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Day 51 – High Point

They are clever in jersey. Today I passed through High Point State Park. Ironically (or not) the highest point in New Jersey is here. Along with the state park and a sunny day came multiple day hikers. Some wanted to stop and talk about how cool my trip was and other cowered at the stench I brought with me. As I neared the edge of the park the number of people quickly dropped off and I once again regained the solitude of the trail. I crossed multiple roads, pastures and farmers fields only to enter the very unique swamplands. The ground is so wet that there are planks on trusses set into the mud to allow hikers through. The trail is only about 12 inches wide and makes passing difficult. On one of these long stretches of swamp I saw an older man running coming at me. Luckily the ground was drier here so I simply stepped off to let him pass but as he neared me he looked up and took a misstep and fell off the planks and onto his back. I was nervous he was hurt as he lay there but he insisted he was fine so I helped him up and he kept right on running. I’m not sure it is pride or toughness that kept him going but either way I hope I have that resolve when I am in my 60s. I finished the day walking in nearly a complete square around the very swampy Walkill reservoir. This was followed by a short 1/2 mile climb to a shelter. At the bottom of the pochuck mountain there is supposed to be water attainable from a spigot at a nearby vacant house but unfortunately for me the water was turned off. I will once again be camping with very little water.

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