July 17, 2004

I hiked 18 plus miles today.  I began my day's hike walking across a five million dollar, mile-and-a-half long boardwalk, through boggy fields with cattails, wildflowers, and bullfrogs en masse.  The project included a suspension bridge over Pochuck Creek.  Bear and I hiked in very hot conditions, today.  At one point, about 10 miles into our hike, we detoured off the trail to a farm named L&L Farms, where we ate our lunch inside a barn.  The shade offered much needed relief.

We crossed the New Jersey-New York state line today!!!  Yippie and Jabberwok hiked to the state line as Bear and I were taking a break.  The four of us celebrated with high fives and photographs.  I kissed the state line as I've done all along.  My day ended with trail magic provided by Desperado, Wife, and Beater.  I was dehydrated after hiking 18 miles with questionable water sources so finding water and sodas on the trail was a huge surprise which I greatly appreciated.