Day 28 -35 Delaware Water Gap to Bear Mountain

Day 28 DWP

Team Bender is back! Swung by the post office and sent winter clothes and small things home. Crossed into New Jersey over the I80 bridge.

Walked past Kittatinny visitor center and slow incline up mountain. Many people day hiking and enjoying the side trails.

Eventually, we got to Sunfish Pond, strewn with glacial rocks along the water. I KNEW the rocks didnt end at the state line. However with my new shoes, I didn’t feel every edge, and didnt leukotape up nearly as much.

We had a warm day in the low 80s, and I really went through an enormous volume of water. Zuko’s foot was holding up well. We ended up going to the Mohican Center for a Coke, it sure hit the spot.

We still had some miles, and some hours to get to the dispersed tenting area Indy remembered from his hike in 2023. Coming to the fire tower, we knew we had a small downhill then we could make camp.

While setting up tents, Indy very generously went to the spring and filled up our bladders, since he had been there for a while, and the remaining daylight hours left werent actually hours.

Fortunately there were two slices of pizza for dinner, and I ended up inflating my mattress after dark.

 

Day 29 to Brinks Shelter

Awoke to the morning sunrise, with the silhoutted (and successful) bear hangs. I took down the hangs, and delivered the food, ala Doordash, to Indy and Zuko.

There was beaver activity by a pond, and “Chase” had to investigate.

And a fox pointed our way to the trail at a road crossing. Thanks good buddy!

Made it to Brinks shelter, we are looking forward to BBQ for lunch tomorrow

Day 30 to Mashipacong

Just before US 206, we hit another milestone. 300 since Harpers Ferry.

What better way to celebrate, by hanging out, and waiting for Smokin’ Mo’s to open

Got a pulled pork sandwich for supper, and the cook insisted on wrapping the bread separate so we didn’t have soggy rolls. This meant our pork was in a container that he felt compelled to fill up, much more than a sandwich roll would hold, as we found out at supper.

Sunrise Mountain pavilion has great views and the trail goes right down the middle of it.

Day 31 heading into Port Jervis

Today was a rainy and lower milage day, we counted 332 efts (orange baby salamanders) in five miles. “Mosey” picked us up from High Point parking lot and took us to her hostel nearby.

Day 32 Slackpack

Mosey told us that we could get good miles heading downhill from High Point to Liberty Corners. It felt odd with not much in the pack except food, water, and the basic essentials. We are staying a second night at the hostel, so tents, extra clothes and supplies stayed on our bunks. The winds were gusty today, and rain threatened. The long gradual downhill was broken up with the occasional small undulating up, where my quads would sorta forget how to “up” after thirteen  or so miles that day.

Wallkill preserve continued the theme of “Are we in NJ or NY?”

Well, off to tacos again, this time in a taco salad form, I miss vegetables the most, even iceberg lettuce seems like a treat.

Day 33 No slacking today.

Mosey dropped us off at the base of Pochuck Mountain and up the incline we went. Not really any switchbacks, but a good incline that required fresh morning muscles to go going. Eventually we got to the Pochuck boardwalk, a long elevated walk above the wetlands

After a neccesary ice cream refuelling at Heaven Hill Farm, we were ready for the Stairway to Heaven, our second big hill of the day.

As we ascended the stones and steps of the Stairway, many descending day hikers encouraged us by saying “Youre almost there!”. On the third utterance of that phrase, I had to say out loud that it was indeed the third time , and I was not really believing it. The woman very convincingly said it was only two switchbacks and then the pile of rocks would be at the very short blue blazed sidetrail to the vista.

Yes, it never gets old, looking down at where you came from, and revelling in the knowledge that you came from down THERE. We are  capable of great things. DAILY.

As we were getting water at a creek about 4 pm,  four energetic young men came down the trail and asked where the lake was?  They didnt have a name of the lake, and wondered if there was a shortcut down the mountain to it. We gently asked them where their car was parked. The said at the farm. They asked then where the lookout was. “About a mile and a half back” was our answer. We showed them on the Farout app how to how to get back to their car. So they headed that way. For ten minutes. Then they came bounding back down to the creek, and decided to walk up it, in crocs, because it might go somewhere. They had four hours of daylight, and were convinced of their cellphone’s ability to get them home. Well, I haven’t seen them on the news so  all must have been OK.

Day 34 Wawayanda to Greenwood Lake.

I woke up knowing that by the end of the day, I would be back in my home state of New York, even if it was the opposite end. NY welcomed us with rebar, sparse blazes, and technical bouldering.

We got picked up by Peter from Lost and Found Hostel at the Bellvale creamery. Indy had a mail drop there, and we were due for resupply.  We got supper, I went in my loaner clothes, a “I heart NY” shirt and Dunder Mifflin pants. I dont care at all what I look like to eat resupply and sleep.

Day 35 to Orange TWP

I enjoyed climbing Eastern Pinnacles, and didnt take the blue blaze around. Its early, its dry.  At Fitzgerald Falls, I called my Mom.

There was a stretch of more rocky and “technical-ish” climbing by Buchannan, but the route seemed straight forward, and we didnt have to decide what route to use. So after all that concentrating, and focus on foot placement, I was within 30 feet of East Mombasha Road, on flat ground, tripped over an invisible rock, and fell down HARD.

We had a local friend pick us up for supper, went to Wayback Burgers, and settled in full and happy at hiker midnight.

Day 36 OrangeTWP to Seven Lakes Drive

Later start to the day, no breeze. We were having a very sluggish start and our mph was the worst to date

 

So, heading into Harriman, there is an area called “Agony Grind” . I thought it was going to be rougher than it actually was. Id pick it anyday going down over, say, Bake Knob in PA, it was overhyped.

So before getting into Harrimam Park, we had banana bread, brownies, huge Gatorades, and were regaled with local stories from Fred. This really put another dent in our time, but I thought it was well worth the mental break, and I really went to town on the Gatorade.

At the break at 17, we ran into Sassy and Chewy. They too were making horrible time. Our attempt to get to William Brien Shelter was now a no go. They were electing to stop at Fingerboard Shelter. Which we could have also. But, my husband was heading east with my summer gear, armed with protein bars, electrolytes, and other resupply items. I threw out a text and he was going to be able to get us at a crossroads, so we didnt have to stop at Fingerboard, and could get picked up a little down the trail. We passed some trail maintainers installing a new bridge, too early for the ribbon cutting.

So, off to the rental placd, and tomorrow, we will slack to Bear Mountain and see how our speed is.

Day 37 to Bear Mountain

 

We continued on, heading to Anthony Wayne Park. My brother has done long trail races in this area, and Ive been his support crew on multiple occasions here. So during lunch I videocalled and we chatted about all the races, and he really was glad I called from a place that he had fond memories of. They were setting up for a race event coming up and there was flagging marking the course along the AT and side trails too.

Now the ascent over West Mountain  was in sight. At the summit, we had a great view of Bear Mountain and Perkins Memorial Tower.

Now, Ive been on Bear Mountain lots of times, but this was a first with a 2025 hang tag. Kinda cool. Bob had hiked towards us and all we had to do was get to the bottom parking lot at Bear Mountain.

So, grubby and sweaty, but the walk down was absolutely cruisey, the trail has been updated, levelled, and made day hiker friendly. Im spite of that, we got down too late to enter the zoo and get to the lowest point on the AT, which I had hoped to show Zuko.

Now we’re going to take a zero day, do laundry, resupply and visit friends a little north in the Fishkill area.

Day 38 Zero day

We dont know how to sleep in. At 745 we are heading to the laundromat, Bob will keep an eye on that while we hit the Walmart in Fishkill. I dont like driving his car, but Im familiar with the area, so its only a few blocks anyway. The Walmart we hit during the “quiet time” no piped in music, and of course food resupply is first, then its off to get first aid supplies, where the aisles are so narrow I leave the cart at the endcaps, and eventually Zuko texts me with “what aisle are you in?”. So we actually find each other, check out, and back to laundromat, where the dryer cycle is just ending. We go to the rental, where the grand swap out begins. I think that my backpack will be lighter because my zero F sleeping bag will be replaced by a 30F bag. Nope, I now have Voltaren, hydrocortisone, and a bigger roll of leukotape. Im keeping my backpack, because the other backpack I have is only 48 liters and its like stuffing ten pounds of sausage in a five pound casing. I need to get to a “tarp and a taco” mentality soon. Im rolling into town with a few protein bars and a supper or two. Getting much leaner about food.

Lunch is at a local sports bar, meeting friends and hanging out. Based on the iffy weather, and schedule, the planned disc golf gets abandoned pretty fast. We decide to leave, and then the heavens open up.  Of course, our raincoats are at the rental. Du’OH. Tomorrow continues with a dropoff at the Bear Mountain Bridge, so Ill sign off for now.