Delaware Water Gap, July 27/28

“What a great group of people...thanks y'all!

Truth: I only realized an hour ago that I needed this ride, and I haven't looked at the guidebook yet, but I think Andventurist and Pete have it right...I want to be in the town of Wind Gap (actually just north of Wind Gap) where the AT passes through. Map shows a parking area on the right side of the road as you head north, and I will get better info from the guidebook before Saturday.

Adventurist and Pennsy, either of you interested in hiking out to Wind Gap on Sunday?

I know this is right on Pennsy's way, and he knows my ugly mug, so that might make the most sense.”

“Was wondering if you were back yet... You will be there on Saturday then? Will you be dayhiking or overnighter?

If you can't pick up Fritz I'm sure we can. We have to go by there anyway.”

“pennsy,
i have never heard of the lakota wolf preserves and im sorry that i havent.....
i would love to go there
i have 2 great loves


1. wolves
2. eagles”

“That sounds like the parking area I remember. Not very great spot, but it works. It's not along 33, but a side road.

Glad you got it worked out. If somebody hadn't come through we would have gotten something going.”

“Oh by the way, Artex, Pennsy keeps a pretty good pace. He'll probably be able to hang with you.”

“That's cool! And I don't HAVE to hike fast. I'm perfectly happy to lessen my pace down some if needed, or hiking ahead, waiting, repeat. So long as I'm in the woods, I'm happy.”

“Fritz - my pace will be pretty calm this weekend. I sprained an ankle my first day in Acadia and I'm still hobbling. I'm iffy about being able to stay the night but I'll at least hike out to the shelter and back (long enough to take some embarrassing pictures).

To get to the parking area in Wind Gap, get off 33 at the Wind Gap exit and go north on 512. You'll drive through the town and bear onto 115 where it splits with 512. When you start going up a hill, you'll see the AT parking area on the right just before a 33 overpass. What time should I expect your ugly mug? It's about 20-25 minutes from there to the Minsi trailhead.

Artex - Acadia was amazing! My first time there and I will be back. I'll be posting some photo albums in a week or 2.

WF - thanks for the comps! :-)
One of these days I'm gonna get started on a website with photo galleries and screensavers that do NOT have any ads or pop-ups.

The Lakota Wolf Preserve is not far off rte 80 if you're looking for a side trip Sunday afternoon on your way home. Hey, if you like eagles, maybe we'll see one this weekend like the one I was able to photograph in Acadia.

Soaring eagle off Maine coast”

“Hey y'all. I just wanted to mention to you that the Pocono Raceway will be having Nascar this weekend and 100's of 1000's of people are expected to clog the roadways in the area. The race apparently ends around 5PM Sun. so you want to be good and gone from the area by then, unless you can go north and east rather than across the Water Gap east. The whole area including back roads will be a zoo on Sunday evening. My mother-in-law apparently gave up her house in the Poconos to friends for the weekend because all rented rooms and houses in the area are booked. So they will be at my house enjoying the relative lack of traffic:P

Maybe the bears will be scrounging the tailgate parties (a captive banquet due to few exits) at Nascar, and will not be around to bother the campers.”

“Pete, that's a great eagle pic! They have a nest of baby balds at Promised Land State Park, if you want to, um...."focus" on getting some good eagle shots.

Lyndy, I think what happens is the crowds drive the bears back into the woods. ;)”

“goretex,
are you around tonight? i need to talk to you!!”

“Fritz - I know you said I wouldn't forget your ugly mug, but you obviously forgot my name. LOL! What's with the Pete?”

“I wasn't talking to you, Pennsy. Didn't you see SirPete's eagle picture?”

“THAT WAS PENNSY HIKER'S PIC”

“Just kiddin, Pennsy. Laughing at myself. Yup, I got your name wrong. (Isn't it "Pennsy Pete"??) LOL”

“um guys i have little problem
i think when that #&%!$ broke into my car he may have stolen my stove. its only a pepsi can one but i really loved it. i have searched my house and my car and even took a drive over to my storage unit. but no luck. im strapped for cash and time or id buy a new one. all i need to do would be to boil water for breakfast (coffee and hotcereal ) could i bum some boil time from someone??

id be glad to pick up the fuel!!!

ps good news
my brother is back home...ill explain more on the trip.. yyiippii:) :)

now doing back flips!!!!!”

“as goretex would say
"no worries mate"

hubby to the rescue (or to blame)
he found my stove. he put it in a closet that i really dont go into that much.. so all is well and ill continue to pack,,”

“I was out on the Long Path for a few days, just got back, and Artex filled me in on the trip- Count me in, I'll meet everyone at the trail head, I'll be there for both days- Look forward to meeting everyone!”

“Okay, there is no way that I am telling my husband that I am backpacking with a Mr. Corporal Nasty. Just not doing it. Must have amnesia.

I have an extra pepsi can stove, wildflower so I'll bring it for anyone who needs one but I don't have an extra fuel bottle. If you have an empty nail polish bottle or something like that, I can fill it with denatured alchohol.”

“Meeting at trailhead:

Artex
Wildflower
Fritz
PennsyHiker
Adventurist
Cpl. Nasty
Goretex
MustHike
Wolfmans Brother
M Silver & friend
Geobeet
Somebody's son

At Camp:

LyndyS
Geobeet's son and daughter-in-law

That makes a total of 12 on the trail and another three at camp. It will be a fairly large group and we will have to wedge the tents into available space, arrange foodbag hanging and privy hole areas.

I would rather we not use the shelter unless no thru hikers come by. Water is from a pipe downhill from the shelter (aren't they always downhill?).

Anybody who needs stoves, tent space, or anything else, do not hesitate to ask. Backpackers are good with things like that.

People can walk at their own pace, pair off, whatever. It would be good to get a group shot at the upper viewpoint (when everybody is gasping for air), so let's plan to meet there.

I though we would hold in the parking lot awhile to meet any late comers, but if we have left and you get in late, just head up the trail (from the parking lot, the gated road is obvious. There is a berm and then the road with white AT blazes.) If you are direction challenged and working out for the Marco Polo Award, plan to be at the parking lot early.

I already emailed my cell phone number to those whose email addresses I have. If anyone still needs the number, email me and I'll send it.

I'll be leaving work about 4:30 today, so if anybody has questions ask before then.

Now that we've gotten all that out of the way, I'm looking forward to meeting everybody. It looks like it will be a fun trip. We have some live wires in the group, so fun should be in good supply.

If there are any changes or additions to the list, please email me ASAP, because I will use the list to check off names at the trailhead.

See you all tomorrow at 10. Back to the shadows again!”

“i have a can that is half full (or is that half empty) so ill have extra.”

“ooppps thats fuel
get your mind out of the gutter....

can what was i thinking!!!



ps dont forget to bring ID so when we go to jail for kidnapping lyndy we will have it aval.”

“wait a min.
if corp nasty comes then maybe he can pull some threads and get us out of jail for free...hehehe”

“WF, I think you should bring your own lawyer with you. I have a hunch he/she will come in handier than a Pepsi can stove.

Actually, I'm looking forward to seeing that.”

“seeing what?
me arrested or the pepsi can??”

“Hmmmm, ... I guess protocol calls for seeing the Pepsi can stove before you are arrested, since the stove will be in police custody afterwards, so that should about do it. Both, Pepsi can stove first.”

“Is anyone interested in hiking west to Wind Gap on Sunday, instead of backtracking to the starting point?

Backtracking to Lake Lenape is about 6 or 6-1/2 miles; going out to Wind Gap is about 9-1/2. I will have a car there and can drive you back to the Lake Lenape parking lot.”

“Wow, big trip! Didn't realize there are now so many of us! Cool, look forward to meeting all of y'all.”

“lets see
hung over and 9 1/2 miles or hung over and 6 1/2 miles.


uummm



nope


but thanks anyway!!
i was thinking of trying to find that lakota wolf preserve on my way out in NJ. hay goretex you game??”

“Be careful how you answer that Goretex. Check the game regulations and seasons first. I don't think big game is in season right now. There may be some small game in season, I'm not sure.”

“lol”

“Sat Jul 27 Mostly Cloudy 79°/61° 20 %
Sun Jul 28 PM T-Storms 89°/63° 60 %”

“Weather sounds good, I don't mind hiking in the rain, especially if it's on the way back..! I'd actually kind of prefer it for the cooldown.”

“I'l need to borrow a stove and tent space if it downpours. Let me know what kind of fuel to get and I'll bring extra. Is it difficult to make this pepsi can stove if I bring one?”

“hay ill make a deal with you..
if you help carry my tent you can crash out in it with me...


get those minds out of the fricken gutter again. god i cant trust any of you!!!!”

“It's just that you make it so easy!”

“Wolfmans Bro:

Should be plenty of stoves and fuel available. My son may even bring a can of Girl Scout juice, so don't worry about that.

If push comes to shove you could probably even find a space in the shelter if you need to. If not, we'll make it work.

Then again, WF's offer, ...”

“A woman that sleeps with a BIG knife makes me kinda uneasy though.”

“And she is from Noo Yawk! Hmmm, we'll find you a space if she makes you nervous.”

“hay geo, go find yourself someone else to help carry your gear.. wolfmans ALL MINE!!!”

“my girlfriend sleeps with a gun but hell, it's only loaded with rubber bullets. However, those damn things can really smart at close range. That's the last time I'll ever leave the toilet seat up.”

“Sheesh, no wonder you're nervous!”

“hey guys, sorry ive missed all the fun here, i was busy with dad 2 days in a row... Wildflower....Ill be going, im upset the beeer hasnt come guys, but ill buy something outhere for us to indulge in....UMM Wildflower, its about 115 pm now, and ill give ya a call at work about 2 pm, everything is fine, and i hope to meet up with ya at what ever time ya want....
cheers
...zay”

“ok glad to know your still coming..”

“wow you really have a life outside of TT?
lucky you...
wish i did
:)”

“Ditto!”

“Ditto, meaning I'm glad Zay's coming.”

“zay,
please try to call around 2:30
i have to move my car at 2:00
so i wont be here to get your call.”

“Okay, it is meltdown time. Not only are we installing a fake wood floor in the basement, painting the guest bathroom, entertaining my in-laws and cleaning the house up for company, BUT!!!!there is now a backhoe in my garage! My husband and a friend are planning to rearrange the scenery in the backyard early Sat. morning. It is a good thing that we have to go to PA early on Sat. morning because I don't want to be here to answer all the questions. I was thinking of telling them that I thought that the retaining wall would really look better on the other side of the yard. But they might take me seriously and do it.”

“A little TT latte and then back to work! See you all soon!”

“was that what you call a HIT AND RUN??”