Delaware Water Gap, PA

Ah, finally an internet connection! Tried to update in Duncannon, PA, but the internet at the Doyle Hotel was down. Not surprising, really; the place was a dump. Kinda fun to stay in a place with so much "character" on my birthday. Had some good times though, pretty convenient to be in a town on one's birthday without even planning for it. I really am trying to update more often, but we're not in town as often, or as long when we are, and half the time there's no library or other public computer to use.

I'm here at the Delaware Water Gap, just across the bridge from New Jersey. It's been a bit of a blur since I last updated. Maryland was pretty good; unlike Virginia, I could call it flat, since it was mostly just a ridgewalk. Only one hard part, in the last few miles when there was some major-ish elevation change over some pretty serious rocks. But then again, the serious rocks were waiting for me in Pennsylvania.

PA is legendary for its rocks, people talk about it right from the first days on the trail, it's the monster waiting for you down the dark road, so to speak. At first, I didn't believe it. Even once I got into the state, I wasn't too impressed; there was one day when KBomb and I pounded out 17 miles in just a few hours; the last 3.75 miles we did in under an hour. Then there was this 20 mile wide valley to cross where I probably did similar speed, though I couldn't time it. I didn't want to have a watch out here, as I didn't want to know the time more than what the sun can tell me; it's all you really need, and it's nice to be off a schedule. Of course, some of the people I hike with are always timing our milage and such, which actually can get kind of annoying... Anyways, on through Duncannon the hiking was pretty good.

Then we crossed the Susquehanna River, and it all changed. The second half of this state, just 100 or so miles, has chewed up my feet more than all previous miles had combined. You should see my boots, they're in shreds, the sole is falling off, and the bottoms are nearly smooth. Not bad, though, for having found them in a swap box at a hostel 1100 miles ago... they probably had at least 4-500 miles on them when I got them, so I'm happy with that; most people put only around 800 miles on their boots...but then again, my motto seems to be "good enough gets it done." Still, I'll probably be buying some new ones tomorrow, I hope. I want the same brand, so the outfitter better have them. If not I may just doctor them up with duct tape and try to make it to Kent, Connecticut where there's another outfitter.

Otherwise, things are going great. That valley I mentioned was fun; I was jamming to my mp3 player (though I rarely use it), was in a great mood and felt great for hiking, and it was good to see some farmland. Picking mullberries along the way helped. And lately there's been a shit-ton of blueberries; I'm probably eating too many, but they're delicious, and free, and it's nice to eat right from the open hand of Mother Nature, makes me feel a bit more connected with the landscapes through which I'm walking. That's part of why I almost never treat or filter my water, to the amazement of most of my fellow hikers. What's more natural than drinking clean, fresh water? Why put our silly devices between us and the world? Anyways, statistics show the chances of getting giardia or other water-borne illness is equal whether or not one treats/filters.

The only real bad things I have to report are, for one, I finally weighed my pack, and was dismayed and depressed to find that it weighed 35lbs with only 2 days of food in it. Did have 4lbs of water, but still, I thought it was way less. Also, my tarp failed me during a rainstorm. Well, two rainstorms. The first one it was just some spray blowing in on both ends, forcing me into the center of the tarp. The second one was far worse; however, in hindsight, it was all my fault. I set up in a low spot, and the ground didn't absorb the water: a big puddle formed under my sleeping pad. I noticed in time, but still had to spend most of the night curled in a tiny ball at one end of the tarp, until the water finally soaked in around 4 A.M. Miserable.

Lastly, the beauty and grandeur of Delaware Water Gap was seriously marred by the roar of traffic from the 4 lane highway below. I know we need commerce and transportation, but It's hard when that gets to stand before everything else in our lives, ruining some things that are unique and one-of-a-kind. I think about conservation, sustainable farming/living, and so on pretty much every day, thinking I'd like to get involved in that somehow. And then I see a friend of mine, a hiker who's out here for at least some of the same reasons as I am, and I watch him unwrap a candy bar as he hikes and drop the wrapper, and all I can do is sigh and pick it up when I get to it. I sometimes wonder if there is any hope for us at all.