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July
24, 1983 Sunday (885 mtg) From
Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal
It
was unusual for me to have even considered taking a day off yesterday.
Up to this point, I had only taken two days off, one in July when
my parents came to visit me in the Shenandoah's, and the other when
Jim and I got stuck in Pearisburg on a Sunday and had to wait for
the mail on Monday. Staying too long in town makes me kind of nervous
and I feel like getting out and hiking. I waited for everyone else
for a while this morning, but no one seemed to be stirring so I
took off by myself. The sixth state, Pennsylvania, was now officially
completed as I walked through Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area
and prepared for the ascent into New Jersey. A fog hung in the air
as I started across the Delaware River. Passing up through a parking
area I caught a guy and a girl doing "something" in the
passenger seat of their car - this is Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area - I suppose you could consider that recreation.
I continued on through the park. I stopped at the last water fountain
and filled my water bottle before the ascent up the ravine of Dunnfield
Creek on the side of Mt. Tammany that would take me toward a body
of water known as Sunfish Pond, a remnant left from glaciers during
the last ice age. The pond was described as being one of the nicest
ponds on the trail. I enjoyed the clarity of the water, and I even
took a swim to help cool me down, but I did not see anything out
of the ordinary about it. Not having been in the east before, I
had visions of New Jersey having toxic waste dumps and such, so
I guess considering its location - in New Jersey - it was fairly
impressive. Now I know that this stereotype is not accurate at all,
and the reason why the state is known as the Garden State.
Past the pond, I noticed that the trail had become quite rocky.
I guess I could not expect the rocks to just stop in Pennsylvania,
but I suppose I had visions of some relief. Five miles beyond, I
reached Camp Mohican Road, a dirt road that Pete had said he would
use to bring up some party supplies this afternoon. I waited for
his arrival. Paul arrived via the AT, then Rhode Island Red, and
then Pete came up along the road. He was carrying A&W! Not only
that, but ham and cheese and tuna salad for sandwiches, and chocolate
cake! At that point the rain began to fall, so we quickly pushed
on approximately two miles further to Mt. Mohican Shelter, two tenths
of a mile off the trail on a blue-blazed trail. We got rained on
most of the way, but somewhere along the ridge the sun came out
and we were treated to a wonderful rainbow stretching across the
valley and ending on the ridgecrest at the junction of the A.T.
and the side trail to the shelter. Brushy trail conditions impeded
our progress to Mohican Shelter, but we eventually arrived to find
a shelter with canvas sides rather than the traditional wood or
stone; however, the inside was dry. We could hear the yelling of
children as they participated in some activities at one of the summer
camps located in the valley below. A short 11.6 mile day out of
Delaware Water Gap.
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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