Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania
You know you are a northbound (NOBO) thru-hiker when... you must head north no matter what.
We sat in the Doyle Hotel for 2 days after Mark and Karen dropped us off and watched the weather channel's Storm Warnings which became flood warnings. After waiting we decided that it was time to head out. Just as we were about to set off down the street the owner of the Doyle came into the pub and said, "a thru-hiker, G-walk, just called to say the Clarke's creek 17 miles north from here is flooded."
With this news in mind we decided to try and head out the following day and camp just up the mountain from the swollen river if we could not get across. The weather the next day was beautiful and there was no sign of the predicted storm or rain. The trail out of town was only slightly flooded but we managed to keep our feet dry with some creative manoeuvering.
Later that afternoon we came to Clarke's Creek. It was indeed impassable although we did watch with morbid curiosity as three other thru-hikers proclaimed that they could and would cross it. After 20 minutes orangutan, Stinky and Homeward admitted defeat and set up their tents next to ours with Windtalker and Mom.
We were hoping that the following morning the water level would have receded enough but we were prepared to wait rather than skip that section of the trail (like many other thru -hikers had done).
The next morning we were awoken by Mom telling us that there were some nice men with a frontend loader who were willing to drive us across the river. We packed up in record time and watched as Windtalker and Mom hopped onto the shovel and the driver tentatively drove towards the rushing water. Within minutes we were all safely across the river eating oatmeal for breakfast.
There is a photo of the river crossing at the website mentioned by Kerry it was taken by Mom. (if you are reading this Windtalker and Mom we also have a photo of you two and will send it to you if you send us an email.)
Mom's parents are driving an RV north to Maine and resupplying Windtalker and Mom. At most road crossings when we are hiking with them it is great to see them sitting waiting. For most of the bad weather we hiked with them and got constant updates about flooded areas.
So after crossing the creek we knew that Swatara State was underwater and a 2 mile road walking detour was recommended. Other than that we were heading north and clear of the floods.
After taking the detour around Swatara we ran into the 3 Australian sisters who had skipped north and were heading south towards Duncannon. They told us that when they drove out of Duncannon they were sandbagging The Doyle and that the there were cars under water one street away from the Doyle. Looks like we got out just in time.
Needless to say we survived the floods and made it to our next resupply point in Port Clinton. The following was written about Port Clinton in one of the registers, "if Pennsylvania was given an enema the tube would be inserted in Port Clinton."
We arrived to the smell of burning couches (sofas)- it seems that they got hit really badly by the floods as well. We walked carefully past a 12 year old with a rifle (yes a real one. We thought it was an air rifle but heard a shot go off as we left town)
The only thing in town that was open when we arrived, on the 4th of July weekend, was the "Peanut Shop." We needed to resupply and as it was our only option we went inside.
3 days later we were getting a little sick of eating peanuts and were looking forward to spending a night in jail, as there was no other cheap accommodation and it was the 4th of July this seemed like the best option.
We flagged down an officer on patrol and after a few minutes of talking he agreed and took down our details and we were set with a free bunk for the night. We walked into the building and noticed a few other packs. Apparently we were not the only hikers with this idea. (the town of Palmerton runs a free hostel out of the old jail house. The instructions for checking in are to flag down an officer on patrol.)
We had come into town with Baro who we had passed heading south earlier that morning. We were a little confused but he told us that he had left his rain jacket 17 miles south and was going to walk back to get it. To cut a long story short he eventually got it back and met us just outside of town. After having lunch with us, 16oz T-bone steak, fries, veggies, salad and sundaes, he quickly announced that he liked eating with us and that from that day forth we would be his eating buddies.
After eating for 12 hours straight we forced ourselves to leave town and tackle the 'super fun site.' Palmerton was a town built on an old mine site and the surrounding vegetation was an advertisement for an antimining campaigns. It is barren and rocky. The hill out of town was 1000 foot climb in .3 of a mile. It was awesome and different and the majority of it required rock climbing.
We tried for 3 days to book a room in Delaware Water Gap but on the 3rd day we learnt that they to had been badly hit by the floods and that the only motel in town and the outfitter had been underwater. We decided to take a cab into a nearby town and resupply before hitting New Jersey.
We sat in the Doyle Hotel for 2 days after Mark and Karen dropped us off and watched the weather channel's Storm Warnings which became flood warnings. After waiting we decided that it was time to head out. Just as we were about to set off down the street the owner of the Doyle came into the pub and said, "a thru-hiker, G-walk, just called to say the Clarke's creek 17 miles north from here is flooded."
With this news in mind we decided to try and head out the following day and camp just up the mountain from the swollen river if we could not get across. The weather the next day was beautiful and there was no sign of the predicted storm or rain. The trail out of town was only slightly flooded but we managed to keep our feet dry with some creative manoeuvering.
Later that afternoon we came to Clarke's Creek. It was indeed impassable although we did watch with morbid curiosity as three other thru-hikers proclaimed that they could and would cross it. After 20 minutes orangutan, Stinky and Homeward admitted defeat and set up their tents next to ours with Windtalker and Mom.
We were hoping that the following morning the water level would have receded enough but we were prepared to wait rather than skip that section of the trail (like many other thru -hikers had done).
The next morning we were awoken by Mom telling us that there were some nice men with a frontend loader who were willing to drive us across the river. We packed up in record time and watched as Windtalker and Mom hopped onto the shovel and the driver tentatively drove towards the rushing water. Within minutes we were all safely across the river eating oatmeal for breakfast.
There is a photo of the river crossing at the website mentioned by Kerry it was taken by Mom. (if you are reading this Windtalker and Mom we also have a photo of you two and will send it to you if you send us an email.)
Mom's parents are driving an RV north to Maine and resupplying Windtalker and Mom. At most road crossings when we are hiking with them it is great to see them sitting waiting. For most of the bad weather we hiked with them and got constant updates about flooded areas.
So after crossing the creek we knew that Swatara State was underwater and a 2 mile road walking detour was recommended. Other than that we were heading north and clear of the floods.
After taking the detour around Swatara we ran into the 3 Australian sisters who had skipped north and were heading south towards Duncannon. They told us that when they drove out of Duncannon they were sandbagging The Doyle and that the there were cars under water one street away from the Doyle. Looks like we got out just in time.
Needless to say we survived the floods and made it to our next resupply point in Port Clinton. The following was written about Port Clinton in one of the registers, "if Pennsylvania was given an enema the tube would be inserted in Port Clinton."
We arrived to the smell of burning couches (sofas)- it seems that they got hit really badly by the floods as well. We walked carefully past a 12 year old with a rifle (yes a real one. We thought it was an air rifle but heard a shot go off as we left town)
The only thing in town that was open when we arrived, on the 4th of July weekend, was the "Peanut Shop." We needed to resupply and as it was our only option we went inside.
3 days later we were getting a little sick of eating peanuts and were looking forward to spending a night in jail, as there was no other cheap accommodation and it was the 4th of July this seemed like the best option.
We flagged down an officer on patrol and after a few minutes of talking he agreed and took down our details and we were set with a free bunk for the night. We walked into the building and noticed a few other packs. Apparently we were not the only hikers with this idea. (the town of Palmerton runs a free hostel out of the old jail house. The instructions for checking in are to flag down an officer on patrol.)
We had come into town with Baro who we had passed heading south earlier that morning. We were a little confused but he told us that he had left his rain jacket 17 miles south and was going to walk back to get it. To cut a long story short he eventually got it back and met us just outside of town. After having lunch with us, 16oz T-bone steak, fries, veggies, salad and sundaes, he quickly announced that he liked eating with us and that from that day forth we would be his eating buddies.
After eating for 12 hours straight we forced ourselves to leave town and tackle the 'super fun site.' Palmerton was a town built on an old mine site and the surrounding vegetation was an advertisement for an antimining campaigns. It is barren and rocky. The hill out of town was 1000 foot climb in .3 of a mile. It was awesome and different and the majority of it required rock climbing.
We tried for 3 days to book a room in Delaware Water Gap but on the 3rd day we learnt that they to had been badly hit by the floods and that the only motel in town and the outfitter had been underwater. We decided to take a cab into a nearby town and resupply before hitting New Jersey.
posted by Mike & Zan :-) | 2:53 am
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