Del Water Gap, NJ (USA)

After a half day at the office, I headed north to enjoy a nice weekend in  the woods. Lots of traffic on the way but I was still able to start hiking in the park at 1845. Used the Farview Trail (located off the Old Mine Road) and hiked 1.3 miles to reach my last turnaround point on the AT in the area. Didn't bother to use my day pack or poles - grade wasn't too bad and that temperatures were awesome. As I climbed, I met a lady hiker with local intel - she made me wish I'd arrived sooner to enjoy the views. Oh well... When I reached the white blazes (at the Holly Spring Junction), I hiked NOBO all the way to the Douglas Trail. It got dark quickly! Before I turned on my headlamp, I saw at least one white tailed deer (really close) along the path. Otherwise, I didn't see any other living things. The sounds from I-80 were distracting but also comforting as I made my way in the dark. There was supposed to be a full moon but the canopy hid the light, I guess. It also got much rockier as I reached the high point of the day - all the challenges made for slow going. Fortunately, I was able to find landmarks most of the night and avoided getting lost (what a relief). Arrived back at my car at around 2100 after nearly 7 miles of hiking. Felt good and (despite being tired) decided to reposition closer to the Hudson River.  Got a gas fillup and dinner (McDonald's) in Columbia NJ (2135) and then headed to the Tuxedo Motel in South Fields, NY.  Hiking weekends are farther apart now, since it takes longer to reach the trailhead each time. Need to make the best of this trip! AT Today = 2.10 miles / Grand Total AT = 957.26 miles]