Day 109 – Mohican Outdoor Center to Gren Anderson Shelter

“Now Amos Moses was a Cajun.

He lived by himself in the swamp.

He hunted alligators for livin’.

He just knocked ’em in the head with a stump.

The Louisiana law is gonna get you, Amos!

It ain’t legal huntin’ alligators down in the swamp, boy!” – Jerry Reed

Up at 6:30. All packed and ready to go at 6:50. Breakfast starts at 7:00. Nice breakfast. On the trail at 7:50.

Overcast, humid, mid-80s, chance of rain on and off all day.

We have 20.6 miles to go to teach Gren Anderson Shelter this evening. Hoping to be there by 7:30, but that depends on  how rocky this part of NJ is.

Stopped at an ACTIVE fire tower at 8:50.

Beaver pond and two beaver lodges.

Climb up to the ridge we will follow most of the next 4 hours.

Cute little guy all alone on the trail.

Stopped for lunch at 11:30 by a spring. Back on the trail at 12:10.

Tried to get water at 2:30, but the water was stagnant and nasty. Will push on another 2.5 miles to the next shelter which may have water.

Stopped at Brink Road Shelter at 4:00 for water. Had to scoop from a weak stream. We have 3.8 miles to Culver’s Gap where we can have dinner at a tavern before continuing on another 3.2 miles to our final destination.

We got to the Mountain House Tavern in Branchville, NJ at 6:10.  Very nice place! Ordered a burger with egg and bacon and pastrami! Boom!

Back on trail at 7:15. We are road walking to a trail that connects to the shelter. It’s more direct, less steep, and not rocky. It’s an experiment/adventure. It’s a small country road, but we should be okay. Call it 2.2 miles. 

Got to shelter at 8:30. The extended tramily is here. So is a group of 15 middle schoolers and 3 camp counselors. It rained a bit and drizzled on and off, so we stayed in the shelter. It’s very humid with no wind. Yuck. In bed at 9:30. 

Technical Notes:

• Toast 170
• Sausage patty 280
• Two eggs 235
• Home fries 200
• OJ 150
• Skittles 100
• Turkey stocks 180
• Peanut butter crackers 200
• Zero sugar sausage 120
• Cookie 60
• Skittles 50
• Cookies 240
• Seltzer 100
• Hamburger 1000
• Fries 500
• Pizza x2 500
• Water liters 5
• Miles 20.6
• Time 13
• Elevation gain 3000
• Calories consumed 4000
• Calories burned 7500