6-26-09 day 24
start: Stealth Camping South of Brink Road Shelter
end: Rutherford Shelter
daily mileage: 18.9
total mileage: 313.1
We heard yesterday that the Brink Road Shelter was in a swamp so we decided to "stealth camp" south of it in a pine grove. "Stealth Camping" just means not camping in designated campsites. We woke up to rain and waited for it to subside before breaking camp. It cleared up and we had a pretty nice day. We needed supplies so we thumbed it into town. The lady that picked us up was super nice and told us her son had hiked last summer. She took us to the grocery store and dropped us of. In the deli section we were deliberating about lunch, and she came and found us. She said, "Here guys let me buy you lunch", and gave us 10 dollars. We were totally floored and super grateful. We bought an 8 piece fried chicken and 2lbs of mac n' cheese. Going back toward the trail we eventually got a ride from these two chicks. They told us they had always wanted to pick up hitchers, and we were more than happy to oblige them : ).
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Ants Would Make Terrible Sailors
6-25-09 day 23
start: Mohican Outdoor Center
end: 'Stealth Camping' south of Brink Road Shelter
daily mileage: ~13
total mileage: ~294.5
The mosquitoes last night were outrageously bad, biting our faces and exposed skin all night, ugg. Today was relatively easy other than that I am fighting a summer cold (the worst kind) and the super hot muggy weather. After lunch we came upon Crater Lake. We had actually lost the trail but could see the lake through a thicket. Instead of looking for where the white blazes picked up, we decided to go swimming. After bushwhacking through shoulder high weeds we found a small boulder on the lake shore to leave our packs and jumped in. The lake was beautiful and felt incredible. The shoreline was brimming with bullfrog tadpoles but try as we might they are impossible to catch. We also spent a half an hour or so putting ants on leaves and setting them adrift like boats. We'd watch as the ants freaked out and invariably were eaten by fish. Sadistic but awesome. Connor and I are pleased that our lifestyle for the next 5 months allows us to swimming in mountain lakes on a whim. : )
start: Mohican Outdoor Center
end: 'Stealth Camping' south of Brink Road Shelter
daily mileage: ~13
total mileage: ~294.5
The mosquitoes last night were outrageously bad, biting our faces and exposed skin all night, ugg. Today was relatively easy other than that I am fighting a summer cold (the worst kind) and the super hot muggy weather. After lunch we came upon Crater Lake. We had actually lost the trail but could see the lake through a thicket. Instead of looking for where the white blazes picked up, we decided to go swimming. After bushwhacking through shoulder high weeds we found a small boulder on the lake shore to leave our packs and jumped in. The lake was beautiful and felt incredible. The shoreline was brimming with bullfrog tadpoles but try as we might they are impossible to catch. We also spent a half an hour or so putting ants on leaves and setting them adrift like boats. We'd watch as the ants freaked out and invariably were eaten by fish. Sadistic but awesome. Connor and I are pleased that our lifestyle for the next 5 months allows us to swimming in mountain lakes on a whim. : )
The PA Spoon Bandit Gets One More Caper
6-24-09 day 22
start: Presbyterian Church of the Mountain Hostel @ Delaware Water Gap, PA
end: Mohican Outdoor Center
daily mileage: 10.4
total mileage: 287.5
Surprise, surprise we got out of town late again. We had to go wandering around to find something to replace our pot stand for the stove because somebody lost our old one >: (. Additionally, I discovered that I lost my spoon again! AAHH! I got new one at a gas station...it turned out later that day that I had not in fact lost the old one. It was in my pack were I looked already...I'm freakin' out man, there are spoon gnomes or some kind of space time nexus of spoons or something. We left PA and walked across the Delaware River into New Jersey. Hopefully the rocks will end quickly. Also, Jersey is know bear country so hopefully we will see some. We stopped for lunch at Sunfish Pond, touted as one of NJ's "seven natural wonders". It is a naturally acidic glacial lake, and it is truly gorgeous.
start: Presbyterian Church of the Mountain Hostel @ Delaware Water Gap, PA
end: Mohican Outdoor Center
daily mileage: 10.4
total mileage: 287.5
Surprise, surprise we got out of town late again. We had to go wandering around to find something to replace our pot stand for the stove because somebody lost our old one >: (. Additionally, I discovered that I lost my spoon again! AAHH! I got new one at a gas station...it turned out later that day that I had not in fact lost the old one. It was in my pack were I looked already...I'm freakin' out man, there are spoon gnomes or some kind of space time nexus of spoons or something. We left PA and walked across the Delaware River into New Jersey. Hopefully the rocks will end quickly. Also, Jersey is know bear country so hopefully we will see some. We stopped for lunch at Sunfish Pond, touted as one of NJ's "seven natural wonders". It is a naturally acidic glacial lake, and it is truly gorgeous.
Big Push to the Border
6-23-09 day 21
start: Leroy Smith Shelter
end: Presbyterian Church of the Mountain Hostel @ Delaware Water Gap, PA
daily mileage: 20.2
total mileage: 271.1
Today we had only planned on ~15 miles but it ended up as our longest day yet. We were headed to a shelter but decided at lunch to go ahead and push on to Delaware Water Gap, the border town between PA and NJ. It added another 6+ mile to our trek but we were feeling good and blasted out ~20 miles. We pulled into DWG late, around 8:30, and found the church hostel. It was free and we got showers again. We went down to the Deer Head Inn for 35 cent wings and were crushed to find the kitchen closed at 9:00. David, our friend from Edinbourogh, was there, however, and had been drinking for a bit. We found him chatting up a rather "weathered" looking older lady with great enthusiasm. We went inside and shot the bull about the US and the UK as well as David's new love interest : ).
start: Leroy Smith Shelter
end: Presbyterian Church of the Mountain Hostel @ Delaware Water Gap, PA
daily mileage: 20.2
total mileage: 271.1
Today we had only planned on ~15 miles but it ended up as our longest day yet. We were headed to a shelter but decided at lunch to go ahead and push on to Delaware Water Gap, the border town between PA and NJ. It added another 6+ mile to our trek but we were feeling good and blasted out ~20 miles. We pulled into DWG late, around 8:30, and found the church hostel. It was free and we got showers again. We went down to the Deer Head Inn for 35 cent wings and were crushed to find the kitchen closed at 9:00. David, our friend from Edinbourogh, was there, however, and had been drinking for a bit. We found him chatting up a rather "weathered" looking older lady with great enthusiasm. We went inside and shot the bull about the US and the UK as well as David's new love interest : ).
We Took a Long Day in Palmerton, PA
6-22-09 day 20
start: Borough Hall @ Palmerton, PA
end: Leroy Smith Shelter
daily mileage: 15.9
total mileage: 250.9
The Palmerton library doesn't open until 10 on Monday so there was no need to get up early. We did our grocery shopping and packed up waiting to get in. Connor updated the blog while I ran other errands. I got some more fuel fr our stove, and more excitingly I got dry erase markers and dice for travel RISK! The library was also having a book sale where I was able to get a decent paperback to replace the crap I've found in the shelters. We had 16 miles to go today and got started around 1:30... super late, and had 1oooft climb in under a mile right off the bat, merciless. While the rest of the day was mostly along the ridge the "Rocksylvania" rocks pounded our feet. The last 5 miles seemed to drag, especially as the sun went down. Both mine and Connor's feet will be glad to get out of this rocky mess and on to NJ in a couple days.
start: Borough Hall @ Palmerton, PA
end: Leroy Smith Shelter
daily mileage: 15.9
total mileage: 250.9
The Palmerton library doesn't open until 10 on Monday so there was no need to get up early. We did our grocery shopping and packed up waiting to get in. Connor updated the blog while I ran other errands. I got some more fuel fr our stove, and more excitingly I got dry erase markers and dice for travel RISK! The library was also having a book sale where I was able to get a decent paperback to replace the crap I've found in the shelters. We had 16 miles to go today and got started around 1:30... super late, and had 1oooft climb in under a mile right off the bat, merciless. While the rest of the day was mostly along the ridge the "Rocksylvania" rocks pounded our feet. The last 5 miles seemed to drag, especially as the sun went down. Both mine and Connor's feet will be glad to get out of this rocky mess and on to NJ in a couple days.
Hike Naked...Feel the Sun on Your Cheeks!
6-21-09 day 19
start: Allentown Shelter
end: Borough Hall @ Palmerton, PA
daily mileage: 17.7
total mileage: 235.0
It's June 21st, the summer solstice. Also it just so happens to be Hike Naked Day! While it was too chilly to actually hike naked we showed our support later in the day. We ate lunch at a great rocky overlook called Bake Oven Knob. We met a family or day hikers who came up for the view. We had our little alcohol stove and they were thoroughly impressed with us : ). Later on we found a huge formation of rock walls and cliffs just off the trail so we did some bouldering. In honor of the holiday we each climbed up a big rock and stretched to the sun sans clothing. Very liberating...We pulled into Palmerton, PA around 5:15 looking to stay at the Borough Hall, a municipal building with a basement open to hikers. After 4:30 you are supposed to check in at the police station. However the one cop in Palmerton wasn't there and after waiting around for a hour we ran into a fellow hiker who showed us how to get into the Borough Hall. So we stayed unannounced. Walking down the main avenue we saw signs prohibiting "cruising" (driving 3 times past the sign within one hour) and parking on odd Fridays. Seems like a lot of silly laws for old Barney to keep after... After showers and laundry, we were feeling saucy so we went up to the Palmerton Hotel for drinks. We need groceries and an Internet fix tomorrow.
start: Allentown Shelter
end: Borough Hall @ Palmerton, PA
daily mileage: 17.7
total mileage: 235.0
It's June 21st, the summer solstice. Also it just so happens to be Hike Naked Day! While it was too chilly to actually hike naked we showed our support later in the day. We ate lunch at a great rocky overlook called Bake Oven Knob. We met a family or day hikers who came up for the view. We had our little alcohol stove and they were thoroughly impressed with us : ). Later on we found a huge formation of rock walls and cliffs just off the trail so we did some bouldering. In honor of the holiday we each climbed up a big rock and stretched to the sun sans clothing. Very liberating...We pulled into Palmerton, PA around 5:15 looking to stay at the Borough Hall, a municipal building with a basement open to hikers. After 4:30 you are supposed to check in at the police station. However the one cop in Palmerton wasn't there and after waiting around for a hour we ran into a fellow hiker who showed us how to get into the Borough Hall. So we stayed unannounced. Walking down the main avenue we saw signs prohibiting "cruising" (driving 3 times past the sign within one hour) and parking on odd Fridays. Seems like a lot of silly laws for old Barney to keep after... After showers and laundry, we were feeling saucy so we went up to the Palmerton Hotel for drinks. We need groceries and an Internet fix tomorrow.
Returning to the Subject of Care Packages...
Jointly, Connor and I have decided on a new system. I has come to our attention that many of our readers are not super current on our posts and only check every weeks or so. Since it will be too difficult to estimate where we will be further than a week out we suggest a new system:
If you want to send us something either send Connor an email or call my cell and leave a message. This will let us know you are trying to send a package and we can give you up to the minute information as to our whereabouts. So to reiterate, please don't send something and then call...call first...because we might pass by the post office and not know to stop! All the information for shipping is in post by Connor from a week ago so you will have the address format. Thanks so much, we adore everyone who has enough interest to check out our site!
(513) 550 1917 Travis's Cell
connnnnor@gmail.com Connor's email (5 n's)
If you want to send us something either send Connor an email or call my cell and leave a message. This will let us know you are trying to send a package and we can give you up to the minute information as to our whereabouts. So to reiterate, please don't send something and then call...call first...because we might pass by the post office and not know to stop! All the information for shipping is in post by Connor from a week ago so you will have the address format. Thanks so much, we adore everyone who has enough interest to check out our site!
(513) 550 1917 Travis's Cell
connnnnor@gmail.com Connor's email (5 n's)
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