May 25 Brink Rd Shelter, NJ to High Point Shelter, PA 20.25 miles

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Well today we made two milestones. We passed the 300 mile mark for this hike and we have completed our first 20+ mile day! It wasn't planned that way, but just ended up that way. We had a good night and had ten people around the shelter come morning. Most everyone had cleared the place before we did. We headed north about 8:30AM.

The trail was pleasant and weather warming. We had planned to only go to Mashipacong Shelter at 12 miles and change. That shelter had no water so we added another 2.9 miles to make it 15 and change ending at Rutherford Shelter. No threat of bad weather in the forecast so we were not in as much of a hurry as yesterday. The Lady Slippers are still decorating the edges of the trail as we continue north. CC has said these flowers are like Blessings. They come along just often enough to cause you to stop and enjoy their beauty and be refreshed. If they were closer spaced you wouldn't notice them and they would be common.

Today there was a group of high school boys from Newark, NJ. They have to hike from High Point, NJ to Delaware Water Gap in five days. This is a graduation requirement for their school. Most of these guys had only the skin from the end of the sleeve to their finger tips exposed to be enjoyed by the local insects. They walked in groups of ten or so and had water stations about five miles apart. One group had the point man carrying the tin pots on the back of his pack. He could be heard for at least 200 yards. Walking down the trail he sounded like an old world tinker plying his trade. We asked him why the pots were outside his pack, “BEARS!” was his reply. These were the most polite group we have met on the trail. It was entertaining to say the least as they past us throughout the day.

When we got to the cutoff for the Rutherford Shelter the arrow pointed down a 50degree stone slab into a dark tangle of brush, blow-downs and thorn bushes. We contemplated not going down at all, but we needed water for supper and breakfast. By the time we made the stream both of us had decided there was no way we were going to walk a quarter mile past the stream to see what the shelter looked like. One bag of water filtered and back 1/4th mile to the trail and on north looking for a primitive camp site.

We passed two but they didn't look real good. Then looking at the map and seeing it was only three miles to the next shelter and it would make a 20 mile day. The walk was on. The shelter is near High Point, NJ. The highest place in the state. There is a campground near the monument. The trail doesn't go through any camping area so as not to scare the campers. There were some mean campers there today. After walking for an entire day they had the gall to be cooking burgers and chicken on the grill. The smoke was wafting across the trail, if I had to endure many more minutes of that smell..... I thought about making all sorts of bear noises in an attempt to shoo away the campers and steal their food.

We walked into the shelter at 8PM. Montana Mack was sitting at the table with Voilet and her husband. He smiled and said after looking down that stone slab, we would be at the High Point Shelter. We had enough time to cook supper, clean up and get the tent setup then go to bed. Didn't have the stamina to do this blog, so I did it the next day.

Patrick, Deborah Mooney aka OD & CC
All Who Wander Are Not Lost

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