Date: 2017-06-14
From: Kirkridge Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: clear sky

As I write this last entry I'm sitting in a rather plush room in Sugarcreek, OH in Amish country. This is the last stop Cathy and I will make before heading home. We've been meandering home now for 5 days...and my feet still feel those PA rocks!  This last day dawned with both Fiddle and me anxious to get in to the Water Gap. She to figure out how to get hone, me to await my bride's arrival on Friday....like getting there early would speed that up! Just anxious to see her after almost a month and to begin our vacation. A beautiful day greeted us and we hoped for a mostly downhill hike...and of course I think we all knew that PA would send us off with a few more lovely rocks! At the Delaware Water Gap the trail crosses the Delaware River in to New Jersey and leaves PA behind.  Our destination for today includes The Church of the Mountains Hostel, a very welcoming place provided by a local Presbyterian church in Delaware Water Gap. Bloodhound who had already passed through on his AT hike in 2010 had already whet our appetites with tales of food to come. Remember AT hikers talk food, town food, almost constantly...trail food keeps you going but it is not considered "real" food. That label is reserved for pizza, hamburgers, and other delites found in town. Bloodhound has been telling us for a few days now about a pastry shop that also serves real food...it's signature dish....hot dog and apple pie....sounds odd and oddly good! As expected there were a few final sections of rock, but to our delight more good trail than not. On this last day of hiking as a team we stopped for a couple of photo opps...even passed a day hiker who took one of the three of us with the water gap in the background. At a scenic pond almost to town we stopped for our last "Pack off" rest...not that we needed the rest but just to enjoy a few more minutes together in the woods. The AT enters town and immediately turns north to cross a bridge it New Jersey. We turned south to the hostel just a couple of hundred yards from the trail. Most still there were in the process of leaving. There is a two day limit at this donation based hostel. Suggested donation is $3 per day, which includes shower but no laundry. For me the motel where I will meet Cathy has a laundry. PTL...I wouldn't want dirty clothes to be packed away as we meander home....not clothes this dirty.  Packs put on bunks as our reservations we headed toward Food!! DWG as one can imagine, located in the mountains of NE Pennsylvania, is hilly. Walking hills without our packs felt odd, but my it was nice. Like a magnet the outfitters...The Edge of the Mountains...drew us in as we passed on the way to eat. I quickly decided that the cotton t-shirts on sale were a must....synthetic is great but after many days and several not even taking mine off at night, I longed for cotton. Sure enough, just as Bloodhound had advised, the special was a hot dog and a slice of pie for $2.95!! I opted to add sour kraut for $.50 more. Actually the apple pie I had chosen tasted mighty good after that dog and kraut. Filled me up pretty good too. On the way back up to the hostel, Fiddle and me detoured to the bus station...again up hill. Fiddle needed to get to Waynesboro, VA to get her car, I to nearby east Stroudsburg to the Econo Lodge.  Fiddle had many options combining bus, train and shuttle once near Waynesboro. My best option ended up being a local shuttle from people associated with the hostel /church. We walked back to the hOster with information to ponder in regards to Fiddle's options. First showers then the conquering of that. On the way we decided to treat Bloodhound to dinner as he was continuing north to Maine. After showers, we gathered at a gazebo next to the church to relax, stay cool and recharge phones before dinner. You know a place is "hiker friendly" when the gazebo has electric outlets for cell recharging! While there we also helped Fiddle make decisions on getting home. The final, easiest, and most direct solution was by Greyhound Bus to Washington DC and then on Charlottsville; and from there a shuttle to Waynesboro. The good news too was that it left here tonight at 9:30! And that was plenty of time for our final meal and goodbyes. For dinner we chose a place we had passed on the way earlier that was offering a barbecue rib special....my meal was half a rack, salad, fries, slaw and ice tea. A great meal to send us all on our way. Here at Delaware Water Gap we also ran into several old friends...all of whom we figured were well ahead of us. One guy, a really strong hiker, McFly, I had meet weeks ago and who was hiking with a rather large group of fast and long miles guys. We were both glad to see one another. An amazing part of relationships made on the AT are these and how quick they develop.  At 8 Bloodhound and me saw Fiddle off as a shuttle took her to the bus station. She promised to text us as she headed first to New York City then south. A bit melancholy we were after she left. Tomorrow Bloodhound and me would eat breakfast and hangout a while before I headed to my motel to do laundry and wait for Cathy to arrive on Friday. He planned to zero one more day then continue north on Friday. Blessings,