Date: 2021-04-21
From: Episcopalian church on the mountain

To: Leroy smith shelter
Miles today: 20.1

Day  19Cold front a comingPresbyterian church on the mountain mile marker 1295.9Leroy Smith Shelter mile marker 1276.0Daily miles 20.1 Total miles 319.0  After the night in the lien to behind the Presbyterian Church of the mountain fellowship house where there were loud noises of traffic for my 80 and three very bright light shining on me all night I was up around 545 to the singing of the birds.  I toyed with walking the mile down to Dunkin¢ Donuts for breakfast and coffee, but the extra mileage wasn¢r worth it.  I hiked out of Delaware water gap at 6:53 and met my one big climb of the day which I took slowly as my legs still weren¢t loose.  The climb took about an hour with a couple decent views and I was soon excited to find out the rocks in Pennsylvania didn¢t start until about 8.5 miles into my day.  But when they did start they did so abruptly as the change in trail was was very evident.  The last 11 miles today and probably all tomorrow and maybe some of Friday is the worst section of rocks Pennsylvania has to offer. In a way,  I¢m glad to get them over with opposed to the nobo¢s who have to hike the state in dread of this section.  I can get it over with in the first few days I¢m going to enjoy the rest of the state knowing this part is over.  I had some major food disappointments in Delaware water gap that I was locally able to make up for today in wind gap.  Despite the rocks am a decent time to Windgap getting there by 1:30 PM leaving me only 4 1/2 miles to my destination.  It¢s 4 miles into town and I relied on the humanity of others that I wouldn¢t have to walk there and back.  On my way into town maroon Nissan Honda me and I turned around to find a older gentleman hiker who thought I was taking partner and he offered to take me into town.  All the fast food restaurants were drive-through only which luckily led me to the gap diner which is more my style anyway.  I had skipped breakfast and lunch, so I proceeded to order breakfast and lunch. Two scrambled eggs crispy hashbrowns and wheat toast and a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and a bag of chips and a half a pickle and three glasses of Dr Pepper.  The forecast today had originally been terrible but as I approached Windgap I only got hit with about 10 minutes of rain but the real story was the wind.  By the time I got down to town the wind was blowing 40 to 50 mph and the temperature has dropped into the 40s.  I finished my meal and bought two Powerade¢s at the Sunoco where I plan to set up and try to get a hitchhike back to the trail head.  As I went out by the roadside in my little sock on your running shorts and rain jacket my legs and ass quivered in the high intensity winds and wind chill.  Luckily a fellow named Adam picked me up after about 3 minutes.  Brought me up to the trail head and drop me off in my 4 1/2 mile hikes to the shelter was mostly on the one side of the mountain.  The on top of the mountain the wind had to be blowing 50 to 60 miles an hour and I had no choice but to hike as quickly as I could on the rocks just to stay warm enough.  Not ideal hiking conditions but definitely memorable ones!  Supposed to get down to 28 tonight just hoping the wind dies down...