Date: 2007-10-04
From: Unionville NY

To: View Entry
Miles today: 14.3

mi. 14.3sleep hammockdest.Mashinpacong Shelter day 84 Well I was the last one awake at the late hour of 7am. On the trail I am usually up before 6am. I didn't really sleep too well last night. I kept waking up and having weird dreams. I dreamed that I was yelling in my sleep and Dick came up to wake me up. I'm pretty sure that didn't happen. I do remember his dog coming in at some point. Breakfest was great once again. Eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, and OJ. Oh and lots of butter on everything. Can't forget that. We both ate until there was no room left. I weighed myself and I am leaving 6 lbs more than I came. I'll probibly loose that in the next couple of days. Packing up we had another beer and the rest of the banana bread I had left. Don't worry it isn't so much for the alcohol as it was good beer and more importantly full of calories. I stopped by the Post Office and on way out of town. The women working there are really nice. They found an extra box for me and it only cost $10 to mail 7 lbs of crap back. I mailed home my old pack, shoes, mesh stuff sack, water bottle, rain pants, and long sleeve smartwool top. Pack weight change I think I am only 5 oz heavier. My new pack weighs 54 oz along with 3 ish for a pack cover. My old pack was 26, rain pants 10, shirt 12, stuff sack 1. So not too bad. The weight rides nicer too. Torque and I finally got headed south around 10:30am. Thanks again to Dick and Butch for the help and great stay. Two miles in we made a stop at what is referred to as the secret shelter. It isn't much of a secret though, everyone hiking should know about it. A former thru hiker built a nice cabin on his property .3 off the trail. It is fully enclosed with shower and well water. A great stop. It always seems like the great stops are always really close, too close for miles and consecitive nights. So a break and water, then moving on. Now I did something I know I shouldn't have. The cabin had a pack scale. No good can come of me knowing it at this point, but I did it anyways. 41 lbs. I was taken back. I thought there was no why. I had extra food for 3 days and 2 liters of water. I took my foodbag out and it weighs 10.5 pounds. Ok maybe I have more food than I thought. 1 pound of that is misc things and my half used fuel canister. So that accounts for around 15 or 16 lbs of it. Which brings me back to around the 26 base I thought I was. I could go lighter, but that would mean no book, pocketmail (which mean no journal to enjoy), along with a few other comforts I like. I will say my pack felt heavier after I knew what it weighed. I am going to stop doing that. I hiked with Torque pretty much all day today. It was nice hiking with someone for a chance. I hadn't hiked with someone all day since Catz. He is know probibly about a week in front. Funny story though. H wrote i                                                                                       Now water is kind of an issue. We stopped at a park office the trail went right by. We drank up and filled up. I also go to enjoy again the wonders of a flush toilet. It was about 10 miles to sunrise mountain. A great place to watch the sunrise and set. It is pretty dry between here and there. So I carried out 3 liters. That makes the pack heavy. Luckily I was eating a lot today. There was water at a shelter we passed .5 off, but not worth the mile detuer. There was also a sign saying it was .2 off at another point, but I barely drank any. We got to the shelter and thought about going on. 3.5 left with just over an hour of light. We thought about it, but decided to stay. Not really in the mood to night hike. The only issue is now it is close to 5 miles tomorrow before we can get water. Not too big of a deal. After cooking I have 2 liters left. I'll just not cook breakfest. The other issue is it means 20 tomorrow and 17 the next to make it to Deleware Water Gap (a town .1 off the trail) for saturday night. Doable. We'll have to see. DWG has a good and free church hostel there. I hate to turn down free places to stay. I also don't want to take a nero so soon after taking a couple days off. DWG is in PA and I am feeling the itching to get moving again. We'll see. I'll figure something out. Gear update.I called Steri-pen. They are mailing me a new on to Palmerton, PA. I should be there Monday or Tuesday. So Aquia Mira until then. I think monday might be columbus day. If the p.o. is closed it actually doesn't matter. That town has the jailhouse hostel. An old jailhouse turned into a hostel. You stop and check in at the police station. Should be fun. It was on my list of places I wanted to check out anyways.