Entering New Jersey

On Tuesday (6-21) I started out my day after breakfast at a local outfitter to have new pole tips put on my hiking sticks.  The old ones broke off on the PA rocks.  I began my hike at 10:50 AM and by 11 AM I crossed the Delaware River Bridge and I was in NJ.  The rocks were slightly less in number than PA but there were still plenty.  I saw a racer snake which was starting to cross the trail.  Within just a few quick seconds after seeing me, he turned and completely vanished into the underbrush.  A few hikers slightly ahead of me saw a bear cub and a rattlesnake but I missed them both.  I tented at a campsite at 6:15 PM and hiked 13.6 miles.  There was quite a lot of rain overnight into the day on Wednesday (6-22).  My tent was dry on the inside for the most part, but the underside and rain flaps were very wet.  I started hiking at 8 AM and when I stopped for lunch, I ate wild raspberries that I found.  I fell several times on the wet slippery rocks but thankfully my most severe "injury" was a 1/4 inch abrasion below my thumb which happened when I slipped while climbing a rocky area.  I stopped for spring water at a shelter.  I was warned by other hikers about a huge mosquito problem at that particular shelter.  The warnings were accurate!  I got several bites while I was briefly getting water.  I was glad to get out of there.  I arrived at Kevin's Steakhouse for dinner at 4:30 PM.  It was just off the AT in Branchville, NJ.  Tornado warnings and severe rainy weather were forecasted so I got a motel room for the night.  I traveled 14.7 miles.  On Thursday (6-23) the manager of the motel took another hiker and me to a small deli across from the AT.  I had three donuts, a banana, OJ, an egg and ham sandwich, and coffee for breakfast.  I started hiking at 9:00 AM and by 9:45 AM it began to rain heavily.  I was 1 1/2 miles from the next shelter.  I put my backpack cover over my bag hoping my gear would stay somewhat dry.  I got soaked and my feet sloshed inside my boots.  When I reached the shelter I checked my gear and I was pleasantly surprised to see that most things were still dry.  After talking with two hikers at the shelter, I put on dry clothes, ate lunch, blew up my air mattress, and slept for 90 minutes.  The rain finally stopped and I resumed hiking at 3 PM.  At 7 PM I found a grassy campsite since more rain was soon to arrive.  I only went 11.8 miles because of the conditions.