Monday -  We only did 8 miles today.  There were lots of blueberries on the trail and we stopped several times to pick some.  I have some good pictures coming up of this.  We hitched into Palmerton, Pa. and stayed in the basement of the Borough Hall (City Hall) - showers free!!  This is a nice little place.  There is a bank, pharmacy, grocery store, laundry, hardware store, and a library where I could use the computer.

I called Mom tonight, and she said a hiker named Blip called with my missing water bag.   Seems as though I might have gone under some low hanging trees or brush, and a limb picked it up off the top of my backpack without me knowing it because my buddy Happy Feet found it hanging from a tree.  Blip is from this area, and she had taken off a few days so she drove to Delaware Gap and left it at the Church of the Mountain hostel for me.   BLIP and HAPPY FEET - THANK YOU SO MUCH.  

Tuesday - Widget and I hiked about 12.5 miles today and had stopped to take a breather close to Smith Gap Road when this couple stopped to ask us if we needed a place to stay for the night.  The husband is retired and hikes when he can and his wife works.   They put us up in their basement that had a sofa that makes into a bed, computer, TV, pool table.  It was great.  They also fixed dinner for us - meat loaf (my favorite), vegetables and the best chocolate milk I have ever had.  If you're reading this, folks, THANKS, THANKS, THANKS. They want to  move to California and build a house on the Pacific Coast Trail.

Wednesday - We picked up the pace a little today and hiked 24 miles in about 9 hours.   It only rained one hour today.  We stayed at the Church of the Mountain Hostel.  It's a Methodist church and they have a really nice woman preacher. 

Widget and I had only been here a little while when in walked my MAIRNTT gang - Sniper, Feral, Dirty Frank, Thorn, Dirtnap, and Greenman - boy, was I glad to see these dirty looking, mangy old hikers!  Night Owl was here, too.  I am so glad we are all together once again.  These guys are my family on the road.    Oh, by the way, I also picked up my water bag that BLIP left for me.  THANKS AGAIN, BLIP.

Dirtnap is now traveling with two puppies he bought in Harper's Ferry.  They walk a little while and ride in the top of his backpack a long while.

Thursday - Today we entered New Jersey.  My Companion Guide says there are lots of bears here - one for every square mile where they range.  Needless to say, I will not be leaving my food stuff sack on the ground, or in my tent.

We didn't go very far today - only a little over 10 miles because we stopped at Sunfish Pond and took a long nap (about two hours).  It is a beautiful place - stop here if you get a chance.  It is supposed to be the "southernmost glacial pond on the trail."

We tented tonight at Mohican Outdoor Center - free to thru-hikers.  They have a camp store with candy, soft drinks, a a few other items.

Friday - We had another leisurely day today - hiking about 15 miles to Brink Road Shelter.   I don't know why we stayed here as the Guide says "bears are especially active here", but we didn't see any.

Saturday - We made up a little lost time today - 19.9 miles.  Widget and I and some of the others lollygagged around today; and since we were supposed to meet up with Greenman and Feral at High Point Shelter, we had to hike about an hour in the dark.     That is no fun since you can't see the AT white markers too well and sometimes it is hard to see the shelter signs, especially if the shelter is off the trail a bit.  This shelter is a stone shelter with a wooden floor (no privy).

Sunday - Another 19 mile day into Vernon, N.J.  We stayed at the Hostel located in the Recreation Building of St. Thomas Episcopal Church.  There is a secret shelter on the way to Vernon which Jim Murray, an ex-hiker - 1989, built on his property.  I say secret because it is not listed in any guide books or is on any maps, probably because it is on private property but there is a sign welcoming thru-hikers to stay there.

Also, 2.5 miles of our trek today was on the newly built "Boardwalk".  This 2.5 miles is in marsh land, and in the past you had to hike through the wet, marshy land.   Now there is a wooden "Boardwalk" to keep your feet all nice and dry.   I'm sure it was probably built by an ATC group chapter nearby.  I've joined the ATC as a member - dues are $30.00 per year.  You get discounts on AT material, maps, books, etc. so it is a good idea to join.  Like any other organization, they are short funded because of economic times so join and help them help us, in maintaining the trails and shelters.  Just think, if 2,000 hikers joined - that would be $60,000.

We are only about three miles from the New York border, then Connecticut and Massachusetts.  I got an e-mail from my buddy Digger Dave Dave - remember him, the stockbroker from Boston who had to leave the trail several weeks ago to take a good job that came up.  Well, he promised to take me to a Boston Red Sox game and we might even go to 6 Flags.  I think the rest of the group is going fishing on the day I go to the game so that we don't get separated again. 

Keep those comments coming.  Darlene, aren't you taking a lunch hour any more?   See ya'll next week.