Right. So. I had planned to wake up at 5:30 to hike early with Scatters, but I didn't set an alarm, and she didn't wake me up. I slept in until 7 with the rest of the crowd, and we slowly made our way out of the motel room. Too short a stay!
Power Pack and Deetz gave us a ride back to the trail head, and after a quick stop to Dunkn Donuts, we were off... as it began to rain again. It had rained all night, but we thought it was done for a while. Wet socks - here we come!! We hiked at a nice, quick speed until we ran into Tripper and Wizard from Oz. Quick chat then back to hiking.
Got to route 191 and Gene was there with Sweet Tea and Sour Dough. There were a few snacks passed around, and I sent a signal on my SPOT. Back to hiking, and about 40 minutes into it, I realized that I left my SPOT there...... AGAIN!?!!!?!? What is going on with me?! I'm usually such a responsible and know-where-all-my-stuff-is kind of person. I'm not a ditz in real life, but I sure do play one on the AT...
One Life had hiked on ahead while I texted a few people about the SPOT and Scatters about the trail magic. The terrain was fairly nice with at least a mile on a flat back road. I ran into two brothers who had driven up from Florida to spread their third brother's ashes in the mountains near where they'd grown up. It was really sweet.
Finally got to Delaware Water Gap after a 1200 foot descent, and I didn't see One Life anywhere. Pretty sure he was at the post office picking up a package before it closed, but I found out later that he'd kept walking past the town into Jersey and got a ride back to the hostel with Scatters' trail magic friend Ed. Ha. I found the church hostel and saw a bunch of familiar faces. Seven, Serenetina, Red Lobstah, LJ, Master Chief, Playboy, Rocky, Cervasa, Beaver Chief and few new faces - Trail Mix, Red Stick and Dumba$$. Good group. Large group! I got a bunk at the and took a shower. By the time I was done, One Life arrived with TC and Ed with all the Scatters trail magic! Sandwiches and soda and chips and cookies and fruit and chocolate. The group was quite happy. My stomach was quite happy, too. Oh, and then Gene showed up with the dogs AND MY SPOT! Thank goodness. I think I may need to get a string and tie that thing to my wrist.
Scatters finally got there, too, after hanging out with her family for a while. Then it was 8pm and it was trivia night over at the pub. We had a few beers and did our best at the trivia. Our team, Pack Rash, came in last out of the five teams, but we had a bunch of fun. Who knew that an ant could survive under water for two days?!
Time for bed. It smells in the bunk house, but we will all sleep fine.
Oh, and I forgot to post the song I wrote yesterday while having a snack in the rain... Here it is (sung to a tune only found in my brain):
I'm eating peanut butter jelly in the rain.
Another person, not a hiker, would say that's insane.
My socks, my shirt, my shorts, my shoes are wet.
Still got six more miles to go. I won't be dry by then I bet.
(Private serenades available by request.)
(15.6mi 8st)
-- Posted from the trail...
Location:Delaware Water Gap, PA
1 comment:
I have just requested "A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson from our Palm Beach County library. Have you read this? Following your blog every day and enjoying it more and more.
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