Date: 2015-05-28
From: Unnamed Campsite

To: High Point Shelter
Miles today: 22.2
Weather: scattered clouds

It rained. For most of the night. I managed to adjust my tent so that it doesn't leak, but instead I had a problem with condensation. Each time the rain dropped on my tent, the condensation inside sprayed over my sleeping bag. I was also very hot in the night, so my bag was damp on the outside and inside. I left about the usual time. The morning was foggy and dreary, with extremely slippery rocks everywhere. I slipped multiple times and rolled my right ankle breathtakingly hard twice. There are certainly less rocks here, mostly, but there are long sections of flatter rocks that act as an ice rink. By about 10am, the sun was out in force and the heat combined with humidity was severe. By 2pm, I felt absolutely exhausted from the heat. I am considering taking a midday siesta from hereon out because it is too hot to be hiking. There were also more short, steep climbs and drops today, rather than the flatter days I have gotten used to.Now that I've spent a full day in New Jersey, I can compare it to Pennsylvania. A lot of hikers have complained about PA, but it's not that bad really, it just gets boring. If my entire hike through it hadn't been a caterpillar hell, it would have been quite enjoyable, despite the rocks. The trail towns in PA were all quite forgettable, but I did enjoy the diners. It would have also been harder with bad weather, as the shelters were often spread out so that I had to camp a lot. I saw another smaller snake today, and actually nearly stabbed it with my pole by accident. I was lucky that it didn't bite me, and quickly went around it. So far for NJ, I'm at snakes: 3, bears: 0, caterpillars and millipedes: 2,000,000.Less than 2 miles from the shelter, I walked into Stoat and Poppins (not Poppets, as my iPod keeps autocorrecting to), who I had briefly seen at Church of the Mountain hostel. They were going southbound, and a Park Policeman was carrying Poppets pack. Apparently she had become very ill, very fast, to the degree that they had to send for help just to do the short distance back to the ranger station. The current rumour is that she has either the dreaded (and highly infectious) noro, or sunstroke.Shortly after that, I reached a wooden observation deck and saw a sign that pointed me toward a beach, with icecream, showers and swimming. I had plenty of time to get to the shelter in less than a mile, so I headed down. Whilst there, I met K2 and a flip flopper whose name I have forgotten. K2 has been just ahead of me forever in the log books. It's a bit strange reading someones comments for months and then finally meeting them. At the concession stand, I had an over priced cheese burger with chips and a root beer. After I quickly gobbled all that, I had an ice dessert (similar to a slush puppy). There are many people who dislike when there are places like this so close to the trail. For me, at 86 days in, all I can think is "give me all the calories you have". The lake was also beautiful, and the two other hikers went for a quick dip whilst I ate. I jokingly told them that since I would be showering tomorrow, I didn't need one today. Perhaps because of wearing wet socks and shoes, or because of slightly more challenging terrain, or any number of reasons- I have developed two new blisters on my left foot. It has made walking painful again. I am extremely unimpressed with this development, especially since I have to walk at least 19 miles as fast as possible tomorrow. The hostel I am aiming for only holds 12, so the earlier I get there, the better. In the meantime, I am in my tent again. I am trying to dry it (and my sleeping bag) out, as well as keep the bugs away. A mosquito bit my hand this morning as I reached out to my pack. They're getting quick and vicious. It's about 9pm and I've just heard some animal calling out in the forest. I think it might have been a coyote.