Legs and Borders

A tasty last day in New Jersey. I've had a really late start, firstly I've waited for Daug to wake up at 7 AM and come down so I could check out. Then I went to general store and had a breakfast bap, coffee and a swirly doughnut, it was all very good. After all this I've only set the foot on trail at about 8 AM. The New Jersey stretch of Appalachian Trail was afloat, especially considering that fair bit of it was a marsh area but it also rained heavily recently. I went through two very beautiful marshes along the way, first one was called Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge and the second Pochuk Creek, they both been frequented by wildlife photographers and day hikers, especially as it was Sunday. I've gave up on having dry feet very early and was just walking through the streams and puddles with my shoes on which caught few surprised glimpses from people. Just before midday I've arrived at a food stop with T...

Do you like mosquitoes? Do you like ticks? Do you like rattlesnakes? Anyway, welcome to New Jersey! (We got dung beetles as well.) First day in New Jersey and it was a lot to take in. I've hiked out of Delaware Water Gap in the morning and crossed the long bridge over Delaware River which was also marking the border between states. Day was warm and the trail rocky, I've decided I want to go to Mohican Outdoor Centre located close to AT to have lunch. I've arrived there at 11 AM with two deer ticks lodged into my leg. This ticks were not messing around like the others I encountered in Virginia, which I could feel crawling on me and flick away. Unfortunately they were also the lyme disease spreaders so it made me somewhat worried. Lunch at the Mohican Outdoor Centre was good, I got a hot dog special with peppers and onions, it came with bag of crisps and brownies for dessert, it had free refills on coffee as well. After that I've rejoined the trail and carried...