8/01/08 PA..our relationship has become rocky..‏.

Hello from the PA/ NJ border. I am writing this sunny morning from the Church of the Mountain Hiker Hostel in Delaware Water Gap, PA. When I cross over the Delaware River this afternoon I will officially be in New Jersey.

Since my last email, I walked over the official halfway point (and was greeted by a rattlesnake at the border) and took part in the "half-way half gallon challenge". At a small camp store at Pine Grove Furnace State Park hikers attempt to eat an entire half gallon of ice cream. Sort of a right of passage I guess. Yeah, I couldn't do it. I know, what kind of thru-hiker am I? Its pretty bad when even the lactose intolerant kid finished. O well. I gave it a valiant effort. Kris got off the trail to go to the beach with her family for 2 weeks and I hiked on the 190 miles to Delaware Water Gap with a weekend off in Philadelphia with my little brother Erik. I ate a real Philly Cheese Steak, saw The Dark Knight and ate way too much junk food and slurpies. Kris just got back yesterday at the hostel and its great to have my partner in crime back.

PA was a long and rocky state. I think they should think about changing their name to Rocksylvania. Seriously, I have never seen so many stupid rocks. Big ones, little tiny ones, sharp ones, steep ones, slick ones, wobbly ones...they never end Long before I started this trek, I was warned about this section with comments like "You won't even touch the ground in PA" and "The park rangers go out at night and sharpen the rocks." I agree with both those statements, but what they don't tell you is that timber rattlesnakes live under these rocks and when you fall on them they hurt....a lot. I had the pleasure of sporting a softball size black & blue bruise on my arm for almost the whole state when I took a dive on one of these gems. I can't express my happiness of marking this state of my list.

The next four states (NJ, NY, MA and CT) combined are just over 300 miles and I plan on being in Northern VT by the end of the month. On August 28th I fly out of Manchester, NH to go to my friend's wedding in Asheville, NC for a long weekend. So, the more miles I do this month, the better position I will be in when I fly back on Sept. 1st. Then back on trail to celebrate my 27th birthday trail style on the 2nd.

Life on the trail is going great. I'm averaging about 18+ miles a day and yesterday I hiked 25 miles into this hostel (my biggest day yet.) I'm still planning on attempting a "marathon day" which is 26.2 miles, but it hasn't happened yet. It feels good to officially be up north and I feel like I am in a great place for finishing up this journey. I hope life is treating all of you kindly in your neck of the woods.