Yellow, White or Blue, the Blazes are Always True - Part Three

Day 1 of New Jersey:
We awoke after a fitful night's sleep and gathered our gear.  We headed down to the dining area for our free continental breakfast and I had my fill.  It was pretty good.

We headed to the meeting point where we would end the hike and waited for Age and Cathie to arrive.  We weren't waiting long before they pulled up.  We moved their gear to my truck and headed out to our starting point at Blue Mountain Lakes Rd.  

Day 1 - 7 Miles

We fiddled with our gear one more time, adding and subtracting until we thought it was right, weighed everyone's pack for fun and headed out to the North.  Age's pack was the heaviest at 36 lbs since she had dog food for Maya who was along for the hike.  Cathie's was the lightest at 30 with Lisa's very close to that and mine coming in at about 33 or so, a comfortable load for me.

Ready to go.  Age, Maya, Cathie, Joe and Lisa

It was almost 10 when we got on the trail and the day was a little overcast, but as we hiked along, it became one of those perfect hiking days.  Not too hot or cold and no precept to speak of.  We went at an easy pace.  This was our longest day at only seven miles, so there was no hurry and we ambled along, each at our own pace.  

Maya

The trial was really nice and pretty easy to traverse.  We had the usual issue of water.  Mainly we wanted to ensure Maya was well watered, but the sources we were coming to were dry as should be expected in September in New Jersey.  One source listed was nothing but a very dry creek bed, but the next, which was listed as intermittent has some nice potholes full of water.  

Taking a break

Saddleback Caterpillar on the trail

Cathie's pump filter came in handy as we filled our bottles with a tannin filled water that looked like tea, but tasted fine.  Onward we went.  I had forgotten that New Jersey doesn't allow fires and Lisa and I had collected some wood as we got close to the shelter, only to have to abandon it in a pile next to the path.  Oh well.

Wood, wood everywhere, but not a fire to burn

As the day went buy, we discussed Trail Names and what names would fit our two other hikers.  Age, who is at least six feet tall and goes by the nickname Stretch, became "Slow Stretch".  No one was hiking fast, but she was the slowest.  Cathie became "Wobbles", an apt description of how she made her way over the intermittent rocks we encountered.  

When we arrived at the shelter area, we found Mike with his tent and Joker's Wild resting in the shelter.  We all had our nice dinners together and I went and refilled all of our bottles with the awesome water from the spring that was just down a path across from the shelter.  This water was so much better looking and tasted great.  

We set up camp a little away from the shelter and I was going to sleep with my tarp half off, but as soon as I climbed into the hammock, I felt the spray of water coming across my face.  It did sprinkle a bit during the night, but everything was mostly dry in the morning.

Camp

Log Entry:
AT Trip 2015-6
1.  Date: 9/21/15
2.  Day 6
3.  Morning temp: 60s
4.  Weather: overcast, but nice. Some sun during the day.
5.  Time start: 0950
6. Time stop and miles: 1530, 7
7.  End point: Brinks Rd Shelter
8.  Events: trail names, view.
Log:
We were up around six and ate a good bfast at the hotel before heading to the meeting place. Age and Cathie arrived a few minutes later. We headed to the start point and found it after awhile. We settled our gear, weighed our packs and hit the trail. Age won the heaviest pack contest at 36lbs. Cathie's was the lightest at 30.

The trail was really nice and we took our time as we were only doing seven miles today. We had lunch at an overlook and made it to the shelter at 3:30ish. We had collected wood but you can't have fires in Jersey.

As our water ran low we passed a dry stream and worried a bit, but the next source had some puddles that we pumped out some tannin filled tea shaded water.

Had a nice dinner and met Mike and Jokers Wild

When I checked the water by the shelter it was much nicer and we refilled all our bottles

I was going to sleep with my tarp folded over, but as soon as I climbed in after seven, I felt water. I fixed my tarp and covered my pack with a piece of my garbage bag.

Tomorrow we do 6.6.

Day 2 of New Jersey:
Of course, I was up well before dawn at around 5 am and I had some good alone time.  I headed over to the picnic table and when I poked my light into the shelter, I saw that more hikers had arrived in the dark.

I made some coffee and sat in the dark, listening to the forest come awake for the day.  It is such a peaceful time, I don't mind being alone at all.  It would sprinkle from time to time, like it was trying to become a full on shower, but that never developed.

Before long, I could see the forest around me.  I took a little walk down to the road and explored it some.  I found where the spring up above crosses the road. As the dawn finished and my co-hikers stirred and arose, Slow Stretch earned her name once again as a good description of how long it takes her to get up and get going.

After a nice breakfast, we headed out at 0930.  An improvement on yesterdays start, but today was a little less miles than day one, so once again, there was no hurry to get going.  

Day 2 - 6.6 Miles

Yesterday's views were all to the west, but today we got a few peeks into the eastern side of the ridge.  We were above Culver Lake and were heading for our only down/up of the trip, descending into Culvers Gap.

Culver Lake

When we arrived there, we headed to the new Sunrise Appalachian Trail Deli, which used to be Joe To-Go, where a crabby hiker hating proprietor had made a legend for himself.  What we found in the new Deli, was two very nice hiker friendly people that came out and hung out with us for a while in the "Hiker Area" on the side of the building.  

Our special area at the Sunshine Appalachian Trail Deli

So, after lunch we had the nice climb out of the gap back up onto the ridge.  We eventually made it up there and started along the ridge again.  We came to the Culvers Lake Fire Tower and took a nice break.  From there it was a one mile down hill to the shelter trail.  

Culvers Lake Fire Tower

We arrived before 3:30 and found another nice place to set up camp.  The water in the spring wasn't flowing as good as at the last shelter, but it was still very good.  Cathie's filter had become a little slow flowing, so I resorted to my usual way to pre-filter my water using a cut up bottle as a funnel a bandanna and a small cup from the bottom of the cut up bottle.  Does not clog.  

After a while Mike came into camp and we all set up around each other for our last night.  It was another nice evening around the shelter and early to bed as usual after a good dinner.   

Queen Maya, or as I called her "Quiver"

Our second camp

Log Entry:

AT Trip 2015-7
1.  Date: 9/22/15
2.  Day 7
3.  Morning temp: 57
4.  Weather: Sprinkles in am, then nice.  Cool and overcast with some sun at times.
5.  Time start: 0930
6. Time stop and miles: 1517, 6.6
7.  End point: Gren Anderson Shelter
8.  Events: Deli at Culvers Gap
Log:

After an early night of hitting the hammock, of course I was awake and am ready to face the day at about 5 am. I really like this time of day. I rolled out of the hammock in the dark and gathered some gear then went to the picnic table below the shelter. I wandered up towards the shelter while I had some water boiling and saw that some hiker had come in after dark. There was also another tent down by Mike and Jokers Wild.

I made some coffee in the dark and sat and listened to the forest come awake for the day. It was eerily quiet in the forest. Nothing moved, nothing called. Just quiet...

I drank my coffee as the light slowly drifted into the landscape. It was going to start off cloudy you could tell by the muted light.

Eventually the camp woke up. Of course Slow Stretch was the last to crawl out of her tent. Truly living up to her new trail name.

After a breakfast and the other normal morning rituals, we headed back onto the trail around 0930.

We followed the ridge line for a while coming out to views of Culver Lake along the way. Eventually we descended into Culvers Gap and had some good lunch at the new Sunrise Appalachian Trail Deli (formerly Joe To Go) The owner was very hiker friendly and we had some pleasant conversation as we enjoyed our sliced sausage subs. We filled up on water and headed back up the ridge. At the top we saw Mike again and we moved on to the Culver Fire Tower and had a nice break.   We descended again a little to the Gren Anderson shelter and found our camp for the night. Mike came in after awhile and that was the group for the night. We had a nice dinner around the table and settled our gear for the night.

Again, we hit the hammocks as the sun sunk behind the ridge and it was time for sleep.

Tomorrow we would finish this section with a 6 mile hike.

Day 3 of New Jersey:
Once again I was first up, but a little later this time.  I could see a little better as I rolled out of my hammock on my 53rd birthday.  For the last few years, I have been heading out into the bush either on or around my birthday.  It just seemed to happen, I didn't plan it, but it has become sort of a tradition to myself.  As I noted in my journal, it was another birthday spent as an "Outsider".  Someone who spends time out doors.

Birthday entry in the shelter register

It was a cool morning, in the 40s and the coffee tasted fine.  Everyone seemed to get up and ready a little faster today and that always makes me happy.  

Day 3 - 6 Miles

We headed out the blue blaze to the trail.  Lisa and Maya taking the lead, Age and Cathie in the middle talking as the went and me sweeping up the back.  Lisa had gotten a little ahead of the other two and I guess the lost site of her.  I slowly walked behind the other two and watched them turn the wrong way on the trail and start heading south.  I know this has happened to me before (and lots of others too), but I got a kick of watching the walk the wrong way.  I came up to the AT and turned left, telling them to come get us when they get back to my car.  

The realized their error and turned to follow me.  The last day was a nice hike.  The weather was perfect once again and the trail was easy.  

Halfway through the day's hike we came to Sunrise Mountain Pavilion for a good break.  There were a couple hawk watchers there.  We took our packs off for a rest and I told the group about what I had heard about this shelter and Jennifer Pharr Davis' coming upon a suicide victim during her first Thru Hike.  

View from Sunrise Mountain

We finished up strong with a good pace to the end.  Maya and I took up the lead.  She did very good on this hike.  Not running off and always staying close to us.  Sometimes in the lead, sometimes behind me.  She would come very quickly when I had to call her and was very obedient.  

Almost done

This was a very nice hike and I really enjoyed this part of New Jersey that I had never seen before, except to drive through.  The trail was good, water was enough to stay alive and the company was very pleasant.

I have now hiked in 10 of the 14 AT states.  Now I need to find a way to get back up to New England and hike in CT, MA, VT and NH.

Log Entry:
AT Trip 2015-8
1.  Date: 9/23/15
2.  Day 8
3.  Morning temp: 44
4.  Weather: Another beautiful day
5.  Time start: 0930?
6. Time stop and miles: 1249, 6
7.  End point: Deckertown Turnpike
8.  Events: Wrong way, finished...
Log:

This morning I slept an hour longer and the forest was actually starting to lighten up an little when I birthed myself out of my hammock.

I still had some alone time to make some coffee and visit the privy. Mike was the first one up after me.

We seemed to gather and pack our gear a little faster today.

We walked out the blue blaze with Lisa and Maya in the lead and Age and Cathie in the middle, with me taking of the sweep.

There is a rule that whatever way you turn into the shelter trail at night you turn the same way when getting back to the white blazes and Slow Stretch and Wobbles completely ignored that rule as they turned south onto the trail. I asked them to let us know when they got back to my car and turned north chuckling. They corrected their direction and the day's hike was on.

Today would be a simple affair of following the ridge back to Cathie's truck to finish our hike. About halfway there is the Sunrise Mtn Pavilion. We all took a break there and I related the story of Jennifer Pharr Davis' encounter here with a suicide victim. It was a little spooky, but the day had turned beautiful and it chased away the shivers. There were a few people at the pavilion counting hawks as the made their way south on their annual migration.

We continued on and before too long were taking a break a the Mashipicong shelter before hiking the last two tenths to the truck.

We finished the hike in style and drove to the other car. We stored our gear, said our good byes and headed back down the ridge towards PA and Lisa's Father's house.

It had been a good hike and we felt good. The weather had been easy to deal with and we all had a great time.

So, what's next?