Days 5 & 6 on the Trail

I'm a little behind - I stayed with Mr. Coleman Huggins Thursday evening and all day Friday while Molly and Chad went to NC to pick up Chase from camp.  It's a blow to my ego to say that little 3 year old wore me out!  One of the more challenging games we played was "Surfing."  We were at the pool and Coleman wanted to stand on the Spiderman kickboard and surf.  He has picture perfect posture with bent knees and arms stretched out straight.  The only problem was trying to stay upright on the kickboard, so Mimi (yes, that would be me) would hold the board, and swing it around, with Coleman on it, to make the waves.  He leaned his butt against my shoulder and did well keeping his balance, but the wave machine didn't last as long as he would have liked her to.

On to Dave's report:
Miles 6/16 and 6/17 - 13.7
Miles to date - 52.8

He is just a little behind schedule - only 3 miles - due to the steep terrain on Thursday and the rain on Friday.  It rained all Thursday night and was clearing up Friday morning, so they hustled to get going, but then encountered another big storm.  There was a lot of lightning; they sat it out under a bridge that provided a fair amount of shelter.  After a long rest with no let up in the rain, they trudged on.  Three hours later it was still pouring and they were crossing a road with a motel within a short distance, so they decided to detour into town.  When Dave called last night, he was in great spirits.  He had checked into the motel, taken a long hot shower (and said he didn't want to get out!), had done his laundry, eaten a big hamburger with fries and a beer, and later had ice cream.  He said his feet were sore and at 8:30 he was propping them up on the bed.

He said he expects one more day of the rocky trail, then it should get better. Pyro is leaving today, though he may join up with Dave later in the trip.  Dave plans to spend the night in a hostel in Delaware Water Gap if the weather is better and if he can make up the mileage today.  This motel stop was unexpected but much needed.  This is what he usually sleeps in - a Big Agnes UL-1 one man tent.

Dave was very dismayed to discover, as he was doing his laundry and drying everything out, he didn't have the tarp he uses under his tent.  He assumes it didn't make it into his pack when they left their last campsite.  He knows he rolled it up, but it was in a black bag, and he must have overlooked putting it in his backpack as they were hurrying to get going before the rain started again.  He will have to get a substitute, as he likes to have something between the ground and his tent.

I asked if he was drinking coffee in the morning.  He said he has a few days, thanks to Pyro, who brought Starbucks Via packs with him.  He said he hadn't packed any coffee or tea, but asked that I put some in his next box.  He really likes the Via.  I tried it once and was very pleasantly surprised at how good it was.  I'll get enough for both of us.

Thursday night at the campsite he had barbequed pork and mashed potatoes. He said the black bean chili with corn on a tortilla was his best meal yet.  That was before the trip into town for the hamburger and beer, of course.

Let's hope the rain lets up and Dave makes it to the hostel as planned.  It will be no big deal if he doesn't, though, since he's had a chance to clean up and rest up.