I was afraid some kids might be playing basketball and wake me up at some ridiculous hour, but that wasn't the case. I slept well, and upon waking wandered back across the street to the Italian restaurant for some breakfast.
It was a nice town to be lazy in and watch the motorcycles thunder by, and eventually I saw Bogey and Ledge wander in to do the same. They were both about to take a week off from hiking to visit family, so I waited with them in front of the General Store for their ride and said my goodbyes.
The trail began by running parallel to the road, and I had to step aside at one point to let 3 ATV riders motor by. Eventually the trail pulled away and started its ascent, which I followed up to a shelter. A family of section hikers was resting in the shelter, so I just took a short rest at the picnic table before continuing to climb.
The humidity was really taking it out of me, and I felt like I was breathing through a wet towel. Once I finished that climb though the rest of my day was much less strenuous.
I followed the trail down into some swampy lowlands, with a long wooden bridge carrying people over it. It was a popular area to walk, as made obvious by the massive number of couples I passed holding hands. My only issue was that it was a full mile without tree cover, which always saps my strength.
I finally made it to the road that lead to Vernon NJ, dripping sweat and exhausted. With no shade, I tried to hitch a ride for a while with no luck. One full car of hikers did give me some ice water, which was greatly appreciated, and gave me the energy I needed to start walking towards town. I only made it about a half mile before a kind gentleman pulled over to give me a lift.
The church hostel was very nice. They had A/C, shower, laundry, sodas for sale, and a tv with a bunch of movies. I also saw my tough as nails lesbian friends, and met a few other thru's.
I went outside to enjoy the evening breeze for a while, and when I returned at around 9:15pm, I discovered the lights out and everyone in bed. A sure sign that you're hanging out with hikers.
