I left the motel at 6:30 and enjoyed the remains of the sunrise. Unfortunately, what should have been an easy 2.5 mile hitch turned into a long road walk back to the trailhead. There were too many roads for drivers to turn off on, plus it was the commuter hour. Needless to say this put me in a bad mood, especially with my shin splints still throbbing.

There were several long cobble sections that had my leg screaming. Luckily, this section of ferns were accompanied by a pleasant section of trail.

After three hours of wincing in pain with every step, all of the sudden things got better and I was merely dealing with modest discomfort. The body is a strange thing. It definitely, made appreciating this view on a beautiful day more enjoyable.

After lunch I made the descent into the Delaware Water Gap. Descending definitely aggravates the leg 😦

I was able to get some ice in town which seems to help quite a bit…plus, I can hike while wearing it!

Not the prettiest section of the trail…a 1.5 mile road walk next to I-80. At least we get our own sidewalk.

Even better, it got me into New Jersey.

I had a great campsite up high on a grassy ridge.

The sunset from my tent was a great way to end a long-rough day.

Everyday there is some new challenge that makes you appreciate when everything is going smoothly. All the additional miles walking to the trailhead on the road and the on-trail road walking wasn’t optimal for aiding my recovery. Hopefully, a good nights rest will help.