2019 Summer Section Hike -Day 12- Warwick Turnpike to West Mombasha Rd

Date: June 27
Total Miles Today: 16.6
Total Miles this Summer: 161.9
Total Trail Miles: 952.3
 Miles Today 16.6*

*Slack packing 8)

So today we are slackpacking. Notice that Sage has no backpack, it's back in the motel. My backpack has only snacks and water, so I can hardly even feel it. Just the formula for a sore foot...no pack.

Leaving NJ for the last time...New York ahead.

Like PA, New York has lots of rocks. But they are better rocks..smoother, friendlier.

No backpack is definitely better. 

Oh, this section appears to involve some climbs.

New York has tons of these, I believe the technical term is "mash potato" rocks. 

Pumas in the crevices?

Loud Rattling Noise. Danger Noodle!

A big fat rattlesnake. If you zoom in you can just see it.

After we escaped the Danger Noodle, we strolled into another trail magic. A cold soda, some candy....and....

He gave us brand new Darn Tough Socks. Wow...that's trail magic. In case you are not familiar with the brand, they are the most popular on the trail. Lifetime Warranty. Very good socks. $15-20 a pair...so they better be. 

After our trail magic we walked a few tenths of a mile down the road to a Creamery. Sage got Lemon Sorbet and I got a Peanut butter Moose tracks milk shake. 8)

Fueled by our visit to the Creamery, the Mash Potato rocks were no longer a problem.

New York. The climbs require your hands. 

More rocks.

A smooth section of trail was a nice break from the rocks.

Waterfalls. We drink them. We will drink anything through our filter. It apparently works, we are still alive.

We grabbed a Lyft at the next road and....

Haircut time. Sage has been spending an hour a day on hair maintenance. She decided to cut some off to make it easier to hike.

She got 14+ inches cut off, and she still has long hair. We saved the hair and will send it to wigs for kids once we come to a post office. So Sage transfered some of her hair weight to my pack. Lol.

It was a good day of hiking...going without a pack seemed to help her foot. We will see how tomorrow goes once we add the pack.

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.

Summer 2019 Section Hike- High Point State Park to Pochunk Shelter

Date: June 25
Total Miles Today: 14
Total Miles this Summer: 133.2
Total Trail Miles: 940.2

Breakfast was served at 545 am. Hikers get up early and go to bed early. After a day of walking...when it gets dark, you are ready to sleep. So the hostel owners follows hiker time, and served breakfast early.

Mosey, the hostel owner (that's  her trail name), was awesome. She really takes care of her guests. One of the best hostels on the trail.

Sage started hiking in her new shoes, and said her feet still hurt, but not as bad.

We hiked down from the mountains and into farm country.

Hiking along the New York, New Jersey border. Then..like we were back in PA...it started to pour. 

Soaked by rain, we ran for a place known as the "Secret Shelter." This outbuilding is owned by a former through hiker who set it up the way he likes a shelter. It has a pump, electric outlets and heat. 

Sage walked in and started a nap. This napping in the middle of the day is one of our keys to success. At least that's our theory.  I later inflated my pad and took a nap in the awesome Secret shelter.

We woke to find the rain had stopped, and decided it was time to hike in pursuit of a cheeseburger.

There are no cheeseburgers in the swamps of New Jersey.

Getting closer to the objective, Unionville, NY ahead. This part of the trail bounces back and forth across the northern border of NJ.

Acheivement Unlocked: Cheeseburger

Summer 2019 Section Hike - Rutherford Shelter to High Point State Park HQ to Mosey's Place

Date: June 24
Total Miles Today: 3
Total Miles this Summer: 119.2
Total Trail Miles: 926.2

  So we broke camp fairly early to find that Sage was limping. Her left foot hurt. This was doubly concerning as she is known for feeling no pain. She said her shoes have no support and her foot was really hurting. It's gotta be bad for her to notice anything.

    I did the math and realized her shoes have over 400 trail miles. So the day now had a new goal...find an outfitter with Merrell or Altra shoes. 

It was a long 3 miles to High Point State Park.

Sage motored on in spite of the foot pain. 

While we waited, I took the opportunity to lighten our food bag. The cheese and veggies survived 24 hours in our pack quite well.  Spinach, Onion, Green Pepper, salami, cheese and fresh salsa wraps. 

We also saw a small snake at the state park office.

Mosey is a former through hiker who runs a hostel near High Point State Park. She picked us up, drove us to two different outfitters, and we found just the right shoes.

Merrell Moab Ventilators...my previous favorite shoe, and very similar to her previous shoes. 1 size larger though...hiking the trail makes your feet grow.

While at the hostel, we made a grocery run and I cooked up a Beef Broccoli dish back in Mosey's kitchen. Yummy 

So...more food. New Shoes. A shower, laundry and a break. And 3 miles hiked. Almost a zero.

We are hoping to get back in the game tomorrow.

 It's been a very pleasant day at Mosey's hostel. The AT is supported by a whole community of trail angels, hostel owners, outfitters, shuttle drivers, former thru hikers and small communities. In our moment of need...Mosey replied to our call and spend the day serving us and 6 other hikers. Just awesome. Thanks Mosey, and the whole AT community, it's really quite an experience.

Tomorrow, we walk.

 I hope.

Summer 2019 Section Hike- Day 8- Brink Road Shelter to Christ Union Chapel to Rutherford Shelter

Date: June 23
Total Miles Today: 15
Total Miles this Summer: 116.2
Total Trail Miles: 923.2

We broke camp early and hiked 3.5 miles to Branchville, NJ. That then left us with a 1.5 mile roadwalk to a summer church in a lake community, Christ United Church. We enjoyed the service and the coffee and desserts afterward. 

A friendly family from the church gave us a ride to a grocery to try to find shoe inserts for Sage's aching feet. We struck out on the inserts, but grabbed some fresh veggies.

New Jersey continues to be beautiful.

We rolled up to Sunrise Mountain Overlook Pavilion and there was a hiker feed going on. Woohoo!

Fresh veggies, fruit, and a fresh made egg, ham, tortilla and cheese wrap.

Put out some food and the hikers will settle in for a graze. 

Another great day on the trail.

15 miles on the trail, a good worship service and lots of food, New Jersey continues to be awesome.