Journal entries May 16–23 - posted by WOW

Monday 5/16
Heading back to the trail. I have decided to skip the rest of Pennsylvania and hopefully get away from the rocks. It was sad saying goodbye to Anne.  I may not see her for more than 2 months. Airplane to Newark. Taxi to Newark bus station. Bus to Stroudsburg PA. Taxi to Days Inn. Saved Anne over a thousand miles on the car and about 20 hours of driving.

Tuesday 5/17
It feels good to be back on the trail. Left out of Delaware Water Gap.  Fewer rocks pop up here than in Pennsylvania.  My legs feel good. I only did 7 miles - don't want to push it. I'm tenting at a campsite. It is getting chilly! At least there are bear boxes and a privy.

Wednesday 5/18
I stayed in another campsite. Have to hang food bags in the trees. It is a pain in the butt. Saw my first bear! He strolled into camp as I was putting up my tent. He looked at me I looked at him and he strolled right out. That's a good thing. This is the second campsite where there is supposed to be water and I can't find it. Fortunately I filled up before I got here. Going to be another chilly night but I am warm and toasty in my sleeping bag and tent.

Thursday 5/19
I did not see anyone all day. That is the first time this has happened. At long last there have been some stretches of Trail where I can actually walk at a good pace. Hopefully that is a good sign. I saw several snakes today. Not poisonous, but they were big at least 6 foot long. I tried to take a picture but they move so fast I could not get my phone out in time. Spent the night at Brink shelter. Met another hiker named Alpenglow. He is Canadian and wears a kilt. Very interesting guy. He started in Springer and has already come this far.

Friday 5/20
Trail magic all day. I skipped breakfast to eat at a place called The Appalachian Diner. It is right on the trail where the trail crosses a highway. It's supposed to be really good food. Got there and it was out of business. I was standing in the parking lot looking lost and this guy pulls up in a pickup truck asking if he could help. I explained what had happened and he told me the restaurant had closed after the AT Trail guide was published. His name was Bob Boyle and he was a trail angel shuttle driver. He drove me into town to get my resupply boxes, including a special treat from Joanne Packer - homemade cookies! Bob dropped me off at the Jumboland Diner. A woman saw my t-shirt and asked me what it was all about. I explained what I was doing and she said her dad was a Vietnam vet and her brother was an Iraq vet and they both had PTSD. She took one of my cards and thanked me for what I was doing. When I went to pay my check I was told she had paid for it. I don't even know her name. The waitress filled my water bottles with ice cold water. Then I went outside to unpack my boxes and get it loaded into my pack. Another man pulled up and asked if I needed a ride and he gave me a ride back to the trail about 3 miles. Hiked up to Grand Anderson shelter where I met Jack, a trail angel who gave me a cold soda. He also had bourbon and beer if I had wanted. What a great guy. What a great day!

Saturday 5/21
Another good day. Was eating lunch in a shelter when Nera showed up. I had not seen her since PA it was good to talk to her. It is funny how you meet people then lose contact and then bump into them later. That is a certain kind of Trail Magic. I stayed in a shelter tonight with a bunch of Boy Scouts on a hiking trip. I imagine Eli would like doing things like this. I wonder if his Troop does camping trips?

Sunday 5/22
They say that everything happens for a reason and if I didn't believe it before I am now a firm believer. Woke up in a shelter and as soon as I stood up my back went out. Not too severely but this has happened before and I knew what was coming. I limped into High Point State Park headquarters hoping to find out where the nearest chiropractor and a place to stay were. Rebecca, the park superintendent saw my t-shirt and we started talking. She said they were having a ceremony  honoring veterans at the memorial on top of High Point mountain, would I like to go and afterwards she would give me a ride into Port Jervis NY,  the nearest town. I said yes and we went to the ceremony. When we arrived she introduced me to the man who was in charge and he asked if I would like to speak. There were senators, congressman, councilman and all sorts of other dignitaries speaking and little old me. It was amazing. There were veterans there from as far back as World War II. I talked a little about what I was doing and afterwards a man came up who was a reporter and took some information. Today I am in the local newspaper! NJ Herald article Other than the fact that my back hurt it was a great day!

Monday 5/23
Got my back adjusted by a chiropractor in Port Jervis New York this morning. I am glad I have the letter from Dr. Reed. Hanging out at Days Inn with ice on my back. Hope to be on the trail tomorrow.