Leroy A Smith Shelter 1276.9 to Delaware Water Gap 1296.9 (20 miles, 271.45 total miles)
I slept very well last night, even through some snoring in the shelter (earplugs) and Sleepy getting up at 5am to start hiking. The rain was over by morning, and Sandals hiked out a little before 8am, while I chatted with the section hikers and left at 8:15.
I was originally planning on just hiking to the last shelter before Delaware Water Gap, which was 13.8 miles, leaving 6.2 to complete on Friday for a nearo into town. It would mean missing the hiker dinner at the church center, but even 13.8 seemed like a lot after the last few days.
However, I noticed my energy levels were immediately better than they had been in a week. I was hiking fast down the trail, and thought I could make the 4.6 to Wind Gap in two hours. Even with the trail being medium rocky, I found myself stepping through and around the rocks easily.
All the extra sleep from last night and being off my feet so much the day before seemed to have made a world of difference. That, and the idea that I could actually complete PA within the day. I was calculating the miles in my head, and if I could get back to a 2mph pace, I could possibly just make it to DWG at 6pm when the dinner started.
The day was foggy and everything was wet from the night before, including my Ursack that I’d had hanging on a tree and my fanny pack that had been in it. I strapped the fanny pack to the outside of my pack and tried to use my dry clothes to shield my down puffy and sleeping quilt from getting damp in my bag.
The rocks and leaves were slick with rain, and everywhere I hiked I saw little orange salamanders, slugs, and snails on the trail. I kept my eyes focused on the ground for rocks, but glanced up now and then at the forest scenery.
I made it to Wind Gap in under 2 hours, and I was pleased with myself, finally hiking at a respectable speed. I had decided I would eat my way through my food bag, drink caffeine, and take Advil later on to get myself to DWG. Pushing hard for a zero sounded much better than dragging it out and only getting a nearo as a reward for finishing PA. I’d still be hiking out of DWG the same day either way.
I had a liter of water, but it was another 6 miles to the next water source. Squeak had told me about the trailer park in Wind Gap where a nice gentleman would let hikers fill their water bottles. I didn’t see the hose she mentioned, but I walked into the park a few trailers down, vacillating on which trailer it might be.
I checked Far Out and saw a comment that it was the first one on the right, which sounded like what Squeak had said. Feeling a little nervous and hoping I wasn’t bothering the wrong person, I knocked on the door.
A very friendly man answered the door, and said yup, this was the spot. He directed me to the spigot, then asked if I wanted a breakfast sandwich, as he was in the processing of making one for himself.
I gratefully accepted, and was given a spam, egg, and cheese sandwich, hot off the oven. It was amazing, and so much better than having what was in my food bag.
I learned this trail angel’s name is Jeff, and he hopes to thru hike the trail one day, once he is healed up enough from a prior accident to do so. He warned me about a momma bear and two cubs that are up on the following ridge sometimes.
Jeff is a total sweetheart, and he even gave me a couple powdered flavor packets and let me empty my trash bag at his place. I mixed and downed a Modere energy drink packet (thank you to the other Jeff) and mixed one of the new flavor packets for the road.
I hiked a steep little incline out of Wind Gap, fueled up on caffeine and hot breakfast food, and was up on the ridge before I knew it. The ridge was beautiful, classic PA, with ferns, lots of trees, and rocks on and off.
The humidity was picking up in a big way, and it felt like I was hiking through a rainforest, as I was absolutely pouring sweat by then. I saw melting blazes on the trees and felt that in my soul. I kept trucking on, though, and halfway to the water source I met a ridge runner, named Skittles, and local volunteer, Doug, hiking south.
They were checking out the trail for blowdowns after the storm, and asked if I was heading for the gap. I had just stopped for another energy drink and ate a bunch of M&Ms, as my energy had waned a little by then. I said maybe, or the shelter, unsure again. I asked about the rocks further ahead and was told Wolf Rocks was very slippery from the rain but after the shelter was okay.
I put on some music, since it was afternoon by then, and looked over my should regularly to make sure no one was behind me that wanted to pass. Soon, though, I saw Doug running up the trail by himself behind me. I asked if everything was okay, and he said he lost his cell phone and was going back to try to find it.
He booked it on ahead, and I was seriously impressed that he was running on some pretty rocky ground by that point. On the way back, I saw him and he hadn’t found it, but thought his wife could locate it.
The spring was 250 yards off trail, so not very far, and I drank some water and filled up all my bottles. There wouldn’t be more water till a few miles after the shelter, and I wanted to be able to bail out if I felt like it.
Still, the extra six pounds of water was significant on my back, and it became painful on my ankles hiking from there. I made myself eat some trail mix and turned off the music for the moment. Wolf Rocks was .5 ahead.
It began to get extremely rocky quickly, and painful with so much weight. I’m not sure exactly how long it was, but it felt like at least a mile of huge, slanted, slippery boulders.
There was a bypass trail on the blue blaze past the water source, but I’m trying to do a “purist” hike this time, so I was in for the full experience. It was the final “F you” of PA, and I honestly thought it was harder than knifes edge. It was the same type of rocks, but for longer and on much slicker ground.
I had done knifes edge in bright sunshine on dry rocks. Whatever moss was on these rocks made them so slippery that even my trekking poles were sliding. I have to put a lot of weight on my poles when traversing uncertain footing, so it was sketchy.
A couple times I threw my poles down, sat on the rocks and slid down that way. Or used trees on the side of the trail to hold my weight. At one point I threw my pack down a ledge and climbed after it. I was looking out for snakes the whole time, and at least felt safer from them since there was no sun. On the contrary, I could see rain clouds rolling in.
Sandals texted me, only a little ahead, and I told him I’d probably push to DWG. He said he’d let me know the situation at the church hostel when he got there. I wasn’t expecting a bunk, because I’d be rolling in late, but hoped there’d be some food left over.
Once the rocks were over, the trail got extremely easy, and I sped back up, hiking over soft mud. It was raining on me lightly, but my pack liner was snug over my stuff, and I left the umbrella in my bag so I’d have the use of both hands and trekking poles.
I reached the sign to the shelter, around 2.5 miles after Wolf Rocks. I didn’t take the side trail, but I did dump out a liter of water then and there to lighten up my pack. It was 3:30, and I stopped briefly at a campsite with a beautiful view right after the shelter area, to gear up for the final assault on Pennsylvania.
I emptied my bladder, and got to work filling my body with fuel. I had a bunch of cheese and pepperoni left that I had been rationing out for two more days of hiking in PA, and I devoured half of it quickly, as I hadn’t had lunch yet.
I mixed another Modere, and guzzled that. I took three Advil, and ate a bunch of caramel creams, the sugar buzzing in my veins. I charged my phone a little more, while I did that, and downloaded an Eminem album.
I folded the rest of the cheese and pepperoni in the last tortilla into some sort of makeshift sandwich. I held it in my mouth while I packed my bag back up, feeling like the absolute supreme hiker trash then and there. It felt good to push myself again, but it felt better that I knew I had a reward of a zero day right after, so it still felt like moderation.
I threw on Eminem’s Encore album, and spent about a half mile hiking and finishing the sandwich I’d made. My stomach protested, but I needed the fuel and I wanted to finish that particular food before my resupply in DWG.
I had just shed about 4 lb of water and food weight in my bag, the terrain was easy and I just hiked my heart out, the idea of DWG motivating me with a manic energy. I savored being alone on the trail in the evening again, not having that experience in a while.
2.5 miles outside of town, I hit the end of the ridge and walked down a super easy fire road I’d been following and got ready for a long, steep descent into town. Sandals had already told me that it was a tough one, so I braced myself.
There were more rocks, of course, but I switched to a playlist of my favorite songs and sang as I hiked. One hiker caught me at it, and passed me by, and we laughed together, having both been the singer that thinks they’re alone on the trail before.
I went through rhododendron tunnels, muddy switchbacks, and down rock steps, but nothing came anywhere close to as steep as the drop into Port Clinton.
Still, I was reminded of that day vividly as I descended. I was listening to the same playlist, it was my first 20 mile day since then, and I had something exciting to look forward to when I got there.
I reached the very coolly named Eureka Creek, and passed several more beautiful flowing water sources as I kept hiking. There were gorgeous views, and the sun kept peeking out and illuminating the trail in magical ways.
I laughed at the irony that on the rocks for the last 60 miles or so the trail had been so dry, and now with town coming up water was everywhere to be found. Still, I savored the end of PA, it was a significant accomplishment in my mind.
Sandals texted me that the food spread looked amazing, and there should be plenty left over. I thought there would be some road walking, so I was figuring on getting there at 7pm.
I hiked into the town, and savored an amazing feeling of accomplishment and happiness that I had made it through all of PA safe and sound. As I got more into the town, I realized it looked very familiar to me, and that I had been there before.
Last time, I had yellow blazed (taken a car and skipped miles aka generally frowned upon by purists) into town for the hiker dinner. This time, I hiked here, and it was such a better feeling. I am not going to judge anyone because HYOH, I’m just enjoying a different experience this time.
There were lots of hikers and church people there, and I arrived at 6:24. I dropped my pack and headed up, where a huge potluck spread was indeed set up, complete with a whole dessert table. I couldn’t believe I had made it in time!
I didn’t think I really felt hungry because I had eaten so very much just three hours before, but I filled my plate with roast chicken, spinach casserole, carrots, and a slaw type salad. I saw Sandals and sat down, and I was the only hiker still sweaty and stinky. Everyone else had gotten to shower and change into town clothes first, but I had made it, and that was enough for me.
I ate steadily, and before I knew it I had cleaned my plate, and washed everything down with lots of iced tea and lemonade mixed together. I grabbed watermelon, chocolate cake, and some apple pie. While I was eating that, the very nice church folk kept coming up to give us more, so I added more salad, spice cake, and more watermelon. My body was hungry for all the calories, and I ate until I felt very full, and very relaxed.
I realized I knew a good portion of the hikers there already. Sleepy, of course, Fallout, and I also saw the younger trail family from 501, and Cobra as well. Cobra had been hiking with Trillium, who’d hiked out of DWG that day, and Goofy, who had taken a day off to treat some blisters. I found out Cobra is actually doing a flip flop, and started the day before me. That was exciting to find out, as I love meeting younger flip floppers like myself.
It was funny, I thought I had fallen way behind, but they had been crushing miles too and started to feel the effects like I had. I caught up with Cobra as we ate, and even found out he grew up in Norwich and worked at Mohegan Sun for many years. I told him how I used to live in Norwich and worked at Scranton Chevy right next door. What a small world. Extra ironic when you consider I just saw two former coworkers within the past week from that store that I hadn’t worked at in four years.
After dinner, I took a classic amazing trail shower, changed into some clean clothes, and headed out with Jedi, Sandals, and a female hiker named BFD to the live Jazz bar next door.
It was my first time going out on trail this time around, and the music was awesome. The saxophone players made me think of Delaney, who plays too, and I took a video to send to her.
I found out Jedi grew up in Wyoming, which is where most of my novel in progress takes place. I peppered him with questions on that and the CDT, as I drank a hard cider. He also entertained us with stories of how he met Ice (the hiker who harassed women hikers earlier this year) and saw him get arrested.
It was really fun to be out, but after 20 miles, two plates of food, and a cider, I was feeling quite tired. We walked back to the hostel, where BFD was staying inside, and the other three of us set up in the shelter on premises.
I spent an hour writing while the others fell asleep, feeling glad I wasn’t staying in the hostel itself tonight. It would just be a repeat of 501 I felt.
I savored the delightful feeling of PA behind me, and a zero day to enjoy tomorrow. I feel it is well deserved after these last few weeks, and it feels nice to end PA on the day of my three week on trail mark. I’m glad I pushed the extra miles today, it felt amazing to do a big mile day after being so cautious lately. And I’m incredibly grateful for the kindness I was given today by Jeff and the Church of the Mountain Hiker Center. I’m excited to see what comes next in New Jersey!