I had been too tired and dehydrated last night to eat my dinner at the restaurant. But after chugging a bottle of Gatorade at the hotel and laying down for a bit, I was suddenly starving. I shoveled the food out of the doggie bag and into my mouth before falling into a deep deep sleep. 

After I woke up, the day continued strong with an excellent breakfast. We saw Father Time, Bluejeans, giddyup and a few others at the local bakery. When we asked how it was they just told us to “Get it all.” And so we did. 

We split a danish, a donut, and an “apple caramel cloud” before each taking down our own bacon egg and cheese sandwiches as well. If the goal at every meal is just to consume as many calories as possible, this one definitely achieved that goal. And it was delicious.

Dad and I made our plan to meet up at lunch. I’d walk there and he’d let uber take him. I walked out of town and across a bridge. Walking alongside interstate 80, I crossed the Delaware River and found myself in New Jersey. Hopefully far far away from the terrible rocks of Pennsylvania.  

I walked for a while with Shamwow – a hiker from Tennessee. We chatted for a while before I noticed he was hiking without trekking poles. I asked him how that had been on the rocks where every step was a tripping hazard and a potential trip ender. “Well I did just take the last 4 days off in Delaware water gap with a twisted ankle so maybe it could’ve been better,” he admitted. 

I walked next with a couple from Israel. They had apparently come over to do the CDT. After only q few days, however, they realized that the CDT was just too solitary for them. After the first day, they said, they hadn’t seen a single person for the next 6! They thought about packing up and flying to Spain to walk the Camino. But they were in the US already they figured, and came over to the AT and started walking north. They won’t have time to do the whole thing before their visas expire so they’re skipping around here and there. Seeing the best the trail has to offer. It was fun to chat with them but I left them at a spring when I kept going.

The walking today was beautiful. There were rocky parts and smooth parts. Ups and downs. Lakes and meadows. With the sky a brilliant blue over head I never even thought about putting in my headphones. I just sauntered down the trail.

I was ready for lunch by the time I met up with dad. It had been a pretty hot day and I was thirsty. Before we even ordered food, I had downed a Gatorade. I quickly added a sprite and then a cheeseburger. I thought about getting ice cream too – they advertised a root beer float – but the only flavors they had were churo and smores. Neither of which really cried out for a rootbeer float. I settled for another power bar.

Dad and I walked off from lunch and cruised through the next 5 rocky miles. (The rocks are definitely still here but they’re already starting to ease up.) We made it to our own private campsite around 6 with plenty of time to set up camp and have a leisurely evening.

We hung our hammocks and this time had a fire going on the first try. As it burned bright and hot, we ate our dehydrated sweet potato dinners. Dad, I will admit, did better than me. I took almost half an hour to choke down the final bites. 

It’s the Fourth of July and we’re on a ridge with valleys on either side. So I’m getting in the hammock tonight with the sounds of fireworks and partying down below. Let’s hope it’s an old crowd that goes to bed early!

Key stats: 

Miles: 15

Elevation gained: 2,500 ft

Mile marker: 1312

Song playing right now in the valley below: theme from rawhide