30 August 2012

Hi Everyone, I'm in Vernon, Nu Joizy (New Jersey)! I made it through Pennsylvania and survived the rocks - though I reckon my boots did not. Sooo glad to be out of the rocks - though I did like PA a lot. Tomorrow I'll be crossing into New York State as it's only a few miles away.
Only saw one bear in PA: at Delaware Water Gap (another town I really liked) as I was eating my supper outside a shop.
It walked up behind me in the street - I didn't realise it was there until the people at the next table (looking over my shoulder) started exclaiming : "Is that a bear? It's a bear! It's a bear!" etc. and started grabbing children and running inside. I looked round and there was the cheeky bruin walking towards me across the road not 10 -15m away.Happily, he took a left and headed for the dumpster at the end of the parking lot. I finished up supper and then got some great pics of his ass waving in the air as he raided the dumpster. Hmmm, perhaps a bear not too long for this world or at least that neighbourhood.
Next day after church (yes, I went to the Church of the Mountain hostel and attended the morning service upstairs next morning) I crossed the Delaware River into NJ. Still with the rocks! Only now hills as well! But then yesterday I came down off the hill at a place called High Point and seem to have left those rocks behind. Oh the rejoicing! Walked a short 13 mile day today to Vernon and had a great supper hosted by the St Thomas Episcopal church's neighbours, the Presbetarian Methodist Church (right next door), enjoyed some great worship at their service afterwards, then did some re-supplying at the grocery store. Ice-cream, and then bed. Oh what it is to suffer on the trail! : )
Only 2 days of anti-biotics to go - at last! No more hassle and no more sunburning. You are supposed to avoid exposure to direct sunlight while on these (and yes, you really DO burn in just a little sunshine) , yeah, like that's going to happen the trail. Got bitten by some kind of e-type mosquitoes just before and in Delaware Water Gap. Nasty! A whole lot of bites on my arms and face that formed big welts which have lasted for days and are still leaking lymph fluid. Greeeat. Still, they are healing up now so it's all good. Heh Heh!

Stunned by the great news of engagements and weddings from the home-front (Memo and Vicky, Toni and Dana)! Great stuff!

Missing you all. Love.