Date: 2010-06-26
From: Mohican Center

To: Sunrise Mtn.
Miles today: 23.3

Started out my day by breaking and entering on of the cabins here at the Mohican center. I know, that¢s not model thru-hiker behavior, but I kept it short and sweet. Needed a bowl for my oatmeal because I don¢t have a single zip-lock bag available.Made breakfast but didn¢t put the bowl back inside, just in case the AMC guy shows up as I¢m entering the place. I left the rinsed out bowl on the seat by the door. Bet he wonders how that got there later.The mosquitoes were horrible last night! I could hear them howling for my blood all night! I¢d put my hand close to the bug net where they were hanging out and laughed while they stabbed at the air! Packed all my belongings from the inside of my tent and pulled my thick socks up as high as they¢d go. I hate bites on my ankles!Ran through the swamp land fighting off the bugs that like getting in my hair. Climbed the Catfish fire tower in front of the Boy Scouts. I wondered if their Scout leaders let them go up there. Brought back memories of Shuckshack tower and Fun Dip standing on top of the thing! I¢d probably do it now.No rattlesnakes at Rattlesnake Mtn spring. I was on the look out today! Spooked a large bear that sounded like a horse or bull running away.Lots of vistas off to the right overlooking the Garden State. This side of NJ is beautiful compared to the city. Started to realize that it might be called the armpit of the United States because the New England area projects out like an arm and NJ is right where the armpit would be.Saw at least 10 deer today along the ridge-line. One button buck and two fawns. The babies tend to run away faster than the adults. Couldn¢t get the water faucet to work at Blue Mtn. Lakes Rd. You have to pump it while standing on your head and turning a lever with your toes.There was a Mountain named, Rattlesnake. Ran into a clucking wild turkey by the woods road nearby. Stopped at Brink Rd Shelter with bleary, sleepy eyes and chatted with two section hikers. Passed out for two hours during the hottest part of the day. Woke to the sounds of a loud thru-hiker who¢s just getting back to the trail after being, ¢Ill¢.The mosquitoes are hovering in the corner of the shelter awaiting night fall. Bastards! Left because the thru-hiker got on my nerves.Stopped for water and Culvers Gap. Not the friendliest town. The bait shop employee told me I could get water out of the fish tank when I asked if they had a faucet. I told him how funny I thought he was and went over to the bar to try there. There were lots of signs telling hikers to go around back and not to come inside. I guess they think we stink or the customers think so. Sat on the deck for a while thinking about ordering a drink, but decided not to give them any money after waiting for a ridiculously long period of time. I went inside and get water from the bathroom because it was free. I wasn¢t giving this town a penny after the way they were treating me. Inside the bar I found $2.25 20oz sodas! Welcome to NJ!Checked out yet another fire tower with Boy Scouts camping all around it. Gren Anderson shelter stop for water. Section hikers felt uneasy there about this guy named ¢David¢. He¢s a young kid who¢s wearing all cotton clothes, hitchhiked from Texas, never backpacked before, and didn¢t know where he was going or what he wanted to do. I wanted to pick his brain so I hiked with him for a while. He seemed interesting compared to the section hiker city folk. Well, he followed me for a while, but couldn¢t keep up. Yep, he was a little strange, but I admire someone with the guts to try something on a whim and not worry about the details. He¢s been to Bonnaroo so we chatted briefly about that. The section hiker lady at the shelter was shocked that he was leaving the shelter so late and didn¢t know where he was going. Heck, that¢s 90% of the Thru-hikers schedules.Stopped for the night at Sunset Pavilion. Couldn¢t see any sunrise from here because of the tree angles. The eastern view of the horizon is blocked by the forest. Way to go NJ!No camping allowed here, but I¢m done for the day. David came by and thankfully moved on down the trail. Rest Stop and Orbit came in late for the night. Mosquitoes were horrible again! Worse yet! Was going to sleep cowboy style but threw my tent up. It¢s so windy, but the little buggers are not giving up yet. They drafted the pillars so they could still attack us between gusts of wind. My tent almost blows down because I can¢t get my stakes in the hard ground. Went to sleep with a light drizzle. I was thumping and teasing the bugs again through my bug screen. Their stabbing at the air makes me laugh!