Catfish Firetower, NJ, July 23
Morning came with steady rain and occasional boomers. Yeti and I are not excited to be tented under the largest lightning rod we could have possibly found. Time to boogie out of here.
All day the boomers ran with us on trail. Was in a clearing along a ridge when a strike happened so fast, I was laying in the mud of the trail before I realized I had reacted. Flash - bang - down. Wow. Not fun. Hustled off that stretch to treeline mighty quick. Live Diliberately. Me thinks the corollary is Don't Die Accidentally.
Finally made Culvers Gap. Pack cover was more water-keeper than water-proof; ponds of water collecting in the bottom sag of material, occasionally draining like a water balloon on my butt, down the backs of my thighs and calves and leaving the boots awash. In at the bakery with Yeti, Slacker, Drifter, Otter, and Waterboy; met Greg, the Grey Ghost of '93, who walked in with his wife. We had suffered through a whole day of rain.
Greg and Ann took us to an adjoining park where his family fed us hot dogs, burgers and soda! Great stories, great food. Shuttled us back to the trail. Trail Magic Happens. I moved on up trail alone, pushing to Gren Anderson.
M=18.7; C=1295.5