New Jersey – The Trek

July. 2, 2025: 12 miles

It all starts well this morning: easy walk, beautiful views of fog and clouds, then I stop at Delaware Water Gap, charming«Mini-Asheville» where I get a coffee and vintage handkerchief. I cross the bridge to New Jersey and begins problems.

I took the wrong path to upload the wrong mountain … I once realize at the summit when the path stops abruptly!

The time I wear was already at 4:30, so I decide not to climb another mountain, but I still have to respect my schedule to meet Michael in time. I finish using an uber to get to the Mohican Outdoors center for camping. Nice place, but a 24 -ish herd «Hurling Monkeys» (read: teenagers) keep me awake for a long time, covering even the bull frogs!

During that time, a mapache tries to steal my full 2 -liter water bag, but I am ready to fight for it … I look at me and leave.

July 3: 14.3 miles (1.1 + 13.2)

Last night, when I arrived, the store was closed, but this morning I make a visit and I’m glad I have done it: Mohican Outdoors Center offers a complete kitchen experiment and a good resupply. I have a good but very sweet cranberry lemon cookie and a free fresh fruit portion!

This second breakfast really came to the event and took me to the beginning of the day, even if I am aThe wrong road began! Are we or New Jersey?

Later, meRy to climb the catfire tower to catch the view … I can tell you: This alarm system is not false!

I stop for a blueberry, I stop for the snack, I stop for lunch, I stop for Blackberry, I stop to cry: I have no motivation. Of course, I get the traditional storm in Rocky Ridge.

I arrive at the shelter at 6:30, Cuscous dinner and meat, I speak a lot of time by phone with my husband and I’m going to bed just to fight with the mosquito patrol. I decide to sleep using my insect network and avoid sleeping in shelters from now on.

July 4

It is sunny but only 58 degrees, and I am cold in my wet clothes; This pine forest reminds me of home. I take a glimpse to a wolf; He sees me and flees. The restaurant I wanted to stop for Carolina BBQ does not open until later a day due to the holidays! A good gentleman stops his truck to offer me some water that I accept with gratitude. I stop at the top of the mountain in Branchville, I take a long break, looking at the Culvert lake.

I expect more magic from the path of July 4. There is no luck, but I spend a good time talking about my trip with a group of motorcycles.

This is an easy path, which does not upload much or rocks. I get to the shelter around 5:30 pm

The Rutherford refuge area is Rabbitland. It is also the home of Johnny The JUnco, whose nest is close to the shelter, and thinks it is a hummingbird!

July 5

Afternoon wake up today. This place is magical. One side of my store is full of condensation, so I Put it to the sun. I don’t feel any hurry. doRazy Johnny Junco continues his show: His nest is actually inside the shelter!

I stop at High Point State Park for bathroom and sweets and I find a light book in the free library and a new frog friend.

I stop at High Point Shelter and I like the atmosphere: Unionville can wait! I’ll stay here tonight. I take a long nap in the afternoon. Some people arrive later. I returned to sleep at 7:30.

July 6

As expected, I’m awake at 4! That makes an early start.

This is the land of the dead lakes. I mean, very lively lakes with its millions of frogs and dragonflies, attracted by a trillion of mosquitoes!

I put the pastor Dough of the next shelter in Unionville; Specifies that it does not tolerate people who drink in the local tavern! Even so, the monthly food already invites me to church.

I think the bubble caught me! 5 young men have just passed me at full speed.

After an early lunch in Annabelle (lemonade, pizza, zucchini sticks and garlic knots), I go to Pastor Doug House. The place is pleasant and old (the house is over a hundred years old). The shelter, housed in the basement, is clean and comfortable with a kitchen available. We are later surprised with the best muffins, leftovers of church food.

There is a poor replenishment in General Store, but as my friend Hey Google realizes me, it is also very cheap. I enjoy a homemade donut.

Dinner at the tavern (don’t tell the shepherd!) With a hiker named Sailor Sumthing. He is a very nice man, who had all possible problems to make his truhike: he started in 2016 and is still working on it. It is definitely not because it is not motivation!

I’m in bed at 9 pm

7/7/25: 16.8 miles

I leave the shelter at 10:16, since I have to replenish and organize my new bottles of bottles with Sailor’s highly appreciated help.

After less than one mile, when the rain is about to start, I stop along the path and repair the tip of my shoes with a mini crazy glue tube. These Hoka are not comparable to the Speed 6 goat it had before. They are running shoes, not trail shoes. They have less lateral friction and are more slippery. After approximately a week on the road with the rain, they seem to have a lot of trauma, but my little glue job returns some charm.

There is a walk along a long -lasting road in the day, but is very well cut by a Remove stop in someone’s property, where many drinks and snacks provide, most of them are army things. That improvised rest helps me to catch up with Hey Google and I manage to walk with him for a few miles later.

We cross a bird sanctuary (and frog) that is halfway between New Jersey and the state of New York, then we have at least A mile of promenade. Later we arrive at a Uploads: Is it the famous staircase to heaven?

I stop at the Potchuck shelter for lunch and like the leftover ribs of the tavern and an astronaut ice cream sandwich. The day after refueling is always a treasure of surprises!

I know a hiker at the top of a small mountain. «There is a bear down there.» Yes, then? Do you think he is gently waiting for him to find it downhill?

IHHe ate mosquitoes.

I stop for a snack, far from the mosquitoes, on an endless sea walk. Actually, this is very nice with the dense and giant reeds that I have seen, the red wings and 4 -winging dragonflies. Like a Many ton, since I will probably not have a regular dinner: it is getting late.

Finally I get to the stairs to heaven: it is very long, although not worse than anything I did in Pennsylvania. But, of course, I start uploading it in the storm …

I wear a rock and fall on my fuck. I see stars, but after a minute I feel good to continue.

I arrive at the Wawayanda shelter around 8 pm, like a bar and a mini Sweedish bag Fish (fish is a protein, right?) And hit the Bed at 9 pm

7/8/25

I still hate mosquitoes.

I’m leaving around 7 am but I didn’t have breakfast because there is no water here! Somehow, I miss the water source that was supposed to be 0.4 miles from the shelter and all the water sources that I come are currents of Castor’s dams and I do not want to catch Giardia, so I keep walking without water.

It hurts more than yesterday.

This is when I meet Jesus’s blessings: Nature Valley Sweet and Salad Bars, with exactly 1.5 liters of water bottles. All of that wrapped very well with a small plastic figure of Jesus and a mini orange Bible …

Suddenly, my coccix no longer hurts. Do hunger and thirst make you hurt more, or is it another of Jesus’ blessing? 😉

Then the day of the Marmota begins: I upload the same mountain from the entire possible angle. The coxis hurts, my moral is low and the storm if, of course, it begins when I am at the summit.

Whether, I decide not to stop at the Creamery 2 miles from the shelter and I think it is the best decision of the day! This makes me arrive just before the night.

7/9/25: 3.7 miles

My butt does not give me another option to return to Greenwood Lake Lost & Found Hostel. This time I stop at The Creamery …

After cooling, I address the center of the pharmacy where I receive medications and sweets. Another store provides an orange juice, yogurt, cheese and orange. I even manage to get a bottle of red wine to share with my fellow hikers!

Angel, Castaway, Ambassador and Blue Jean continue their trip the next day, while I stay in the shelter so that my husband comes to get me out of my way.

10/25: 0 mile

I spent all day in bed. It is extremely painful to change position or get up. Other, Michael comes to look for me and we spent the next 2 weeks «Around» (NY, Connecticut, Massachusetts) enjoying an Airb & B in Newburg (NY), camping in cars in Beartown State Park (Mass) and Glamping in Wyomanock Farm (NY), hoping to be able to return to the route finally. This free time is wonderful and I really enjoy it, but there is still the persistent question: will I be fit to continue on the path later?

Two weeks go by and we decided to try. IHIKE 8 miles with Michael from Tiortoi Circle to the Anthony Wade Recreation Area (Black Mountain). There is some pain, but it is tolerable, so plan to restart the next day.

23/7

I return to the Anthony Wade Recreation Area to walk Bear Mountain, but I can’t tolerate the weight of the backpack in my pussy. This is when I decide to quit smoking.