Date: 2018-08-22
From: Camp Road NJ 

To: Trailhead Parking
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

My back and hip just would not allow me to sleep last night. I was exhausted from my first step on the trail. Hugs realized she had left her glasses at the camper with her first step...rough start today.  The trail started UP. It wasn¢t a bad UP, but last nights rain left the rocks slippery, so we had to be very aware of every step. I¢m happy to announce that nobody fell today!  Once I reached the summit my ridge hiking day began. It¢s official, I¢m in love with New Jersey! I had amazing views all day long!  I have missed this kind of hiking.  Somewhere along the way I lost the top cap to my Mophie. For those of you who don¢t know, a Mophie is an external charging device for cell phones. Papa Big Swig bought mine specifically for my hike. Mophie is honoring a 2 year warranty and replacing it!  We¢re paying $15 for express shipping, and I have no complaints about that.  Shortly after discovering my broken Mophie I came to a field of Dasies. It was a bright surprise! My path went right through them. At first it was so pleasant. The sun was shining bright right there, and they were so pretty. However, as I proceeded down my path the daisies grew taller. They stretched across the trail becoming entangled with each other. Soon they were over my head and I found myself bushwhacking my way through daisies!  I had my eyes opened for bears. I¢ve heard New Jersey has lots of them, but my only wildlife experience today was a turtle. He was scooting along pretty quickly for a turtle. I sent the kids a video and said a turtle was racing me to Katahdin.  One asked if he was winning!?! I had a little laugh before I left that turtle eating my dust!  lol I¢m not sure if it was lack of sleep or the heat, but I had a headache most of the day. There was a little mountain climbing and my head just pulsated with every step. The sun was directly on me during that time too. Once the sun went down my headache improved. I hiked past several areas of standing water. I read there¢s a beaver issue around there. I¢m so amazed by Beavers. They REALLY know how to build!  Just coming up and away from all the water I met Mosey. He is a SOBO section hiker from New Jersey. He was Yo-ing to scare away bears. I had not seen a single one. He admitted he hadn¢t either. Then he told me NJ has a bear hunt every other year. His words were ¢maybe they finally got rid of them¢. How sad. If he feels that way he shouldn¢t be out here. Hugs caught up during my conversation with Mosey, so I said goodbye and continued into a nice pine forest. Like always my joints enjoyed the pine needle carpet cushioning every step Coming down I crossed paths with two SOBO thru-hikers. They started June 13. I have to be at work October 24th. I think I can do it!  That means missing my Keith Urban concert October 12.  We¢ll see how it all plays out.  We were at our extraction point before Papa Big Swig arrived. It was a short wait. As soon as I sat and my body into the SUV my back began to spasm.  I¢m getting concerned. I¢ll be seeing the chiropractor again in the morning.  Until Next Time Blue Raccoon (2018)Where¢s your faith?