Hamburg, NJ (USA)

[The "Spring Forward" delayed my departure this morning... The weather was warm again but the sky was overcast all day. After breakfast at Burger King in Vernon (0900), I arrived at the trailhead on NJ-94 at 0920. Mollie and I had been here in early January but we didn't hike. The initial climb (NOBO) up Wawayanda Mountain was rocky and steep - and nearly stole all of my resolve. Right after the top, I went right down again and trudged through swamps and muddy traces. One wildlife highlight: I encountered what might have been a (short-billed) dowitcher (maybe) - he was not afraid of me at all as he stalked through the wetlands. The rocks on the hike changed from blue to purple as I climbed higher. Unlike recent hikes, I saw many other people today - mainly near the trailhead but also at my turnaround point. I had interesting conversations with Will (and his dog, Jim), "Frasier" (trail angel) and a couple I met on the ridge above Greenwood Lake. I was lagging, though - the trail book gave me the impression that the hike would be relatively flat. It was anything but that! The rock climbing alone caused my waterproof leather boots to split at the seams. My feet started crying out, asking for relief. But I pressed on... It took me nearly five hours to reach the turn - I had thought it was the NJ-NY border but the "helpful" couple said already I'd passed it (even though my phone placed me short). My body wanted to stop anyway - so I backtracked. I later learned that I'd missed the line by a few hundred yards... Oh well! The walk back was really only accomplished by sheer willpower and the rote motions of an emptied brain. I'm amazed that I could finish more than 18 miles again (third day in a row!). At the very end, I even found some fuel in the tank and realized that I was practically sprinting down the hill to my car. Actually finished the second half in three hours and forty-five minutes - by then, it was 1805. Ate dinner at Burger King in Vernon (1820) and ended up with an undercooked Whopper (they replaced it quickly). After searching a few other lodging options, I checked into the Rolling Hills Hotel again (2015). Feels like tomorrow will be tough if I try to hike anymore, but I think I will... AT Today = 9.0 miles / G.T. AT = 651.40 miles]