The rain stopped pretty soon after I went inside my tent last night, but the tent walls stayed wet and since the tent was on a slant, I slid down and got the bottom of the sleeping bag wet. So I had to pack a wet sleeping bag and a very wet and dirty tent.
As I was eating breakfast, Slingshot came up to the shelter. He had been tenting on the other side of it from me so I had missed him. He told me Tortoise had fallen on the rocks and injured his leg so had gone off trail. He wasn’t sure when or where or whether Tortoise would get back on.
I got into the town of Delaware Water Gap around ten. No diners unfortunately, so I had a very expensive coffee and muffin at a bougie cafe. I then walked to the outfitters for stove fuel. I heard someone yell “Batman!” and turned around to see Ghost and Bull approaching. They had stayed overnight at a church in town. We chatted a while then they headed off to a restaurant while I went to a gas station convenience store for a tolerable resupply. I still had three days worth of food but wanted five since resupply options looked almost nonexistent for the next 80 miles. (Later when I was explaining to Ghost how I have food scarcity anxiety, he responded “We all carry our fears on the trail.”) Slingdhot was sitting outside the gas station having a smoke… what is it with younger people and smoking? Later in the day I caught up to Ghost on trail and he was smoking too.
Two milestones today: crossing from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, and crossing the 1300 mile mark.
Around 5 I turned off the trail to visit the deli at an AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) retreat. I ordered a bean burger. In the dining room BC was already eating so I joined him. He filled me in on his life story; lived in Hamilton, studied at U Waterloo, was a software developer then moved into management which he did not like, retired around age 55 and is much happier now. He is staying at the retreat overnight. I thought of joining him but I knew Ghost and Bull were going to camp at a fire tower further north and I wanted the extra mileage. As it turns out the campsite was only two miles further. But we had a nice conversation at dinner including Ghost, Bull (who is pretty quiet), Pumpkin, a man my age with a very long beard like Slingshot’s, and a section hiker whonsat down with us but no one thought to ask his name. It’s very windy up on the ridge. My tent blew down once. I hope it stays up overnight.
Mile 1291.5 to mile 1310.6 = 19.1 miles
Sun through early morning mist
Bear tracks
A snapping turtle heading down the trail towards a pond. I am guessing it was a female who had gone to the woods to lay her eggs
The trail crossed the Delaware river on a very loud, very long highway bridge.
A majestic house in DWG
Crossing the Delaware river beside a very loud highway
State line on the bridge
Another milestone
Lots of great views from the ridge
View of Bull, Ghost, and Pumpkin’s tents from the fire tower
Watching the sunset from the tower