Date: 2015-05-27
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Unnamed Campsite
Miles today: 22.2

Yesterday at dinner, Lorax and I were talking about what will happen when we have to adjust to the real world. The big thing that I've been thinking about is jeans. For months now I've been wearing the same loose fitting, many pocketed trousers/shorts. Just thinking about wearing tight denim on my legs feels strange. I don't know why this is a particular focus of mine. I think it will also take a long time for me to get used to not living out of my pack. No longer will I have everything I need within arms reach, no matter where I go. I also won't be able to pee in the woods whenever I want, so my bladder will have to readjust to civilian life again. My stomach will have to do the same, but it will likely be glad for a slightly fresher and more balanced diet. Meanwhile, today started off with me leaving later than usual, but with my cup of tea in tow. The first section was across the Delaware river, on a massive bridge. This time I was not harassed by any birds. As of the middle of the bridge, I am now in New Jersey. I've been told that New Jersey has a lot of rocks and bears. There were certainly less rocks than in Pennsylvania, mostly. I didn't see any bears yet, but I did see 2 snakes. The first was a rattlesnake that didn't rattle its tail, but instead hissed when I was nearly on top of it. It reared up and appeared ready to strike like a cobra. I was so startled that I ran backwards and of course fell on the rocks, but quickly picked myself up and did a big loop around the snake. It seemed to be trying to slither up the trail towards me so I wanted to stay as far away as possible, considering how other animals have reacted to me recently. I was passed by a large group of high school boys, and then later a large group of younger day hikers. It seems like some sort of spring/summer camps have started. Hopefully with this many people tramping around, the bears will stay far away. The day was hot and humid again, but with less sun than before. About 4.30, the skies opened with thunder and rain. The rain stopped for a while, but started again in earnest just after I had set up my tent. This is the first time my tent will have real rainfall since Damascus, when I seam sealed it for the second time. There is currently only one spot that is leaking, and it is being contained by my towel. The weather is predicted to be poor for the rest of the week, but I am hoping at the least the mornings will be dry enough so I can dry my socks out. I don't want to have to wear drenched socks for days in a row again. For some inexplicable reason, I have red marks and spots on my right hip. It is certainly caused by my backpack, but I do not know why this is suddenly happening now when nothing about how I wear my pack has changed. The rain has now finally stopped, and I hope it can hold off for the rest of the night. In the meanwhile, I have just had my second dinner. My first was cheese flavoured instant mash. My second was apple and cinnamon flavoured instant oats. I'm enjoying the different varieties of instant oats. I've had ones that are cinnamon roll flavoured, baked apple flavoured, strawberries and cream flavoured, peaches and cream flavoured. The brown sugar and maple syrup flavour is my standard, but there are only so many days I eat that. Similarly, I'm sick of Nutella now. Peanut butter or Nutella are actually the most economic tortilla filling, so I need to find something else that is cheap and neither of those things. I'm not sure what I will do when I get sick of instant mash.