with all its bad points too].A local resident was walking his dog past this shelter this evening. He told us the dirt road the shelter is on was a main supply route during the French and Indian war. He said there were forts all along the Delaware river, which was the border of the wilderness. He said the supplies were brought right by here, I'll have to look it up when I get home.Today's hike was mostly a ridge walk with a good view from both sides. I could see the Delaware on one side and a bunch of lakes on the other. My feet are still hurting from the last few weeks. I had a blister on the heal of my left foot, just under some calloused skin. The blister popped, but the pain continued. I got the blister from rubbing on the orthotic. I've worn them over the shoe inserts from the beginning of the hike. I guess the sweat from my feet has caused friction that caused the blister. I put the orthotic under the inserts, and that seemed to be more comfortable. I'm getting new boots next week, and I'll continue to keep the orthotic under the inserts. I figured these boots will have taken me about 1400 miles, I consider that pretty good. I've seen other hikers change boots many times. Some are having problems finding the right shoe for them. Most hikers are using trail runners, which are sneaker-like shoes. I'm using LLBean Cresta hikng boots, they're a bit heavy, but they provide a lot of support that I like. My new boots are going to be the same; I think they too will serve me well.*Song of the day * "Some folks like to get away from the neighborhood... Take a trip to Miami Beach or to Hollywood... I'm taking the Grayhound on the Hudson River line........... I'm in a New York state of mind." It's good to be home, or at least I will be soon.The facilities here in Jersey have steel boxes where we store our food in to keep it from the bears. Earlier in the hike there were bear cables where we hung our food. In the middle states there wasn't any such system established. Many hikers hung their food on strings inside the shelters. These strings were more effective for mice; had there been any bears we would have been in trouble. I feel there should be a uniform policy to have some system in place throughout the AT. Once a hiker learns to protect his food, it should be a habit. I've hung my food all the time - sometimes being the only one to do it. I'm glad it's now a policy again.Old Goat Swamp- Click picture to see full size