Summer 2019 Section Hike -Day 11 Pochunk Shelter to Warwick Turnpike

Date: June 26
Total Miles Today: 12.1
Total Miles this Summer: 145.3
Total Trail Miles: 952.3

We started hiking and found that Sage's new shoes did not magically solve her foot pain. After a painful climb, she paused at the top to enjoy her Nettle and Catnip tea, made with plants she picked along the trail.

I want to complain about the miles of Jersey swamp with rotting board bridges, but since the alternative would be wading through the muck, I will just try to be thankful. But I think I prefer the ridge walks over the swamp walks.

It was a weird day, lots of swamp walks, including this boardwalk that went for about a mile.

A bit unsteady but at least it was flat.

Now the AT goes through a Farmer's pasture.

And right to a hot dog stand! Yay!

And across from the hot dog stand...a Creamery.

Time for the midday nap.

It wasn't a hard section of trail, but with foot pain and a general lack of energy, we were moving slow.

After about 12 miles, we came to a road, and Sage was clearly in pain. I checked "Guthook" (the trail app everyone uses) and came up with a plan. We booked 2 nights in the exclusive "Tuxedo Motel"...a hiker favorite. What it lacks in updates it makes up for in price. We caught a ride to the motel, and gave Sage a bag of Ice and ibuprofen for her foot.  Tomorrow, we will see how her foot is doing and "slack pack" to the hotel. Not carrying a pack and resting in a hotel will hopefully give her foot the extra care it needs. 

Yay! The Tuxedo Hotel. Only the very best available for less than $60 a night. At check in he told us he would give us a room with working AC.  Sweet. 

A few challenges, but we're still hiking. This is to be expected....everyone on the trail has to troubleshoot various pains. Feet tend to be the number one challenge. Our last big section hike, both of us had our feet in a bad state after about 100 miles. So in that regard, we're improving.