Date: 2005-07-22
From: Campsite

To: Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 13.6

That thing I did to the back of the knee was still there this morning. Feels like I pulled a muscle or something right above the back of the knee. Why is it always my left leg that catches all the aches and pains. Never my right leg! I'm not quite sure what to think of it yet. It is walkable because I did the 13 into Vernon by 11:00. I just have a slight limp with it and I know it will tighten up after sitting. Tomorrow morning will be interesting. I was not planning on staying in Vernon. I was going to hit the post office, do a quick stop at the grocery store and then move on another six or seven miles. As I got closer to Vernon I figured, why push it. Get to town, go to the hostel and chill out, givng the leg the majority of the day off. On the way to Vernon I went through a wildlife refuge. A fairly large one. There were a ton of birds and listening to the calls was fun. Not that I can tell one call from another but it sounded nice! There were a couple of steep little ups but, for the most part, it was good hiking. About a mile or more of the walk was on an elevated walkway over a marshy area. It must have taken a lot of work to put that together! It was plenty hot and humid while I was walking on it. It would not have been any fun walking that part in the heat of the afternoon! I was surprised at how quickly I got a hitch into town. I usually resolve myself that I will have to walk into a town. The further north we get, the grubbier and wearier we look, which seems to make it harder to catch a ride. When we do get a ride it is usually from someone that can relate to the trail or to hikers! I made it to the hostel. What a nice little place! A lot of the hostels, like this one, are run by churches and are on a donation basis. They are a nice, cheap oasis on the trail as opposed to the expensive motels. The problem is, there are a lot that are in jeopardy of closing their doors. Not because of money but because of hikers. As usual, there is always that person or persons that can ruin it for everyone else. These people don't follow the rules nor do they treat the property with respect. They feel they are "owed" the hostel because they are a thru-hiker! Many of the hostels evaluate whether they will stay open the next year based on the behavior of the current years hikers. There is even one hostel that evaluates on a week to week basis. If you plan on hiking the trail next year or after that please treat these places with the respect they deserve! After my arrival I did the few things I wanted to do and then put the leg to rest. As the afternoon wore on Scholar, Dorothy and Toto, Free Radical, and Pixie and Pinedragon came in. We settled into our own little worlds, some eating, some writing, and some reading. I started my new book, "New Spring" by Robert Jordan. It is a prequel book to the Eye of the World series by him. I have loved that series ever since it came out and the 11th book in it comes out this fall. I think I've read the series at least 4 times over the last 10 years or so. On another note, just because I am scratching it right now. Heat rash! I told Scholar that before this weather is done I am going to be one big heat rash! I've got a great one on by back and my legs are developing a nice one. At least I am not getting any chafing or heat rash where it counts! That would knock you off for awhile!